Kevin and more decorations...

to get off the shelf in the back room - that's why I love this time of year! The pumpkins do double-duty for two holidays - and just when I'm tired of them, it's time for Christmas! This is my friend Long's son, Kevin, last year at about this time. He was in kindergarten and driving his teacher absolutely bonkers! As you might imagine, English is not his first language and he was having some trouble adjusting - but it's amazing what a difference a year makes. He is now doing great in school and only driving his parents crazy. He has more energy than about three kids and that brain is always going. Kevin used to come and visit me after school for a little while every day (before he became consumed by his GameBoy) - and his chatter drove my husband nuts. I said, "Honey, that kid talks from the time he wakes up in the morning until he goes to sleep at night. I guess I can give his poor parents a break for an hour every day." A couple of weeks ago, Kevin had a mishap at home. His dad had warned him not to play with his basketball inside (they live in a small apartment), but while his mom was sewing, Kevin decided to go for a shot from the foul line or something and his basketball crashed into the 55-gallon fish tank - glass and water went everywhere! A terrified Kevin locked himself in his bedroom and wouldn't come out. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but he hid out the whole time his mom and dad cleaned up the mess and rescued the fish. They said he didn't speak all evening and the next morning, he got up and got dressed and went and stood by the door until it was time to go to school. Long said they lectured him about not obeying the rules and how seriously he could have been injured. Kevin was appropriately contrite and apologized. Well, that lasted about two days. On the third day, Kevin came home from school and announced to his dad that he had been thinking. If his father had bought a better fish tank stand, instead of building one himself, Kevin reasoned, it wouldn't have fallen over when the basketball hit the tank. I asked Long how he kept a straight face when Kevin told him this; he said it was hard, but he and Thao got a good laugh out of it later when Kevin was asleep. That is one funny kid.