Sorry, Nellie

I had to revise a recent blog post because I made reference to a "favorite boy" at school and it was too embarrassing for Nellie. So I deleted it, of course. As I did, I asked, "but he is your favorite boy, right?" She responded, "I can think of at least 5 others I like more."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

[Didn't miss a beat] "God, Jesus, Dad, DJ, Eddie."

Love that girl.

Christmas 2015, in pictures

Just a fun shot I found on Kevin's camera 

Nellie being Mary in the school performance

Not a great shot, but Annie is right in the middle 

Riding the giraffe at the zoo

Girls with their gifts

Grilling hotdogs 

Batcave!

Chilling with his candy cane

Being Sparty in his new hat and Kevin's shoes

Christmas 2015

Not to be outdone by DJ's birthday interview, the girls want to do a Christmas one. So here it is! We've had a fun season.

So girls, we've been busy this Christmas. What has been the most memorable part?

Nellie: Christmas morning. Sitting around the Christmas tree, trying to be patient, waiting to open Christmas presents.

Annie: Since we were going oldest to youngest on stockings, I was just so eager to open my stocking presents. It was so...you know...worth waiting for!

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Nellie: Putting up the nativity scene and exchanging Christmas presents.

Annie: I like decorating the Christmas tree, getting the presents, and wrapping the presents.

What present were you most excited about giving?

Nellie: Probably DJ's polar bear set. The one I got from Potter Park Zoo when we saw the lights.

Annie: I was, like, really excited about giving mom her wallet, because she really needed that. [I lost mine in a snow bank in a parking lot, only to have my mom find it a week later when the snow melted.]

What was your favorite present you received this year?

Nellie: That's a tough one. Probably my Truly Me American Girl doll, or my crossbow.

Annie: I really liked my Kindle and the special fishing box that Dad gave me, because you have to use it on a special kind of fish.

What's your favorite Christmas movie that we watched this year?

Nellie: I liked particularly White Christmas, the Grinch...I liked all of them! I liked the play that we saw of the Christmas Carol.

Annie: Are you kidding?! White Christmas, of course! And the Peanuts Movie!

What's your favorite Christmas song?

Nellie: I like Hark the Herald Angels Sing, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and Away in a Manger.

Annie: [Starts singing] Feliz Navidad! Feliz Navidad! ... [I don't know how to spell the rest.] And ALL OF THEM!

What did you like most about going to Holland with Grandma Linda?

Nellie: Probably opening up my present from Charlotte and thinking, "what is it, what is it," then opening it and finding out, "yes! It's another science kit! And you can eat it!"

Annie: Everything! Playing Twister and sleeping in the top bunk!

What are your favorite Christmas colors? [Annie's idea]

Nellie: Red and green.

Annie: I like all of them, but I especially like green.

Is there anything else you especially want to remember about this Christmas?

Nellie: I remember saying that this is the best Christmas ever, because I finally got what I've been asking for every year--a look-alike American Girl doll! Also I really liked getting Sorry. And opening a pack of arrows and being like, "what are these for?" Then Dad walked in from the laundry room holding my bow and I was like, "yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!"

Annie: I liked getting new books on my Kindle. This is the best Christmas ever!! Wait, do I say that every year? Whoopeeee!

I know one thing I'll remember. Listening to you [Annie] recite the whole Christmas story by heart, and singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve while Nellie played piano. Then staying up until midnight putting together toys!

DJ, 4 years old

How do you feel about being four?  

Good!

What kinds of things do four-year-olds do?   
Drink milk all day. Eat gummy bears and cookies. Touch my eyeballs.

What are you most excited about for the next year?
Only four days until my birthday party! I get to have Batman cake. I get to have broccoli from our house.

Who is your best friend?    
Uriah. Joey S. from school.

Who are your favorite people to play with?
Annie. You. [What about me? - Nellie] Daddy, Nellie, and Eddie.

What kinds of things are you good at?

Um, making silly faces. Playing with Annie. [What's your favorite thing to play with Annie?] Duck Hunt. Cleaning up...but I'm not.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Firefighter and a police officer.

Why do you want to be a firefighter and a police officer?
Because I work a lot. And I go to Woldumar a lot. They need firefighters and police officers at Woldumar. There was a firefighter at Chuck E. Cheese!

What’s your favorite song?   
God is Bigger Than the Boogie Man, Old McDonald, Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Favorite movie?   
Star Wars. [Actually, he just started singing the song. Then he showed me that he chewed his cookie into the shape of a Star Wars fighter plane.]

Favorite book?   

All the Veggie Tales stories.

Favorite color?   

Green and blue and orange.

Favorite food?   

Corn.

What are some things you like to play?   
Super Hero Squad, my dinosaur, play with Eddie.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you?   
That my dinosaur opens its mouth and when you push the guy down it moves his arm and opens his mouth and says stuff. "May the Ferb be with you." [Quote from Phineas and Ferb] Mommy, what are you writing? May the Ferb be with EYEBALL! The last thing I like to do is watch T.V. My favorite show is Dragon Tales.

A bit of excitement

Our first day of "vacation" yesterday was full of activity. Kevin's car needed some emergency service so we picked him up at the shop, then dropped off Nellie to a Star Wars birthday party. The other kids and I went to a great party at my mom's office. Then it was back to pick up Nellie at the movie theater, where all the kids had to go to the bathroom (in two separate trips, of course) and Nellie realized on her way out the door that she'd left her jacket in the theater.

We finally made it back to the van, only to find that it wouldn't start. I had a vague recollection that the low fuel light had come on right as we parked, and since I was parked nose down, I guess it couldn't get enough gas to start. This was a first!

Emily lives nearby but I couldn't reach her, and Kevin was at home without a car. Plus, I could see a gas station from where we were parked. So, I herded the four kids through the rain across the parking lot and across the street (at a busy Christmas-time mall) to the gas station. Where I learned that they don't sell gas cans.

Plan B. (C?)

I assessed the distance to Walmart and the likelihood of being able to carry Eddie there, and decided it was our best shot. But a man had overheard me asking about the gas can and asked if we needed help. I explained the predicament and he told us to sit tight, he'd drive to a nearby gas station to get the gas can. He bought the gas can, filled it (refusing payment) and let us pile in the backseat of the truck for a ride to the van. Don't worry Mom and Dad, his wife was with him, I noted the make, model, and license plate of the truck, and kept my cell phone in my hand! Broke all kinds of seatbelt and carseat rules, though.

The point is, we had rescuers! The kids' guesses as to his true identity: A Christmas angel, Santa Claus, Iron Man.

I learned two good lessons. One is that people are still kind, and I need to get better about looking for ways to pass on this kindness. I get so focused on my own little circle of neediness that I barely notice what's going on around us. Would I have paid attention to a mother and four kids huddled by a gas station trying to figure out what to do? Would I have held off on my plans for an extra hour?

And two, fill the tank when in gets down to a quarter, darn it! It's what my dad's been telling me for years, but come on, I'm a teacher, I know we learn best when we figure things out for ourselves.

Rock 'n' Roll

Annie, to DJ during a light-saber vs. Incredible Hulk battle: You're fired...like bad medicine!

We've been listening to a lot of Bon Jovi, lately.

Partially decorated Christmas tree

We got our tree tonight! We've been going to the same little lot in Lansing since we first moved there in 2004. It was fun to see all four kids running/toddling through the trees looking for just the right one. They finally picked a winner--the primary thing it had going for it was that it's "already decorated" because it's covered in little pinecones.

Annie plans to talk to the tree every day because she heard on the radio that it helps it "grow." Nellie named it Amanda. DJ insists it's his turn to put the lights on it.

Mary, Mary

The big news in the Wernet house is that Nellie auditioned for and got the part of Mary in the school play. She's thrilled and proud.

We are also thrilled and proud. When I asked Nellie about her lines, I learned that she doesn't have any. I asked about her audition. She said, "I had to look scared, then walk around the classroom next to a boy without giggling or acting like, 'ew, I don't want to walk next to a boy.'" 

Apparently she's good at those things! Life skills, folks.