Do you not know what causes that?

Chanukah Night #5 - Benjamin

Benjamin had a great night, particularly leading the dreidel game.  He got Risk, paper airplanes, Weird Kentucky (book), and a Yo Yo set.

The Corvette Whisperer

Benjamin is totally into Corvettes.  Not so unusual for a boy his age.  But he told us the other day that he has a sense about Corvettes.  They follow him like "chick magnets."  He knows when one will be around and everything.  And sure enough we spot at least one Corvette every day.  Sometimes it's even the same Corvette.  It all stems back from a field trip to the Corvette plant where they let him turn a Corvette on for the first time...

Things I Shouldn't Do...

Let Benjamin watch Marley & Me when I knew the dog would die in the end.  Anyone recall Derby 2008? It was a long evening...

I'm in trouble now...

So Benjamin and I are in the car the other day when he announces, "I've been reading that book you wrote about raising adolescent boys."  It was all I could do not to snort and spit out my drink when he said that.  Part of it was hilarious and part of it was dread...

"So," I said, "Are you learning anything?"

"Yeah, why don't you follow the rules?"

"Which rules?"

"Like why don't you ask me about music?"

"We talk about music all the time!," I say, relieved. "Remember when we talked about Reliant K?"

"Oh yeah, that..."

I'm safe for a few more pages...

Get a job!

Benjamin, now that he's 16 and all, wants a job.  He walked up to Skyline and got an application last week and has been busy filling it out.  For those of you who know Benjamin, know what a huge deal it is...  So he walked up today.  They told him that they were not currently hiring but that they would keep his resume on file. I was so proud of him for doing that!  It was really cool.  He also stopped and got an application at McD's on the way home for filling out.

Sweet sixteen!

(Is that what you call a 16th birthday for a boy?)

Today Benjamin turned 16.  We started the day by trying to let him sleep in, to the point of taking the little girls out to breakfast.  Benjamin called right away asking where we went.  He was fine not to coming with us.  Then we went to Kraft and Kvetch.  He got to play with Isaac and Justin. We came home and Kevin and I went out to lunch with him at Yang Kee Noodle - his favorite.

Tonight we met up with some friends at Skyline Chili.  We had cupcakes and then off to Graeter's for ice cream!  What could be better.  He loved the puzzle we gave him and the magazines (National Geographic and Cook's Illustrated) and the DS case. Hard to believe my teeny tiny baby is bigger than I am now...

Strange Conversation

B and I passed a billboard with a huge picture of a handgun.  He then asks me a question about handguns which I don't remember.  A few minutes pass and he says, "Do you know what my favorite long range weapons of choice are?" "Umm no, not really... Didn't know you had any...."  "Yes, a bow and arrow and slingshot!"

Okay, those are acceptable!

Tooth Removal Fail

So Owen has a slightly loose tooth.  It barely wiggles at all, but we can still hear of nothing but the tooth. So She was just sitting here talking about it when Isaac offered, "Go to Ms. Lori, she'll pull it for you."  (That's a nice woman in the school office.) Benjamin says, "Don't do what I did - put a crochet hook in your mouth..."

Ouch.

Third Night of Chanukah 2008

Benjamin is so much fun to watch.  He's part boy, part man.  He loved his paper airplane book and his subscription to Motor Trend.

Second Night of Chanukah 2008

Tonight was Benjamin's night. Each kid gets a night of Chanukah.  But this year we spiced it up by having them draw for nights.  It was hard for them to understand that even drawing first they could land the last night...

So Benjamin got a robe, gamestop card, juggling kit, airplane book, drawing from Owen, and a subscription to Motor Trend.