Life, uh, finds a way.

This brought back memories of my own childhood...

"Get over here now! We found dinosaur bones! Real dinosaur bones! It's definitely, definitely a T-Rex... because T-Rex was the coolest."

- courtesy of some of my budding paleontologists

Plus...

"Do you know how many girlfriends I have? Really, do you? Cuz it's a lot."

- courtesy of a budding Casanova

On the iTunes: Radiohead live recordings

In a while, crocodile.

"Bye, alligator... See you tomorrow, crocodile." [Translation: "See ya later, alligator."]

- courtesy of a 5 year old boy

"My dad was in a really bad mood this morning, but don't tell him I told you that."

- courtesy of the same 5 year old boy

Loving: The xx

In case of fire.

"Do you know where fire comes from? I do. It comes from sticks and wood, and this stuff called coal. You pile lots of it together and get fire."

- courtesy of a future Boy Scout

"Looks like it's just you and me." [followed by a wink]

- courtesy of my last boy waiting to be picked up after school

Now playing: "Vapours" by Islands

Mouse tales, pt. 2.

3 year old: You'll never believe what I'm about to tell you...  really, you're not going to believe it.

Me: What's up?

Her: I'm getting my own pet mouse.  Like, it's going to live in my room.

Me: Have you thought of a name for the mouse?

Her: Obviously Ariel, like the mermaid.

Me: What color is your mouse?

Her: Green.

Ahoy.

While reading a Magic Treehouse book about pirates, we come across the word booty, as in pirate treasure...

"Booty - you mean like a butt?!" [giggles abound]

After I told a boy that we were having "Back to School Night" that evening...

"Oh man, I hope mom doesn't wear one of her funky dresses.  And dad better not tell dumb jokes."

Current music: "Reunion Tour" by the Weakerthans.

Mouse tales.

"This morning I saw a mouse outside my window.  But it's dead.  But I decided I want to keep it... even though it's dead."

- courtesy of a 4 year old girl

Currently listening to: "Night Windows" by The Weakerthans.

Smooth criminal.

A 5 year old boy, wearing sunglasses, comes up to me and says:

"What's cookin', good lookin'?"

Following that line...

"Do these look like Michael Jackson sunglasses, cuz I really wish they looked like Michael Jackson sunglasses."

[I'm not quite sure what Michael Jackson sunglasses are.]

Music of the moment: A Silver Mt. Zion's "Hang on to Each Other"

Master of karate?

Today, one boy in particular provided me with endless amusement.  Among other things, he:

• Sat on a little picnic table (outside in the playground area), closed his eyes, and "meditated."
• Excitedly unwrapped and devoured an entire Five Guys cheeseburger at lunch time (yes, he had a Five Guys burger packed in his lunchbox).
• Told me that his dream would be to have a "huge dance party" at school.
• Showed me "the coolest karate move ever."

Music of the day, just because: "xx" by The xx

Pumpkin orange.

"My shirt isn't just orange!  It's pumpkin orange, like Halloween, and like my birthday because it's the day after Halloween."

- courtesy of "Radar bunny" boy (see previous entries)

"Can birds eat cats?"

- courtesy of a 5 1/2 year old boy

Today also involved the mermaid-loving girl serenading me with "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid."  She absolutely sang the entire song - without missing a beat.  

Under the Sea.

Me (to a 3 year old girl): Want to look at some animal picture cards with me?  You could choose fish, mammals, reptiles...

Girl: How about mermaids?  Do you have any mermaids?

Me: No mermaids, but I have fish.  

Girl: Ok, fish.  They live with mermaids.

[She then proceeded to express her love for Disney's Ariel, explaining how much better Ariel is as a mermaid than as a human.]

Gone fishing.

While labeling pictures of various types of fish...

"Porkfish... I don't know if I like porkfish.  But I know that I love pork!  Mmmm, bacon!"

- courtesy of the same (almost) 5 year old boy with the bunny named Radar

Made my day.

"You know, I was so excited to come back to school today. You know why? I really, really like you."

- 5 year old girl

It has begun.

I'm back.

Back to school, that is. And I'll celebrate that with my favorite quote from the first day:

"I had a bunny once. His name was Radar. RADAR! Isn't that a perfect name for a rabbit?"

- (almost) 5 year old boy

Yes, I think it is.

More to come, possibly on a daily basis, because as the old saying goes: "Kids say the darnedest things."