The stolen bicycle

We have had 3 bicycles stolen since moving to Portland. We bought them before kids, so they were very nice bikes-you know, when we could afford to buy ourselves fun and expensive stuff. So, they were stolen and now when we go out 'bike riding' with Aleks it is only him who rides the bike.

Occasionally Alyosha asks what happened to Papa's bike. (He knows the answer, but just wants to hear it again.) So, this morning he asked what happened to Papa's bike, and this was our conversation..

Alyosha: Mama, where is Papa's bike?

Mama: The thief took it.

Alyosha: The thief is a bad man?

Mama: Yes, he is a very bad man.

Alyosha: Papa should get a sword and make the thief cry and get his bicycle back!

Mama: I don't think that is exactly the right thing to do...

Papa whispering: Well, that is what I would have done if I saw that thief!

Alyosha: I know, Papa can borrow my cowboy hat and my rope and catch the thief like the cowboys and tie him up! Tie him up to the trees and let the policeman put him in the police car.

Mama: Oh, I think that is a much better idea, but we don't know what the thief looks like.

Alyosha: He is like Max Wild thing...Papa will wear my cowboy hat and catch him with my rope and tie him up and then Grandpa will come and take that thief in the police car. The thief is like Max Wild Thing! But I want my rope back...

(I told Alyosha that Grandpa was a police man. When I asked Alyosha if Grandpa was going to put the thief in jail he said "no, he will just drive around in the police car--and the fireman will help too.")

Foot in Mouth Syndrome

The Tasty Salad
We had a great meal at our friends home yesterday. The same friend who cooked dinner for us is also taking care of our fish (6 of them) and our plants (5 of them) AND her dad is staying in our apartment while we are gone (a HUGE help to us financially!) AND she is letting me borrow a car seat—no questions asked (hopefully the checked baggage people won’t destroy it)—and to top it all off, her little boy and Alyosha are what seems to be best friends.

She invited us as well as two other friends who are expecting a baby in the next 5 weeks over to her home to have a nice dinner and drop off the aquarium. Rome, the kids and I spent the morning lazing around at Krueger Farm on Sauvie Island—having lunch, picking berries and buying produce for the salad that I was supposed to bring. We got over to Heathers at a normal time for us, only 10 minutes late, but the salad was not thrown together yet. So I spent the first 15 minutes busily putting together the salad while chatting with the girls and the boys were having their boy talks. Naturally, Heather had everything else already prepared—so when late me finished our salad we sat down to eat. Roma was in the middle of telling some story about medical bills and the health insurance company devils while having bites of his salad in between—when he gave a compliment. The conversation went something like this:

Roman: It is 7 months later and we are still receiving bills for Luka’s delivery! You had better get it in writing that your wife doesn’t want an epidural now so you can pull it out when she asks for one…those are expensive. (He turns to Heather) Heather this salad is delicious! Steve, you are lucky, but I bet your wife doesn’t cook this every day for you.

Silence and heads turning in all directions looking at each other trying to figure out what to say next…

Heather: Oh, is the salad your WIFE made good?

Silence as Roma’s face turns beet red…

Jen whispering: Not to mention the chicken, garlic potatoes and green beans are good too….!

Heather: Can you pass the salad, I haven’t had any yet.

Everything was topped off with blueberry cobbler baked by Heather and ice cream. I would say an almost perfect Sunday.


Menu Choices
Romka doesn’t like choices. Menus are full of choices. He has been known to go into a restaurant, close his eyes, point to a dish and ask for “that, please.” It has gotten him into trouble a few times—like the time we paid $15 a glass for some wine. Or the time that he ordered a plate of raw meat. At least the waitress was kind enough to say try again on that one. Last Thursday we went out for dinner at a little tea shop called the Tea Zone. They have an amazing variety of teas and really delicious savory snacks. I read through the tea menu—there are about 75 teas—and chose exactly the one I wanted. It was perfect…it was #47. When the waiter came up for our order, I asked for # 47 and Roma blurted out #25. The barista asked if he would like milk with that. Roma wavered for a moment and agreed. We had a lovely evening-the weather was beautiful, the atmosphere was First Thursday (summery excitement) and we were enjoying our moments without kids. When we got home, Roma drove Danielle, who babysat for us, home. When he came back the tea had set in—he was shaking and his mind was moving a million miles a minute. I will just add that Roma went to bed that evening at 4 in the morning, woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 7am and started his day. Will this teach him a lesson? I think not.

E-mail

Aleks has a friend that he has begun being pen pals with that lives in my hometown, Graham, Tx. The little boy's name is Alan, and they have exchanged a few letters since Easter--oh, about 2 a month or so. The boys are so excited when they get a real letter in the mail just for themselves to open and read and count the stickers and make up stories about them...etc.

When the last letter came in the mail a few days ago, Alyosha was jumping up and down and said: "I got e-mail, I got e-mail from Alan!!!" These are the times in which we live!

Two Little Apples

First Chours :
Way up high in an apple tree
Two little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those apples were good!

Pheonix:
Way up high in a cheese tree
Two little cheeses smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm that cheese was good!

Alyosha:
Way up high in a green pea tree
two little green peas smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those green peas were good!

Matt:
Way up high in a cookie tree
two little cookies smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmm those cookies were good!

Michael:
Way up high in a chocolate popcicle tree
two little chocolate popcicles smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could
and ummmmmm those chocolate popcicles were good!

Aloysha: I like green pea AND bule popcicle trees!!