7 Quick Takes

1. One evening this week, public radio was playing while the children and I sat down for dinner, and during a bit of silent chewing and gulping, the kids picked up some of the news.

There was a story on about health care or something to do with the federal government and the reporter made a reference to Barack Obama.

This is the conversation the story prompted:

Little 2-year-old C: "O-Bama. Hee. Das funny."

L, 4, correcting him: "Barack Obama."

Me: "Who is Barack Obama?"

L: "Umm..."

Me: "He's our president. Do you know what the president does?"

L: "No."

"He's in charge of the government and he's Papa's boss."

L: "Oh. I think Barack Obama and Tiger Woods are just alike."

I asked her to elaborate, thinking she'd say something about them both appearing on TV a lot or the fact that they're both tall, dark and handsome.

L: "They both like to do fun things--like Tiger Woods likes to play golf and Barack Obama likes to play with his little girls."

In L's eyes, all that hard work and achievement just looks like a lot of fun.

2. Is it wrong to loath a 2-year-old? Not my own, mind you. There's this bully in C's gymnastics class. I mean on two occasions during the 45 minute tumbling session, this kid got my tender-hearted C in his sights and ran across the floor to lay him out with a hefty two-handed push.

I spent much of the morning squelching fits of seething anger and shuttling C out of the bully's path of terror. The teacher assured me the little boy behaves better when his parents are there, but his parents were gone last week for whatever reason (they were probably out robbing a bank somewhere) which left no one with the clear responsibility of stepping in to tell this tiny brute that he needed a time out, or a little jail time for assault.

If he's there again this week, gymnastics class may turn into a lesson in self defense for C.

3. Look at all of the stuff I can now purchase at our government-contracted defense commissary! I no longer have to pay top dollar for these favorite natural products at the local nature-nugget boutique. How progressive they are down there at the Navy shipyards!  

By the way, I'm stirring that delicious agave nectar into my morning coffee and iced tea concoctions these days. It mixes so smoothly into hot or cold beverages. Plus it's just plain cool to eat something that comes from the same plant that produces tequila.

4.  We made homemade granola this week inspired by this children's cookbook. My thoughtful sister-in-law K bought this for L two Christmases ago and we finally brandished it and tried a recipe.

Tiny hands delighted in filling measuring cups with dried fruits and nuts, then mixing them into the gooey syrup that holds the chunks together. While I normally don't subscribe to the idea that children need to eat "kid food," these recipes are simple, low on ingredients and quick, so I don't lose my mind watching wobbly fingers produce spill after spill in my tidy kitchen.

Next time we'll use agave nectar instead of molasses, just because I think it's so funky.

5.  A few months ago, N went on a work trip to Japan. He returned with all sorts of kitschy merchandise from the stores he shopped over there, including chopsticks with googly eyes and hand-painted rice bowls with bunnies and frogs hopping all around.

We just polished off the last of the collection of uber-sweet confections he brought us, the packaging of which has had us cracking up every time we open the pantry.

Check out this box of chocolate-dipped pretzel rods marketed "for men." When we break out the package for dessert, the kiddos hop around shouting "Hockey Men's! Hockey Men's!"

6. C didn't cry when we parted ways for Bible study this week. Neither did I. It was a beautiful thing.

7.  And here's a photo of my little girl, just because I think she's lovely on her way to dance class each week.

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy these quick takes, too!