You know you are mad at your brother when...

...you make a sign that means "No Bradens Allowed." (What appears to be a "20" is actually the word "NO." Ya know, just in case the giant X didn't convey that information.)

...and a drawing of the family that leaves your brother out. (I'm on the left here, the one "with the scraggly hair." Thanks, Garrett. )

Hot potato!

Braden's friends Omar and Yessenia had a birthday party today at their father's Mexican restaurant in Bryan. Their mom, a sociology prof at A&M, planned some traditional Mexican games, like hot potato. Braden hung back at first, but soon got involved. I'm afraid the kid has a competitive streak: He wanted to win. He was throwing that potato as quickly as possible.

All the kids were quick to point out which kid was out. The were good sports (mostly).

Finally, it was down to two: Braden and another boy.

Ohhh...music stops! Who's the winner?

Braden!!!

the pains of blogging

I want to blog. I really do. But I don't have the patience to wait for photos to upload, and I have a million other things to do like put little boys to bed, make lunches, grade tests, take a shower, snuggle with my dog under the covers. So, I thought I'd post this little blurb so some people (that's you, Linsey) will know that I tried.

I'm a little worried about Garrett...

...he might be a little, well, off. As in, sadistic. And that is a little scary.

Clue number one: While watching the end of the new version of The Karate Kid, Garrett said, "I hope those red guys win." Those red guys are the bullies, the bad guys, the awful kids. The ones who chant, "no mercy" and punch cute little Will Smith, Jr. in the face. Over and over. Garrett wanted them to win. Of course, he also said, "I hope they beat that girl" even though Will Smith's kid is a boy (with long braids). I'm not sure what is more upsetting: Garrett, in all sincerity, wanting the bad guys to win. Garrett, in all sincerity, watching an ENTIRE movie confused about the gender of the protagonist. Garrett, in all sincerity, wanting the bad guys to beat up a girl.

Clue number two: Garrett told me yesterday, "Mom, I like tomatoes because their juice is red. Red like blood."

Clue number three: Today, upon seeing the "no guns" symbol on a sign posted on the fence around the playground at Braden's school, Garrett sighed deeply and said, "awwwgh. That's no fair. There's no guns allowed at Braden's school."

So tell me: should I worry? stage an intervention? Sleep with one eye open? Or is he just a normal little boy?

A funny story, by Garrett

Once upon a time there was a crazy goose living in a forest (noooo, a farest) and he lived with some bears and a cricket dog. And then he got on his bike with more family crazy gooses who were sticking onto his bike pedals. He was pedaling on them with his head. He wanted some chocolate milk and he found a chocolate milk tree and he drank all his chocolate milk with a crazy goose straw that goes up and down and up and down. Then he still pedaled and he found a banana tree and he ate some of the bananas off and then he found a bear tree with gummy bears and he ate some of them off. Then, he got back on his bike and he found some, ummm, cup tree and he got some cups and he put them in his basket in the front. Then he made a goose sound (sound effects). The end. That's all of it. And then he went back to his home with the bears. So. The end.

An interview with Garrett

Garrett has a project for pre-school: decorate a poster with information about him. We're planning on doing that tonight, but first I thought it might be fun to interview him. I attempted this several years ago with Braden (and had absolutely no luck), so I thought I'd try again with G-man. I culled the questions from my friend Kelly's blog:

Me: What's your name? Garrett. Garrett Allen.

Me: How old are you? um, FOUR!

Me:Who are your friends? mmm. Grant, Graham, and Weston. The other one I said is Grant. So it looks like two Grahams in my classroom but it is Grant.

Me: What about any girls? Are any of your friends girls? G: ummm, yeah. Like Payton and Lauren.

Me: What's your favorite snack? mmm. Peanut butter and jelly! Mmmm. The drink is chocolate milk.

Me: What's your favorite game? um. Checkers. (to my knowledge, he has never even seen checkers!)

Me: What else do you like to do? feed Cali. Mmmm. Make some food for Cali. Go to school.

Me: What is your favorite animal? Giraffe.

Me: Why do you love mom? Because she’s pretty.

Me: Why do you love dad? Because he’s cool.

Me: What's your favorite show? Wow Wow Wubzy. Mommy, do you know how to spell Wow Wow Wubzy?

Me: Tell me about your pet? dog. Do you know how to spell dog? Girl. Boy. Girl. Boy. Girl. (giggles).

Me: Do you have any chores? Clean it. Clean my toys.

Me: What do you like about our house?? nuthin!. Are you signing nuthin!? Me: you can’t think of anything you like? G: nuthin!.

Me: What is your favorite book? Old Mac Donalds.

Me: We're almost done...What do you want to be when you grow up? Football player!! Do you know how to spell football player?

Me: What's your favorite stuffed animal? Um, Monkeys.

Me: Daddy, can you think of any questions?

D: What’s your favorite thing to do? G: nuthin! No, no, I said McDonalds!

D: Tell me about your brother. G: BRADEN!

And from then on, he would only say "Braden" and giggle and so the interview was over.

Ganoler bars

(that is Garrett's word for granola bars).

He really loves his ganoler bars as evidenced by the massive amounts of ganoler bar wrappers that I just uncovered under his bed.

Sheesh, kid. Ever heard of a trash can?