The funny things kids say...

Last night Mr. Shook went to the library with Cameron. Mike owed a fine and Cameron found a 25 cent Knock, Knock Joke book he couldn't live without. So, 95 cents later (after the fine) we have had non-stop knock, knock jokes. Yikes. We might have to work on his delivery before we go public with them...

But, Cameron can say the darnedest things. Here are two things he said at dinner tonight...

We have had an on going battle with our kindergartner about putting foreign (bodily) objects in our mouth. Nose picking and now eye gunk. It makes me want to throw up in my mouth. Yuck. It's beyond gross and we know it. Anyway, we were explaining to her that not only is it yucky and germy, but also socially not acceptable. We really don't want her to get made fun of, although it might be very effective if she did. Mr. Shook concocted a story about a girl who picked her nose in kindergarten and then got made fun of and eventually had to move because of it. This girl had a name, Sue Williams, and the kids wanted to know details about her. I felt the hole getting bigger and bigger. Mr. Shook said that we wouldn't want to have to move because someone we know can't stop picking her nose. And then her thoughtful brother pipes in and says, "well only Molly would have to move." Nice.

Cameron loves updating us on the absences from his class at school. Today he told us about a boy that has been out since last Friday. Today they wrote him cards. I asked him if something happened to him. He said yes - I think he had his testicles removed. Ummmm...do you mean tonsils??

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Shook's!

Hope you have the luck of the Irish!!

And...Go Buckeye's!!!

Let's be honest...

Let's be honest...

Do you really care what I ate for dinner tonight? No.

Do you really care that it's a tradition here in the Shook household. No, probably not.

Do you really care that I am giving up soda for Lent. Definitely not.

So let's be honest...

I am so sad tonight.

I don't want to get up from this computer to go give my children showers. I don't want to do anything. I am just going to be sad. But, I thank God every day that I can do things like showers. Even if I hate it.

My friend Heidi, who I've blogged about before, is putting up the fight of her life. And I live about 400 miles from her and can't do a thing. No, that's not true. I can do something, I can pray.

Heidi just finished her (hopefully!!) last chemotherapy treatment last week. And is now sick as a dog. And I can't even imagine. Since her second to last chemo treatment she spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism that was very, very painful. And scary. And now she is home, throwing up, tired and just worn out. But she is going to beat this stupid, cruel disease. She's just not going to kick it she's going to squash it to a pulp.

But, I'm still sad. On February 15th Heidi celebrated her 40th birthday. Her Mom told me today that on her birthday she got up, put on her wig, did her make up and put on real clothes. Heidi's daughter, Sierra who is 7, came home and was so happy. She told her teacher the next day at school that her Mommy looked so beautiful on her birthday.

Heidi, you look beautiful every day and it is as much on the inside as it is on the out. I wish I was closer so we could look at Pottery Barn catalogues and talk about your awesome sense of decorating. I wish we could eat hummus and chips and drink a lot of Coke. Screw Lent. :)

Because, after all, this is really what I should be blogging about. This is really what matters to me today.

Fat Tuesday...

Wow, has it really been almost a month since I last had a blog post?? I sure act like my life has been busy or something.

Today is Fat Tuesday.

Please tell me that you know what I'm talking about or hopefully you even partake. I'm sure this just isn't another one of those awesome Ohio ideas. This is nationwide, right??

It's been a tradition in my family to always eat pancakes on this day. Mr. Shook was happy to partake in this particular tradition. We do it well.

Here are some pictures from our cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip pancake extravaganza...

Then we have our youngest on the flooring having a small tantrum because our sister wanted the pink cup...who's day is it, Amanda? Remember the post on our "day" calendar?

Here's everyone enjoying a Fat Tuesday yumm-o dinner!

Now down to the real business. What are you giving up for Lent? It's something Mr. Shook and I always do. I have to usually pick something that I really have been abusing. I knew exactly what I need to give up. I drank my last Polar Pop/Large Soda of the day today. This one will be hard but I know that is the point. After all, nothing significant about Easter is easy. I don't think there was one minute not hard about Jesus dying on the cross for me. What a truly painful way to die. The weight of the world on his shoulders.

Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice.

You took away the sins of the world.