Friday, July 11, 2008

Dinner and a show

Josh is home for 2 weeks before going back to NH for the summer and then on to seminary in the fall.

Last night we had Father James, the vice-rector of the school in NH, and Brother Daniel - one of the deans, over for dinner.

Dinner was shrimp scampi over linguine, tomato cucumber and onion salad, garlic bread and lots of ice cream.

The kids behaved pretty well. I guess threatening them with having their faces torn off if they didn't behave actually works.

There was no yelling at the table. The 2 year-old didn't pull her dress over her head. The boys bodily functions were nice and quiet.

We used the good china and nothing was broken.

We didn't have to say:

"Stop burping your ABC's"

"Don't eat with your fingers"

"Clean up your spilt milk"

"How do you know what worms taste like and no I don't think this meal does"

"One bite of food doesn't qualify you for dessert"

"Clean up your spilt milk"

"No I don't think linguine makes nice hair extensions"

"Yes a shrimp stuck in each nostril does make you look like an elephant, no take them out and you will eat them"

"Clean up your spilt milk"

"Do not use the baby for target practice with your peas"

"Yes it is kinda cool how milk comes out your nose when you laugh"

"Clean up your spilt milk"

"'Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub' does not count as grace"

All and all it was a pleasant evening. There are times when I really do like my kids and think maybe I’m not a total screw-up as a father. I wish these moments were more common than the “dear lord why do you let me breed” moments. Baby Steps.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

dude, dont ever get sappy on your blog again... and no you are not a good parent...

whew!!! now that everything is right in the world again, i feel that we can move on... ;)

kidding!!!!! i love your family... you know that... well, except for caleb... i want to pummel him.... ;)

oh, and one more thing... you do have good kids... thank goodness for samuel!!!

Catherine said...

You EAT veggies in US? I thought you fried all with peanuts butter, then add Ketchup or mayonnaise on top to make it eatable. : )
And beware, it's just when you threaten kids with punishment if they do this or that, that they find a third stupid thing that wasn't in your list to do, with a so ingenuous face! I know them, Monsters!

Kathleen said...

Hi. Wondered over here from Rachel's blog (your sister from another mother)and just had to post about a time we had the parish priest over for dinner. I am so glad your kids behaved. I myself at 12, sat next to Fr. Ed and made faces at my little sisters all through dinner-- No one else was at an angle to see, and they got the giggles and in big trouble. Thirty years later I should feel guilty...