The Diary of Fred and Ginger

I don't know when or why I started calling Anna-Claire, Fred. It's not like she needs anymore nicknames. A C, ACE, A C KAT, Anna-Claire, Hey YOU, Monkey, and Fred. Well, she's never been that keen on it, until I told her she could either call me Ginger or Wilma (I don't need to explain this, do I?). And now that the kids are all in school, it's just her and I all morning. Until she goes to school at 12:30.
To be honest, one on one time in a house of five kids is practically impossible. So today was like a breath of fresh air. (For both of us)
We dropped the kids off, left the car at school, and walked to Main Street. We had bagels with cream cheese, Fred threw a penny in every fountain, checked out Culinary Corner, antique stores, and all the pink things we could find. You know, cause pink is (according to Fred) the best color. And when Main Street no longer held our attention, we walked (rather, Ginger walked, Fred hitched a ride on Ginger's back) to Lincoln Park.
Okay, so we did indulge and hit the McDonalds for a happy meal and said hello to our friends at Johnson's House of Flowers before it was time for school. But this was one of the best days I've ever had with my little Fred.

Quotes of the Day...

"Can we do this ever day?"

After hearing a motorcycle behind her "I did NOT fart!"

"Come on, Ginger!" "Let's go, Fred"

Hold's up an antique pink dress "I'm totally into this."

"LETS GO TO SCHOOL!"

No Throwing Rocks!!!

Cody is my middle child. He's the one that makes me pray for patience or calgon (whichever comes first). And he's typically in trouble eighty-five percent of his life.

So when my daughter came in and said Cody had thrown a rock at some kid. I did what I always do. I took a deep breath and screamed "CODY!!!!"

Now, to his defense, he did tell the truth and fessed up in throwing the rock. But he tacked on what the other girls had not. The child to which he had thrown a rock at had done a bit of name calling and thrown a rock at him first... and with apparently accurate aim.
Now, no... Cody wasn't off the hook. He got his punishment in full force. But to the child who was, according to Cody, much taller and rode an orange bike, I felt the need to enforce the same lesson.
No, I don't want revenge and I don't think Cody was justified in what he did. But if there is some little prick running around name calling and throwing rocks, I fully intend to take him home to his mother and allow her to install the same set of manners that should've already been taught. Yes, I realize that if some strange woman came to my door with my child accusing them of something they had done, I would be mortified. But I do think that at some point, you need to know that your child is terrorizing the neighborhood and that it's not appreciated.

No, I didn't find the little squirt due to a terenchal downpour. But if I see him... make no mistake, I have no qualms taking him directly home.

Okay.... I'll climb off my soapbox now.