We REALLY never do know what goes through their minds. Do we?

Deep Thoughts From Children

From an actual newspaper contest where entrants age 4 to 15 were asked to express their deepest thoughts.

I believe you should live each day as if it is your last, which is why I don't have any clean laundry because, come on, who wants to wash clothes on the last day of their life? -- Age 15

Give me the strength to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I cannot, and a great big bag of money. -- Age 13

Democracy is a beautiful thing, except for that part about letting just any old yokel vote. -- Age 10

For centuries, people thought the moon was made of green cheese. Then the astronauts found that the moon is really a big hard rock. That's what happens to cheese when you leave it out. -- Age 6

Think of the biggest number you can. Now add five. Then, imagine if you had that many Twinkies. Wow, that's five more than the biggest number you could come up with! -- Age 6

As you make your way through this hectic world of ours, set aside a few minutes each day. At the end of the year, you'll have a couple of days saved up. -- Age 7

Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher. That is, I used to, until she got an unlisted number. -- Age 15

It would be terrible if the Red Cross Bloodmobile got into an accident. No, wait. That would be good because if anyone needed it, the blood would be right there. -- Age 5

If we could just get everyone to close their eyes and visualize world peace for an hour, imagine how serene and quiet it would be until the looting started. -- Age 15

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Next time you look at your son or daughter and wonder what they're thinking, go ahead and ask. You never know. It could really be a deep, deep thought!!

Under the sea ...

I recently mentioned that we never know what's registering in a child's mind, here's yet another example:

We spent the first night of our journey this time at our very close friends' home, as we always do. The men went off to do their thing and, as women do, we sat with our iced teas and discussed the things us gals are interested in.

My friend had just come back from visiting with her grandchildren and told of their most recent game of "Let's Pretend."

The two boys are ages 3 and 5 and share a bedroom which is decorated in a sea-oriented manner with fish on the walls, etc. They often pretend the beds are boats and the floor is the sea. This time, the oldest boy suggested they pretend to be creatures in the sea.

Grandma decided she'd be a seahorse because they are so graceful and prance around in an elegant manner. The oldest boy wanted to be a dolphin because they seem to have so much fun.

The little guy put much thought into his choice. His little furrowed brow indicated he was really working at coming up with an idea. He even tapped his chin with a finger as he thought. finally, he announced he'd be an oil slick.

"An oil slick?!?"

"What's that?"

"It's dark and sticky."

What's more enticing to a little boy than a mysterious dark and sticky substance to play with?

You just never know what they're thinking, do you?

Beware of how you impress the little ones!

Woohoo !!! Our extended family welcomed a new member this week - my kingdom of “Aunthood” continues to grow. She’s little and pink and cute a a button!! Mom, Dad, Big Bro and the little Princess are doing just fine!

Speaking of nieces…
My sister-in-law, “L“ , called the other night to ask for a recipe that I apparently made for her granddaughter, “K” , at some point in time. Seems the little one’s mom asked if the apples growing in L’s yard were worth doing anything with or just serving as squirrel feed these days. As L stated she used to use them for cooking but hasn’t in years, little K piped up with the words, “Aunt Sue [me] made me cooked apples with cinnamon and sugar!” She went on to insist I picked the apple we used from that tree.

While I’m not denying I did do such a thing, (I have in the past done so for other little ones in the clan but that was several decades back when we had our own apple tree.) I’m sure I must’ve picked the apple from the fruit basket on the counter. I’m not even sure I knew they had an apple tree.

Seems she’s now determined someone needs to make her some of those apples again. I’ll be visiting next week, so I’m elected. (Hope, I don’t need to climb the tree to get an apple!)


Seems we never know what will stick in a child’s mind and memory as something unique and memorable.

As a small child, I referred to one of my Mom’s friends as “The Rainbow Lady.” At the time, no one knew why but they thought it cute and went along with it. Years later, The Rainbow Lady finally asked why I coined that name. Seems back then, so many of the church ladies wore “invisible hairnets” to keep their “do” in place but hers was not really “invisible”. Her’s had little bits of different-colored sparkly glitter on the netting. Worn over her prematurely snow white hair, it made me think of a rainbow. Such a simple explanation!! (Do they still sell "invisible hairnets" ?)

Similarly, I have a friend named Steve. When he met the little one who would soon become his step-granddaughter, she quickly named him “TV” and she stuck to her guns on that one! We all hypothesized about how she had come up with that nickname. No one could even remember the television being on during her visits. Seems she heard his sister-in-law jokingly calling him “Stevie” (a name he wasn’t even called as a child). To a toddler, it definitely sounded like “TV“. He is now known to a whole generation in that family as “TV.” (Of course, his kids had a “Grandad” and a “Grand-Doug”. Maybe it just runs in the family!)

Another young lady in the family tells me every time she sees the sizeable aqua choker I wear 24/7 (as important to me as my engagement and wedding rings) , she thinks the words “Pretty. Like your eyes.” I’m sure I haven’t said that to her in well over a decade, not since she was 3 (or less) but I do remember holding her as an infant and toddler, who, like all babies in arms, was fascinated by my jewelry and saying those words - often.

So, just in case you’re looking for a quick, easy and, apparently,memorable way to fix an apple for your little one (or anyone in your life) try this:

Microwave Apple Chunks

Peel and core an apple (or 2) and chop into bite-size chunks;
Place apple in a small, microwave custard dish or bowl;
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (I usually mix 1 tsp cinnamon into 1 T white sugar.);
Add a dab or two of butter on top;

Microwave on high for 1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until the apples are warm and soft (not mushy);

Enjoy!!