Chump Change

This year's vacation took us back to North Carolina just over the Georgia border. This is our regular vacation destination since the grandparents and my sister's family lives up here.

Fr. Pecchie was on vacation this year with us and he had been giving the little ones extra change from his pocket. From that point on the only question the kids wanted an answer to was "When are we going to the store?"

Therese happend to get a "Georgia" quarter in her mix of change. As Betty and Brianna drove them to the long awaited spending zone in Murphy, NC.

During the ride Lisette kept asking Brianna "Where is Murphy?"

"It's down the road about 20 minutes from here" answered Brianna.

Lisette kept asking "No where is Murphy?", Brianna continued to respond "down the road".

Lisette then clearified the question "Is Murphy in North Carolina or Georgia?"

"North Caroline" responded Brianna.

"Darn Therese" Lisette exclaimed "you won't be able to use that Georgia quarter at the Walmart in Murphy!"

ditto

We've been blessed with 11 kids. The first eight alternated gender, girl, boy (twins), girl, boy, girl, boy, then girl. Then we had another girl, the first time we've had siblings next to eachother of the same gender. It's been a new experience for us, they are always together. Therese, the younger, copies everything Lisette, the older, does. Every pain Lisette has, Therese has. Everything Lisette want's to eat, Therese wants to eat. Everything Lisette says, Therese tries to say but usually messes up the words. It is so cute.



Well, the other night I was out on the back porch cooking, Lisette was going to the back yard to swing, she turns to me flapping her arms like a chicken and says

"Dad, how come the muscles in my arm pits hurt when I swing on the swing?"

I said "I'm not sure honey"

Two seconds later Therese looks at me, I could see the wheels turing in her head, trying to understand what Lisette asked so she can re-ask the same question, she turns to me and asks

"Yeah, dad, why do the nuckles in my arm pits hurt when I swing on the swing?"

I just smiled and said "I don't know why".

99¢

Kids don't always understand the value of money but they quickly learn that money has value. In today's advertising world it seems that everything is $19.99 or $39.99 or any amount and 99¢.

One day driving in the van with many kids in the back, Betty and I were discussing our hopes at winning the lottery. We talked about where and how we would spend these millions of dollars we could win.

Just then, Andrew, then about 5, exclaimed "I wish I could win a million dollars ... and 99¢."

Too cute.

There are many funny and cute situations that occur during everyday life in a large family.

I remember one evening in 1991 I was lying on the floor with my daughter Brianna, then 3 years old, on my lap playing. With my month wide open laughing she peered in and noticed the many fillings in my molars.

Pointing in my mouth she asked "Daddy, what's that?"
I replied "what's what?"
"Those black things in your teeth." she said.
"Those are fillings." I explained.

Thinking I said 'feelings' she tapped her heart with her hand and said "I have feelings too, right here when I cry."

Too cute!