Yogi has started talking about saving for college

Yogi saw an ad for Full Sail University game designer programs in his Game Insider magazine, and now he wants to save for college. He also mentioned today that he wants to start saving for retirement once he's not a minor and has his first $1000. He's a very practical person in a lot of ways.

Yogi firsts

This Thanksgiving brought Yogi's first Monopoly game! We went to Michele's and played games with "the boys," Michele's nephew Max, and his two friends Mun and Eugene, all of whom are from Australia, and are staying with Michele for the next 3 months, and their swim coach, Megan.

Yogi made a pumpkin cheesecake with ginger snap crust.

We all had a great time. Now we're full, and we're going to bed!

The Army Men Dilemma

Yogi has been lobbying for army men. He played with them at a friend's house...well, okay...at OUR grown-up friend's house...and now he wants them badly. So he's pleaded with us to consider it. So we did.

After much discussion, as we were both very torn, we told him that he could have army men on 3 conditions:
1. He'd have to pay for them himself.
2. They can't be used as a precedent for bringing more toy guns into the house.
3. He has to study Ghandi and MLK and write a 1 page essay on non-violent conflict resolution.

His reply: "So...I just have to write like a hippie?"

As long as it's Dylan, son.

A sad day

Our 14 year old doggie Sam passed away at home tonight.

Yogi is on the phone talking with his best friend Trip about what happened and how he feels. He said "Life is just an amazement of sad and happy things."

Welcome to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commi...

More Yogi Remarks

A few days ago..."Soup is good for your innards!"

And today we were having a discussion about the fact that we think some websites are inappropriate for kids because they're unmonitored and it's possible for kids to see disturbing images on them.

"Like what?" he asked. "Like a naked lady?"

"Things like that. Or worse," replied John.

Without missing a beat he asked, "What's worse than a naked lady?!"

Pretty funny, but only until you start thinking about the kinds of things kids get exposed to these days that we as parents have so little control over. Billboards, for example. I've seen the most disturbing billboards in LA. And so has my little boy.

And of course later I had to have another conversation about the fact that there's nothing wrong with naked people, but that sometimes how they're pictured is disturbing.

Parenting can be so complicated!

The kinds of questions Yogi is asking these days

"How can my ass be wise?"

"Why are all the dogs attacking me with their noses?" followed by a gleeful giggle.