Incredible Turkeys

It was on this day in 2005 that The Incredibles was released in theaters. Of all the Pixar films, it is probably my favorite. It was a favorite of my oldest son, too. This blog isn’t about the movie, but does tie in….

Of my four children, three of them have had to do the same project in Kindergarten (Andrew hasn’t been to kindergarten yet). Prior to Thanksgiving, the kids are sent home with a picture of a turkey. They are instructed to disguise the turkey so that it doesn’t become Thanksgiving dinner.

Back in 2007, I doubt Pinterest was around and I don’t think you could Google “Turkey Project” and have hundreds of photos come up with ideas. When we asked my oldest son what he wanted to disguise his turkey, he said he wanted him to be Mr. Incredible.

I remember going out to some fabric store and buying colored felt. I did all of the cutting as some of the pieces were small. We bought some red and black feathers and we put it all together. I have to say, it came out really cool.

Two years later, my second son had the same project. We asked him what he wanted to do with his turkey. He wondered if it could be a dancer. So, we made him a disco dancing turkey. we were able to use some of the left over felt from the previous project, and bought a couple colors for hair and pants.

With my daughter now in kindergarten, in an entirely different school district, the turkey project came home over the weekend. My wife searched Pinterest and I looked online. Her first idea was to disguise the turkey as “Me. That way people will think he is just another friend.” So Sam and I started to think about how we could make the turkey look like her.

Then she changed her mind. She wanted the turkey to be disguised as the Tooth Fairy. We found an old tutu, some stickers for the eyes and mouth, made a wand with teeth on the end of it, and ta da – the Tooth Fairy.

Honestly, I love this silly project. I’m already excited to see what Andrew decides to come up with when it is his turn!

Ella Being Honest – and Funny!

I truly need to organize the funny things that Ella says (and funny stories in general) and keep them in a book. Here are just a couple examples:

Sam was getting the kids ready for bed this week. She was trying to get them in the bathroom to brush their teeth. The following conversation takes place:

Sam: Ella get in here and brush your teeth.

Ella: I don’t got no sugar bugs I don’t need to brush my teeth.

Sam: Ella everyone has sugar bugs every single day. Get in here and brush your teeth before the sugar bugs eat all your teeth and make them fall out.

Ella: Mommy, I think I want that! Then the tooth fairy comes!

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That story ties in with another incident that happened today. Sam showed Ella a picture of herself as a baby. She had a pacifier (She called it a Nini) in her mouth. (Side note: When we took her Nini away, we told her the Nini Fairy comes to all the big kids who no longer need a Nini and takes it to give it to other babies who need them.)

Ella: Is that the baby who got my Nini?

Sam: No, that is you when you were a baby with your Nini

Ella: The Nini Fairy and the Tooth Fairy are the same! They both take your stuff!!

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Here is a story that I am not proud of, but I know all parents can relate. I was with the kids at Menards getting supplies for painting. My best friend, Jeff, called and we were shooting the breeze and catching up. While we’re on the phone, Ella is babbling away. Jeff chuckled and said, “You wait so long for them to start talking and then they just keep on talking!!”

This led to talk about how fast kids grow up. He mentioned that his daughter would soon be heading off to college, and he’s not gonna know what to do in the “empty nest.” I don’t remember exactly what he said that made me react this way (maybe it was the cost of room and board at the college, I honestly can’t recall), but I said out loud (and oblivious that I was with my kids), “Son of a bitch!” You can only guess what happened next….

Ella thought that was pretty funny and began to repeat it. At first, I wasn’t sure that I had actually heard what I thought I heard. However, after a couple more times of her saying it, it became even more clear.

Me: Don’t say that, baby, that’s a bad word

Ella: (Says it again)

Me: Ella, don’t say that honey, that is not a word that you should say.

Ella: You said it, Daddy

Me: (Now feeling really bad) I know, but Daddy shouldn’t have said it either.

Ella: Why not?

Me: Because it is a bad word

Ella: Really?

Me: Yes

Ella: (Repeats it again as we are standing in the check out line)

Never a dull moment!!

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Ella is playing with fake veggies. Sam and I tell her we are going to put in a garden this year. So she starts talking about the veggies we should plant:

Ella: “We can plant cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, zucchini, bananas, hot dogs, and mac and cheese…..”

Anyone know how to harvest mac and cheese??

The above was taken at the Father Daughter Dance earlier this month