Farewell Sea Monkeys

When Aaron was a kid, he purchased a kit (from a Boy's Life magazine) to grow and train sea monkeys. Sea monkeys are basically a type of super tiny shrimp. He had prepared his kit when (according to Aaron) his little sister, Kristin dumped them in the sink because she thought it was a bowl of water.

Fast forward 20 years and Aaron tells this wonderful account to our sons. Seth was just totally in awe. Everyone he talked to would hear him say, "Guess what?! My dad had sea monkeys when he was a kid, but Aunt Kristin dumped them out." So imagine his excitement when he discovered that you can buy sea monkeys from Target. After making some money selling lemonade during a garage sale, he bought his first sea monkey kit. (Sorry, I don't have a pic.) Both Aaron and Seth were so excited to raise sea monkeys. They got it all set up, watched them hatch, and started feeding them. Everything was going great. Seth would show and tell everyone who would listen about his sea monkeys. He even wanted to name all 75 of them. I have to admit they were pretty cool and even Joshua was getting into it.

Well, small problem...to keep the tank the right temperature, you have to put them in a North facing window. The only north-facing windows are in the Master bedroom. So the sea monkeys would commute from our bedroom to the kitchen counter at least once a day. Fast forward to today...Aaron goes to put the tank in our bedroom window. It slips out of his hand while he was moving the blinds and it pours all over the floor. He grabs the tank and trying to salvage any that might still be in there, fills the tank with water. Two (out of 75) managed to survive. However, the water that he used had not been treated with the kit's water treatment. So, sadly, those last two sea monkeys perished as well. Seth was devastated. Aaron apologized and explained what had happened. Seth forgave him but insisted that they bury the remaining two sea monkeys. So, they dug a hole in the flower bed, poured them in, and Seth said a few words, "Sea monkeys, I just want you to be good." Thus ends the saga of the sea monkeys. Of course, we probably will have another batch of sea monkeys. But for now, we say, "Farewell, sea monkeys."

Body Parts

I love talking to my children. They have some of the funniest things to say. I just wanted to share with you our dinner conversation from tonight. We were talking about what everyone had learned in church. Joshua was sharing that he had learned about his ears and being thankful to hear. Aaron though he would be funny and test Joshua, the following conversation ensued:

Aaron: What do you use to listen with? Your nose?

Josh: No...

Aaron: Your mouth?

Josh: No..your ears

Aaron: Oh, your ears. What do you see with? Your lips?

Josh: No, you eyes?

Aaron: What do you smell with?

Josh: Your nose

Aaron: What do you touch with?

Josh: Your hands

Seth: No, your fingers. What do you taste with?

Marissa: Your mouth

Seth: Nope

Aaron: Your tongue

Seth: Yep, because you have tastebuds on your tongue. Do you know why they are called tastebuds?

Aaron: No, why?

Seth: Because the little bumps on your tongue taste stuff and they are your buddies!

Aaron: Nice. What do you use to walk?

Seth: Your feet

Josh: Your legs

Marissa: Everything from the waist down

Aaron: You're all right.

Josh: Oh, I got one...what do you use to poop? (insert awkward pause) Your butt!

Marissa: Nice...

Needless to say, we changed the dinner conversation after that one.