What are you thinking.....
Posted by Zoe's Dad at Wednesday, December 05, 2007 1:23 AM and is filed under Winter,iPod,Playlist,lsu tigers,Reading,Randomness 
On a typical day I am barraged with countless questions, some pertinent others totally insignificant, statements, some declarative, some observational some hypothetical, sounds, ticks, screams, whispers and silences....and that's just from the voices in my own head. Couple that with the voices of five children, only three of whom actually possess any understandable form of the English language. The twins, God bless them, understand language they just don't use it. I spend quite a bit of each day engaged in a bizarre game of charades in an attempt to decipher their impassioned yet incomprehensible mutterings. "I know!! You said Llellow. But that means nothing to me and you are pointing towards an empty wall. Why are you saying Llellow and why are you so mad at that wall??!! Zoë, please help me. What is your brother trying to say?"
"Dad. He wants to change his shoes. He also said that he drew you a picture but couldn't find the crayons so he used your purple sharpie. I took it away from him and he got upset so he sat on Zella and she kicked him. Also he wants some juice....Can I have a cookie?"
"He said all that?"
"No, Dad. I can't tell what he's saying. Can I have a cookie?"
It's quite easy to see how a person might seem a bit out of sorts from time to time.
So here's just a smattering of the things that have rattled in my head and world in the past few days. Call it a random post, if you will.
iPod and the Song List
We spend quite a bit of each day in the car. It's 20-25 minutes to school and I make the trip at least twice a day. If you need help with the math, we're at close to two hours. My mother-in-law works at the school and normally takes the kids in the morning. I honestly don't know how I would do it all without her. Three hours in a van every day is just a bit much, not just for me but for the kids. Anyway, our commute provides ample opportunity for music appreciation and thanks to iPod we've got plenty of music. I try to rotate the requests and thought I'd share one of our most recent. Keep in mind that this was a total request hour. They got to choose.
Zoë: Popular -- Wicked soundtrack
Defy Gravity -- Wicked soundtrack
No Good Deed -- Wicked soundtrack
(Zoë, if you couldn't tell, loves the Wicked soundtrack. Knows almost the entire thing. There's a performer in her just bursting to get out.)
Me: London Calling -- The Clash
Live -- Lenny Kravitz
19th Nervous Breakdown -- The Rolling Stones
(Hey, it was total request, remember. You get your music on your turn.)
Zane: Fix You -- Coldplay
All These Things That I've Done -- The Killers
King of Pain -- The Police
(That's MY BOY!)
Reading 101
Zoë is a remarkable reader. She recently commented about how her class did a reading project to help give books to needy families. She's not the best at explaining things but essentially, as a class, they had to read 100 books in two days and then the needy kids got free books. That's all of the details I got. I'm sure there was more to it but it's not the point here. She proudly stated that as a class they read 107 books in their two days. Remarkable, I thought. "How many did you read, Zoë?" "Eleven!" "Eleven?!" "Yep." There are 25 kids in Zoë's class. Zoë's efforts represented about 10% of the class total. Now, I'm not one to call names here but.....SLACKERS!!! Someone is not pulling their weight. I'm also a proud pappa!
One Goes Out and They All Go Out!!
"Dad. He wants to change his shoes. He also said that he drew you a picture but couldn't find the crayons so he used your purple sharpie. I took it away from him and he got upset so he sat on Zella and she kicked him. Also he wants some juice....Can I have a cookie?"
"He said all that?"
"No, Dad. I can't tell what he's saying. Can I have a cookie?"
It's quite easy to see how a person might seem a bit out of sorts from time to time.
So here's just a smattering of the things that have rattled in my head and world in the past few days. Call it a random post, if you will.
iPod and the Song List
We spend quite a bit of each day in the car. It's 20-25 minutes to school and I make the trip at least twice a day. If you need help with the math, we're at close to two hours. My mother-in-law works at the school and normally takes the kids in the morning. I honestly don't know how I would do it all without her. Three hours in a van every day is just a bit much, not just for me but for the kids. Anyway, our commute provides ample opportunity for music appreciation and thanks to iPod we've got plenty of music. I try to rotate the requests and thought I'd share one of our most recent. Keep in mind that this was a total request hour. They got to choose.
Zoë: Popular -- Wicked soundtrack
Defy Gravity -- Wicked soundtrack
No Good Deed -- Wicked soundtrack
(Zoë, if you couldn't tell, loves the Wicked soundtrack. Knows almost the entire thing. There's a performer in her just bursting to get out.)
Me: London Calling -- The Clash
Live -- Lenny Kravitz
19th Nervous Breakdown -- The Rolling Stones
(Hey, it was total request, remember. You get your music on your turn.)
Zane: Fix You -- Coldplay
All These Things That I've Done -- The Killers
King of Pain -- The Police
(That's MY BOY!)
Reading 101
Zoë is a remarkable reader. She recently commented about how her class did a reading project to help give books to needy families. She's not the best at explaining things but essentially, as a class, they had to read 100 books in two days and then the needy kids got free books. That's all of the details I got. I'm sure there was more to it but it's not the point here. She proudly stated that as a class they read 107 books in their two days. Remarkable, I thought. "How many did you read, Zoë?" "Eleven!" "Eleven?!" "Yep." There are 25 kids in Zoë's class. Zoë's efforts represented about 10% of the class total. Now, I'm not one to call names here but.....SLACKERS!!! Someone is not pulling their weight. I'm also a proud pappa!
One Goes Out and They All Go Out!!
The tree is up, trimmed, lighted and decorated. I absolutely hate stringing Christmas lights. Really. I can not think of a single activity that I despise more than stringing lights on a tree. Dentist? Bring it on. Poison Ivy? OK--that sucks but I think I may have to go with scratch. You get the picture? I hate it. So I am twelve feet up on the ladder, stringing lights (top to bottom, that's my method) and literally feeling the Christmas spirit flow from me. My jaw is getting tight and my muscles are tensing up. Zoë and Zane are below the ladder begging me to let them help. I hate the job, but I take it seriously. It's got to look good. I've said no at least forty times. Finally, I relented. "Absolutely, you can help. Grab some lights and start down here on the bottom. Start wrapping limbs and branches and just have a blast." Best time I've had decorating a tree in ten years! And, I think it looks pretty good to boot! What do you think?
You'll notice there are no ornaments on the bottom third of the tree. What are you supposed to do when you have toddlers enamored with all things sparkly?
Get Your Coats!
Winter has officially arrived. For the past week, our high temperatures have been around 35-36 degrees. Dark, gray skies are the norm and the wind is biting. I'm having to adjust our dash from the house routine by starting a few minutes earlier to allow for the requisite bundling. So now instead of "Who needs to pee? Get your shoes on? Where are your socks? No we don't need to take your backpack. Yes, we'll be right back. Leave that here. You don't need that. COME ON LET'S GO!!".....OK. I still say all of that. But now I have to add, "Let's get your coats." Today, Zella hopped right into hers. Left arm. Right arm. Zip. Then came Zander. He missed with his left arm. Finally found a sleeve, the right sleeve with his left arm, and had to start over. "Zander. How is it that your sister can do this so easily and you can't find the...." I stopped myself. I just don't think he needs to be saddled with that quandary just yet.
And finally.....
GEAUX TIGERS
It's been a truly wacky football season. I don't know why or how nor do I really care. Just beat those buck nuts!!
You'll notice there are no ornaments on the bottom third of the tree. What are you supposed to do when you have toddlers enamored with all things sparkly?
Get Your Coats!
Winter has officially arrived. For the past week, our high temperatures have been around 35-36 degrees. Dark, gray skies are the norm and the wind is biting. I'm having to adjust our dash from the house routine by starting a few minutes earlier to allow for the requisite bundling. So now instead of "Who needs to pee? Get your shoes on? Where are your socks? No we don't need to take your backpack. Yes, we'll be right back. Leave that here. You don't need that. COME ON LET'S GO!!".....OK. I still say all of that. But now I have to add, "Let's get your coats." Today, Zella hopped right into hers. Left arm. Right arm. Zip. Then came Zander. He missed with his left arm. Finally found a sleeve, the right sleeve with his left arm, and had to start over. "Zander. How is it that your sister can do this so easily and you can't find the...." I stopped myself. I just don't think he needs to be saddled with that quandary just yet.
And finally.....
GEAUX TIGERS
It's been a truly wacky football season. I don't know why or how nor do I really care. Just beat those buck nuts!!
And I thought my time in the car was bad....I spend a little over an hour a day and if I had to spend anymore they would have to lock me up in a padded room.
Your tree looks beautiful! Last year we splurged and bought a pre-lit tree. Best money we ever spent!
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Yeah, this stay at home thing is a myth! Between shuttleing kids back and forth to school and piano and soccer and swim lessons and ballet and.....I'm never home.
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the tree looks great. You have a lot of lights for a man who doesn't like putting them up.
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Well, like I said, even though I hate doing it, it's still got to look nice. I've got some pretty good trainees now so I'm sure to be delegating more as the years roll on.
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Your son likes The Killers? So does mine! Those are fantastically smart children we're raising!
Way to go, Zoe, with the reading, and the tree looks fabulous!
Make sure you stay nice and bundled up. Highs in the mid-30's?! Ugh.
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I'm almost ashamed to say that he's the one that turned me on to them. What can I say, the kid's got good taste.
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For being random, it was an entertaining post. I love love love the Clash!!
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We ended up with the Clash via a Joe Strummer request (also by Zane) I felt he needed to know where it all started.
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I have this thing with xmas tree lights, I put them on the floor in a big tangle then plug them in, if they work they go to phase two, if they don't work they go in the bin and we buy more.
Phase two involves untangling them and plugging them in again, or if you're feeling brave, untangling them while they are still plugged in (especially if they are the really old mains voltage ones with fraying cables).
If they still illuminate after phase two they go to phase three - putting them on the tree - its usually at phase three that they won't work.
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I have tossed more than my fair share of strands that contain 99 perfectly good lights on them. What's that about 1 bad apple?
Backtracking once you get to phase three SUCKS!!
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I just found your blog.
Geaux Tigers indeed! I was in Baton Rouge during Thanksgiving and went to LSU/Arkansas game. I'm originally from there, but now have lived in Big 10 country now for a while, it sucks. The SEC is a better conference hands down.
Sorry I got on a rant there.
Very cool tunes you folks are riding to. I'm glad to see others listen to different music besides kids stuff all the time with their children.
Thanks for the good read.
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I'm glad you stopped by. I always say Louisiana is a great place to be from. Hated it when I was there (all of my life) and miss it like crazy now that I'm gone.
Love your one-line bio. Just wish I had said it first.
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So not jealous of time spent in the van. Joey's school is exactly 45 seconds away. Well, 60 if we hit the stoplight in town. LOL! Ah, the Wicked soundtrack. I missed a chance to see the show opening night in Philly this summer ... still haven't recovered...
Go Zoe with the books! I love when kids love to read!
And the tree looks gorgeous! I'm with you on the lights. I plugged in 6 strands today, 1 1/2 lit up, and I made a command decision that the lights would be my hubby's department. It worked out well. I'm not frustrated in the least. :o)
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But you did see the show, right? My wife and I loved it. Taking Zoe and the rest of the gang in March. Zoe is giddy with excitement.
Good job on the delgation. It really is a great destresser.
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No. I still haven't seen it. It's one of my goals - to actually get someone else to watch the kids, have a dinner that doesn't involve anyone wiping part of theirs on me, and then go see Wicked without anyone crawling in and out of my lap a hundred times. Hey, a girl can dream...
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