Audrey-ism #77

Audrey: Mommy, what kind of dog is Charm?

Mom: She's an English lab.

Audrey: [emphatically] Oh GOOD.

Mom: Why is that good, honey?

Audrey: Because she understands English when we talk to her!!

Audrey-ism #78

Audrey: Mommy, can you ever hear God?

Mom: [revels for a moment in the sweetness of a child's spirituality] People don't actually hear God talking out loud anymore, honey. Sometimes, in a way though, you can hear him talking to you in your heart.

Audrey: Well, I bet you could hear God laughing after He's had a beer!

Ethan got a little trim the other day...just cleaned up the back and sides, really. But he requested that his hair be styled "just like Julian's...in a faux-hawk" before he exited the chair. When she spiked it that way I thought for sure he would freak out and press it down wildly with his hands, lip stuck out in a pout. (For those of you who know Ethan, you can picture him doing this.) Instead, he thought he looked SO COOL and proudly showed his 'do to Dad. He was also worried about going to sleep that night because it might mess up his hair!

All I can say is, I'm glad it wasn't cut in that style. The next day's bath brought our little boy back.

Here's 2 of those weird pictures people take of themselves from too close up:

But the kids look adorable and that's really all that matters, right?

Our Beautiful Boys

I was trying to get a cute picture of Christopher and I, but someone wasn't cooperating.

This is
Is this me?
me.
Me this is.

My mother-in-law, Jofannie
A beautiful and dear friend

**Quite Charming**

After having given away the last dog, McKinley, we promised Claire that in the future we would get a dog again (and learn from our mistakes in getting a puppy). We didn't know when we would get a dog but knew it would be after we moved into our new/old house since it was fenced, covered deck, we own the place, etc.
God delivered the dog we always wanted.
Again, a customer at the coffee stand needed to help her daughter find a home for her older dog. Once we heard more about this dog, we knew we HAD to have her!! She is a 6 or 7 yr old English lab who was formerly a show dog. For her first set of years she was a show dog and then was bred. She had many litters and it took it's toll on her so she is quite mellow. Charm (the name she came with) is the most well-trained dog I have met in a long time. She's the dog I always wanted but never wanted to put the energy into training.
She won't grab food out of the short people's hands.
She won't lick incessantly.
She doesn't jump on you or bark at imaginary noises.
She is completely house-trained.
She doesn't chew things.
She loves to fetch balls and will release on command.
She won't "bolt" when the door opens, the leash is removed, or the gate is ajar.

You see what I'm saying?? She's a dream-dog. We don't care much for the name, but it's always been hers and we feel weird about changing it. Like if you adopted a 3 year old kid named Michael then renamed him "Allen".

Don't Ask

" Will you be my friend???? "

"Am I not ''Turtelly'' enough for the Turtle Club?"

"I lost a lot of weight on this new diet called, Nothing. It works great!"

"I tried so hard not to eat those easter Jelly Beans but I couldn't help myself."

"I swear, I don't have food allergies!!!!"

"Boy, do feel like Chinese food right now..."

"Hey buddy, you wanna buy a watch?"

"Ethan, eat the fish in bites, not all at once!!"

Ethan "Jake" Dayton

...after

Is anyone watching Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution show?

I applaud him for trying to plant a seed of change. That's what he said. He's not trying to judge and condemn people, just think and be willing to change.

He has a good heart and I hope a garden of goodness will grow from his efforts.

One that doesn't include french fries and nuggets....

Who is that??

This is the mural that is/was in Ethan's room when we moved back in. People and the kids' friends that have come over seem to always seem to say, "Who's that??" when they see the mural.

No, we aren't adopting.

No, it's not Ethan's middle name.

As I write the mural is being painted over to reflect the current resident's name. A gal from church is an artist and doing a great job of fixing it. The "after" picture will be posted later...

The funny thing is that Ethan is now saying he likes the name Jake better. When we showed him how the lady was fixing his wall with his own name on it with great excitement, he was less than thrilled. He keeps saying he wants the name Jake up there. It is so predictable how children this age do not like change, even with something like that.

Good Ol' Fashioned Fun

We had a good time on April Fools Day. The kids are getting pretty good at this tricking stuff...

1. Julian put green food coloring in my half n half. As I was pouring it into my brand-new steaming hot cup of coffee I recoiled in horror thinking that it was rotten and had now just ruined a perfectly good cup of coffee!! I didn't even consider it was a prank because, well, I hadn't even had my first cup of coffee yet.

2. Claire called up Christopher with blustery excitement and said that Jeff Bridges was coming that evening to her theater program as a guest speaker to talk to the kids about acting and how he got his start in the business. Christopher is flabbergasted and fooled so much that while on the phone with Claire he starts to go on the website for the place to get more details. Claire April Fooled him good on that one.

3. Julian glued a bunch of quarters to the sidewalk in front of our house and watched as all the neighborhood kids, on different occasions, tried to pry them off. He even fooled me when I walked by I asked whose money it was and to not take it until one of the kids came back for it. Gotcha.

4. Christopher forwarded a bogus email to Julian about how Christopher's band was going to get to open for some famous bands in a concert. Julian completely believed it and was such a good sport when we April Fooled him.