John David Pate

So it has been far too long since I have added some sweet talk to this blog. I MUST do a better job. For now though, I am going to focus on one kid at a time. Today is John David. He has definitely coined a few phrases lately. One that comes to mind is...."Don't say that to me out of your mouth!" If he is told to do something that he doesn't want to do (like "pick up your toys" or "no you can't have 2 honey buns")....But in the same aspect he also shares words of pure sweetness too. Here is a couple from this week.


Driving home from school soon after we traded the van for the Pilot:
John David, "Look Mommy, it is a our van, somebody got it, hurry go stop them"
Mommy, "No buddy, that is not our van. Remember Mommy gave the van back to Mr.John at the car store."
John David, "Nooooo, (crying now), don't say that Mommy, that is hateful" (Everything is hateful if you say something he doesn't agree with)
Mommy, "John David, I thought you liked our new car, the Pilot"
John David, "You not pay attention to me, I said, Noooo, (crying more now) I don't want you to say that to me again"
Mommy, "I think somebody needs a nap!"
John David, "Wahhhhhh, You keep saying that to me, Nooooooo Mommy!"
Mommy, "John David, I sure do love you buddy. I am sorry you feel so distraught over the trading of our van"
John David, (with a calm and sweet voice) "Huh, I don't know that Mommy, I love you, You are my sweet and precious Mommy!"

Last night tucking into bed John David says, "Mommy, I love to smell you, you don't smell like hummos tonight, you smell like my Mommy" and then he asked me, "Mommy, how does your throw up get into your mouth?"....(he recently had a stomach virus and puked all night....very disturbing and he hated it, of course, so now the question is posed, "HOW does that throw up get in your mouth!?" Lol!

This kid never ceases to amaze me. Keeps me laughing daily! So thankful for him.

During my dad's last visit to our house, the boys were sitting with him one morning...
James Daniel: "Hey Becky what dat in you mouth?"
My Dad: "That is Becky's dip!"
James Daniel: "How come it mells (smells) like han-i-tizer (sanitizer)?"
Hahahahahahah!


Jenna arriving home from her first day of Kindergarten
Jenna: "OH mommy, guess what!?!"
Mommy: "Tell me all about it Jenna BOO!"
Jenna: "My bestest day ever to have Savanah at my table and not even have to take a long nap!"
Mommy: ""Wow, that sounds wonderful!"
Jenna: "And the boy who was so annoying me and being on my nerves had to move away from my table, so that was awesome too!"
Mommy: "LOL!"

Jenna on the second day of Kindergarten...
Jenna: "Mommy, today in my class my teacher played four songs for rest time not just two songs. I guess she was extra tired for her nap today!"

Ellie arriving home from her first day of school (2nd grade, Mrs. Galbraith)
Ellie: "Mommy, my teacher is awesome. She is just like me...loves to eat and do art!"
Mommy: "Oh Ellie that makes me so happy to hear"
Ellie: "Well, there is one thing not so good about the two of us"
Mommy: "What is that?"
Ellie: "Well, she pretty much LOVES motorcycles too, but those are not a category I like myself!"

Claire arriving home from first day of Middle School
Mommy: "Well how was your day!?"
Claire: "It was fairly good, considering the beginning of the day I thought my homeroom teacher was man, but he is actually a WOMAN!"
Mommy: "OH geez!"
Claire: "And my science teacher looks like Jesus with white hair, so that is comforting, seeing that I really don't like science at all!"
Mommy: "Wonderful,what about new friends?"
Claire: "One girl on the bus, seems nice...but I didn't make eye contact with anybody new today...maybe tomorrow!!!"
Mommy: "All in a days time my sweet Claire Bear!"

Boogers....

Nap time conversation...
James: "No Bubbie, no put your boogers on me"
John David: "You yike da wet ones bedder?"
James: "I said, no Bubbie, I no want you boogers on me"
John David: "Hahaha...o tay"

INTERVIEW WITH ELLIE BROOKLYN PATE!~

Favorite dessert: "Hot brownie with ice-cream and cool whip"
Favorite drink: "Cream soda"
Favorite restaurant to eat out: "Joe's Italian"
Favorite candy: "warm, gooey airheads"
Something you are proud of: "that I can sing good and do gymnastics"
Something that you are excited about: "Going to Greystone elem"
Something that makes you laugh: "When Daddy throws me around in the pool"
Something that makes you afraid: "being left alone"
Favorite TV show: "Iron Chef"
Something you like to do with Claire:"go shopping at nap time with just us"
Something you like to do with Jenna: "jump on the trampoline"
Something you like to do with your brothers: "play toys in their room"
What do you want to be when you grow up: "a chef"
Favorite hobby: "shopping with you at the Galleria Bath and Body Works"
Memory of Nana: "When she takes me to her house and spend the night"
Memory of Mamaw: "takes me to the circus or fair and zoo, stuff like that"
Memory of Becky: "his truck and going to the gas station is the best"
Memory of Rosey: "cooking with her sweet things like the yogurt dessert"
Memory of Papa: "eating chocolate with him and he tries to give me sweat tea"
Best friends: "Marron, Brooke, Emma Kate, Kate"
Favorite color: "neon orange"

Ellie Brooklyn Pate is definitely one of a kind! She has amazed us since birth...when she literally kicked herself out of the birth canal (sorry for the TMI)....I love this girl so much. I look forward to watching her grow up and seeing how God uses her uniqueness to share Himself with others! Don't be surprised if this girl is not a missionary chef ruling over a small village in Bangladesh one day!

ELLIE BROOKLYN PATE- 7 YEARS

INTERVIEW WITH CLAIRE MCKINLEY PATE!~

Favorite drink: "Cream Soda"
Favorite snack: "Chips and Hummus"
Favorite lunch: "Nacho basket, with sour cream, salsa"
Favorite dinner: "Cesar Salad"
Favorite candy: "Cookies and Cream Hersey bar"
Something you are excited about: "My new school, Berry Middle School"
Something you worry about: "lockers and getting to class on time in middle school"
What scares you: "bad teenagers"
What makes you safe: "My parents"
Something you are proud of: "My athletic abilities"
Best friends: "Leah, Mallory, Haley, Anna"
Something you enjoy doing: "Softball"
Something you enjoy doing with Daddy: "Going on date nights with just him"
Something you enjoy with Mommy: "Having talks about stuff"
Things that stress you out: "Big tests and social life"
Memory of Becky: "Camping for real in a mountain and forest"
Memory of Rosey: "Always helping cook with her in the kitchen, like doing grape leaves, and giving books to read that are interesting"
Memory of Papa: "going out to eat and chocolate and cigarettes"
Memory of Mamaw: "buys me clothes for my birthday and Christmas and she always cooks a ton of food"
Memory of Nana: "taking me to get my toes painted, especially when it is just me and her"
Something that makes you laugh: "Coach Pirkle"
Favorite movie: "Soul Surfer"
Favorite book: "Harry Potter"
Favorite colors: "aqua and lime green"

Favorite thing to do with your sisters: "jump on trampoline"

Favorite thing to do with your brothers: "mess around with them, snuggle with them"
Something you hate: "zits"
Something you are really good at: "running fast"

Claire McKinley Pate- 11 years old....where in the world does time go? I can't believe my first born, my sweet Claire Bear, is on the brink of her teen years!!! She is  a beautiful girl, inside and out. I am so proud of her compassionate heart. She makes us so proud!

Jenna Kat! (Jenna Kathryn Pate-5 years old)

INTERVIEW WITH JENNA KATHRYN PATE!~

Something you are proud of: "All my babies"
Something that makes you laugh: "Me and Cannon playing at Mrs. Joan's house"
Favorite candy bar: "Reese cups"
Favorite drink: "Punch"
Best Friend: "Cannon Russel"
Something you are afraid of: "Thunder"
What makes you sad: "When someone hurts my feelings"
Something you enjoy doing with Daddy: "When he takes me to the Melting Pot" (restaurant)
Something you like to do with Mommy: "Staying home with you and painting fingernails"
Favorite dinner: "White Spaghetti"
Favorite lunch: "Peanut butter and Jelly roll-ups"
Favorite color: "Purple"
What do you want to be when you grow up: "Work at IHop"
Favorite Movie:"Letters to God"
Something you enjoy doing with your sisters: "baby dolls and house"
Something you enjoy doing with your brothers: "watching TV"
If you could have an animal what would you want: "a zebra or hamster"
What is your favorite stuffed animal: "Bunny that Beck and Rosey gave me"
What do you want other people to know about you: "That I want to be a good girl"
Memory about Mamaw: "eating her snacks in her kitchen and going to the ballpark to eat suckers with her"
Memory about Nana: "Always says yes I can go to the concession stand at the ballpark because you say I can't"
Memory about Papa: "Riding his tractor bucket"
Memory about Becky: "Build a Bear at the mall and making me laugh when we wear funny hats together"
Memory about Rosey: "Playing with her all the time at my house and going to her house to play with Hayden; she loves me"

Anything else you want to say in your interview: "nothing, because I am done now"

***I MUST do this more often....interviewing my children individually makes me realize what beautiful children they are, and how completely different each of them are. I am so very grateful for each child God has entrusted me to raise. They bring such a joy to my heart.

MOMMY AND JENNA AT MEMORIAL DAY SWIM PARTY

"Chicken and Table" and "I Not Gonna Chop Chop You" "God Talkin"

Eating dinner last night at Shane's Rib Shack (Gross I know, I can't believe I fed my children a plate of grease!) Anyway, Jenna was in charge of "role modeling" for the boys at the table while I placed our order, Claire filled drinks, and Ellie gathered the condiments. I overheard Jenna and the boys.
Jenna: "Okay boys, you have to sit like Jenna and be still, okay"
John David: "No I do dis" (as he was spinning on the seat)
Jenna: "No chicken for you if you don't be sweet"
James: "I be sweet Jenna"
John David: "I like chicken"
Jenna: "Say thank you God for our chicken"
James: "Thank you God for a chicken"
James: "Jenna I like da table"
Jenna: "God gave us this table"
James: "Thank you God for da table"
John David: (still spinning out of control) "Jenna I do dis,I not like da chicken, I not like da table"


Snuggling with John David Saturday morning....
Mommy:"Buddy I love you so much"
John David: "I love you too, you smell clean"
Mommy:"Thank you John David, you smell clean too"
JOhn David: "I not gonna chop,chop you mommy"
Mommy: "Wow, thanks John David, I don't want you to chop, chop me"
John David: "Okay, you nice, you my friend, you smell good"

(totally random...have no idea where that came from)


Riding to school one morning....
Ellie: "So people say they "hear" God, my question is "how"?!?"
Claire:"You can hear God speak in different ways, through songs, people, stories, etc"
Mommy: "Good answer Claire Bear, that is right, we listen for the Holy Spirit to whisper to us in our heart through many different means, like people and music and stores, and especially through HIS Word, the Bible."
Ellie: "So if God speaks through His word, do you just put the Bible up to your ear and He just starts talking?"
Claire: "No Ellie, God doesn't have a voice like us, He isn't going to start speaking in a loud voice from your Bible like a phone!"
Ellie: "But yall said, God speaks through His word and other stuff"
Mommy: "Yes Ellie, But He isn't going to start "talking" out of the Bible, we read his words and hear His voice through the stories and lessons we learn in our lives, but not literally "hear" just figuratively "hear" Him speak"
Ellie: "Mommy, you are not making sense, either you HEAR or NOT...which one is it!"
Mommy: "Go ask your Daddy!"

Chicken Fingers, "Tovers", DNA transfer

DRIVE THRU WINDOW AT DAIRY QUEEN
Mommy:"Oh my goodness, I can't believe I am feeding my children this drive thru garbage (Dairy Queen)..."
Claire: "But we NEVER get to have this yummy garbage Mommy!"
Jenna: "Oh this chicken fingers is gonna bless my life!!!"


BEDTIME TONIGHT
James Daniel:"Top it bubbie" (stop it bubbie)
John David:"Gimme dose tovers Jamey" (Give me those covers James)
James Daniel:"I tant bubbie, my peet are told" (I can't bubbie, my feet are cold)


DRIVING TO SCHOOL STUDYING FOR CLAIRE'S HUMAN BODY TEST WITH HER
Mommy: "Explain the reproductive system"
Claire: "Well, basically it is DNA transfer and that is all Mrs. Carr wants to to know. She said the parts are not really important, just the DNA transfer!"
Mommy:"Definitely...parts are not nearly as imporatant as the DNA transfer...bahahahah!

Cute Conversations....

In attempt to "catch up", I am going to start with the conversation I had with John David over the past few weeks.

Tucking the boys into bed always proves to be quite entertaining. The first week in their knew bunk beds I had them snuggled in with their lovie blankets and bears/blue bunnies, and as soon as the moment was quiet and calm, I leaned down to kiss them one more time and John David looked up at me with the biggest grin and brightest eyes, and said, "You show poud a me mommy" (aka, You so proud of me mommy) and when I said, "Of course I am so proud of you John David"...he then said, "Doan show poud a me too mommy" (aka, Joan so proud of me too mommy)....

Tonight I was telling him a story...
Mommy: "The mean, snappy witch was prowling around the neighborhood looking for little boy toes to nibble on"
John D."I no yike de mean itch mommy" (I don't like the mean witch mommy)
Mommy: "Yes, the witch is mean, but the little boys are very crafty and smart. They decide to hide from the witch as she passes by...and guess where they are going to hide from her?"
John D. "BAFFROOM" (bathroom)....

bhahahaha....I just laughed outloud when he said, "bathroom"...what a cutie!

Rob took the Ipad away from the boys because it was bedtime and IPad time was over. John David became extremely upset and shouted,
"Daddy took the ipad from me mommy"...screaming crying~



Picking up the kids from the YMCA today...
Jenna: "Mommy, James was a bully today, he keeped on saying 'hey buddy you want my blanket and then he said NO and ran away. He made John David cry all the time and boy we were so tired of it"
Mommy: "Jenna, you are such a little mommy....do you get tired of taking care of your brothers everyday?"
Jenna: "Well, it is a hard job but I love it!"
(YEP....JUST LIKE A MOMMA!)


At Costco upgrading my phone last week. I told the sales associate how dissatisfied I had been with my Blackberry phone and I had planned on 'burying' it (of course just being silly).....and apparently a few little ears overheard me..
Jenna:"Hey mommy what are we doing after church today?"
Mommy:"I don't know Jenna, probably just play outside and I might plant some flowers"
Jenna: "And bury your phone too?"


I got pulled over my a cop one morning on my way to school (cutting through a neighborhood AND driving 30 in a 20) I start fussing about being late to my meeting...

Claire:"Well, I guess it would be better to be late to a meeting if the other option is being on time with a speeding ticket!!!"...
Mommy:"Claire, you are too grown for your age sweetheart!"

When school started we ended up leaving James' blue bunny (the blue bunny he has had since the NICU days and carries everywhere with him), so once we were home preparing for bedtime routine, he started looking for it...
James:"Mommy, I need bu bunny" (aka I need blue bunny)
Mommy:"James, buddy I am sorry but your blue bunny is at Ms.Joan's house"
James:"I want you go get it den Mommy"
Mommy:"I can't go get it, the bunny is at Ms. Joan's house and it is bedtime, so we can get it tomorrow, okay bud?"
James:"NO, GO GET MY BU BUNNY and just HURRY NOW MOMMY!"
WHAWHAWHAWHAWHA!


Between teaching Ellie bible verses and remembering the books she is reading in school, one morning she says,
Ellie:"Mommy I can't find my school book, the one with Jack and Annie and the RedCoats"
Mommy:"What book is it Ellie, do you remember the title of the book?"
Ellie: "Well yes, it is the 'Revelation-ary War' book...
Mommy:"I think you mean the 'Revolutionary War'...but close Ellie Bug! hahaha"


Dressing for church one morning, I hear from the top of the stairs...
Ellie:"Moooooooommmmmyyyy, do you want us to wear something 'PACIFIC' to church?
Claire:"You are saying it wrong Ellie, it is 'specific'

Jenna:"Hey Mommy, I just ran to there and back and my heart is now beeping..do you think it is God trying ot talk to me but I can't hear it very good.


Speaking of future...
Babysitter says, "What kind of car do you want to have one day?"
Claire: "I want a Honda Accord"
Ellie, "I want a mini van like my momma's!

BOY oh BOY do we have some BOY conversations!

I have been waiting so long to post a conversation between 'my boys' and the time has finally come....here we go for the first conversation....


We are leaving their school today and I said (like I always do), "So boys, did yall have a good day at Ms. Joan's?"....(I always ask them this and they don't usually say much) Today however, they started TALKING like never before...
Here are the vocab words to understand better....Joan is 'Doan' and snack is 'nack', and they call each other 'bubby' and James is 'Dames'

John David: "Hey Mommy, I Doan home, yay"
Mommy: (so surprised by the response) "Wow, buddy, you had a good day at Mrs. Joan's?"
James: "Me Mommy, Dames go Doan's"
Mommy: (really thrilled now that James has chimed in) "Oh my goodness buddy, you had a fun day at Mrs. Joan's too"
John David: "No no bubby I nack"
(Joan had given them a bag of gold fish for the car ride home)
James: "Yay bubby I nack too"
John David: "Mommy I more nack no bubby nack"
Mommy: "John David we have plenty of snack so you and brother can both have some snack, okay"
James: "NOOOOOOO, Mommy, NOOOOOOOO" and he starts screaming.
Mommy: "James Daniel Pate we aren't going to use ugly screaming voices toward our brother, that is ugly and mean"
John David: STARTS LAUGHING and says: "Ha Ha bubby"
(WE all started laughing...even Clarie looked at me and said, "Oh my gosh, did you just hear John David say 'ha ha' to James"


Later on in the evening we are finishing up dinner as I give each kid (yes all five) a wipee to clean their mouth and hands before leaving the table. I am cleaning up dishes and I hear the boys talking to each other again...again, here is the vocab. tape is 'dape' and broke is 'boke' and this is 'dis'

John David: "Bubby I do dis"
James: "Yay, me bubby, me"
(they are cleaning the table now with their wipes)
John David: "Uh oh bubby boke"
James: "Mommy boke, Mommy boke"
Mommy: "Hey buddy did your wipe break"
(beacuse I notice they have both ripped up their wipe and there are shreds of wipee all over the floor)
John David: "Dape Mommy, I boke"
Mommy: "Did you say tape John David?"
John David: "Yeah" (as clear as the sky is blue, he said YEAH when I asked him if he needed tape for his broken wipee)

Polyester Fiber, God and Wisemen, Good Smelling Breath!

I realize it has been over a month since I have posted these crazy kids' cute little comments, but I got some good ones...here goes!

Ellie scrabling to the restroom and Jenna was in her way...
Ellie: "Move Jenna faster than that!" (while crying hysterically, dancing around holding herself)
Jenna: "WHAT ELLIE, STOP IT"
Ellie: "Jenna I have to potty, and it is going to come out!" (still crying and whinning)
Jenna: "Oh Ellie, what's the big deal, calm down, I said!" (using her most sarcastic voice ever)

**If you don't think kids listen to what mommy and daddy say...HA...THEY DO!

Driving down the road to church one morning...
Jenna: "Hey mommy, did you know that Jesus had to be moved to Jeruselum"
Mommy: "Wow, Jenna that is very smart, where did you learn that?"
Jenna: "Oh, God told me yesterday when I was talking to Him"
Mommy: LAUGHING OUT LOUD because she said it so matter of factly. SO I said, "What else did God tell you?"
Jenna: "Just some other stuffs too like the wise men and things"
Mommy:"What about the wise men?"
Jenna: "Well, if you don't have some ice-water and need some they can bring some to you."
Mommy: "Really?" "How do you know this?!"
Jenna: "I already told you, God told me this stuffs!"


I smelt Claire's lotion or parfume and mentioned, "Something smells good, what is that I am smelling?"
Jenna responds: "It's my breath!"



Driving to the YMCA (notice how many conversations happen in our van driving somewhere?) Jenna is snuggling with her pillow pet (it's a penguin of course)and I hear....
Jenna: "No it is not a Ellie"
Ellie: "Yes it is Jenna"
Jenna: "No it is not Ellie"
(back and forth at least 10 times!!)
Mommy: "WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?"
Ellie: "Jenna doesn't believe me that her penguin is full of POLYESTER FIBER"
Jenna: (crying now) "She is not full, she is hungry for peanut butter roll ups and Ellie is not obeying"
Ellie: "But I am trying to show her the polyester fiber ticket and she won't let me" (because Ellie reads the most random things like tags on pillow pets!)
Claire: (laughing) "They are relentless"......
MOMMY: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Interview with Ellie B. Pate

How old are you? five

What makes you excited? Having a birthday party.

What makes you sad? When I was suppose to go on a date night but Claire had competition that night.

Where is your favorite place to go? To the beach because I love to swim and on the way I get to watch movies the entire time and you don't ever let us watch movies all the day long.

What is something you are good at doing? Writing stories and doing gymnastics.

What is your favorite drink? hot chocolate
snack? chocolate dipped bars
dessert? brownies
supper? pizza at Jason's Deli
hamburger place? Hamburger Heaven

What food do you hate to eat? broccoli, and zucchini

What do you want to be when you grow up? fashion model in the morning, and massage girl in the day, and chef baker for cakes in the night....

What scares you? When I am by myself I think an old lady will take me away.

What makes you love your sisters? they play with me and share panties that we all like the same kind...

What do you enjoy playing? Steamroller on the trampoline with Daddy.

What do you think the most important thing in life is? easy..to love Jesus!

Who is your teacher and what do you like about her? Mrs. Dye and that she does literacy centers in the middle of the day and that she makes me feel special when she talks about my family in the computer lab...

What size shoes do you wear? 12

If you could change one thing about you, what would you change? Nothing because I am perfectly fine...(WOW...can't we all learn a lesson from those words)

What makes you special and unique? I am in the middle of girls in my family and I have one big sisters and one little sister and miracles for brothers...

If you could choose to do one thing all day and never stop til bed time, what would it be? cook and eat in the kitchen all day and night.

Who is someone you miss? Ms. Lori from my Eclipse class and Becky and Rosie in Utah, and Uncle Ryan in Utah because he is wild and funny like me.

Just Some Rusty Eyes...

Getting ready for school this morning...

Ellie: "Mommy I have a small problem!"
Mommy: "What is wrong Ellie, I need you to quickly get your shoes on so we can leave"
Ellie: "But Mommy, I can't see well because I have some rust in my eyes"
Mommy: "RUST?!, you mean 'crust' from the sleepy in your eyes?"
Ellie: "No mam, I mean rust because they are not working good and I can pick it out and they still don't work good"

Puke Smell and Drum Player, plus "questions"

Ellie talking to herself in the back of the van:
"Oh what am I smelling, it smells like puke back here..."
Then she mutters under her breath..."It must be Jenna"


Random out of the blue, Ellie states: "When I go to highschool one day, I am going to be a drummer girl"
Mommy: "What makes you want to be a drummer girl?"
Ellie: "Oh just that I would be a good drummer, or maybe even an electric guitar girl!!!"
Claire: "Well, I am sticking with being a cheerleader"
Jenna: "Mommy, what is me gonna be?"
Mommy: "Jenna girl, you can be whatever you want..."
Ellie: "Hey, Jenna you can be a dancer girl"
Jenna: "Nah...Ellie, I am gonna be me, Jenna Pate"




Ellie also has begun the 'inquisitive stage' of development...I remember this with Claire too. It is not the 'why' question all the time...instead, it is kind of like the questions that come from wondering minds...like....
Ellie: "Mommy, how does the metal on a hair clip get there?"
Ellie: "Mommy, I know another word for big...it is enormous...but why are there more than one words for words?"
Ellie: "If God makes all the people, why does he make some of the people bad?"
Ellie: "When people go to the Lake of Fire, do they drown in the lake and does the fire come up to their necks?"

Daddy, Rob, and the RUNS

Jenn Goode (a wonderful friend of ours) kept Jenna and the boys this week until their home daycare opens up next week. As I picked Jenna up, she began telling me about her day with Ms. Jenn...
Mommy: "Jenna how was your day?"
Jenna: "Good, but I had the runs today"
Mommy: "Awe, did your tummy hurt?"
Jenna: "No silly Mommy, my exercise today was doing Ms.Jenn's runs"
Jenna: "And boy was I 'pooped'"...hahah


I am trying to unlock Rob's car while holding five bags, my purse, water bottle, phone, etc...and Jenna looks up at me and says:
"Mommy, do you need me to get Rob for you?"


Jenna playing a game called "Bop It" and the game talks back to you when you mistakenly hit a wrong button...Jenna is playing it and I hear...
"WHAT...What's up with that...He said I got ONE"

My favorite one from last week, was Jenna telling me on the way to school,
"Mommy, I was not liking it this morning when Daddy woke me up, I told him I wasn't done sleeping yet...maybe he didn't understand...he keeped waking me up still, and I wasn't done sleeping!"

The Books of the Bible...

Claire-9, Ellie-5 and Jenna-3....

Daddy, Strawbery Banana Lips, Bras....

wow, I am behind...been so busy lately..but here are a few recent "comments" from my kiddos...

Ellie: "Mommy, have you ever noticed Daddy has bumping arms, ya know, kind of chunky"
Mommy: "I think what you mean is that Daddy has 'muscular' arms.."
Ellie: "Oh okay, I thought they were just bumpy"



We have our house for sale and I recently told the girls that we had to pick up the house for Mr. Ben to come over and see it. Jenna says:
"Is he a new daddy...like the old daddy, but better?"

Tucking Jenna in the bed (claire's bed) for naptime....
Mommy: "Jenna I smell strawberry banana..did you get into Claire's lipstick again?"
Jenna: "No"
Mommy: "Jenna it is important to tell the truth, so you need to just tell me if you took some of Claire's strawberry-banana lipstick"
Jenna: (using her sweetest smile and voice) "No Mommy, you are smelling my spit!!"
Mommy: (leaning in to give her a big ole kiss) "Jenna girl, I smell it on your lips..I know you took her lipstick!"
Jenna: "Mommy I am 'for real' not pretend..I didn't get hers lips"
AND SURE ENOUGH, I REALIZE THAT THE GIRL IS BEING TRUTHFUL...IT DAWNED ON ME THAT SHE HAD A STRAWBERRY BANANA GOGURT FOR LUNCH!!! Hahaha.


Bra Shopping with Claire...

Mommy: "Claire Bear, I can't believe you are going to fourth grade and we are shopping for bras"
Claire: "Well, you know there are different kinds of bras"
Mommy: "Yes, I do. Why don't you share with me what you are talking about"
Claire: "Well, there are three kinds. A regular kind, a sporty kind and a cone kind"
Mommy: (with a strange look on her face) "What in the world is a 'cone kind' of bra?"
Claire: "You know, the kind that poke out with the bar on the bottom"
Mommy: (laughing hysterically inside my head) "Oh yes, I know what you mean"
Claire: "But I don't have anything to put in the cone kind yet, so a regular one will be just fine!!!!!"

LAUGHING OUT LOUD in my head of course...

"A BIG OLE HINEY"

Jenna and I were walking with one of the custodians down the hallway of my school yesterday....this lady is so nice and works amazingly hard for us. She is however, very larger, so Jenna is CURIOUS....

Jenna: "Mommy how come hers has a really big ole hiney?" (she asks so innocently too)
Mommy: "Jenna do you see the pond outside Mommy's school?" (I am trying to deter her from further question!)
Jenna: **with an even louder voice** "No, Mommy I didn't say a pond, I said hers has a big hiney!!!"
The Lady: "What's your name sweetie?"
Jenna: "Jenna Kaffryn (Kathryn) Pate"
Mommy: "Look, there is the pond, and I think it may have a baby turtle in it!!?!?"
(Jenna pats the lady on her leg and says...
"HEY GUESS WHAT I HAVE A LITTLE HINEY AND MY BRUDDERS (brothers) DO TOO"
The Lady: "Oh okay, you be so cute Jenna, have you a good day now"

WE FINALLY ARRIVE AT MY CLASSROOM AND THANKFULLY SO, I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO JENNA'S NEXT QUESTION OF THIS SWEET LADY~

Allergic to Watermelon and NO APPLE JUICE..please!

At Claire's softball tournament over the weekend, a lady (who spoke a little red-neck) asked Claire if she wanted some "wutermelon" that she apparently had cut inside of a kiddie pool as it was all just floating around coated with flies and gnats. Of course I intervened and kindly said, "No thank you"....my sweet Claire Bear said, "Mommy, you should have just told her we were allergic to watermelon!" I am just thankful that Claire knows better than to eat watermelon from a total stranger, at a ballpark, coated with flies and sprinkled with dirt!!! Good thing Jenna wasn't around, she'd been in the pool floating with the "wutermelon"...



On the way home from "the ballpark" one night:



Jenna: "Mommy, can I have the boys' juice cup cause I am so so thirsty?"
Mommy: "Yes, Jenna that is fine, thank you for asking nicely"
Jenna: **with a grimace** "EWWWW, that is terrible, I will just have some blueberry pomegranate okay Mommy!"
Mommy: "Where did you hear blueberry pomegranate from Jenna?"
Jenna: "Oh, my sister Ellie says that words all the time!"

Best Comment YET!

Claire Bear with her brothers before her game.


Ellie and Jenna taking a break from playing to have a blow pop...yes, I do let my kids eat sugar occasionally...haha! Notice how sweaty they are...it felt like a rainforest out there..UGH!


Claire is playing All Stars this summer so we LIVE at the ball park. Last night, as we are standing around watching the game (and a bunch of little Pate kids running around), Ellie approached me with this question...

Ellie: (*tugs my short leg to get my attention*) "Hey Mommy, I have a question?"
Mommy: (*trying to watch the game AND keep an eye on Jenna*) "Yes mam, what is it?"
Ellie: "What is Jesus' last name?"
Mommy: (*STOPS watching the game and beds down to meet her at eye level*) "Well, I don't think Jesus has a last name, why do you ask?"
Ellie: "Because I was just thinking about him"

**NOTHING MAKES ME PROUDER AS A MOM THAN THE FACT THAT MY DAUGHTER THINKS OF JESUS IN HER DAY...at the ball park by the way with plenty of chaos going on to keep you engaged in everything BUT Jesus. ***

Just wanted to post that cause I for sure don't ever want to forget that sweet comment. Now go tell you child something about JESUS today....IT STICKS WITH THEM!!!