Ben and Barack

I am a self-professing social studies geek, so during the inauguration I felt the need to impress upon my children the importance of the day. I wanted them to marvel at the peaceful transfer of power, to question why our president isn't elected by a direct democracy but by our weird electoral college, and to understand the magnitude of the job of defending our country, protecting our Constitution, etc, etc. But alas, my children are 2, 4, and 6. Personally, I think they are brilliant, but they are still 2, 4, and 6.

So I decided that I would try to impress on Ben and Will the significance of Barack Obama. Not the political significance, but the historical significance. I started to explain to them how in our country's past people didn't treat African-Americans very nicely, how they weren't allowed to eat in restaurants or vote in elections. To this, Ben said, "But I thought we aren't supposed to treat others differently because of their skin." Exactly, Ben, but sometimes people don't do what they are supposed to do. I told them that since Obama was elected to be our president, it showed how far our country has come in treating people more fairly. I talked about judging people not by the color of their skin, "but by the content of their character". Ben, who never looked up from his transformers during this exchange, then said (in a flat tone and with complete boredom in his voice), "How comforting." I think he got the point, but let's face it, transformers are more fun than history to him. So much for my civics lesson. Oh, well:)

Will Funny

One of the reasons that I blog is so that I can write down the funny things that my children say so that I can remember them later. Sometimes they are so funny that they are not appropriate for a public blog, but today's funnies were pretty clean.
Will and Ben spent a few days with my mom this week, and on New Year's Day, Kate and I went down to join them. This morning we were driving through town and on our way to breakfast, when Will spots a lumber company with all of the lumber in enormous piles around the buildings. He had asked what it was the day before and my mom had explained it to him. Today, he asked if it was "a government place". My mom said no, it isn't owned by the government. Will remarked, "Well, it looks like big money to me, so I thought maybe it was John McCain's." What???? He followed the election along with the rest of the family and was very interested in John McCain and "A Rock" Obama, as he called him. He then explained that he had seen pictures of McCain and Obama in a magazine at the doctor's office, and that John McCain looked like he had money.

We then went to Vicki's, which is this little local place that has awesome breakfast. But in my hometown, there are not any non-smoking sections, much less no smoking laws like there are where we live now. When we walked in, there were only a couple of people smoking, and the kids didn't notice. After we ate (I had fried eggs, country ham, and French toast, in case you were wondering), someone at the next table lights up, and Ben loudly says, "That guy is smoking!" I can't stand cigarette smoke myself, and I am not easily embarrassed, so I thought it was funny. I didn't laugh out loud, mind you, but I had to look the other way so I wouldn't. My mom turned red and glared at me. Will's response to Ben was, "I hope you are using a figure of speech." He is four! How does he even know what a figure of speech is, much less that Ben's statement could've been one!

And before I close out, I have to give props to Vicki. Not only does she fix a smokin' breakfast (figure of speech), but she also knew that Kate needed an open cup because of her cleft without being told. First restaurant that we have been to that I didn't have to remove the lid and straw. She has always been so sweet to my kids. I hope we can go back soon... it's the only restaurant I will tolerate cigarette smoke for!

*** Update - We were eating lunch today after church and Will turns to me and asks, "What does smoking mean?" Evidently he didn't have a clue what he was talking about yesterday. Oh well, it's still funny.