Cirocco Jones

...of the class :)

Justin is three years younger than Daniel, Daniel is a bit of a freak, intellect-wise, and Chris and I are grownups and relatively bright ourselves. And Justin has been home schooled for five years. And while that has been overall a very positive experience, it does mean that for five years, Justin has effectively been at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of feeling - or appearing - smart.

He went to school part-time this year. Got his report card back yesterday. Straight A's :) :) :)

I'm proud of him for that, but not as proud as I was when he told us he'd won a Principal's Award (at his school apparently that's for being one of the top students in his class). Shortly after getting it, he walked past one of his classmates, who sneered, "Super nerd!"

Justin just brandished his Principal's Award at the kid. "Yeah!! SUPER Nerd!"

Justin: Ugh, I hate when I get "microbiology" and "Necronomicon" mixed up.

Justin: Mama, picture this: for your birthday, your friends give you as a present your own personal dimension.

Justin and I are finishing Listen For the Singing, the sequel to Jean Little's From Anna, and the phone rings. It's our bank, doing one of their "customer satisfaction" calls.

Bank Lady on Phone: ::blah blah blah introcakes::
Me: ::appropriate social responses::
BLP: ...and I just have a few questions to ask about your account, do you have a few minutes?
Me: Actually, I'm busy right now.
BLP: No problem ma'am, we'll call back another time.
Me: Thank you.
::hang up::
Justin: Yay! You consider me something to be busy about!

We're currently studying Henry VIII and Elizabeth I:

Me: ::read description of The Other Boleyn Girl:: Mmm, yeah, nope, I don't think you guys should watch this movie. I might rent it for Daddy and me, but I don't think it's appropriate for you guys.
Daniel: Why not?
Me: Well for one thing, Spoiler Alert: everyone dies. Badly. Like, everyone. Anne, George, their father, mother...
Daniel: Even Henry VIII?
Justin: Daniel, duh, of course! Remember, Henry VIII? He died one of England's worst kings, with six wives, old and fat and gross and with an enormous scrotum!

Doris the Science Mom: (talks about genetic discoveries that may someday enable us to stop the ageing process)
Kid: I think I'd like to stop ageing at age eighteen.
Doris: I don't know, I'm forty-four and I'm finding it a wonderful age. So I would recommend age forty-four. (looks at Justin, who is apparently looking shocked) I know, you can't quite believe anybody's actually that old, right?
Justin: No, I just can't believe you're that old when you look so young!


It's too bad Doris doesn't do marks, because he would so get an A!

The first time the boys put on their mittens this year, they lost 'em. Hence the new rule. They can have more (we're in Canada; they're not a luxury item) but they'll have to pay for them.

Justin: This is a great new rule. Because when you're a grownup, you have to keep track of things. If you don't keep track of your babies, they can die of electric shock. Babies are like mittens that move!

(Pointing at the dollhouse, which is in shambles) Who in holy haggis did this?!

"They're like little tiny flying me's, but much more annoying."

- Justin, describing the Cornish pixies featured in Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets.