I was very confused to get something from the Orthodontist in Owen’s handwriting. But then I saw what it was. Too cute.
Very cute idea from the Orthodontist
Category Archives: Things Owen Says
My heart is melting.
And feeling a little sentimental because I miss this little boy. He’ll be turning 14 in about two weeks.
Happy 10th *GOLDEN* birthday, Katie!
Double digits today! She says Owen calls her the double digit midget.
This is Katie’s GOLDEN birthday!! (Let’s not talk about how I apparently didn’t take a 9yo photo. I have no idea what happened.) You completed our perfect little family, even if Owen screamed that he didn’t want you to come home with us because you wouldn’t stop crying. You’ve been a cute little pistol ever since, and he loves you now, even if he’s a teenager that rarely shows feelings. And we love you, too, even though you challenge us on a seemingly daily basis.
Olive and Owen: a conversation
Bikes as teen transportation
Owen wanted me to drive him to a sleepover on the other side of the neighborhood. I told him to ride his bike.
Him: Umm huh?
Me: That’s how teenagers get around.
Him: blank stare
Me: It’s not raining or snowing or cold and you have everything in a backpack and it’s literally on the other side of the neighborhood.
Him: Oooookay, I guess.
Golden Girls holds up!
And it’s still funny as hell!! (But the clothes and hair are… YIKES!) They were all great but Betty White was such a treasure.
Mom and I were watching Golden Girls while putting a puzzle together. Tom and I were telling Owen we were about his age when we watched it.
Owen, incredulous: Daaaad? You watched a — GIRLS SHOW?!
Then we caught him laughing at it.
Failure and Fun
Linda let us know it wasn’t all fun and games…
I asked what they were watching. First answer- nothing. Did not accept that. Another ask. Mumble. Another ask. Not a teacher for nothing.
We were watching something Bob. No clue to me. O said mom and dad don’t like it. So maybe you shouldn’t be watching it. Yah. Give me the remote. He hands it nicely. K is totally quiet, unless I ask her specific questions. Me, you lost the privilege of watching tv downstairs.
It was bedtime. K goes to her room. O asks to talk with me. Said it wasn’t really Bob (?) they were watching. Something worse…? Norman, maybe. I thanked him for being honest. Tried the why questions. Did tell him he was the big brother. Both in tears. O really meant sorry. K not so much. I have hidden both remotes for the rest of the week. Told them we would not continue to discuss it.
Fun: Nanc, Tim, Anna, Liz, and my cousin Colleen, her husband Randy, and her brother Randy came over for muffins, coffee, juice. Liz played darts with OK. They also visited. One of my cousins talked about people from Chicago being fibbers? O didn’t like it and left. They have had lunch. Waiting for ham to come out of oven. O prepped it. I made good potatoes. Mark and Julie coming for supper. Once ham out O and I going kayaking. Then to the beach. Hazy today.
YAY OWEN!
So Owen is still sometimes afraid of…weather. He doesn’t like wind or storms. So Gramma and Grandpa had a funeral to go to (that the kids didn’t need to go to) so I said it was fine to let them stay home alone. But Owen was VERY concerned because it was supposed to be stormy.
7/24 – Owen is watching the weather like a hawk. They both are afraid of thunderstorms and lightening. He especially is watching Tuesday for the funeral and is afraid of being alone if it storms. It is predicted to storm of course. I won’t leave them here alone if it is going to storm. We’ll watch the weather closely and if it storms we’ll make sure he is safe and not leave him alone. We’ll figure it out. Best case scenario is that the weather changes by then and it won’t storm! I told him that too, it’ll probably change by Tuesday. He seemed relieved and took it all in. He told me about the incident at Mike’s when he couldn’t reach you and it started raining and he was scared.
7/27 – The weather forecast changed so we did not get a single drop of rain. Kids did well. Katie wasn’t hungry so I guess she didn’t eat. I got her to admit she has one candy. But before we went, Owen was a champ. He said he’d be okay with it even if it rained or stormed. He said I have to learn to deal with it (or similar words). I asked if his counselor taught him some coping mechanisms and he said yes, and it helps/helped. I texted him once we got to the luncheon and they were fine. I know he played on his phone but he promised to share and he did. They did go outside for a short while and they watched TV. So, I think it was a huge stepping stone for him. Yay Owen!
Christmas Eve with our bubble!
If I haven’t mentioned it, we have created a bubble with our good friends Anna and David. Each family quarantined for two weeks and we always wear masks when we are with anyone outside our bubble—and even try to avoid prolonged visits with anyone outside the bubble. So we do hang out with each other a lot.
We usually share Hello Fresh dinners but decided to splurge tonight on not one, not two, but three orders of our favorite octopus appetizer from our favorite restaurant (Primo) and a homemade charcuterie board. That was seriously all Tom, Anna, David, and I wanted. Easy peasy.
We didn’t take one single picture of our amazing dinner, but it was delicious. We might also have drank an entire batch of Dave’s amazing rum punch and watched Christmas Chronicles with the kids. I’m not naming names but someone fell asleep.
Then we got ready for Santa!
We left out Girl Scout cookies because Katie texted Santa and asked if he liked them and gave him a choice and he picked the chocolate and peanut butter ones. The candy cane is for the reindeer.
I absolutely love the letters both kids left for Santa. Owen thanked him for being awesome (and gave him a spot for a Robux code) and Katie wanted Santa to write his name.
And this was where Maggie was. Maybe sneakily waiting for Santa, too?
My first batch of easy margaritas!
So with my love of margaritas, can you believe I’ve never really made any? (Well, I have made a special “beergarita” for parties, but that really isn’t a margarita as most people would think of one.) I even bought the Margaritaville drink machine to make them but never really did anything except use it with premade margaritas.
Enter our new friends Lindsay and Mike, who regularly (and quickly!) make frozen margaritas. Of course I had to ask how they do it… And turns out it’s super simple.
The funny thing is they make completely different ones. He gives her crap about using limeade vs real limes and she gives him crap about taking longer to make his. Both are good but I’m usually lazy so I’ll do the limeade ones!
I did my very first batch—actually in my Vitamix—today. And they were super easy and super delicious.
I actually got out the margarita machine for the kids to make lemonade slushies! They came and sat at the bar and said “This is like being on the cruise—you just hand them your glass and they refill it!”
Owen made me laugh out loud in Aldi.
We have been leaving the kids for short amounts of time to go run errands. Tonight we decided to run to Aldi.
Owen generally texts us at some point just to check in and let us know they’re okay. This was today’s conversation.
I about died when I read his WTH comment. I mean yeah, technically swearing, but it fit perfectly. I actually couldn’t stop laughing as we were walking through Aldi.
Self-distancing Day 2
Owen. Within maybe two hours of being home from a full weekend of camping with his scouting friends (and after a brief discussion about our new Covid Rules including Mythbuster videos on how germs travel), was whining and mopey: “Whoever started the coronavirus is stupid because I can’t play with my friends.”
Katie was sooooooooooo booooored allllllll daaaaaaay. Like she’s never had a weekend day without friends. I finally had to tell her if she told me she was bored we’d start cleaning and throwing stuff away.
I tried to have them help me make Brazilian bread for dinner and that went south almost immediately because no one listens to me or reads directions.
I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive this.
Adventures with Alexa and an 11yo
Anyone else’s 11-year-old boy sit and ask Alexa what the most powerful Pokémon is? And then the second most powerful? And then the third, forth, and fifth? All the way down to like the fifteenth? Writing them all down? And then proceed to tell you all about it while simultaneously asking Alexa the exact questions again so you can hear her answer?
No? Just me?
Kidisms 45
Me: Katie, why are you so stinking cute? Why do you have to be so cute?
Owen: To attract boys!
😳🤦🏽♀️
Me: Owen, tell Dad it’s time for dinner.
Owen goes to the garage and tells Tom it’s time for dinner. He walks back in and sits down.
Owen: Mom, is it time for dinner?
Me: 😳🤦🏻♀️
Someone on TV was talking about hope.
Katie: I can hope for anything because I have a hope chest at grammas. 💕
Katie: Let’s go play some football.
Owen: Not now! I just got my burning stick!
Room cleaning drama, day 1!
Unfortunately it was back to normal life post-vacation so it was time for the kids to clean their rooms. So I told them they had to clean their rooms. Multiple times. They couldn’t concentrate for more than a few minutes before stopping to play or getting otherwise sidetracked. I started to lose my mind.
👩🏻 You guys have to clean your rooms.
👫 …
An hour later.
👩🏻 You guys have to clean your rooms and Katie remember you wanted to finish your library reading to earn the prize.
👫 …
An hour later.
👩🏻 You guys need to finish your rooms. Katie you have to read that book.
👫…
Katie: Can I have a snack?
Owen: Can we go to the pool?
Katie: Can I go to Sophia’s?
Owen: Can we have the dots in our rooms?
👩🏻: 😳🤯🤬 You do understand that I’ve been asking you to do the same thing all day right? And you haven’t done any of it yet?
Katie reads for 5 minutes and Owen reads for 10. They go back to playing.
👩🏻 Hey guys, take a quick sweep around and pick up everything that’s yours and put it away.
👫 (They pick up one or two things and go back to playing.)
Lather, rinse, repeat three times. I warn them that the garbage will be the next stop. This is NOT a new thing.
Guess all the shit I threw away? Shoes, notebooks with drawings, water balloons, Legos, stuffed animals, beads, figurines…
I’m currently waiting for hell to break out when they discover it.
Mom! Take a picture of me so I can get my bonus tokens! 😂
Project Nerf Gun Tooth Removal
Owen has had a loose tooth for awhile now and he came home from school today saying it was time for project Nerf gun tooth removal. Inspired by his second cousin Luke he decided it was time to try it. It took a few tries (our string was way too long) but we had success!!
They stopped and said “Daddy’s sign!!”
We took Owen in for his random stomach aches (thinking it might be constipation again) but he got the all clear after x-rays. So not sure what’s going on…
Which would you rather have wake you up?
1️⃣ The sound of someone sneaking into your room at 6am but not actually saying anything and by the time you realize it and open your eyes they’re gone and you wonder if you dreamed it or why they came in and left without saying anything.
I asked later and it was Owen…just checking to see if I was there (his words). WHERE WOULD I BE AT 6AM you might be asking?! EXACTLY. Unfortunately he is extremely paranoid about us being gone/leaving him. This could be a post in itself. Maybe I’ll detail it some other time.
2️⃣ A cat walking up your entire body and then laying down on your chest. At 5am.
3️⃣ Rolling over with your pillow and somehow pulling your phone off the nightstand and hearing it crash against said nightstand and hit the floor.
#WelcomeToMyMorning
#IAlsoHaveAHeadache
Kidisms 47
We were out and about and Tom was revving the engine and taking the corners fast to make the kids screech and laugh. Right as we were getting off the ramp onto the highway, Owen started to say he didn’t like to go that fast and Katie, seeing no one in front of us, says “But look at all the room we have to go fast!”
“Look at Ray! She’s having a soak tub!”
Me: Katie do you need to take water for lunch?
Katie: Nah, I can survive without it.
At the playground, Katie showed me how she could slide down the pole. I said I’d never done that.
Katie: Oh that’s right. You might break yourself.
Kidisms 46
We were out and about and Katie saw the Menards sign and asked if we were going to Menards.
Tom: Yes, to save big money. [That’s their jingle.]
Katie: We don’t have big money.
Us, laughing: That’s true.
Katie: We have little money.
Dee, to Katie: What do you want to be when you grow up if you’re going to help animals since you like them so much?
Katie: I will help them as long as they don’t poop on me…
Me: Owen, go find your cleats for soccer practice tomorrow.
Owen: I don’t know where they are.
Me: That’s why I said to go find them.
Owen, whining: BUT I DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!
Me: SO GO LOOK.
Owen, comes back with a shoe: Here. But I only found one.
Me: /smdh [shake my damn head]
#NationalMargaritaDay
Me: Owen, put your Lego robot away.
Owen does nothing and wastes time.
Me: Owen, put all your Legos on a tray and put it on the other room.
Owen: Why do I have to?
Me: Because it can’t stay in the middle of the floor right where everyone needs to walk. Put everything away on a tray.
Again he does nothing.
Me: Owen. Legos. Tray.
I see him moving stuff around.
Me: Owen, did you seriously just push everything in a pile against the wall? GET. A. TRAY.
Kidisms 45
I leaned over to kiss Tom.
Owen: KISS ALERT! KISS ALERT! KISS ALERT!
Grannie and Papa sent a package with stuff to store for them and included a few small packages for me, Katie, and Owen. Katie handed them out and saw that there wasn’t one for Tom.
Katie: Why isn’t there one for daddy?
Me: They must not have found anything for him.
Katie: They should have done one with beer.
Tom told Owen he loved him.
Owen: Yeah, I know. From the beginning.
I was watching Ellen and Justin Timberlake was on and though Katie knows who he is, she sometimes gets him confused with another blonde singer:
Oh wow! Is that Justin BEAVERTON?! [Going for Justin Bieber]
Katie was showing Tom her valentines and was putting them back in the white bag she decorated:
Here’s my owl bag. As you will recognize.
Kidisms 44
My mom and stepdad were prepping the turkey, which had been in the sink all day.
Katie: The turkey is naked swimming now!
It was time for Owen to go to bed and as usual he didn’t want to so said no.
Me: Yes.
Owen: No.
Me: So tomorrow will be 15 minutes early.
Owen: No!
Me: Then a half hour early.
Owen: No I won’t go to bed early.
Me: Yes you will. You know the rules. When you argue about going to bed, you go to bed early. And that doesn’t change just because Papa and Grannie are here.
Papa [trying to sneakily get through to Owen]: Owen, you’re NOT ARGUING with your mom about bed time, are you?
Owen, totally not getting it: YES! I AM!
Katie couldn’t find a Hershey Kiss she put in the tree.
I can’t find it. Wait. Did magic happen?
We we’re watching a Mythbusters duct tape episode.
Owen: It feels like I’m starting to like duct tape.
Katie: Mom, every time I have water in my mouth I think I’m drinking my blood but I’m not.
Me: Why do you think that?
Katie: It feels like I taste it.
Me: How do you know what blood tastes like?
Katie: I don’t know.
Kidisms 43
Katie was telling me about her day:
My friend Cameron brought food jello to school. Not hair jello, food jello.
I asked Katie to bring a book down to read before bed:
That sounds be a waste of my time because I’m playing.
Katie: EWWW. It stinks in here. Like fartness.
Owen: That was me.
Owen was standing in the middle of the living room pounding him stomach/chest rhythmically.
Me: Owen what are you doing?
Owen, instantly: BOY STUFF.
Katie: Do you want to draw?
Owen: I don’t have any paper.
Katie: I have two writing books!
The kids picked “mystery flavor” Dum Dums. We asked Katie what flavor hers was:
Hard decision.
My 5yo first grade teenager.
Katie did an outfit change. Owen sees her and says “Wow, Katie, you look like a teenager!” She says “Yeah, I look like I’m in first grade!” 😂
“Get out of my bed, dad!”
It was another late night for the kids (they got a bath at 9:50 to clean their dirty feet) and Tom was tired from working on Gramma’s new computer all evening (where Owen sleeps) so Tom just jokingly collapsed on top of Owen and said he was just going to sleep there. Owen was adamant that Tom leave. 🙂
Okay, please tell me your kids do stuff like this.
Me, standing in front of a box and pointing to it: Owen, can you please take this box downstairs?
He says yes then walks right by me to pick up the box I just set in the other room.
Me: 😳😐
Man this is an awesome adventure!
The kids were good on our errands and it was hot out so we surprised them and stopped at the water park by our house to play in the free splash pad. While they were playing Owen said “Man, this is an awesome adventure!!” 🙂 Luckily I had old towels in the car.
The kids are having the time of their lives riding bikes!
And they would do it 24/7 if we’d let them. Unfortunately, this silly subdivision only has sidewalks on one side of the street—and of course it isn’t our side so I still have to sit out with them for now. I was taking a pic of them when I caught Owen mid-fall (he falls in slow motion 99% of the time so don’t worry). 😂
Me: Owen are you okay?
Owen, snotty: It’s none of your business, mom.
Getting ready to race. (We bought the orange cone so drivers will see something different and maybe slow down. They go tearing down our street doing 45 which is impressive since we’re only three houses from a stop sign on either side.)
Getting ready for race #2 (I feel better with at least one of them on the sidewalk.)
Owen being silly.
