Sorry, I’m a sucker for awesomeness, even it is hokey out the wazoo.  I’m a teacher, hokey is what I do!  Hudson’s school had a Science Night and they had Man vs. Beast.  The kids had so much fun.  They only made it to one building and came home with loads of stuff in their bag, not to mention the stuff they learned and those super awesome hats.  Let’s be honest, who doesn’t need an unusually large set of teeth labeled?!

Hudson is a fairly good reader, but tends toward math and science as his strengths.  Awhile back he wasn’t having the chapter books so I bribed him with $1 for any chapter book he wanted to read.  Somehow he took that to mean him attempting to collect payment on every chapter book he ever reads.  He has since been pounding through my bookshelves averaging about a chapter book a night with a side order of 5-10 picture books.  Boy, my wallet seems to be getting forced into a nightly dollar diet.

He actually informed me a few nights ago that I don’t own enough books. The exact words were, “Can you bring me a new pile of books?  You keep bringing me these books that I have already read.  Why can’t you just buy more?”  What?!  I own over 1,000 children’s books.  Regardless, he is finally starting to enjoy reading and I am merciless when it comes to the end of the book quizzing.  I want to know that he really knows the book well and remembers.  And let’s face it, I’m not running a free money stand.  The above is how I found him asleep after a few hours of reading.

Annie  Well my name means, loving.

Hudson  What does your name mean, Mom?

Me  It means wealthy one.

Hudson  What does wealthy mean?

Me Rich.

Hudson  Oh, what does Dad’s name mean?  Construction worker?

Me  What?!

Hudson  Well he knows how to make wet sand-dirt.  He’s really good at that and he likes gears.

Me  Nope, it means protector, but that was a good guess.

Last Sunday my kids were begging me to use my camera.  Now that they are bigger I thought it might be a fun idea  I am all about giving my kids new opportunities.  So here it is through the eyes of Hudson and Annie.

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I know we aren’t very exciting, but I figured Hudson and Annie sitting on the bed taking pictures using my kit lens was the best bet in case of accidental camera droppings.  And quite frankly, my bed is the most comfortable place to be in the house.

Clearly Hudson likes being the photographer much more than the photographee…just like his dad!

I had to put this one in there.  That is my tongue not my bottom lip…crazy, right?

She may be blurry, but Hudson has a way of making her smile!

Hudson  Mom, why did you buy a new trashcan?

Me …because the other one had super gross stuff in it I couldn’t really get out.

Hudson Daddy cleaned it out and now it’s the recycling can in the garage.

Me  It’s handy isn’t it.  And that’s one of the reasons I love Daddy!

Hudson  No Mom, you didn’t need a recycling container.  You have a blue one outside.

Hudson’s monologue begins.

Hudson You know you really shouldn’t buy new stuff when the old stuff is just fine.  You just buy, buy, buy stuff when we don’t need it.  You remind me of Stanley Stuff-It.  You buy lots of stuff we don’t need and then you stuff it everywhere.  You need to save our money.  We need to have money so we can go to Legoland as a family and we can’t do that if you keep buying things and stuffing them everywhere. (Stanely Stuff-It was a book Hudson read in school.)

Shock on my part ensued for his pointant delivery as well as sober tone.  Clearly, I thought I was doing better than I really was.  Lesson learned.  Don’t let my kids read anymore!…Oh wait, I mean don’t buy things I don’t need so I can save for things like a house…and apparently Legoland tickets.

1 week later after Annie’s party.

Hudson  Mom, you are so busted for wasting money again!

Me What?  How so?

Hudson The red cake on the counter…

Me  What about it?  It is for Annie’s birthday on Tuesday.  We wanted you to get cake too.

Hudson No Mom, you wasted money buying too much cake.  It is getting wasted and no one is eating it.  Besides, I don’t feel like a piece of cake.

For the record, this little red cake had a diameter of 4 inches.  This kid is serious about savings.