The Herd Overheard

Claire, after taking a bite out of a donut: “It’s like a Boppy!”  9/27/10

Ruby, playing with magnetic letters (as though they are people—nothing is safe from becoming an action figure at our house):
“We had leg surgery tomorrow.  That’s why we tip over.”  9/27/10

Haley, as the blender startles 3-mo. Ian, making him cry:
“Mom!  Don’ scare Ian a smoothie! I don’ wike it!”  9/30/10

Claire, tattling: “Haley hit me with a rock!”
(after a pause)
“It’s a beautiful rock, but that was unkind.”  (Claire loves rocks) 10/13/10

Claire, when asked if the report was true that she’d scratched and hit Haley:
(Emphatically) “No!  I did NOT!  I only slapped her face!”  10/14/10

Haley (with a cold):  “I need to blow my nose, Mom, because my nose is coming out.”  10/14/10
also: “My nose is running out,” and “I just have a nose in my boogers.”  10/19/10

Claire, coloring a fish-in-an-aquarium-picture:  “This is gonna be mold at the bottom, just like in our bathtub.”  10/16/10

Ruby, wistfully: “I love pets.  All I have is pet bugs, but I want to have a pet what could stay alive all winter.”  10/25/10

Claire, during calendar time, noticing there aren’t many more days left in October: “When we run out of days, will we die?”  10/26/10

Claire, after I was gruff with Haley: “Mom, you’re not supposed to do that.  Remember, you need to let the peace of God rule in your heart, and be thankful?”  10/27/10

Ruby, having wished on a star the night before: “Mom, my wish didn’t come true, to fly up in a basket.  That’s too bad.”  11/1/10

Claire, holding a wooden spoon from their kitchen set: “This is my gun.  It’s automatic.”  11/1/10

Ruby, explaining to me what she meant when she came in from playing outside and told me she was “soaking hot.”
“It means I have tears coming out of me for having two jackets on.”  11/14/10

Serving the girls slices of the apple cinnamon bread brought by the neighbor:
Me: “Wasn’t it kind for Daddy to fix Sharon’s laptop, and wasn’t it kind for her to bake Daddy some bread?”
Claire, puzzled: “How did she make her laptop into bread?”  11/17/10

Claire, in pain: “Two of my ears are hurting.”  11/29/10

Ruby, coloring with me: “I still have more imaginations to color.”  11/29/10

Haley, singing (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb): “Mary had a muffin man, muffin, man, muffin maaaan. . .    12/1/10

Haley, playing with her pretend camera (batteries dying): “Oh!  My cheeseball is broken!”  12/10/10

Ruby, discussing our trip to Colorado: “It’s gonna take forever till we get to the ‘nother world . . . . . . Mom, get ready for this hard trip, because it will be a disaster.”  12/13/10

Haley: “Mommy!  I burp!”
Me: “Yes.  What do we say when we burp?”
Haley: “Thank you, burp.”  1/2/11

Claire: “Last time we went to church, I forgot my notebook, so I had to just sit there with my rock.”   1/2/11

Reviewing yesterday’s science experiment on matter:
Me: “Was the ice solid, liquid or gas?”
Ruby: “It had a shape and you could hold it. . . . .  It was a solid.”
Claire (whose eyes have a light-bulb-over-the-head-look):
“Poop is a solid.”  1/13/2011

Haley, upon hearing the telephone ring:
“It’s Mr. Daddy.”  1/28/11

(While Claire and Ruby play that they are moms.)
Me: “How many kids do you have?”
Claire: “Just two.”
Me: “And how do you like that?”
Claire: “Good. ‘Cause if I had three, I’d be like, ‘I need to sell one of these kids. . .’”
Ruby: “If I had three, I would say, ‘I’m so nervous, I have to put one of you to bed.’”  (For the record, I have never said either of these. )  2/9/11

Claire (to Haley, who is wearing a dress-up dress): “May I have a turn wearing that?”
Haley: “No, Claire.  First I have to marry to Ian.”  3/1/11

Daddy to the girls as they discuss police officers: “I was riding in a car that was pulled over today.  Do you know what two people weren’t wearing in that car?”
Ruby: “Clothes?”  (Also for the record, the correct answer was seatbelts.) 3/1/11

Haley (making small-talk while I change her diaper): “I don’t like to eat my poop.” 3/6/11

Claire (looking out the window of  a crowded restaurant): Dad, Look!  That person’s smoking!”
Ruby: “But they’re already old.  They’re probably going to die soon anyway.”  3/3/11

Haley (stepping out into the pungent country air at a friend’s house): “Somebody pooped out here.”
{demandingly} “Who pooped out here?!?”
{more demandingly, as we make it to the car} “Who did it!?!?!”  3/14/11

Haley (pretending one action figure is speaking to another): “Do you know the muffin man?”  3/19/11

Haley (after having tooted while eating her lunch):
“S’cuse me.  That was my carrot tooting.”  3/14/11

The Herd Overheard

These two pictures from last summer/fall capture R & C's personalities quite well. Ruby is more girly and into accessorizing. . . Claire jumps in with both feet and is quite the tomboy. (Though they are both big fans of mud!)

Mommy to the girls (after they came back inside after only a few minutes playing in the backyard): "You need to play outside."

Ruby: "We can't. We runned out of air out there." 6/7/09

Claire, telling Case about her watch: "It's time to go to bed because it says it's an inch and a half." 6/7/09

Ruby to Mommy: "I'll scream at the top of your ears." 6/24/09

Ruby: "Mom, Claire scratched me and I'm allergic to kids." 6/23/09

Daddy: "I'm beat."

Claire: "By who?" 6/27/09

Claire, on the phone to a birthday well-wisher: "I have a beautiful dress; it's kinda wet 'cause I've been sucking on it." 7/14/09

Claire loves order. As she sits, she organizes her toys.

That same day, I came back to my pile of folded kitchen laundry to see that she had unstacked it and put all her babies to bed on each of the laundry pieces. Every baby has a bed. (Even the gravy whisk.)

Ruby: "I don't like this lip gloss, Mommy. Sometimes when I lick it, it tastes like bridge." 8/15/09
(R & C have made several comments now about things tasting like "bridge." I only wish I knew what they meant.

Ruby: "May I have some lip guac?" 8/30/09 (As in guacamole.)

Claire looks at bugs with Mommy and Haley.
Mommy: "I think those beetles are mating."
Claire: "Oh. . . They look so friendly." 8/11/09

Ruby: "Lydia would like to try ballet, but her mom says her hips are too big." 8/14/09

In September: cousins Ruby and Lydia (whose hips are clearly too big to be included in the picture).

Ruby: "I'm NOT huffing off in a puff, Mommy." 8/21/09

Mommy: "Claire, would you do me a favor?"

Claire: (not snotty—just matter of fact) "You could do yourself a favor, 'cause I'm going outside." 9/1/09

Ruby and Claire, very proud of their first attempt to load the dishes without guidance.

Mom: "Claire, what did you do to Ruby?"

Claire: "I hitted her."

Mom: "With what?"

Claire: "With my teeth."

Mom: "What is it called when you 'hit someone with your teeth'?" (Meaning, "biting.")
Claire: "Sin." 9/2/09

Ruby, outside Walgreens: "I sure hope that man doesn't steal paint polish for his mommy." 9/3/09

Listening to a CD of hymns at bedtime
Ruby: "They are singing to God."
Claire: "To make Him sleep." 9/12/09

Haley gives new meaning to "beanie baby."

Mom (as a loud crash happens while Claire runs her stroller around the house): "Wow, Claire. Are you okay?"

Claire: "Yeah. I'm just being wild." 9/17/09

All aboard the reading train!

Ruby: "Claire's trying to scratch me."
Claire: "No, I'm showing her my fingernails." 9/18/09

After mom's warning that sitting on a small slat of wood might not be the best idea. . .
Ruby: "It might break . . . only if I was too heavy, like a woman." 9/18/09

Claire (peeved): "I'm going away from you, Ruby."
Ruby: "I'm okay with that, because sometimes I need time to myself." 9/21/09

With a napkin, Ruby was picking up some pepperoni pieces that had dropped on the ground while bringing her slice of pizza to the table.
Claire: "It's kinda like you're picking someone's nose . . . with lots of boogers in it." 9/09


Claire: "I'm wiping my nose with a Kleenex."

Ruby: "Maybe your tongue could be a Kleenex." 10/2/09


Mommy: "Today is catch-up day."
Ruby: "Could we make it mustard day instead?" 10/13/09

Claire: "Goodnight, Mom-poop."
Mom: "Don't call me that—it isn't respectful."
Claire: "But it is funny." 10/23/09

Claire, brushing her baby: "She'll be all dry in the morning, 'cause I'm brushing her skin off."
Ruby: "Ah, poor thing. I don't usually do that." 10/24/09

As all four of us girls enter a public bathroom stall. . .

Me (to Haley): "No! Do NOT touch the toilet."
Claire: "Only juicy bottoms are allowed to touch the toilet."
Me: giggling uncontrollably
Claire: "Don't laugh, Mom. I'm not used to it." 11/11/09

Mom: "Which ear hurts?"
Claire: "The right one."
Mom: "Okay. That makes sense."
Claire: "The wrong one hurts a little, too." 12/5/09

Daddy (reviewing the creation account): "Why did God create woman?"

Ruby: "So she could tell Adam what to do." 12/6/09

Claire, singing God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman (tidings of comfort and joy.): "Ahhhh. . . Covered in joy!" 1/1/10

The Herd Overheard

Casey, having had a 3 ½ hour night of sleep due to sick kiddos: "When you have a lack of tired. . ." and "That makes my finger cringe." 3/22/09

Ruby to Daddy re: Haley: "I'll comfortable she." (I'll comfort her) 3/29/09

Ruby, discussing a movie she just saw: "No, Claire. Cows don't really 'save the day'." 4/14/09

Claire, sighing: "I have two babies to deal with." 4/14/09

Claire, looking at photos: "I was being tickled by an armpit." 4/19/09

Mommy (unloading the car): "Take your cup with you."

Ruby: "I can't; I'm full of hands." 4/23/09

Ruby, singing the chorus of a Hymn: "And His glory is exhausted." (exalted) 5/10/09

Mommy to Claire (After she'd run out the front door to wave to the garbage man.): "We don't say 'hi' when we're naked." 5/11/09

Ruby, playing with action figures(?), introducing herself and her friend to Claire's action figures: "I'm Cinderella and this is Butch. He's just mad at people." 5/25/09

Ruby, looking at some family pics: "Mom you look funny lots of times." 5/28/09

Claire, holding part of her dinner on a finger: "Some time, I could give this to a cow." 5/30/09

Daddy, describing his 7-up: "Overall, it's just too bland."
Claire: "Daddy, you shouldn't say, 'you stupid man'!" 6/4/09

Ruby, playing action figures with Claire: "Careful, Chuck! You have your life way ahead of you!"
Claire (Chuck): "Okay. I will hold my breath." 6/9/09

The Herd Overheard

Ruby: “This is going to be a good day!”
Mom: “Why do you say that?”
Ruby: “Because we’re blowing bubbles!” 01/29/09

Over lunch, Claire explains that she prefers to eat her hot dog “with no butt.” 02/08/09

Ruby to Mommy: “You are not being too bossy. You are trying to be a nicer mommy today.” 02/10/09

Claire, watching me get some tape out of the drawer: “What’s that for?”
Mommy: “Taping.”
Claire: “Oh, gotcha. I did not know it was for taping.” 2/12/09

Ruby: “Why do you keep singing that song?”
Mommy: “I guess I have it stuck in my head.”
Claire: “Maybe a screwdriver will help you get it out.” 03/03/09

Casey, explaining why he is gone so long during the day: “I have a boss who tells me how many hours I need to work.”
Claire: “Mommy’s the boss!” 3/18/09

Ruby and Claire try out Daddy's new toy: radios that connect to his PPG helmet.

Have you heard that before?
Sometimes, the girls will (try to) mimic what they have overheard. . .

Ruby to Claire: “Don’t stomp off of a huff!” 02/09/09

Claire: “You crack me out.” 12/30/08

Claire, in the middle of church service, as a freight train blares its horn a few hundred feet from us: (putting her finger to her lips): “Shhh, train. We are at church.” 1/18/09

Ruby: “Claire, you can sit in your booster seat.”
Claire: “That sounds kinda foo-ish!” (Foolish—Claire has been saying this sentence often lately, as well as exchanging the word for others, like “kinda rude” or “kinda unkind”) 2/8/09

Ruby to Claire: “You should have put your eyes on your purse so you wouldn’t lose it.” 2/27/09

No, we really don’t talk like this
Ruby: “When I yawn, it sounds like hell.” 02/13/09
(We don't use this phrase at our house; really. But Ruby does know the word, and she meant this quite literally: it sounded like she was saying the word “hell” as she yawned.)

Ruby: “I want to spend time with my Daddy. He is sweet and kind and he has great beauty inside.” 02/19/09
(Ru got this from a book on CD that she listens to often, in which there is a riddle about an oyster.)

Say What?

Claire: “Ruby pinched me with she’s bottom.” 12/30/08

Claire: “I had to wash my hair ‘cause my bangs were so scratchy.” 2/2009

Ruby, trying to put a tight shirt over her head: “It hurts my teeth!” 2/16/09

Claire: “Look at my crazy thumbs!” 03/09/09

Claire, eating a snack: “Are my ears crunchy? Probably so; from the chips.” 3/10/09

The Herd Overheard

Yesterday, I had the privilege (and I do mean privilege, for several reasons) of spending a few hours alone in an urgent care facility. While waiting to be seen, I was able to start a few posts, including this one. When you look forward to dentist visits because it means you have a full hour of sitting or reclining without children, an urgent care visit by yourself is also a highlight of your week! Yesterday marked the first time I have been away from all of my children for more than a couple hours since before I had Haley last May. It really was a wonderful break. For curiosity’s sake (I’m always curious what stay-at-home-moms do with their children for things like this) I’ll mention that Casey had all three girls for four hours, which was also a milestone! I rarely leave him with all three, and if I do, it’s usually for a short time, while most (if not all) of them are asleep. Casey took a half day off, met me in ABQ and we exchanged vehicles and children. Case did so well with them, and even fed Haley some solid food without problems. I was so rejuvenated and rested from literally sitting for hours that I had enough energy when I got home to get the girls dinner (ahem: heat some leftovers) and get them ready for bed.

Anyway, I will expound on this visit later, when I hear the results of some lab work, but for now, I give you some quirky things that have been said around our house in the last month.

Ruby: “Ya know, Mom, sometimes boogers tickle us. That’s why we have to take them out.” 12/20/08

Mom to Claire: “Don’t put pears on your eye. Don’t put cheese on your face.” 12/20/08

Ruby (singing with gusto): “Fw-ees hah-be-dah!” (Feliz Navidad) 12/20/08

Ruby, getting a flashlight out of a drawer: “I just need to check to see if God is in that little hole.” 12/29/08
{I have to admit, I was baffled at this statement. I told Casey a few days later and he explained that he had sent Ruby inside to get a flashlight so he could look in the hold of their little Noah’s ark to see if Noah had gotten stuck in there. It made a lot more sense in that context, and so did this. Apparently for our girls, anyone with a long white beard is mistaken this way. I’m not sure what is to blame for this, but I have my suspicions.}

Ruby (helping Casey with yard work): “We are having a fire on the ground and it is not fun. It could burn you.” 12/29/08

Ruby (with her stethoscope): “Mom, I’m going to check Haley. I think she has a brain.” 1/5/09

Claire, swinging on the swing set: “It’s like a paraglider!” 1/9/09

Ruby: “Mom! Claire hitted me!”
Claire: “I did not hit she. I gived she a high five.” 1/21/09

Claire, assessing the finishing touch she’s just put on the picture she’s painting: “OOOOOO . . . . Beautiful!” 1/22/09

“Dr.” Ruby, as she examines Casey: “Dad, you have a woman in your's heart.” 1/24/09

{Later, she called her associate, Dr. Claire, on the phone to ask her to come help remove the woman.}

The conversation overheard today as R & C sipped tea from these lovely mugs (more on that later):
Ruby: “I love these cups.”
Claire: “Is this God?”
Ruby: “No.”
Claire: “Is it Moses?”
Ruby: “No.”
Claire: “Who is it?”
Ruby: “Mmmm . . . It’s a Kwimmus man.”

The Herd Overheard

Ruby, like her mother, absolutely must get glammed up before even putting one fingernail into the dishwater.

Claire: “I smell bwoky.” (broccoli)
Ruby: “No, it’s a toot.”10/30/08

Daddy: “Where are your manners?”
Ruby: “They went to Narnia.”11/3/08

Mommy: “Don’t hit your sister with a shovel.”
Claire: “Like on Ruby’s forehead?”
Mommy: “Don’t hit her anywhere.”
Claire: “Like on her eye?”. . . and so on. . . 11/8/08

Daddy: “Don’t put your finger in your nose.”
Claire: “I was checking if there was any boogers in there, but there wasn’t.”11/22/08

“Hoo-eee, Haley!” –Claire, waiving a chubby hand in front of her face, which she has placed six inches from Haley’s stinky diaper.11/23/08

We like to do anything Mommy does!

Ruby (talking about the baby in Auntie Tiff’s belly): “Maybe it’s a boy or a girl. I might be right!” 12/1/08

Ruby (getting dressed): “Mom, I’m wearing cut-a-freeze.” (capris) 12/3/08

Ruby (patting Mommy’s tummy): Mom, do you still have a baby in or’s tummy? ‘Cause it feels like you do.”12/4/08

Mommy: “Don’t suck on Haley.”
Claire: “I did not bite her. I just chewed her hand.”12/6/08

And on one final note, this is one of the many reasons why I must be vigilant about watching my wee ones:

The Herd Overheard

Every so often, I plan to do a post of strange or amusing things I've heard my children say (or things I hear myself or Casey say to them).

Here's hoping you enjoy them as much as I have!



Ruby to Mommy: "People say 'cheers' when they want to." Sept. 19



Claire to Daddy: "You're bossing me right and left!" Sept. 21



Ruby to Mommy: "We love ours chother" (each other) Oct 2



Ruby praying in another room: "God, please don't let me die and make me into a woman." Oct. 9



Claire to Daddy (as he changes her diaper): "It's too tight. I need it rooster." Oct. 13








Believe it or not, Haley was actually sleeping in this position until shortly before I took this picture.