What Was I Thinking?

The children have been a united front for a couple of years on this topic:

• they want a phone.


• they want it now.


• they don't want to hear the (many) logical reasons why their parents think the request is far-fetched to the point of farcical.

So, they waged a siege. And then, they made the compelling case: if we purchase them tracphones, they will buy the minutes.

The proposal had these benefits, they argued:

• no contracts!


• no parental expense!


• child learning opportunity!


• no money = no minutes = not a parent problem!

And, I bought them (first the argument, and then the tracphones).

This weekend, both children received them. In bed last night, Daughter hummed happily: "I have a phone... I have a phone... I have a phone..." And then, "I can't believe I have a phone..." And then: "I can't believe you bought an eight year old a phone..." And then: "I can't believe you fell for it!"

Hmm. I've been duped.

Love Notes

The children got to decorate the front porch, and yard, for Halloween. They then created a carnival style game, beta tested it with each other, and then invited us to try our hand (25 cents for three tries, and a few freebies thrown in).

Then, in an apparent fit of gratitude, they sat down in bed together and wrote us a card. It reads (with a few hearts sprinkled in):

"Dear Mom and Dad.
We love you guys. And girls.
We really, really love you guys.
And girls."

And then, they signed it.

How cool is that?