Can you say iPhone?

Today we spent a couple of hours with friends trekking around in "nature", best we can find it around these parts, mostly collecting rocks from "the rock area" and throwing them in the lake. Sam shone as nature walk leader getting the kids to use their deductive reasoning skills and pointing out new and different sights. One of the many reasons I like getting together with other families is to observe new ways of doing things, presenting information, disciplining etc...I love the fresh perspective and I'm sure Nathan enjoys it as well.

We headed further North for dinner with Grandpa after the lake. He treated us to a most fabulous seafood soup in a little hole in the wall Mexican place that Grandma had discovered. Never would it even occur to me to try a soup in a place like this, there are usually too many other ooey, gooey, cheesy delights to choose from. Nathan must not have been particularly hungry when our soup arrived because, much to my dismay, there was way more discussion than I prefer over matters I just as soon not spend much time thinking about. Such as the workings of the juke box and Mommy's inability to operate it, the "whiskers" on the shrimp, what octopus use their suckers for, and the life cycle of the ginormous clam in our soup. We talked about how the clams used certain muscles to open and close their shells and that when we cook them in our soup they open up when they are done cooking.

Eventually, we made our way back to Grandpa's house, walked the dog, had a special treat and then left Grandpa to get a good night's rest for his big bike ride in the morning and started the forty five minute drive home.

There was little chance of sleep en route home, as he had taken an unheard of nap on the way up. We listened to music, we chatted about the day, and we were quiet.

Eventually, from the darkness I hear "Mommy?"

"Yeah, hon?"

A little bit, but not really, from left field, "Mommy, if they are cooked, then how do they open their shells?"

Translation: "Mommy, if they (the clams) are cooked (dead), then how do they (use their muscles to) open their shells?"

I may need to rename my meanderings "Stupid Mommy" because this is not the first question I have taken more time to consider (google) than my four year old audience generally allows. I am forever plagued by a deafening buzzer in my head, reminding me of my ineptitude. I take solace only in the knowledge, that it is I, most often, that can accurately determine exactly the question and if not for an accurate question, there is no chance for a correct answer. That's what I tell myself anyway.