“Mom!” Gabe says.

“What” I ask, boxing clothes for our sudden departure for Spokane (Dec. 17, 2008).

“We can’t forget this buddy ol’ pal” Gabe says, gently patting Mia’s Easy Bake Oven with affection…obviously adopting a masculine snarl to his lip (in case daddy was watching), “right Mom?”

“Of course son…” I said “and I promise I won’t tell your dad you said that.”

“Thanks Mom.” Says Gabe “I sure do love you.”

Chris and I just had the first sale of our new business – which we celebrated with the kids by doing a few team yells and victory dances.

“Mom and Dad, how much money did you make?” asked Chase.

“We made $197 Chase! Woo Hoo!  A few more of those and we can move to Hawaii!” yells Chris, excited.

“$197! That’s it? Jeesh!  I’m gonna be 10 before we have enough money!” Chase says and slams the dishwasher in disgust.

Chris and I roll our eyes – but before either of us can say it first, Mia pipes up, “Chase you ARE 10!”

I could hear Mia throwing a fit upstairs – obviously ticked off at Chase.

When I went to the foot of the stairs, Mia came flying down, intent on justice being served.

“What happened Pooh Bear?” I asked.

“Chase just said the SH word Mom!  He yelled at Gabe and me and said the SH word!”

Since I had been in the kitchen and hadn’t heard raised voices, this didn’t make sense.

“Why would Chase say the SH word?” I asked.

“I don’t know Mom – he was yelling at us to be quiet!”

“Mia, what did Chase SAY exactly?”

“He said SHUT UP Mom! That starts with SH, right?” Mia stared at me with wide, innocent eyes…

My heart melted and I gave her a big hug.

Horse correction: when one has done something wrong and needs to be set right.  Also known as “course” correction.

~Gabriel

“poo-poo new-new”

This word invariably causes fits of laughter in the hendrickson tribe – and Gabe has mastered slipping it into every conversation he has with EVERYONE – whether it makes sense or not.

~Mama Faith

When the mail came today inside was a letter Chase had written to us for his first 4th grade classroom visit by us of the year (fall, 2008).

Endearing enough are his mispellings, cadence and subject changes – but most treasured is his signature…

ChaseChase

…with chicken “pops”!

a.k.a. chicken pox…

a.k.a. bug bites she’s itched to the point where they need bandaids.   I just don’t have the heart to correct her – she’s very concerned about it, LOL.

We (Chris and Faith) just had our 8 year “meeting” anniversary yesterday (9/17/08) …and for 8 years we’ve been saying that we’re going to journal the funny/silly/crazy things our 3 kids (Chase: boy, 9;Mia: girl, 6; Gabriel: boy, 4) say and do…but we’ve been too lazy.

Well grandma and grandpa – we’re finally doing it! Yeah!

What prompted this?  The newest accounting from Chris about what Gabriel said:

Chris picked Gabe up from preschool.  The van was stopped at the street on a hill.  Outside the van was a tennis ball on the ground.

Upon seeing the ball outside the van, Gabe says to Chris:

“Daddy-daddy, do you see that ball?”

“Yes, Gabe, I see the ball buddy…” says Dad.

Gabe is quiet, considering something…

“Dad,” he says slowly (and very earnestly), “how does the ball stay on the hill?  Do you think it’s because it has tiny legs?”

~End Gabe’ism Story 9/18/08