bones, bones, bones

Yes it's that time of year, Halloween!! One of our favorite holidays. Which also seems to somewhat coincide with our study of the skeletal system. And now we are surrounded by skeletons and bones and clambering for more by the kids.

I can't even make dinner without going into talk about what is different about the chicken skeleton and human skeletons. Needless to say, I am having nightmares about dancing skeletons.

We have put chicken bones in vinegar to be able to tie them in knots, made macaroni skeletons. Then we've discussed the differences in dog, fish, cat, pig, chicken, monkey, and any other animal the kids think of.

I have a feeling this Halloween trick or treating might go a little different this year. Instead of the "Hey nice costume" comments the kids are going to start scrutinizing the other kids' costumes. "I don't think you have all 206 bones accounted for." "Your cranium doesn't have the proper skeletal boundaries." You get the point. I'm sure a fist fight is bound to break out when they tell the other children skeletons can't walk about without muscles attached.

Why do my children have to have as many details as possible on any given subject? How in the world do they manage to remember so many of them? They can't remember three tasks in a row here. You know the ones I'm talking about. "Go get your shoes, wash your face and grab your jacket." Do they ever come back with all three done? No and sometimes they get them mixed up and wipe their faces with their shoes apparently. I haven't ever witnessed this, but somehow their faces are dirtier than when they went to do as told.

(Hey another mystery of motherhood: How does a perfectly clean and well dressed child manage to get dirty in a sterile room? Two of mine could get dirty riding a mile in a carseat from house to church.)

Anyway back to skeletons, now the boys ,who have an extensive collection of skulls and hides (hillbilly decorations), want to frame Gypsy Roses' x-ray for their room. People already shudder when they hear the boys speak of their collection. They love to take their friends into the "butcher shop" at Pops' and show off all of his skulls and hides. (The man has to have 50 deer heads not to mention buffalo, goat, pig, and various hides.) We let them hang up a framed x-ray, people are going to start thinking we're the family off of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It doesn't help Degan loves and adores Halloween masks. He's the only three year old I've ever known who prefers grotesque masks to cutesy costumes. (The year he was three he decided to dress in camo with a grotesque mask for a face. He still had it till two weeks ago when he accidentally left it outside and it got hit by the mower.)

If this keeps up people will think we're crazy (once they get to know us they know its true, but still.)