How things work by Levi Ramsay

    While we were camping last week, Scott was going step by step through the story of David and Goliath, which Levi claimed was his favorite Bible story. Scott was asking him questions as they went. "David had a sling. What is a sling used for?" he asked. Levi promptly replied, "To carry babies." 

    At supper last night, the boys went to remove what were supposed to be clean dishes from the dishwasher.  They started exclaiming  that the dishes were disgusting, filthy, etc.  I shut the door, turned the power on, and it started up, mid-cycle.  "Someone must have pushed the off button." I declared.  "I think it flipped the circus breaker." chimed in Levi.  "Like when Mama uses the microwave and the dishwasher at the same time, it flips the circus breaker."

   Last Friday, we were pressed to get everything organized and get out of the house for a dr, appointment and then pick Scott up in Chateauguay and head to Plattsburgh for a cook-out and overnight stay followed by biking the Missisquoi Trail.. One can imagine how many things I was oraganizing and trying not to forget. The children were all clean, and the boys were wearing their matching shirt my mom gave them.  At noon, I planned on eating lunch and getting the kids out the door by 1:00.  Simple, right? 
    I had sent Levi out to puit something in the van with instructions to come back immediately after.  Again, seems simple.  However, as I put the sandwiches on the table, I notice he never made a re-appearance.  A secong later, he is in the bathroom washing his hands, which were covered in something that wasn't coming off.  Oh boy.  It proved to be Crisco.  Levi admitted that he and Tirzah had some in the garage.  I was not impressed, as I helped him wash.  Caelin comes in with the full report.  Apparently the two naughty ones had used the shortening to "paint" the wood splitter, which as a side note, is borrowed from Scott's work.  I regret to say, I lost my cool, and my parenting was not at its best.  I also may have strained some blood vessels in my neck, raising my voice to an unusual level.  There was some unpleasantness indicated for a couple of sets of buns that day. Levi was sent, post-haste with a roll of paper towels to clean up the wood splitter, and I got Tirzah washed and changed.  Their clothes were stained, to boot.  These are the times I want to be able to bring up when Levi graduates from medical school one day, proving that he is responsible for my mental state.

Reports, Raisins, and Rough Days

    Caelin finished his very first research report today.  Whew!  It has been quite a process.  First looking at the instructions and examples in the book, he was overwhelmed.  He picks a topic, Henry Ford. (it had to be person)  He requested books from the library all by himself, and read them- no problem.  Then the tricky part: notes and an outline, and writing the actual report.  He polished up the rough draft today, included photos,made a title page (with a font that looks like how they write Ford!)  and put it all together.  I was quite pleased how he did.  I scored it with the checklist from the book; he ended up with a 92.  Not sure if that's lenient, but it seems like he did a great job for 5th grade English; he's only 10.  Sometimes I can't believe how much he can do.  Other times, I can't believe how much of a goof he is.  The scary part is how much he is just like I was: academically advanced, but socially oblivious.  :-)
     Tirzah helped me make cookies this evening.  She dumps the ingredients in and operates the Kitchen Aid.  As we added the raisins, I said, "We don't want too many."  "But I like too many!" Tirzah objects.
     I should record an incident from last week.  All the kiddos were outside; I was getting the clothes off the clothesline.  When I came in, I asked Caelin to watch Aila.  He was in the hammock with a book; I should have known better!  I take the clothes to my room and as I begin to fold them, I  look out the window at the swing set just in time to see Aila hit the ground.  In a split second, I comprehend what has happened.  Aila ran behind Levi on the swing and got clobbered.  I can see Levi holding his legs out straight in front of him, and reading his face, he is unsure of what to do.  He wants to get her, but realizes if he puts his legs down, he'll whack her again.  Thankfully, she didn't try to get right up.  In a moment, I am out the door and at the swing set.  Levi is shaken up a bit.  "I couldn't slow down, cuz I couldn't put my legs down! She ran in back of me and I didn't see her!"  I reassured him that it was an accident, and he had done alright.  Poor Pudgy Bunny had a bad scrape on her head from a rock.  I will not be recommending Caelin as a babysitter anytime soon. 
    As a note, Levi is actually a very good baby sitter.  He is more likely to play with her cheerfully than Caelin.  He is maturing, and I am very thankful.  He had an unusually rough morning yesterday; dis- obedience, bad attitudes, stirring up strife, and even lying.  After going round and round, he was sent back to his room, where he was supposed to be cleaning.  I went in after a few minutes, and he had fallen asleep on the bed. That would explain a good portion of his behavior, I thought.  When he woke up an hour and a half later, his demeanor was greatly improved.  Keep praying!

Do crickets taste like peanut butter?

     Levi bursts in the house, goes to the pan cupboard, takes out a small pan, puts something in it, and places it on the stove.  As he turns the burner on, I question what he is up to.  "I'm frying this cricket.  It's supposed to taste like peanut butter.  It said so on Wild Kratts."  I remain calm, congratulating myself on being such an open-minded homeschool mom.  "Really?  And you're going to try it and see?" I ask.  "Yup!" he answers.  Oh boy.  I look in the pan.  The cricket is half squished, but not fully dead, as it wiggles in the dry pan.  I have never liked crickets, but a feel bad for this one, being roasted alive.  "Wait, let me add some oil." I advise, and remove the pan from the burner.  The oil must have smothered it, because it never moved again.  We let it sizzle for 30 seconds or so, (I mean, how long does it take to cook a cricket?) and then Levi strains it out with a spoon, placing it on napkin to cool.  He gazes at it a minute, and says, "I need a knife to cut the legs off."  I give him a knife and he operates.  "And the head" he adds.  "Don't cut too much off, there won't be anything left!" I warn.  He picks up the unfortunate insect, and says, "I'll eat it outside."  "Oh no, you don't!  Eat it right here!" I insist, thinking he's going to toss it off the porch and say it was delicious, so Tirzah and Caelin will try one, too.  He gingerly places the cricket in his mouth, and carefully chews a couple times.  "How is it?"  I ask.  "Crunchy?  Does it taste like peanut butter?"  He fishes it out of his mouth, grinning sheepishly, "It doesn't taste like peanut butter!"  And with that, he ran off to play.     

Where there's smoke alarms, there's no fire.

     We have a super sensitive smoke alarm in the kitchen; it goes off almost anytime the oven is turned higher than 375. It in fact, went off tonight, when I checked on the fish fillets and tater tots. The boys heard and came in asking if dinner was about ready. I would like to point out the irony, however, that when the grease from the fish ran off the edge of the cookie sheet and actually caught fire..... NOTHING.  No smoke alarm. I smelled it and saw flames, quickly turned the oven and stovetop burner off (it's gas, and I didn't want to blow up) started hollering for Scott, who saved the day, pulling the stuff out and the flames burned out. Never dull at the Ramsays. :-D