The reader

Maybe it was done like hopscotch

The girls and The Daddy were discussing how his work PT (Physical Training) is like their school PE (Physical Education):

The Daddy: ...so for instance, today we played volleyball.
Lily: Today WE played bench-ball*
Rachel: Today we had a spelling test!

*I have no idea what bench-ball is. She says that you throw around a ball to each other, and then you get to sit on a bench. I think it's like dodge ball for sissies.

Sometimes you just nail the timing

The Daddy [on his way out to pick the girls up from school]: K, I'll be back.
The Mommy: Don't you threaten me.

A day at the beach :)

The elusive Finnigan Crab:

Making friends with local wildlife:

(I think these are harbour seals - Amanda, help me out!)

Parenting GOLD

Ever since Rachel was a baby, she's come running to mommy with every bump, scrape, and boo-boo. Sometimes you can't even tell where she's hurt. She's quite melodramatic that way. Six years of that have led me to the point where I have two rules:

1. No blood = No Bandaid.
2. If I can't see a mark, get over it.

If she's being particularly whiny about it, I offer the option of Home Amputation. That usually resolves the issue.

- Well -

Someone very close to us had had some issues a while back, which led to the amputation of a relatively small bit of one of their extremities. The way it was done led to other issues, most pressingly that it caused a huge amount of pain to them. Eventually, this led to the recently acted-upon decision to amputate a larger part of the extremity and just get rid of the problem area altogether. Because of the pain.

Surely you can see where this is going.

When Rachel heard about this, her eyes got wide as saucers. Someone she actually knew ACTUALLY had a part of them cut off because it hurt. In real life. For REAL. She was floored.

There was that priceless moment where you can practically see the gears turning in her head. Amputation is a real thing. Amputation due to excessive pain is a real thing. If I complain about pain too much Mommy offers to cut it off. Which really happens in real life. Whoa.

Today Finn stabbed her so hard with one of his diaper pins that it got stuck and I had to pull it out. Do you think I heard a peep out of her?

Not a peep. She looked like she was going to pass out, but I got it pulled out and disinfected and dressed and she just sat as still and silent as a stone.

It was such a golden moment.

(To whom this post is about: We love you and hope you feel better soon!)