The Block is One of Life's Little Mysteries.

1. Spud is a complicated kid to get gifts for. Usually what I think he would like he looks at, gets excited for 3.6 seconds and then goes off to sing and wave a block around in the air. This year we bought him a CD player and I suggested to his Auntie that he might like tickets to a movie.

2. I am a genius. He loves listening to his CD player with an everlasting love. Even on our vacation to the beach he was constantly telling people how much he missed his CD player. The relaxer boy loves NOTHING more than to go to his room, turn on his CD player, wave a block around and sing.

3. The movie was also a BIG hit. With one dire consequence. He is now obsessed with Toy Story Three. Actually, I think obsessed is a bit too mild of a word to describe the love affair between my boy and Pixar's latest attempt to rid parents of all their money.

4. I have not seen the movie, but I am now able to give an accurate plot synopsis. Quite honestly I think I could do a dissertation on the thing as that is ALL I have heard about from my son since he saw the movie. TWO MONTHS AGO. Two VERY LONG months ago.

5. This means that he no longer wants to be a pirate for Halloween. I really thought I could make it stretch for 4 years, but no dice. (Yes, he was a pirate for three years running. Why do you ask?)

6. So imagine with me the SHEER joy of finding a Buzz LightYear costume at a consignment store today. In Spud's size. If I thought I could have gotten away with it I would have danced on the checkout counter.

7. So, tonight a VERY happy young man has gone to bed to "think about my wonderful new costume." I guess sometimes one needs a break from waving a block around and singing.

For more Pixar free takes please see Jennifer at Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes

1. Because of all the sick, all four of us have been home pretty much non-stop for ten days. No school, no church, no park outings, just us, here. I realized that maybe it was getting to me a little bit the other night after I put the kids to bed. Since they've been sick they have been getting out of bed for every little reason, something they normally never do. I really DID NOT want to deal with anything more so I hid in a closet. Seriously. I went to the storage closet in my laundry room and read there for 45 minutes. At one point I realized that I was sitting on the floor, next to the vacuum hiding from my kids. Maybe I wasn't handling the whole sick thing as well as I thought.

2. The other night I made this chicken for supper. I really wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was very moist and super tasty. Spud kept calling it Swiss Chalet chicken. Which in our house is a supreme compliment because Swiss Chalet chicken ranks right up there with ice cream and chocolate. Plus, I got two meals out of the chicken aannnddd made two liters of chicken stock. All that from a 5 buck chicken that required zero effort on my part.. It just does not get better than that my friends.

3. Pomegranates are now in season. My kids almost jumped out of the cart for sheer joy the last time they were in a grocery store. I like them too, but I cannot quite fathom the level of happiness my kids get out of this fruit. I wish the suckers weren't quite so expensive, but when my kids willingly eat something that good for them, I grudgingly shell out.

4. My boys make up their own prayers at mealtimes. It's a good way for them to learn to express real gratitude, plus it's cheap entertainment for us. Recently Sprout had slipped into using the same prayer over and over again as fast as he can. So, the other night Way Cooler told him he had to pray a nice, new prayer. This is how it started. "Deaaaar Desus. This is a nnneeeeewwwwww prayer." I can't remember anything after that as I was laughing too hard to even breath. Told ya. Cheap entertainment.

5. I am a technical weenie. Doe anyone know how to have the 7 quick takes banner actually show up on a post? I've tried a bunch of things and none work. I like to comfort myself that I at least know how to work a mouse. There may or may not be people related to me who find that a challenge. So, I come by my technical illiteracy honestly.

6. There are a whole bunch of bloggers right now in El Salvador. If you click on the link in my side bar (or here or here) you will be directed to their posts. Go. Read. Learn. Be changed. Sponsor.

7. Seriously. Go read a compassion blogger. I've been reading the posts with the boys looking over my shoulder. It's been a great time to talk with them about how much we have and how little others have. It's put a face to a concept that is so horribly abstract for someone raised in such affluence. I think my boys might be "getting it." Their mom is too.

For more quick takes visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.