Homeless....

Today on the way to gymnastics, Eliana piped up from the back seat of the car and asked, "Mommy, why are there all those poor people who just always show up?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, okay. Pretend that I don't have very much money, so I don't have any place to live. So I write a note on a piece of cardboard - which, I don't even know where they get that from - and stand there with my sign to ask for money. Why do they do that?"

"Well," I said, cautiously, "They do that because they don't have any money."

"I don't think they should."

"What should they do instead?"

"Well," Eliana said, "I think they should earn some money."

"How would they do that?"

"They could get a job."

It's that simple in her mind. She has to work for her money, so why shouldn't they? Interesting conversations with a 6 year old.

In Honor of Mommom's Birthday....

A quote from Eliana.... 

"Happy Birthday to you! You live in a zoo! You smell like a monkey... and you look like one, too!!"

"Um, Mommy, is that a very nice thing to sing? It doesn't sound very nice... And what DOES a monkey smell like?"

Happy Birthday, Mommom!!!

First Grade

Looky looky who's in 1st Grade!!!

From 1st Day of School

This morning I had her demonstrate her handwriting...

From 1st Day of School

It's a far cry from what it was last year!!

From

She got fancy hair and everything for her first day!

From 1st Day of School

Here she is in front of her classroom! 10 kids in her class this year, including an Eliana, Auna, Anya, and Ania. What a tongue-twister! Speaking of Auna, Eliana was SO excited to see her best friend from kindergarten!

From 1st Day of School

Here's to another year of great friendships and learning!!

Lewis and Clark Caverns

Leif took Monday off work to spend with us, so we went to Lewis and Clark Caverns. It was Eliana's first time in a cave, and it had been several years since Leif and I had been up to the caverns. While it was difficult to get pictures inside the dark cave, it was beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the speleothem. Eliana was awed and saw all sorts of shapes and images in the formations. It is great to have such a wonderful place so close to us!

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

Looking at the speleothem.

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

Lost in conversation

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

Eliana called this one "The Ice Cream Cone"

From Lewis and Clark Caverns

Father-Daughter Backpacking Lava Lake

Eliana and I are backpack camping at Lava Lake this weekend.  This is the fourth year we've come up here. I'm writing this on my phone ask she plays in the alluvial sands of a glacial creek.

This year she hiked all the way by herself. Last year I got impatient and carried her up the last switchback. Last year I made her hold my hand through some of the rougher parts of the trail. This year I didn't think about it until after she decided to run, tripped over a rock, and landed hard enough to scrape, cut, and bruise her arm and belly.  Band-Aids were liberally applied.  This year we stayed for two nights; in the past we've only stayed one.

While we were eating lunch today, she hid my water bottle behind her back and asked me where it was. After solving her riddle, I asked her for the bottle.

She asked me what the magic word was. I said "please."

She said, "No. It starts with a 'P'."

"Pretty please," I guessed.

"No. Another 'P'."

I gave up.

"Peace out, girl scout!"

Of course.

"Say it, she commanded."

I did.

"You have to think girly style", she advised me as she adorned me with her floral sun hat.
I'm a pretty lucky dad.

Tooling around the pond...

Yesterday I lost Leif and Eliana for a while and when I found them, they were tooling around the pond in kayaks. It's fun seeing Eliana big enough to do things like this, and it's especially fun to have this pond in our front yard! A great way to spend a summer afternoon!
(By the way... this is a video, you just have to click on it to play. It's not very obvious...)

From Wickland Family Blog

Catchphrase

Eliana has picked up "Um, awkward..." with just a bit of a Valley Girl drawl as her new catchphrase in response to most any situation.  I still find it hilarious, but Elizabeth, having heard it a few hundred more times, is in a rather different place, particularly as the child interjects it after each sentence in Eliz' narrative.

Candy Land Birthday Party...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

For Eliana's 6th birthday party, she wanted a CandyLand theme. What she got was 10 friends hyped up on sugar. =D The party was today and it went well. The kids got CandyLand tattoos...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And made candy themed necklaces...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And walked down the candy path...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And laughed a lot...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And got goody boxes...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... complete with toothbrushes...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And ate LOTS OF CANDY!!

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... And cupcakes...

From Eliana's Birthday Party

From Eliana's Birthday Party

... and generally had a great time. Happy Birthday Party Day, Eliana!! I can't believe you're almost 6 already!

Singing In The Rain....

Tonight we are getting the slightest bit of rain, but Eliana is taking full advantage of it, decked out in her boots and umbrella, singing away. Sights like this just delight me!

From Wickland Family Blog

From Wickland Family Blog

From Wickland Family Blog

From Wickland Family Blog

From Wickland Family Blog

From Wickland Family Blog

Eliana just told me that boogers are at the top of the food pyramid. You know, the part that you shouldn't eat much of...

Father's Day Card 2012

Elizabeth and Eliana made this card for me for Father's Day with a special piece of paper they found at a craft store.  It was delivered and read to me in a raspy, mechanical voice.  Awesome stuff.

If it's not yours...

We have a rule at our house... "If it's not yours, don't touch it." I just asked Eliana what the rule is and she said, "If it's not yours, don't steal it." Well, yeah, that's a good one, too....

When life gives you...

After a week of record breaking high temperatures, our valley took a turn for the chilly.  A late spring storm dumped inches of snow.

When Eliana came downstairs first thing this morning, she looked out the window and exclaimed "Snow!" She then started bustling about in ways that I didn't really follow as I put away dishes.  Next thing I knew she was speeding out the door with boots on.

Soon she came back in with a cone loaded with snow and was asking for flavoring.

Three noteworthy things about this deserve praise:

• My kindergardener upon re-entering the house with her snow-cone-in-the-making in hand first took off her boots at the door, carried them across the house to where we keep our shoes, and put them away without prompting.  I was so proud.
• The kiddo didn't complain in any fashion about the snow.  She just excitedly jumped on the opportunity to make snow cones.  (Also she wanted to go skiing, but, alas...)
• And finally, Elizabeth keeps snow cone syrup in the pantry which is a brilliant thing to have on hand to turn a dismal late season snow into a rare treat.

Another one bites the dust

Eliana lost her second tooth today.  It was the other bottom front tooth, which had been migrating to the middle of her mouth lately and was beginning to look a bit odd.

Tonight as I was getting her ready for bed, she surreptitious grabbed the ziplock that her tooth had gone in.  When I asked about it, she said she wanted to find out "if the tooth fairy was a real fairy."  She tucked it under he pillow as I tucked her in.

I couldn't help but smile at her willingness to experiment.

Breakfast conversation

While eating breakfast this morning before I'd gotten ready for the day, this conversation happened.

Eliana: Your hair is crazy!
Me: (Sarcastically) Thank you.
Eliana: (Quite earnestly while reading a book) You're entirely welcome.

Child development experts say that kids can't detect sarcasm until they're 6.  I guess we're not there, yet.

She left her calling card....

Today while we were mailing a package, Eliana asked for something to write on. Trying to keep focusing on what I was doing, I handed her the first thing from my purse that I found - a napkin. Eliana started to object, saying that it had to be something big enough to write her phone number on. Then she opened it up, remained quiet, and "wrote." Before we left, she quickly handed the napkin with her "number" on it to the guy behind the counter and said it was so he could call her. At that point, I started questioning my parenting skills, but we were already heading out, so I let it go.

In the car, I asked her what her phone number was. When she asked me to repeat the question, I asked what phone number she wrote on the napkin for that guy. Her reply was quick and clear:

"five seven zero... four one nine nine!"

D'oh! That's MY phone number. **facepalm**

Counterproductive

We've been fighting a stomach bug in our house.  As with most illnesses we share, it seems to have been brought home by the youngest member.

This exchange happened recently:

Me: Trying to explain to child various acts of hygiene she can perform to help everybody in the family stay healthy.
Child: Picking and eating boogers while nodding.
Me: Freaking out.


In reality, the conversation ended up having some positive benefit.  The child has been more diligent about washing her hands and not picking her nose.

We'll see how this goes

From upstairs, Eliana just (politely) shouted, "Can you turn up the music."  I obliged, while furiously hoping it would sets a precedent for future reciprocation of the opposite magnitude.

Presidential Scholar

Eliana has been learning about some of the Presidents at school.  Among the random facts she's spouted during dinner are:

• Obama is the current present.
• Lincoln freed the slaves.  
• Washington was the first.

She also asked, "Does President Obama have slaves?"  I couldn't help but smile at that one.

Spring Break is Over

Eliana: Do I have afternoon enrichment today?
Eliz: Yes, you do.
Eliana: Yay! I get to stay at school for a whole day.