Amy: "nine twenty eight"
Dad: "Are you going to be our clock today?"
Amy: "Yes. nine twenty nine"
Amy: "There are three number in that itty bitty space."
Amy: "nine thirty zero. Actually nine thirty."
Amy: "It’s nine thirty one."
Amy: "It’s nine thiiirrtty twoooooo. It’s not to early to play with A and W. After nine thirty two it’s nine thirty three then nine thirty four then nine thirty five."
Amy: "It’s nine thirty three!"
Category: Amy
I was in the building with the Shrine Circus!
Narration: [audio:http://realityme.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/shrinecircus.mp3]
Cathy with Amy and Evan, her parents, her sister-in-law with her 3 children, and I went to the Shrine Circus in the newly renovated Thompson Bowling Arena. The renovation looks great! And included everything except signs for the section numbers! You have to guess where your seating is assigned. I am bothered by the gating of the stairs to the upper balcony. Honestly! What is the rationale? Is there anything wrong with wandering up the nosebleed section for a different perspective or camera angle? The renovation included cup holders! Genius! But the seats seem closer to the ones in front of them; I think maybe the actual cushion is larger.
We started the evening off with the children playing in the seats and kicking, hitting, putting feet on, and other wise abusing the nice gentleman in the row in front of us. 
To give him a break, we took the children down to ride the elephants which also happened to be the first time I rode an elephant. After the ride we returned to our seats to further give the nice family in front of us a thorough pounding. Obnoxiously loud toy guns that speak "Don’t move. Drop your gun. Fire fire fire." were purchased. So at the Shrine Circus, whose mission is to help the children, we have a pretend weapon that encourages blowing away an unarmed person. 
Granddaddy felt the children could use some sugar for the show so cotton candy was purchased. Of course, the nice white shirt of the guy in front of us was begging to be finger painted by a very blue, stick Evan. Got him cleaned in without any damage to the white shirt. The show begins. 
And I hold the wild child finally giving in and returning pacifier to mouth. Just to show who is in control, at one point Evan takes his "bop" (pacifier) out and tosses it into the audience hitting the child in front of me smack dab on the head and then it settles on the floor beneath the seats of the people in front of the people in front of me. We replace it with one of Amy’s few remaining ones and he spits it to the floor where it rolls down under the seats in front of us.
Evan wins! To the family in front of us, we had become the family behind us. He is too wacky to remain and I cannot stand to allow the poor family in front of us take anymore abuse. I sacrifice the first half of the show to let Evan walk around the stadium. 
Of course, he finds a friend who’s dad happens to sell toys at the circus so they have much to do. Prior to that Evan was running me all over Thompson Bowling Arena including quickly moving up and down stairs. With no section numbers listed, it did not take long to get totally turned around. We were lost but the people in front of us weren’t getting kicked.
Eventually Evan got through his zaniness and we were able to return to enjoy the 2nd half of the show. I highly recommend it…at least the 2nd half; seems I didn’t see the first half.
My poor daughter
Dad needs to hang out with a hairdresser for a couple of days.
Of Being Dad
I jumped on the trampoline with Amy today. We had a blast! My poor head and body didn’t handle it that well. We become sedentary and our bodies uncomfortable with such motions. I’ll have to do it more often! We then went exploring the property and discovered a hole in the ground that we guess must be where a raccoon or skunk lives. We walked down into the dry creek for an inspection. Amy has never done that before and was very amused! While I was inspecting the largest tree on our property, I disturbed a nest of ants and got bit by something. I think they are carpenter ants. Looks like I need to call the Agriculture Extension Agent for a recommendation on a tree doctor. I’d hate to lose that tree! I think I’d cry then sell the house.
Amy and I had a great time outside and she cheerfully requested another exploration and "hike" tomorrow.
SuperDad
Tonight was the elementary school’s open house. It may have been only the kindergarten open house but the cub scout troop was meeting so there were enough cars at the school that a couple of people parked on the lower branches of some of the trees and a couple of SUVs managed to find some space on the roof. Cathy went early and helped sell year books. I caravaned the children around town as we picked up Sarah, Sarah’s friend, and Tommy from high school activities. We ended up at McDonald’s having dinner with some cub scout friends of ours. In due time, we dropped Molly and Tommy off at the house with hopes Tommy would do some chores and the rest of us deploy to the school. Look out! Chaos coming!
We had a wonderful time, saw some friends, had pleasant chats with teachers, Sarah fell chasing Evan and bled all over the new kindergarten rug, and Amy was able to show off her school. As we came to a close, I noticed the volunteer form horribly empty so I inquired and put our names down. In that time, already-over-volunteered-Cathy stared on in dread as I swiped another bit of time out of her life with a few strokes of a #2 pencil. While she was entranced with my unsanctioned scheduling, Sarah and Evan departed, followed shortly by Amy. As the ever confident Amy found herself alone in the hallway, she took it upon herself to walk out the front of the school, through the dark parking lot, and off to the playground. The parents got a frowny face tonight. Sarah and Evan took one hall of the school. Cathy raced to the gym. A couple of scout dads joined in the search with one commenting "my child is missing too…but he’s old enough to walk home!" The teacher joined the posse. Amy was found on the playground and as she was walked into the school, her name blared across the school intercom so that all visitors became away that the McCaughans lose their children.
Didn’t Noah go with us? Anyone seen Noah?
Dear Sarah
Thank you for saving my butt today. No child should have to go to school after having Dad do her hair. Amy owes you a big one!
From the mouths of babes
Dad: "What do you want for dinner?"
Noah: "Steak"
Tommy: "Meat"
Mom: "Whatever you want dear"
Sarah: "Mac and cheese"
Amy: "Not steak"
Evan: "Da da!"
We had pizza.
From the mouths of babes
Amy, wearing Mom’s bra on the outside of her shirt with chest puffed out: "Look at my BIG nipples!"
From the mouths of babes
Amy, 5 years old: "I don’t want to die. Dead is forever."
Bad Dad
Amy needs some attention right now and all I can give her is "Daddy has to work." I should work while everyone else sleeps.
That’s my girl!
I love my family!
From the mouths of babes
With such inexplicable timing and totally out of the blue:
Amy sings: "Always look on the bright side of life. da da da da de de de de da."
Amy: "Dad, I heard you sing that once."
Whaaaaaaaa
Why is everybody crying?!!
Happy Birthday Evan!
Two weeks ago it was Cathy’s birthday. This past Thursday, Noah turned 11 years old. Today Evan turns two! Two very fast years. When Amy was born, I bought a book and started writing her a letter a day which became a letter a week, then none at all. When Evan was born, I bought a book and never put word one in it. Ah! Good intentions replaced by actual doings. The upcoming birthdays are Amy turning five on June 10 and Sarah turning 14 on June 24 then Tommy turns 17 on August 15.
