30 June 2017

While the girls were packing for the beach, which, admittedly, we don't usually actually go on while there:
Madelyn: I have everything together!
Me: Did you pack a bathing suit?
Madelyn: Why? Oh, just in case.

26 June 2017

During dinner of chicken, noodles, and edamame:

Me: Guess what was released in the UK twenty years ago today?
Madelyn, looking at me like she knew she was being silly: Chicken?
Alyson, following her sister's lead: Noodles?
Me: Um, no. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone!

25 June 2017

The girls and I went to Home Depot this afternoon to pick up a few things. As we walked into the store:

Me: We need to get a marigold plant to replace the one that's about dead in the front garden.
Madelyn: Are we going to have a funeral for the marigold?

24 June 2017

This morning, Madelyn informed me that they were playing "massive studying camp". Is this like summer school? They seemed to enjoy it, though.

23 June 2017

An example of the weird thought process of a seven-year-old.

Tony used the term "autocucumber" instead of "autocorrect" as a joke directed at someone. Madelyn thought that was hilarious. As we were talking, it morphed into tea cucumber, then to t-bone cucumber.

Me: What exactly is a t-bone cucumber?
Madelyn, laughing so hard she could barely talk: You take a t-shaped cucumber and put it on a plate. Then, you put steak all around it!
Me, pulling out my phone to write this down as a Madelynism reminder: Okay....
Madelyn, getting excited: Use that as a Madelynism! DO IT!!!!

21 June 2017

Madelyn has a little inside joke going with the Headmaster of Hogwarts Running Club, Brian Biggs, that all started when she rolled her eyes at something he said the first time she met him. Multiple times when we saw him today:

Brian: Give me an eye roll!
Madelyn very seriously gave him and eye roll and then laughed.

Before bed today, Madelyn told me: I gave Brian three eye rolls today!

And, during dinner tonight, Brian got a text, then looked at me and told me, "Your daughter just pranked texted me through my daughter through my daughter's phone!"

20 June 2017

We have gotten Madelyn used to using the Charity Miles app when we go for walks or runs. Today when we got home:

Me: Do you want to go for a walk?
Alyson: Only if we can go to the park.
Madelyn: Only if I can take my phone for Charity Miles.

19 June 2017

While the girls were playing:

Madelyn: It's Moana time!
Me: Is that like Hammer Time?
Madelyn, confused: Hamilton?

Then, I tried explaining "Hammer Time" to her and failed.

18 June 2017

On the way home today, we stopped at a new ice cream shop to get ice cream (of course). It' was about lunch time, and we had heard that the place had huge servings, so we decided on a treat.

Madelyn, as we walked up to the store: Wait, we're having ice cream for lunch?
Me: Yup.
Madelyn: Well, okay!

17 June 2017

As we were leaving the boardwalk this evening to head back to "Grandma's Second House":
Madelyn: I can't wait for tomorrow!
Me: Why? Because we're going home?
Madelyn: No! Because it's Father's Day!

16 June 2017

Ever since she was little, Madelyn called Mom and Dad's place in Delaware "Grandma's second house." While on the way there today:

Madelyn: Why is it called "Grandma's second house"?
Me: You decided it needed to be called that.
Madelyn: When did I decide that?
Me: I don't know. Probably soon after you learned how to talk.

I got the look of death in the rear-view mirror.

15 June 2017

For dinner tonight we had tortellini and salad. When Madelyn was finished with her dinner:

Madelyn: Is there anymore tortellini?
Me: Yeah.
Tony: But there isn't anymore sauce.
Madelyn: That's okay. I don't want sauce anyway.

She got up to get some and came back with practically another full plate.

Me: Did you leave any in the pot?
Madelyn: Yeah! I left a little.

13 June 2017

Think before you speak?

Madelyn: What is Mia and Anabelle's name?
Me: What?
Madelyn: What is Mia and Anabelle's name?
Me: Um, Mia and Anabelle?
Madelyn: Oh, no. What is Mia and Anabelle's mom's name?

12 June 2017

Madelyn: This is what I would love to do if I had a library all to myself and some free time. I would pick out a book, read it to the end, and then pick out another book.
Me: Okay, Belle.
Madelyn: You don't have to call me Belle.

11 June 2017

Random dinner conversation:

Alyson, to me completely out of the blue: We have a boss. It's you and Daddy.
Madelyn: Our boss is whichever adults we're with. Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Julie, Aunt Gina, Uncle Matt....

The conversation continued about who would be their boss depending on who they were with at the time.

10 June 2017

While we were at the Aquarium today, we went to the Dolphin Discovery exhibit. A trainer was telling everyone the names of the dolphins. One of the females is called "Chesapeake." Madelyn told me, "Chesapeake is a good name for a girl dolphin. Another could be Bay. If they were twins, they would be Chesapeake Bay."

09 June 2017

We had spaghetti and meatballs tonight and had already decided that Madelyn was pretty much taking the lead on fixing dinner with our help, of course.

Before helping fix dinner: "But I don't want to fix dinner! I want to keep playing!"

After helping fix dinner: "I want to help fix dinner every time we have spaghetti!"

08 June 2017

The girls and I went to Habit Burger for dinner tonight. Madelyn was reading the words and phrases on her burger wrapper while eating. She read something about it being "the best burger you've ever tasted" and said, "I think this is the best burger I've ever tasted. I can't even imagine what a better burger would taste like."

07 June 2017

During dinner, Madelyn was reading the side of the hummus container I had out.

Madelyn: Why does that say "OMG"?
Me, seeing the big print that said "NON-GMO": Do you mean "GMO"?
Madelyn: No. OMG.
Me, looking closer: Oh! 0mg! That means zero milligrams.

06 June 2017

After dinner, the girls came outside to "help" me plant the last flowers. They ended up playing instead. Alyson was running away from Madelyn and laughing and screaming when Madelyn tagged her. Madelyn yelled, "Freeze! Now you have to stay frozen." How exactly does freeze tag work with only two people?

05 June 2017

Today during indoor recess, Madelyn drew a picture for her daddy. As she explained it, "[Classmate 1] taught [Classmate 2] how to draw a John Deere tractor, so [Classmate 2] taught me how to draw a John Deere tractor, and I drew a robot driving it because Daddy works with robots and it's cool!"

04 June 2017

Right before bed:

Madelyn: I wish it was a three day weekend so that I could sleep in tomorrow because I'm tired.
Me: You never sleep in when you have the chance.
Madelyn looked at me like I ruined her fun.
Me: Well, you could have slept in yesterday, but you didn't. At all.
Madelyn: So? I still wish it was a three day weekend. Can I still sleep in? Even for just one minute?

03 June 2017

Madelyn knew I was going to go see "Wonder Woman" this evening after they were in bed. I'm pretty sure she was jealous because Wonder Woman is her favorite superhero.

Madelyn: Why do you and Daddy have to watch older movies first to make sure we can see them?
Me: Because some movies for grown ups have too much violence and too many bad words for you.
Madelyn: And we're not old enough yet to see that stuff.
Me: Right. That something you get to do later when you know more and can do more stuff. It's comes with maturity.
Madelyn: Maturity? I didn't know it was called that!

02 June 2017

We had burgers and salad for dinner tonight. The salad was a mix of things we had around and included baby spinach, mushrooms, cucumbers, strawberries, and feta cheese.

Me, calling to the girls: Come get silverware and whatever dressing you want.
Madelyn, upon seeing the salad: FETA!!!!
Alyson, also looking at the salad: STRAWBERRIES!!!!

Glad I could please.

01 June 2017

We had pancakes for dinner tonight. The girls know that if we have pancakes, they shouldn't even bother asking for dessert because they won't get it.

Alyson: Let me guess. I shouldn't even bother asking for dessert because we're having pancakes and pancakes aren't even healthy!
Madelyn: The pancakes aren't so bad. It's the syrup. If we were having just plain pancakes, that would be healthier, but not healthy healthy. 

31 May 2017

The girls were outside playing, and I had just gone inside to fix dinner. From inside, I hear yelling that almost sounded like Alyson was crying very hard. I went to check on them.

Me, yelling to them on the play equipment in the backyard: What ARE you doing?
Madelyn, looking at me like I was insane: Playing?