"Marco!"

I already missed a day this week with writing.  It wasn’t on purpose, and it wasn’t because I didn’t have anything to write about, but time, baby, time gets away a lot these days. 

Last night, the kids and I swam for a couple hours.  We do our exercises (jumping jacks, arm circles, bicycle kicks, etc.), then we get on the basketballs and play a fun version of chicken (first one to lose the ball, loses that match), and yet another game where I think of a color and they try to guess what it is.  I cradle them in my arms, and for every wrong answer, I get to dunk them.  When they get it right, I flip them over.  Last night the color I picked was “wheat.”  Poor Tony got dunked for twenty minutes before I started reciting lines from Little Red Hen, “Who will help me take this______ to the mill?”  “Not I,” said the dog.  “Not I,” said the duck.  “Not I,” said the cat.   He finally got it.

This transcended into one of our favorite games to play, usually when we’re eating dinner.  It’s called, “What’s my Favorite?”

I started it.

“What’s my favorite book?” 

Tony screamed it out, “To Kill a Mockingbird!”  He’s been paying attention.

“What’s my favorite Bruce song?”  They guessed ‘em all  - Thunder Road, Glory Days, My City of Ruins, American Land. . . Nope, nope, nope, nope.  Finally, Paige really concentrated, I could almost hear the music playing in her head.  She closed her eyes for a second, and then yelled, “Racing in the Street!”  I gave it to her, it was a good guess.  (For the record, I go back and forth between a lot of his songs - - - Backstreets, Maria’s Bed, Further On Up the Road. . .)

“What’s my favorite beverage?” Tony screamed, “Wine!”  Paige screamed, “Coffee!”

It went on for a short time.  Then it was Tony’s turn.

“What’s my favorite tree of all these trees?”  He asked this, pointing to about fifty trees.  I got it right on the second guess.  Next question, “Which is my favorite blade of grass?”  When Paige and I rolled our eyes, he changed it to “What’s my favorite block on MineCraft?”  Paige got it within seconds.  (Butter)

Then it was Paige’s turn.

“What is my favorite natural resource?”  I giggled and said, “You are so very different from your brother.”  We guessed all the natural resources.  When we finally gave up, she looked at us like we were so stupid.  “Flint rock, duh.”

How could I have missed that one?

Her next question puzzled me.

“What’s my favorite phrase that Mommy says?”

“I love you?”  I asked.  She shook her head.

“Mama. . .”  Tony said whenever he’s checked out.

I made a few guesses, like, “Get your butt over here and clean your room,” or “Enzo, you little bastard. . .”

When I gave up, she said her favorite phrase that I say is, “I’ve gotta fix my face.”  I didn’t even know I said it, but apparently I say it nearly every morning while I put my makeup on.

Not much to write about today, but a simple way of checking in, and keeping account, I guess. . .

"Polo!"