Jack and the Beanstalk

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of helping out in the nursery. Kids from 18 months to 3 years. They are so fun and sweet.

So I am reading them a good book: Jack and the Beanstalk. Good story right?

Here I am reading about Jack selling his cow and buying beans. Growing a huge beanstalk, and climbing up it.

That's when it happened. I remember liking this story as a kid, but I guess it looks different when you become an adult. Or maybe it's because I work for the Department of Justice.

Jack climbs up the beanstalk and finds himself in a strange giant person's house. So really, didn't Jack technically break into the Giant's house? Ok, so the Giant is very grumpy and angry, but wouldn't you be if a person broke into your house?

THEN Jack see's the Giant's prized possession: a magic chicken that lays golden eggs. What does Jack do? Why he STEALS it! So what if the Giant is mean and grumpy. Does that give Jack the right to steal the Giant's magic-golden-egg-laying-chicken? NO I don't think so!

What is the moral of this story? That if you become poor because you made a bad business deal selling your cow, you are justified in stealing from your neighbors?

I know that there are probably different versions of this story. Maybe this version made the story simpler for younger kids and happened to leave out all the important parts that teach a good lesson.

I also know that as a kid none of this ever crossed my mind, and it didn't seem to bother the kids on Sunday. But really, I am not sure I will be reading this story ever again. Jack, I think it's over between us. Bad boys never were my type.

What is the name of your favorite historical person?

Passwords. I have a million of them. As I am sure most of you do. Ones for work programs, email accounts, bank accounts, bill paying accounts, blogger accounts. The list goes on and on. And you can't make all your accounts all have the same passwords because they each have a different requirement. No capital letters, no special characters, one number with a special character, blah blah blah.

Well, if that wasn't enough things to remember (or in my case to write down and hide somewhere at your desk), now they are adding "security quesitons". You know, just in case you forget your password or can't remember which one of your passwords you need at them moment. So the solution is to come up with something else that you..... have to remember! Makes sense right?

Today, at work I had to pick TWO security questions for a program that I use maybe once a week. The funny thing was the questions that it makes you choose from. Instead of the normal questions like: What is your favorite color? or What is the name of your favorite pet? The questions I had to choose from were the following:

- What is your favorite line a move? (That's great and all but what if the line is really long, or what if your favorite line changes between now and when you have to answer this question again)

- What is the name of the city where your parents met? (WHAT? I don't know!?)

- What is your first phone number? (I don't remember!!!)

- What was your favorite childhood toy?

- What was the first and last name of your first date?

- What is your favorite quotation? (See problem with favorite movie line)

- What is your favorite cousin's occupation?

AND HERE IS THE BEST ONE:

- What is the last name of your childhood bully?

WHAT???? How random is that? Who wrote these questions and how am I suppose to pick two questions that I will remember/know the answers to and then be able to remember them again the next time I forget my password. I mean really.

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Last weekend I babysat our Nephew, Thomas (5), and Nieces, Sophie (3) and Lotus (10months).

Overnight, mind you. Over. Night. ALL BY MYSELF. (Kase had to work)

But I survived. It was fun. We played and crafted and napped.... well sort of napped. Mostly talked about napping. I dreamed of napping.

Anyways. Here are some funny things the kids said:

On our way to my house the kids were all talk in the back seat:

Thomas: "Did you know if you eat junk food, you will have a heart attack?"

Me: "Oh really? That's interesting. What kind of food is junk food?"

Thomas: "Pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers..."

Me: "What is your favorite food?"

Thomas: "PIZZA!!!!!!!"

On the drive home, we passed a Texas Roadhouse. Thomas told me that that is his favorite place to eat because you get all the peanuts you want. The next day we were having peanut butter and jelly but I had made the rookie mistake of buying CHUNKY peanut butter, not smooth:

Thomas: "What are the lumps in my peanut butter?"
Me: "Well it's peanuts like at your favorite restaurant"
Thomas: "NOOOOO I want them smushed!"
Me: "If you try a bit I think you will like it. You can smush the peanuts with your teeth and wash it down with chocolate milk"
He took a bite. Disgust filled his face and he covered his mouth as if he was about to barf up the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted. He motioned for me to open the trash can.
Me: "Thomas you eat that bite. You can do it, it's good!"
Thomas finally finished the bite and said: "OH that wasn't so bad"

Sophie and Thomas share a room at their house, and so they did at our house too. Thomas slept in the bed and Sophie wanted to sleep on a pallet in the floor. I put a movie on for them to watch. While I was retrieving blankets from down the hall I heard:

Thomas: "Sophie, Why are you going to sleep on the floor?"
Sophie: "Because, Bubba, if I sleep on the floor I can see the TV really good without your head in my way."

They make me laugh.

Happy October

I think October is the most romantic month. Really.

In my opinion, Valentine's Day should be in October. (Minus all the red/pink/white, oh and cupid. I think he is kind of creepy. I mean, is he a little naked fat man with wings or a winged baby with a bow and arrow? Either way= creepy.)

October is full of crispness in the air. Who needs spring flowers when the trees are changing color like magic? It's a fresh start, and a new season.

Time for walks in the afternoon sun, cozying up with blankets on chilly evenings, and apple cider. Date nights to pumpkin pick, plan Halloween costumes, make caramel corn, and wander through corn mazes.

Here's to everyone breaking out the sweaters, and stopping to admire the changing leaves!

Happy October!