The Family of B's: Unpacking

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Unpacking

That's what our house looked like last week or so...

We decided to take our house off the market and move back in. The decluttering we did a while back had to be all unpacked. The decision wasn't fun. But its the most practical choice. With the tax increase on our checks, we were already seeing a 'pay cut'. Then most recently (with the new health care stuff) Brad went to a meeting at work and found out that starting this summer he will have to start paying a 40% increase for his health insurance. FOURTY PERCENT INCREASE people. Crazy, right? A little maddening...

But anyway, with all these changes and unknowns, we thought it best to wait it out (at least these next couple of years ;) and see what happens. Sure is nice being in a house that's paid for, with no mortgage and no car payment. So we'll just stay 'safe' for a while longer.

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Quotables

Starting to explain Veteran's Day - Mommy: "So, today is Veteran's Day. Do you know what that is?" Brooke: "The day we take the dogs to get their shots?" - Brooke (7 yrs) 11-11-12

Driving Muna's (great-grandmother) old Buick, Brenna running up to open the car door, Brooke stops her "No Brenna! Not like that! You have to punch this in first. It's old-fashioned like that." - Brooke (7 yrs) 11-11-12

Brenna: "Guess what animal I am thinking of....it starts with a B and has tusks." Mommy: "Hmmm....I can't think of one!" Brenna: "Mom-my! It's a bunny!" Mommy: "Really??? I didn't know bunnies had tusks." Brenna: "well, this one does because she turns into a sabertooth tiger." Me: "Oh no..well, I'm scared if it's a sabertooth tiger!" Brenna: "Why? A save-er-tooth tiger keeps everyone safe." - Brenna (4 yrs) 10-18-12

Getting ready for bed...Brenna: "Mommy, do you want me to lay with YOU tonight??? It's my service to you!" - Brenna (4 yrs) 7-2-12

having a cookie after lunch, Brenna broke hers into 4 pieces. Teasing her, I said, "Hey! No fair! How come you get FOUR cookies?" She replies, very nonchalantly, shrugging, ..."Well, that's what Brennas do!" - Brenna (4yrs) 6-25-12

After getting over a stomach virus, Mommy: "So happy to have the old Brenna back!" Brenna (very seriously): "Mom. I'm not the old Brenna. I'm the NEW Brenna." - Brenna (4yrs) 5-28-12

Daddy, loading Brenna with compliments: "Brenna, you are so smart. You are very pretty too. And you are sweet. You are just a lot of fun..." Brenna throwing her head down on the table, exasperated, sighing.... Brad: "Brenna?? What's wrong??" Brenna: "I thought you were going to say I was precious!" - Brenna (4yrs) 5-25-12

Barkley, coming up to Brenna wagging his tail against her leg, Brenna: "Its ok Barkley, I don't need fanning. I'm good. Thanks." - Brenna (4yrs) 5-19-12

Real version of Grand Ole Flag 'every heart beats true for the red, white, ad blue...where there's never a boast or a brag...' Brenna's version: "where there's never a ghost or a Brad" - Brenna (4yrs) - 5-17-12

After going up and down the stairs to get Brooke from Sunday School, Brenna (getting in the car): "Whew! I'm so tired from going up and down those stairs. Hallelujah!" - Brenna (4yrs) 5-13-12

Laying before bed, pointing out the baby handprint/footprint that were above her bed from when she was a baby, Mommy telling Brenna they were hers from when she was a baby. Brenna: "No Mommy. Those aren't mine. How could I get my hands and feet all the way up there when I was a little tiny baby? I can't even reach up that high now?!" - Brenna (4yrs) 4-29-12

When Mommy was sick, Brenna: "Mommy, I'm sorry you are so sick. Don't worry. God is watching over you. He still loves you and will make you better soon." - Brenna (3 yrs) 4-21-12

Brooke: "My head is hurting a little bit." (pause.....pause.....) Brenna: "Boy, Brooke.. you are just falling apart!" - Brenna (3yrs) 3-23-12

"You Make Me Feel" coming on the radio on the ride to school. He sings, 'and you will hear me on the radio...', Brenna says, "Hey! That's weird. 'Cause we DO hear him on the radio...!" - Brenna (3yrs) 3-21-12

Talking about Judy Blume's Fudge books, asking Brooke if she liked them all, told her I didn't think I actually ever read those. Brooke: "Oh yea, mom. I figured. Were they even AROUND way back then???" - Brooke (6yrs) 3-3-12

Thinking Brenna was pretending to have mouthwash in her mouth, just KNOWING it was full of air, I squeezed her cheeks. Of course, the one time it was full of water and the water pours out of her mouth. Brenna says, "You did it to me!!! You made me spit water out of my mouth like a camel!" - Brenna (3yrs) 3-1-12

As we are talking about a "Jump Rope for Heart" fundraiser at school - Mommy: "Are you going to jump rope?" Brooke: "Mo-ooom! You don't HAVE to jump rope." Mommy: "Oh really?! What do you have to do?" Brooke: "Just save lives. That's it." - Brooke (6yrs) 2-17-12

Brooke's first short story titled "The Princess" by Scarlit Brookey - Brooke (6 yrs) 2-11-12

Brenna: "My tummy is hurting." Mommy: "Oh no! Why do you think its hurting?" Brenna: (sigh.......) "I don't know..... I think its because my heart is beeping and that it's just too loud for my tummy to put up with." - Brenna (3 yrs) 1-26-12

After asking her why she was giving Mommy a hard time about something...Brenna: "Well.......(sigh)..... I was just acting dramatically." - Brenna (3 yrs) 1-19-12

After listening to Brooke be extra whiny, Brenna left the bathroom, came back to the living room...Mommy: "Brenna, what are you doing? You are supposed to be brushing your teeth!" Brenna: "Mommy, I want you to deal with me tonight." - Brenna (3 yrs) 1-17-12

"How old is Nana?" ....(pause, no answer)..."Come on. Just give me the numbers." As we all laugh..."you know, I really do not find that funny." - Brooke (6 yrs) 1-16-12

At the grocery store, shopping for roast, Brenna: "Mommy, I'd really prefer to have roast beast for dinner tonight." - Brenna (3 yrs) 1-4-12

After hearing a phone ring, Mommy: "What kind of notification was that?" Brad: "Eh, I think it was Gmail." Brooke: "Gmail? What's that? I thought it was called Email?" Brad: "Well, it is. It's just a different type of email...gmail." Brooke: "oh, like email...., gmail, .....female...." - Brooke (6yrs) -12-29-11

Brenna: "Daddy, guess what we got you for Christmas!" Daddy: "No! Don't tell me!" Brenna: "I'm not. I just told you to guess." - Brenna (3 yrs) 12-22-11

Brenna: Please Daddy can we jump on the trampoline? Pleeeeeease??? I PROMISE this time Brooke will not break my leg." Daddy: "Ok, go jump." As they walk off together, Brenna, in a whisper: "Really. You're not going to break my leg, right Brooke?" - Brenna (3 yrs) 11-29-11

Observing a baby being baptized at church, Brenna: "Is that Baby Jesus?"...then as Mommy turned to tell Daddy the funny thing she said, Brenna: "Daddy, what I said funny was 'is that Baby Jesus?'...was that funny?" - Brenna (3yrs) 11-27-11

Sitting at the drive thru at Chick Fila, looking up at their big flag pole with a US flag, Brenna: "Mommy! Look at that BIG flag!.... I wish I could be a flag." Mommy: "Why would you want to be a flag?" Brenna: "Because then...you could just whip me around!" - Brenna (3yrs) 11-10-11

Getting in the car after trick or treating, Brenna: "Well....it's Christmas time now!" - Brenna (3yrs) 10-31-11

After Mommy yawns, Brenna: "Yawn you." (as in 'bless you' when a person sneezes) - Brenna (3yrs) 10-29-11

Preparing to have the whole family watch her get an award at school, Mommy: "I will be there, Daddy is taking off work, and Brenna will be there too." Brooke: "Um, Mommy??? Do you think having Brenna there is REALLY a good idea? She will be quite the distraction...." Brooke (6yrs) 10-25-11

"Daddy just ate tuna. (pause) You know, like in Lion King - 'A Tuna Mattata!'" - Brenna (3yrs) 8-19-11

Brenna, singing the Smurf theme song: "La, la, la-la-la, la, Smurf the holy way!" - Brenna (3yrs) 8-7-11

Brenna, carrying a tiny paper sequence heart sticker around..walking up to us, holding it near our heart and saying, "Bless your heart...I pray to the Lord...here is my gift of love, Amen." - Brenna (3yrs) 8-4-11

"I'm keeping my eye on you...." (as said in the voice from the head Monster Lady in Monsters Inc) - Brenna (3yrs) 7-24-11

At the grocery store, Brenna riding in the basket....she says, "Mommy! Slow down this cart....or else you'll get a ticket!" - Brenna (3 yrs) 7-22-11

Brenna, overhearing Daddy getting water in Brooke's eyes while showering and she ran in...."Daddy!!! If youg et water in her eyes one more time....one more time I tell you...I am going to go. tell. Mommy!" She runs out. Runs right back in ..."one more thing. One more thing Daddy. Are you listening? I'm keeping my eye on you! (said in the voice from the boss lady in Monsters Inc) - Brenna (3yrs) 7-21-11

Brooke: "My heart is just screaming right now." Mommy: "Why?" Brooke: "Because I am soooo happy!" - Brooke (6yrs) 6-12-11

After Daddy worked late and showed up late to bible study, Brenna ran up to him, hugged his leg, and said, "Daddy, where have YOU BEEN?!?! I was SOOOO worried about you!" - Brenna (3yrs) 5-17-11

Listening (and dancing) to her songs on her record player...

"I'm gluing this song into my head so next time I can dance to it without needing the music." - Brooke (6yrs) 4-19-11

After getting a "Ken" doll for her bday...

Brooke: "Barbie and Ken both want to marry each other, but they don't know it yet.... (pause).... but then they'll figure it out in the end.... but he may end up picking someone else if she keeps messing around."

Mommy: "Well, I hope not. Barbie and Ken are supposed to be together right?"

Brooke: "yea, but I have lots of different Barbies" - Brooke (6yrs) 4-13-11

As Brooke was going potty, Brenna yells out from the living room: "I better hear some flushing in there missy!" - Brenna (2 yr) 4-3-11

yelling at our dog,

Brenna: "No Barkley, No Barkley, No, No, No Barkley!"

Daddy: "Brenna, just say 'no' one time to Barkley."

Brenna: "No one time, Barkley! No one time, Barkley!..." - Brenna (2yr) 4-3-11

New rendition to Row, Row, Row Your Boat song:

Brooke and Brenna: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Gently down the stream...and if, you see, a crocodile..don't forget to scream. Ahhhhhhhhh!" - Brooke (5yrs) and Brenna (2yrs) - 3-25-11

Brenna, calling out the doggie door: "Barkleeeeeeeeeeey!!!!! Come inside! I need your help!"

Mommy: "Brenna, what do you need Barkley's help to do?"

Brenna: "I need him to come inside RIGHT NOW, so I can shine the flashlight and he can bark at it. Only HE can do it! (sighs heavily)...." - Brenna (2yr) 3-7-11

(Brooke's note)

"I would like a piece of cake. This time with no strawberries. Just cake. Then I would like fettucini after we eat. Ok. Please Mommy and Daddy. Please say yes." - Brooke (5yr) 3-6-11

(Brooke's note, labelling all our appliances)

"refoodgerater" - Brooke (5yr) 2-23-11

"I actual-dintendly swatted at the fly and it fell down" - Brenna (2yr) 2-15-11

(on the night Brooke lost her first tooth)

".....(sigh)..Boy, Santa was just here in the middle of the night. And now, the 'loose fairy' will be here tonight." - Brenna (2yr) 2-2-11

(after putting in effect a rule of going to timeout if you get out of bed)

At bedtime.."Ok. Daddy. I have a deal to make with you. Tonight if you get out of bed, you get a cookie." - Brenna (2yr) 1-17-11

(Brenna pronounces "more" like "fur" with an 'm'.) "I would like some mur raisins please". Brooke responds, "do you want some frankinscense with that myrrh?" - Brooke (5 yr) 1-16-11

after Brooke saw Brenna playing with two rubbermaid tub lids, she said, "Hey! I want one of those!!!!" Brenna replied, "well you'll have to wait for Christmas and put it on your list!" - Brenna (2yrs) 12-30-10

"I think I have Barkley hair in my mouth", while trying to spit it out. Then walks over to where Barkley is laying, bends down, looks him in the eye and says very sarcastically, "Thanks....thanks for nothing Barkley." - Brenna (2yr) 12-13-10

(after Barkley threw up a little bit in the car) Brooke begged of me, "Mommy pleeeeease don't tell Daddy. He will be mad. And he will call Barkley a bad dog.." Brenna: "Well, I'll just tell Barkley to go poop on his head then." - Brenna (2yr) 12-13-10

(driving through Kosse on the way to my sister's), Brad says "the Kosse's must be the rich people in town because everything is named after them...The Kosse Cafe, The Kosse Community Center, etc." I then enlightened him, "umm...honey, the name of the town is Kosse.", Brad: "They must really be rich then if the whole town is named after them!" - Brad 11-27-10

(after having pizza for dinner), Brooke: "Where did this pizza come from?"

Mommy: "Pizza Hut."

Brooke: " Ohhhhh!!! Because you have to go there to hunt for pizza?" - Brooke (5yr) 11-13-10

(after looking through holiday toy catalogs)

Mommy: Do you want to go visit Santa or just write him a letter this year?

Brooke: I'll just write him a letter. --pause-- But, man. This year, it's gonna be a loooong letter!" - Brooke (5 yr) 11-9-10

(discussing the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday)

Mommy:"Brooke, do you know who the Pilgrims were?"

Brooke: "Yea. They were the people that wear the funny hats that had the mean king in England who told them the earth was flat." - Brooke (5yr) 11-8-10

(yelling at "monsters")

Do NOT bump into my mom, because will we bump back!!!" - Brenna (2 yr) 10-24-10

(walking up to complete strangers at Kindermusik)

"I'm sick. I need to go to the doctor....and get a drink." - Brenna (2yr) 10-14-10

"Ill get you my pretty...and your little dog too!" (in her best witch voice) - Brenna (2yr) 10-14-10

Is there a quicker way to brush your hair? - Brooke (5yr) 10-13-10

(after whining a bit in the car)

Daddy: "Brenna, what are you doing?"

Brenna: (very nonchalantly)
"Don't worry. I'm just being a little bit fussy." - Brenna (2yr) 10-19-10

(looking at a clicker beetle trapped in a glass)

Brenna: "You will NOT kill me clicker beetle. I repeat. You will NOT kill me." - Brenna (2yr) 8-26-10

"Mommy, we need to make a DisneyLand list and on that list, write '8 days' because that's how long I want to stay. 8 days, ok?" - Brooke (5yr) 8-19-10

(after looking at some pictures of kids on a train track)

Brooke: "Why are they on a train track?"

Mom: I don't know, they just decided to take a picture there."

Brooke: "Well, they are going to die." - Brooke (5yr) 8-18-10

(while sitting on the potty) singing..."We got a mission" (from Little Einsteins) - Brenna (2yr) 8-12-10

(after I hear her toot)

Mom: "What was THAT?!"

Brenna: "You don't need to worry about that. I'm working on the problem." - Brenna (2yr) 7-27-10

Brooke: "Do you know why hamburgers are called HAMburgers?"

Mom: No, why?

Brooke: "Because there's no cheese in them!" - Brooke (5yr) 7-20-10

(sitting on the potty)

"The poop is my body coming out!" - Brenna (2yr) 7-16-10

(while eating ice cream floats)

"Brooke's is good like God, mine is good like Jesus." - Brenna (2yr) 7-2-10

"Maybe when I'm 6, I can put the sloppy in my Sloppy Jo's." - Brooke (5 yr) 6-2-10

(when we were laughing at something Brenna did) "That's not funny. No laughing at me." (with a very serious look) - Brenna (1 yr) 4-15-10

(picking out a toy at Target while Brooke was at school)

"Wanna get Brooke one too.....a PINK ONE!" - Brenna (1 yr) 4-05-10

"We are learning Trapeze in karate class." (referring to learning Japanese) - Brooke (4 yrs) 3-24-10

(Brenna getting in trouble)

Daddy: "No ma'am, Brenna!"

Brenna: "No ma'am YOU!" - Brenna (1 yr) 3-19-10

"When we are eating honey, we are really eating bees spit. The bee takes stuff from the flower and spits it out as honey." - Brooke (4 yrs) 03-5-10

Mommy: Can you say 'Daddy'?

Brenna: No

Mommy: Can you say 'Barkley'?

Brenna: No

Mommy: Can you say 'yes'?

Brenna: No

Mommy: Can you say 'phone'?

Brenna: No

Mommy: Can you say 'no'?

Brenna: (pause).....Uh-uh.

-Brenna (1yr)3-01-10

(leaving school on a day when they had museum class and had discussed bees)

"The queen bee is the queen because she is bigger, has a bigger stinger, and a bigger nose." - Brooke (4yrs) 2-19-10

(after Brooke was in trouble and was crying)

arms outreached..."Hug. Hug. Hug." - Brenna (1yr) 1-9-10

(at the dinner table)

"God makes all the things shiny and pretty and sparkly. But sometimes He makes things dirty and that's when you have to be the one to clean them." - Brooke (4 yrs) 1-9-10

"Bugglebug" (aka - "cuddlebug") - Brenna (1yr) 1-8-10

(driving down the road)

"You know, you can't eat Taco Bell in the car during rainstorms 'cause you'll get your steering wheel all cheesy." - Brooke (4yrs) 12-12-09

(at the grocery store)
"We need strawberries too because we have a lotta sugar at home to go on them." - Brooke (4yrs) 12-9-09

(after eating ice cream)

"My mouth feels like winter!" - Brooke (4yrs) 11-23-09

"I know how God makes napkins...He cuts the tummies out of shirts and uses sleeves for napkins. So if its a white napkin, you know that it came from a white shirt." - Brooke (4 yrs) 11-20-09

(needing to find something to take to Kindermusik that 'keeps a steady beat')
"I know! I just won't take anything and when its my turn, I'll just breathe to a steady beat!" - Brooke (4yrs) 10-1-09

"I want to be Lauren's (a sister of a school friend) size." Why? "I don't know, it just looks like a fun size!" - Brooke (4yrs) 9-22-09

(on traffic)
"I think the cars are a little like Brenna is to me. They just seem to follow you wherever you go! Just like Brenna follows me!" - Brooke (4yrs) 9-9-09

"You know, I can see far away? Even real close to us?" - Brooke (4yrs) 9-5-09

"Mommy, if you have the hiccups, it means, you're getting bigger." - Brooke (4yrs) 8-26-09

"But Daddy, I can't go to sleep. My eyelids are really hot so I can't close them just yet." - Brooke (4yrs), 8-6-09

(On trying to decide what to get to drink)
"Mommy! My brain hurts! Its thinking so hard and it is saying that those are all good choices!" - Brooke (4 yrs) 6-24-09

(seeing a jet's contrail in the sky)
"Look, Mommy...God is drawing a line in the sky! I think he is going to write my name!" - Brooke (3yrs) 10-27-08

"Can we go visit our can of folks?" (aka kinfolks) - Brooke (3yrs) 10-20-08

(driving to get our car out of the shop)
"We can't go pick up our car!.....It's too heavy!" - Brooke (3yrs) 10-12-08

"I want to go barefoot - Darth Mall doesn't wear shoes." - Brooke (3yrs) 10-26-08

"Our Faver, who does art in heaven
Howdy be my name
They kingdom come
They will be done
Our earth is in heaven
Give us today, our daily bread
And forgive us for trespassing
And we forgive those who trespass to us
And lead us into tempted
But delivery guy is evil
For they is the kingdom glory and honor forever after.Amen" - Brooke (3yrs) 8-16-08

(learning the "Hosanna" song for Easter)
"Mom, this isn't an Easter song, this is a Christmas song. They are saying 'Oh, Santa'. - Brooke (almost 3yrs) 3-5-08

"How much is that doggy in the window - ruff ruff
The one with the waggy tail - ruff ruff
I do hope my daddy's for sale - ruff ruff
So he'll leave my poor daddy alone - ruff ruff" - Brooke (2yrs) 1-28-08

(leaving the room in anger)
"I'm leaving....you know, in case you can't find me later." - Brooke (2yrs) 10-27-07