A Conversation Between a Dad and His Son

Scene: Yesterday during breakfast

Friggs: I had a really weird dream last night.
Dad: Oh, really? What was it about?
F: Well, I dreamed Bean (Blake) was made of chocolate.
D: That's weird. Like a chocolate bunny? All chocolate?
F: No, he looked normal, but on the inside he was chocolate.
D: Huh. So what happened?
F: Ummmm, I ate him. But I felt kinda bad afterwards.

Silence.

Dad: Huh. Well, you probably should.

So Friggs got a yellow at school the other day. This happens sometimes, but it's usually for stuff such as swinging his lunch box in line or something. Normal Kindergarten stuff. This time, though it was actually disobedience. His teacher had to tell him three times to sit down before he obeyed. That is not acceptable to disobey, so I made him write her an apology letter. Is it wrong to think his letter is so stinkin' cute?! I love it. He sounded out all the words and spelled them himself, no help from Mom, which makes it all the cuter. He was so adorable writing that note in a contrite spirit I could have just eaten him up. I didn't let on, though. I was the very soul of sternness with a small touch of "you reap what you sow."

Festivus

Between Christmas and New Year's my good friend Amy had a Festivus party. For those of you not familiar, Festivus is "the holiday for the rest of us!", a made-up holiday created on Seinfeld by Castanza's dad. You gather around the Festivus pole and have the Airing of Grievances, quickly followed by the Feats of Strength. Then you exchange gifts.

It truly was the most fun I've had in a long time. We did have the Airing of Grievances - It was funny then, but wouldn't be in the retelling. They even erected a Festivus pole in their living room. Awesome. We had a White Elephant exchange - always fun, and then for the Feats of Strength we played Spoons, which I don't think I've played since Junior High. We wrestled for spoons, got bruises, fell out of chairs. And all this time the kids are having a wild rumpus of their own upstairs. A good time was had by all. It must become a yearly tradition, even if it means the Sharps have to drive back from Missouri to come.

Kyle is secure enough in his masculinity to wear the ugly neck scarf he got as a white elephant gift.

Kelly and Amy grappling for a spoon - this went on for several minutes.

Sweet victory for Kelly

Kelly's tacky Chinese Calendar

Kyle A. got a pregnancy test and an ovulation predictor.

Gerry, Amy, and Kelly

Playing Catch-Up

I wouldn't be surprised if no one reads this blog anymore, I have been so horrible about posting. I am resolved to catch up on the last couple of months, though and be a much better blogger. I have been so busy. I mean, I'm sure everyone is busy, but definitely more so than usual around here. I did not have time to read a single fiction book the whole month of January. This says something HUGE about the state of affairs around here. We have been passing sickness around like you cannot believe. I got sick on New Year's with a stomach bug and was so kind as to send it home with Kyle's family. Then Kyle got it. Then Seth and Blake got a cold. Then Blake and Cullen got pink eye. Then Kyle and I got the regular flu. Then Cullen got pink eye. Then I got pink eye, and here we are.

I guess he started to get out of bed to make mischief and was so tired he fell asleep!

What would a Bennett family get together be without shooting guns? Here I am with Friggs teaching him to shoot a .22 for the first time.

Here's a pic of the Stringer family. Gloria got us all camo gear for Christmas. For New Year's we had a cookout out at the land. I was able to go hunting for the only time this year, but did not see anything. See how everyone's smiling? That's because they have no clue that they will be violently ill within 24 hours.

Had to take a pic of this, I thought it was so bizarre. At the house next to the DQ in Kerrville, there is a patio table with 3 concrete birds. Are they eating or playing cards? Notice the one chair is wheeled, and the other two birds are on concrete blocks!

So cute! I'll be sad when I have no babies to wear outfits with ears on them.

Cullen at 7 months.

He looks sooooo much like Kyle.