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