Quotable Bean

Me: "Hey, you've got a little crust right there."
Bean: "And you've got eyes right ... there."

Spotting my travel mug:
"Are you drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars?"
This is why, when your toddler asks for a train song, you should spend 30 seconds coming up with an appropriate one, rather than just playing the first one that comes to mind.

To me, carrying a pile of laundry:
"It's a sea anemone!"
"A sea anemone? What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has to do with a sea anemone..."

Recapping yet another viewing of the deep-sea episode of Blue Planet:
"Did you watch the food chain? And the PRESSURE?!?"


"Baby's getting bathtized... with a WATER CANON!"

On a later attempt:
Me: "You can't baptize with a water cannon!"
DH: "Well, technically ..."
"Hush!"

Me: "I don't know what the temperature is."
Bean (exasperated): "It is hot or cold!"

"I'm a spoom whale, and I'm diving down a thousand MEET-ahs."
What happens when you learn all your marine biology from David Attenborough. If you try to say it with the "R"s, you are WRONG.

Me: "X is for xylophone."
Bean: "Looks like a papano."
"What?"
"Like a papano."
"Like a piano?"
"Yeah, like a peepano."

Bonus photo: Whale vs. Shark vs. Anglerfish:

(not to scale)

Finally!

"Oh! He is back!"

To Whom it May Concern

I must respectfully submit

that whoever it was who decreed

that babies look best in pastels

was full of it.

Seven Quick Takes

Linking up with Jen, of course.

1) Is there anything uglier and more welcome than early spring? It snowed again this morning, but it's already half gone, and the daffodils (which are usually getting close to blooming by now) have finally started to poke up.

I should say something inspiring about spring and resurrection, but I'm actually kind of creeped out by the way they're just coming up through that leaf. Oh well, the flowers will make me happy soon.

2) We're on track for FOUR close friends (not just acquaintances or people we send Christmas cards to) having babies this month. Three down, and Mary Liz's baby is officially allowed to show now that her husband is done with written exams. There's been a lot of knitting going on here, y'all.

3) Went on an epic JoAnn run last Friday, and bought supplies for two spring coats (me and The Bean), an Easter suit, and two of the aforementioned baby gifts. I think I even accidentally bought something that didn't have a coupon.

These are mine, in case you can't tell

4) Bought navy fabric for the Bean's suit, and I was planning on binding the jacket edges in white, but now I'm having second thoughts on whether that's too preppy even for a three-year-old. The fact that most of the pictures of this look on Google images are women's blazers isn't really boosting my confidence in this plan. Thoughts?

5) Since I really hate cutting out projects (or maybe it's just clearing off the dining room table), I decided to try something different and just cut out a half dozen or more projects at once to get it over with. I'm averaging less than one a night at this point, though, so the jury's still out on this method.

6) Thanks to Saints Patrick and Joseph, we had some epic Reuben sandwiches on Wednesday. I'm talking homemade dressing (with homemade pickles in it, thanks to Mom), hand-sliced leftover corned beef, and the last of the Jarlsberg from a Christmas Costco run. The only so-so thing was the bread. I'm pretty sure that if there is more salt than rye flour in your ingredients, you should be legally required to put scare quotes around Marble "Rye", Kroger.

No scare quotes for you, corned beef. You were amazing.

7) For everyone who keeps requesting pics, I promise to sort through them soon, but here's one for now.

Fat Peanut is Fat.

Today over at the Church Ladies'

Pumpkin ravioli (so good!)

Five Favorites: Books for a Long Winter

Sure, it's almost over, but until we actually have an outside that we want to be in, we're going to need a bit of distraction. Here are some books to get you through the home stretch:


Jamberry
An exuberant romp through the berry patch, this ode to all that is fresh and yummy about summer will have you resolving to go Pick All The Berries this summer.

Best read: With a thick layer of jam on homemade bread (because you won't feel like baking in the summer).

Extra Yarn
A little girl finds a magic box of yarn, and proceeds to cover her drab wintry town in color. A simple, silly story in which generosity triumphs over selfishness.

Best read: With the KnitPicks catalogue nearby. Or a good supply of paint chips, if that's more your crafty style.

Little House in the Big Woods
Because if Laura and family could survive winter in a log cabin, you certainly can make it in your climate-controlled abode. And if this picture doesn't make you feel at least a little bit better, I don't know what will.

Best read: With the recipe for snow candy ready to make.

Lois Ehlert’'s Growing Garden Set 
Okay, so I only have four list items, but since the last one is three books, I'm rolling with it. The Bean has Eating the Alphabet memorized, and loves to share his knowledge with everyone in the produce section (even if it's something he'd never actually deign to eat). The other two will have you ready to get your hands dirty and make something grow.

Best read: With the seed catalogue nearby.

Mardi Gras + Cabin Fever = Indoor S'mores!

Quotable Bean: "We are going to Florida!" Edition

In a version Ringo never anticipated: "I'd ask my ray to come and seeeEEE/an anglerfish's garden with me!"

Me, coming up to the playhouse window: "Howdy neighbor, can I borrow a cup of sugar?"
Bean: "You can buy a cup of sugar."
"Well, I could buy pounds of sugar."
"You can buy ... a pound of cups."




"The anglerfish can drive the moon buggy! He can." Gosh, I love living with little kids sometimes!

"Play with GUNS!!" (Why, when your kid asks for a train song, you should stick with "I've Been Working on the Railroad," rather than going with the first thing that pops into your head.)

Bean: "The aaaanglerfish is going to church!"
Me: "He's going to Mass? What a nice anglerfish he is."
"No... He can go to da 'quarium."