Seen & Heard, and Things You Never Thought You Would Say or Hear

The kids are at "Space Camp" for three hours in the morning this week at the rec center by our house. We thought it would be apt, with the recent obsession with Jupiter and the solar system in general. Yesterday they made awesome rocket ships! When I went to pick them up, Cordelia's teacher signaled me and said, "I just want to let you know..." and my heart sank.  Can you get expelled from camp after only three hours? It's not even day camp. It's morning camp.

She went on: "This morning, we read a book called Aliens Love Underpants. Cordelia got a little bit upset and wanted to make sure the whole class knew that 'underpants are private, and we don't show them to people.'"

I sighed, mostly with relief. I explained that the kids have been going through a major privacy phase (which is good, right?) and that sometimes they don't realize that there are different rules in different homes. (Like, we are clearly the only people who live and die by the maxim: "Bathroom Talk Stays in the Bathroom." Every time we are around people who don't think this rule is awesome--which is to say, everyone with children, so yeah, I get that I'm the outlier, but I will just not abide poop and fart and butt jokes in my presence--I have to bite my tongue and remind myself that I am most likely the crazy person in this scenario. It just "throws me over the edge," as a friend used to say.)

Anyway, I thanked the teacher, and she said gamely, "I just told her the aliens didn't know the rules yet. She said she would explain it to them." I'm sure she will.

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Overheard during lunch...
CJP: No, Cordelia, it is not a competition. Mommy said to stop making it a competition so I am going to stop making it a competition now.
CML: I AM GOING TO STOP MAKING IT A COMPETITION FIRST!

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Last week, the kids were painting at their little table for what felt like hours. It was raining, and every time I looked at the kitchen clock I swear it read 9:27. I commented that they were becoming quite good artists (they aren't) and who knew? Maybe they'd become painters someday (they won't). Cody said, "Yeah, we will probably be artists. Actually we want to be astronauts."

CML: Actually we want to be astronauts!
CJP: And, Mommy, we want to be saints.
CML: Yes. But not now. When we grow up.

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Last Thursday morning, while sitting at my desk at work, I received the following text message from JVL: "Today: 'Cody! We do not put the Holy Family in our pants.'"