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_____Date_____	Who	Age	They Said What?
1 9 3 3
1933	Dottie	2	A toy broke and I brought the toy and a spoon to my dad and said, "Fixy poon"? Must have been very young if I could not talk better than that.
1933	Dottie	2	Mom, Dad, Baby Bill and I were all dressed up to go to something and I went into the kitchen and pulled over a pitcher of fresh cream that was setting on the end of the table. Spilled all over me and the floor. Dad got after me and I merely said, "Dink 'ilk'"? Had to get ready all over again.
1 9 3 5
1935	Dottie	4	Tony Blickham (used to live in the Freidleins house) was helping Dad one summer and I came out to watch on this very warm day. I had on a coat and Dad said to me, "It's kinda warm for that coat, isn't it?" I said, "No, it's just right for hot and cold." Sounds like something Shelly or Daron or Kami would have said.
1 9 5 7
May 1957	Ricky	2	When Tom took TJ, Rick and Billy into Kentucky when they were very small Rick looked at the grass and in shock he just stared at the grass. He finally asked if this was "Kentucky Bluegrass" or what? He thought the grass was supposed to be blue and had been looking forward to seeing it.
1 9 5 9
October 10, 1959	TJ	5	TJ asked if we would all be dead at the end of the pages on the calendar since there were no more pages.
October 1959	TJ	5	TJ said he was sick. I asked him why and he said because we must not be real because how could God make Himself and us, too.
November 4, 1959	TJ	5	TJ looked at the 3 Magi and asked which of the three kings is going to kill all the baby kings in the neighborhood.
November 1959	Ricky	4	Ricky, after being caught closing and rubbing his eyes said, "I am not sleepy, Mommy. I was just closing my eyes so no one could see who I was".
November 1959	TJ	4	TJ was tying a string around Rick's head and Ricky said, "Mommy, he's killing my brains!"
November, 1959	TJ	5	After watching the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and seeing a man declare he bathed daily to live longer TJ said, "Grandpa McClintic should bathe daily and he might live even 50 years longer". Grandpa was then 68 and lived to be 86. TJ, do you realize my dad was only two years older than I am when you said that? Holy cow!!!
1 9 6 0
January 1, 1960	Ricky	4	After very carefully explaining something to the children Ricky cupped his hand to is ear and very seriously said, "What, Mommy, I didn't quite follow you."
January 21, 1960	Debbie	21 Mo	Debbie dumped the pan of tea grounds in Tom's tea glass while I was looking for paper to wrap them in. A little later I found her sitting in the bathroom sink!
January 20, 1960	Debbie	21 mo	Found Debbie at 3:45 AM sitting on the kitchen table finishing up Billy's birthday cake. She was 21 months and Billy had just celebrated his 3rd birthday the previous day.
January 21, 1960	Debbie	21 Mo	Instead of napping peacefully as she was supposed to be doing I found Debbie had completely made herself up with lipstick. . . face, hands, knees, lips, legs, feet, hair, shirt, and then the pillow slip and the bed spread. She also had torn her daddy's cigar into a million tiny pieces and tossed it all over the bed and floor. Had earlier found her on top of the dresser investigating things, plus attempting to eat Tom's aspirins. Definitely not MY day!
January 25, 1960	TJ	5	TJ said Grandpa McClintic is using his 7th skin now and it's old and the toughest and will last a long time. (Maybe he is getting this idea because Grandpa is losing the pigment in his skin it looks very white and new.)
February 2, 1960	TJ	5	Missed the mailman and sent TJ to catch him in below freezing weather disregarding his "But, Mommy. . . " He returned and then I noticed he had no shoes on and that is what he was trying to tell me. No after effects, thanks be to God.
February 2, 1960	TJ Rick	5 4	I asked Tommy Joe and Ricky if we should go to Grandma's during the two weeks their dad was slated to be in Chicago on business in April and they were all enthused but I told them Tommy Joe would have to miss school if we went. Tommy Joe paused, thought and then grinned, "That will be okay". Ricky says, "We like Grandma's better than school. . . do we, Tommy Joe?"
February 24, 1960	Ricky	4	Ricky was planning to attend kindergarten on his birthday but TJ's teacher said no one was to bring their little sisters or brothers to school. But, TJ told the teacher Ricky wouldn't be his brother any more because she didn't say other children couldn't go. Later Ricky was talking about going and I told him what the teacher said but Ricky said, "But, Tommy Joe isn't my brother anymore, so can I go??"
February 28,1960	TJ	6	Tj said, "Mommy, please get some Playtex gloves so you can have pretty hands." Pays to advertise on TV I am thinking.
March 1, 1960	TJ	6	After having to give TJ an enema he wanted me to be sure and wipe all of the gasoline (Vaseline) off of his bottom.
March 1, 1960	Billy	3	Billy dumped two boxes of laundry soap all over the basement floor and then proceeded to pour water from the water heater all over the soap. Ugh.
March 2, 1960	TJ	6	TJ asked if I knew why bull dogs have hungry cheeks that hang way down. Of course I didn't know, so he proceeded to tell me it is because they get in fights with baby bulls and the bull's little horns come off and they get stuck in the dog's mouth and are so heavy they make the dog's cheeks fall down. Well, how about that!
March 3, 1960	TJ	6	TJ was telling me that sometimes just water runs out of his nose and that's to save his blood so it won't go to waste. (He is forever having nosebleeds.)
March 4, 1960	TJ	6	TJ said when a Mommy goes to the hospital and gets a new baby, well, if she decided she wanted twins a nurse would go in and pull out a drawer full of babies and give her one.
March 6, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky was complaining about his brains moving around. I asked where and he pointed to his chest and stomach.
March 7, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky was holding his nose closed trying to exhale and became all excited and said, "Mommy, I'm blowing air out and it's not coming out of my nose, but it's coming out both of my ears!"
March 20, 1960	TJ Bill Deb	6 5 3	Ricky was trying to force open the door into his room which was being barred by his daddy. TJ and Billy finally decided it was useless and called Debbie over and said, "Cry, Debbie, so Daddy will open the door."
March 24, 1960	TJ	6	TJ looking at our dusty wedding photo in the living room said, "When you and Daddy married you were all dusty, right?"
March 28, 1960	TJ		Ricky and TJ both like girls and were wondering what to say to the boys who disliked girls. TJ told David Lucas he liked girls and David said, "Oh, Tommy, I'm going to tell all the boys to call you 'Lover Boy'". (How ironic, because that is what Big Tom was called when he was growing up, so like father. . . like son!)
March 29, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky said, "Mom, when I get grown, Daddy will be a grandpa, won't he?" and TJ overhearing replied in disgust, "OH, Ricky, Daddy can't be a grandpa, he's not a farmer." (Like TJ's grandpa.)
March 30, 1960	TJ	6	TJ said he's not going to be a daddy when he grows up but a grandpa like Grandpa McClintic.
May 3, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky said he was playing daddy and TJ told him he didn't look like a daddy but like a grandma because he has red hair (like Grandma McClintic's.)
May 25, 1960	TJ Ricky	6 5	TJ and Ricky had been playing cowboys all morning and suddenly Ricky said, "Tommy, let's just play Tommy and Ricky now." (Received $2.00 from The Capper's Weekly for this one saying.)
August 5, 1960	TJ	6	TJ was talking about puppies drinking milk from the mama dog and I asked if he had ever seen a puppy nurse and he replied, "Do puppies have a nurse. . . where's the puppies nurse????"
August 6, 1960	TJ	6	TJ asked me if I knew why cars have rubber tires and I, of course, said I did not so he said, "Because they would cut the little hose that rings the bells at the gas stations if they didn't use rubber."
August 8, 1960	TJ	6	TJ asked if the loaf of bread we were eating at lunch was put-nut, put-nut bread. (Again, it pays to advertise on TV. . . he was referring to an ad "tut-tut, nothin' but Butternut bread.")
August 19, 1960	TJ	6	Tom and I were talking about having a short in the doorbell and TJ overheard and wanted to know what that meant so I explained that shorts sometimes cause fires and his eyes got very big and wide and he said, "Do jeans, too?"
August 30, 1960	TJ	6	TJ said he knows how he can get a pony now. After Joe Maher's pony has a baby he will ask Joe for the pony and give him $2.00 for it. Ricky said he'd get the next one and he'd pay Joe about all the money Grandpa has. He'd give Joe three nickels and five dimes.
September 14, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky said his stomach hurt because the bones that protect his heart got all twisted up and made his tummy hurt.
October 13, 1960	Ricky	5	Ricky and TJ were writing their alphabet and being very chummy toward each other. I heard Ricky say to TJ, "Tommy, I like you so much I feel like I could pop."
October 18, 1960	TJ	6	Tommy asked me what "tsry" spells and I said 'nothing'. He continued putting letters together and asking what they spelled and I always answered the same. . . that spells 'nothing'. Finally, TJ said, "Gosh, there sure are a lot of ways to spell 'nothing', aren't there?" (Received $2.00 from The Capper's Weekly for this saying.)
October 20, 1960	TJ	6	TJ says "Pray for me" to both St. Thomas and St. Joseph daily and said that St Thomas is him! I asked why he thought that and he said, "Well, I'm a saint." I said, "Oh, no you aren't yet." And, TJ said, "But, I go to St. Mary's school and that means I am a St. Thomas."
October 31, 1960	Ricky	5	I asked Ricky if I should make a Devil's Food Cake and he said very vehemently, "No, No."
December 12, 1960	TJ	6	TJ told Ricky he would have to be awfully smart in school or he would get pushed around like him. Sister would push him home and Dad would push him right back to school.
December 17, 1960	TJ	6	TJ said his mumps wouldn't hurt now, because he ate an aspirin on that side of his mouth. . .(left)
December 18, 1960	TJ	6	TJ overheard us talking about the fear of his mumps dropping on him since he was more active than we thought he should be. He then said he was afraid his mumps might fall down and he would accidentally step on them.
December 28, 1960	TJ	6	TJ said some of the people he prays for go to "gurgatory". "What, I asked?" "Oh, you know, God's cleaners." (Submitted to the St Gerard Magazine.)
December 20, 1960	Billy	3	Billy informed me the Christmas tree was melting. (The needles were falling off.)
December 21, 1960	TJ	6	At the supper table TJ ordered absolute quiet and got it! Then he asked if we could hear the song of "26 Men" playing in his head. He said it was so loud and playing over and over.
1 9 6 1
January 3, 1961	Ricky	5	Ricky told TJ that the extension cord was the plug and the thing where you plugged in is the plug "end" because it's the end of the plug. Simple!!
January 12, 1961	TJ	6	Tom told TJ he should go to Sister tomorrow and tell her "he" told a lie yesterday. . . TJ had a startled look on his face and said, "Did you tell me a lie yesterday, Dad?"
January 12, 1961	TJ	6	TJ said he just gets all nervous after telling a lie. His conscience is working, apparently. PTL.
January 23, 1961	TJ	6	TJ said, "We must pray for the president to make the right decisions because if he makes the wrong decisions we'll go right to war and boy, I am ready. . . just hand me a baseball bat and push them all my way and I will hit them all in the head."
January 23, 1961	Debbie	2	Debbie wanted a lid for her one slice of sandwich. . . meaning the other slice of bread to make a complete sandwich.
January 23, 1961	TJ	5	Ricky said grandpa couldn't die till he's grown up and Tom and I are grandma and grandpa. If grandpa should die we have to get another one. I asked how and he thought awhile and finally said, "I guess you'll have to get a new one out of your tummy, Mommy."
January 24, 1961	Ricky	5	Ricky showed TJ a picture of a boy turning a somersault and he said, "Tommy, that's called a somersault because you're just supposed to do in the 'summer' time."
January 24, 1961	Ricky	5	Mel Blanc, the "Voice" of Bugs Bunny, Petunia Pig, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, etc, was seriously injured in an auto crash today and Ricky said he might be dead. Ricky was looking for the 4 o'clock cartoons and he said to TJ, "Tommy, the cartoons might not be on cause the cartoon man might be dead." Coincidentally, there were no cartoons on and Ricky said, "Yep, he's dead." (The next day after I wrote this, early part of July, 1989, Mel Blanc really did die but not from a car accident. He died of old age.)
January 28, 1961	Ricky	5	Tom made the remark that he wondered what I would look like as a blond and then asked me why I didn't dye my hair. Ricky chimed in with "Wouldn't Mommy look funny dead in all that dirt and it will be all over her face, too."
January 28, 1961	Ricky	5	Ricky told TJ he can't catch up with TJ in numbers of birthdays because TJ was born first (February 24th over Rick's February 26th) but then he thought he might have two birthdays pretty soon and pass TJ up.
January 1961	Ricky	5	I overheard Ricky telling Billy that their plastic cowboy was dead and he'd better leave him laying in bed or he'd die again and he's never get him fixed up again.
February 14, 1961	Ricky Teri Becky	5 19m 5m	Ricky told Teri she had better not turn over Becky's bed or Teri would break Becky's head open and then she would have to buy a new baby for him. (Rick was sort of in charge of Becky.)
January 16, 1961	Ricky	5	Ricky said Negroes are made out of mud because they are black and mud is black. White people are made out of dirt because they are white and dirt is white. Indians are made out of dust and then they paint themselves red.
March 1, 1961	Ricky	5	Ricky wishes he was named Pat after Joe Maher's son, Pat. TJ said, "Oh, like Pat Kelly (tough student at St. Mary's school.) and Ricky said, "No, I don't want to be a killer". . . slight misunderstanding here.
March 9, 1961	Billy	4	Billy said the reason he and Ricky were going down to Grandma's is because I was going to the hospital to get a new baby again. I guess he figures that is a yearly event with me. . . but this time it was not so.
March 10, 1961	Deb	3	Debbie had a sore throat and asked me for a bandage for her throat.
March 10, 1961	Teri	2	Teri wanted some of Becky's baby food and I wouldn't let her have any so she got a spoon and caught Becky's drippings as they fell out of her mouth!!!!! (How gross can one get???)
March 12, 1961	TJ	7	TJ said it takes boys a long time to figure out who they are going to marry but it sure doesn't take girls long. I wonder where in the world he ever got that idea!!!
March 13, 1961	TJ	7	TJ was working a crossword puzzle and had to write down "Skeleton". I asked if that was Red Skeleton and he said, "Red? I thought skeletons were white."
March 14, 1961	TJ	7	TJ was telling me he was sick of school because the air inside of him had sat down to rest.
March 19, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie said she wants corn flakes for breakfast so she can have a big muscle. . . then demonstrated her arm muscles and then added, "Billy is strong because he eats corn flakes."
March 26, 1961	TJ	7	TJ saw a picture of a cow and a new born calf and said, " Oh, look, that cow just laid a calf."
March 25, 1961	TJ	7	TJ was looking at some pictures of prehistoric equipment and I asked him what he would have done if God had put him down on earth all alone with no house, no food, no hammer, no nails, no saw nor machinery? He thought a bit and replied, "I'd buy em."
March 29,1961	TJ	7	TJ hates the show, The Price Is Right on TV, and came to me with his hands over his ears and said, "I wish we'd turn that off. . . I have given up The Price Is Right for lent this year."
March 30,1961	Debbie	3	Debbie is coughing and has the measles and said to me, "I have a bad cold, Mom, so I can't go outside today."
April 14, 1961	Debbie	3	I was using the egg beater to mix up pumpkin pie mix for pies and Debbie said, "Quiet, Mom, or you'll wake the baby." It was a bit noisy at that and Becky was 9 months old.
April 23, 1961	TJ	7	I was explaining mortal sin to TJ. He said, "If I commit a mortal sin I will have to start all over in the first grade, right, Mom?"
April 24, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky was talking very loudly (as usual) and I said, "Ricky, I'm not deaf." He stopped short, looked at me strangely and said, "I didn't call you deaf."
April 25, 1961	Billy	4	Billy asked me when I was going to go to get a new baby. I asked why and he said, "Cause we need some more new babies. . . all we have are Becky, Teri and Debbie."
April 26, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky said to Becky, "Becky, I'll be a grandpa by the time you are all grown up."
May 22, 1961	TJ	7	TJ said he was going down to Grandma's and born him a chicken out of an egg. Figure that one out!
May 23, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky was telling me that sheep can't jump a fence because their skin is too heavy, but after some men cut off their skin then they can jump.
July 17, 1961	Debbie	3	I sent Ricky outside to take care of Teri and Becky and Debbie said, "I'll go out and take care of Billy, Mommy." Billy was 4, Rick was 6, Teri was 24 months and Becky was 11 months.
July 21, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie fell and hurt her finger. She came to me and said, "That's too bad Debbie hurt herself. . . then she added, Poor little Debbie."
July 22, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky told TJ that Becky has the hic-cups because she is hiccuping in the kitchen.
July 31, 1961	TJ	7	TJ said he first thought of the story he could tell everyone about Ricky falling off the tractor at Grandpa's. He said he about cried. I told him he should be wishing the accident had happened to him instead of to Ricky. TJ frowned and said, "I halfway wish it had happened to me and halfway wished it had happened to Ricky."
August 8, 1961	TJ	7	TJ was fretting because he had asked Grandpa a "hundred" times to buy him a pony. I explained that Grandpa didn't have that much money. TJ replied, "Well, it just costs a $100.00." I said that's more then he has. TJ said he thought all farmers are supposed to be rich!!!!!
September 4, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie and I were walking across the street and I momentarily let go of her hand and she became panic stricken and said loudly, "Mommy, you forgot my hand." We had a close call with a car whizzing by and Debbie said, "Boy, we about broke all to pieces, didn't we, Mom?"
October 14, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie said, "Mommy, I don't know why but I just don't feel very good." I said, "Oh??" I had an idea what the problem was and sure enough she then said, "Maybe some candy would make me feel better, right, Mommy?"
October 25, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie had the trots and a slight tummy ache this morning. At noon I asked her how her tummy ache was and she lifted up her skirt and glanced at her tummy and said, "Yes, it's okay now."
October 30, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie noticed Becky's birthmark on her arm and said, "Becky is turning into an apple and she's getting rotten, Mommy."
November 11, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie said she was getting fat from my good cooking.
November 17, 1961	Teri	2	I went into the boy's room to check on Teri, who was being very quiet. She was lying on her tummy studying the decals on the boys dresser. Looked so cute.
November 17, 1961	TJ	7	TJ was talking about the movie, "Ben Hur" which we saw last summer and he said, "Ben Hur lived because he had hayfever in his eyes and hayfever makes you live a long time." I was stumped over that one until I remembered the captain of the ship saying "You have 'hate fever' in your eyes and that will keep you alive."
November 26, 1961	Ricky	6	Msgr Freshel was quizzing Ricky to find out if he was ready to receive the Eucharist for the first time. He asked Ricky, "When your daddy goes to confession does he say this to the priest, 'Bless me Father it is my 4, 897th confession' or something else?" Ricky, without a moment's pause said, "No, Father, my daddy is only 30 years old."
December 2, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky wanted a barn door like his Daddy's. . . he meant pompadour (hair style).
December 8, 1961	Ricky	6	Ricky said Mary Hagan has the measles and I asked him what kind and he said, "The outside kind."
December 28, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie said, "Mommy, you don't say 'leave me alone' to me, do you?" I said not that I know of and she said, "You just say 'leave me alone to Daddy, don't you?" Whoops!
January 20, 1961	Debbie	3	Debbie saw a dog walking in the snow and exclaimed, "Oh, look, Mommy, that dog is walking around in the snow without his boots on".
1 9 6 2
March 11, 1962	Debbie	3	When I walked into the house after giving birth to baby Johnny, Debbie took one look at my stomach and said, "Mommy, do you have a broken stomach?"
March 17, 1962	Ricky	6	Today was Tom's birthday and I baked him a chocolate cake. He informed us at the supper table that he knew I had baked because he could smell the chocolate cake and chocolate icing. I was amazed because I could not smell anything and said just that. Ricky said, "Well, no wonder. . . Dad's nose is bigger than yours, Mom".
March 19, 1962	Ricky	6	Ricky said Mike Lucas is his best 'boyfriend' and then quickly changed his mind and said, "He's my best friend of a boy".
March 19, 1962	Debbie	3	Debbie saw the baby Johnny's dirty diapers and said to get the jelly out of his diapers and I told her there was no jelly in them. She said it smelled like it. . . but, actually, the diaper smelled like peach juice.
March 19, 1962	TJ	7	TJ and Ricky wanted their allowance and Tom said he didn't have enough money to even buy himself lunch Tuesday. TJ said, "Don't you have any money at all?" Tom told him he had about $200.00 in the bank and TJ in amazement said, "Gosh, you're rich." Tom told him he owed several thousand and TJ quickly said, "Gosh, you're poor!"
April 17, 1962	Debbie	3	Debbie said to me, "Hurry up and get me lunch. My throat is getting ready to come out."
April 3, 1962	Ricky	7	Ricky said he 'pianoed' a piece for sister at school.
April 29, 1962	Debbie	4	Debbie saw a nun's veil blowing in the wind and told the nun her hat was about to blow away. Fourth Birthday!
April 23, 1962	Teri	2	Teri got into the baby vitamins behind my back today.
April 24, 1962	Teri	2	Teri got into Tom's liquid black shoe polish in the garage. She polished her white shoes, herself, her dress, and the table and floor.
April 24, 1962	Teri	2	Teri was looking at a picture of some pigs and called them dogs and I told her they were pigs. Teri said 'igs' and I said, "No, pigs, Teri. Look at me, Teri, me, me," and she said, "Oh, you", and pointed to the pigs."
April 24, 1962	Teri	2	I got up at 5:30 this morning and found Teri had gotten up even earlier and was in the process of emptying Tom's hair tonic on her head. Had used half the bottle already.
April 26, 1962	Debbie	3	Saw Teri 'basting' Debbie in the tub with water and Debbie said she was cooking. Walked by the door a bit later to check on the girls and Debbie was pouring water over Teri with two little cups and said she was salting and peppering Teri.
April 26, 1962	Debbie	3	I threatened TJ about finishing his work and told him if he didn't hurry and get through I would. . . Didn't finish the sentence because I just walked back into the back room and figured he'd turned a deaf ear anyway. Debbie finished the sentence to TJ instead. She said, "Clobber you." I laughed because that is exactly what I was going to say, as usual, and Debbie said to me, "You always say that, Mom."
March 19, 1962	Debbie	4	Debbie told Juanita (our next door neighbor) that her daddy has bigger muscles than her daddy (husband, Bob) and she bet her daddy could beat up Juanita's daddy. Fourth birthday.
May 2,1962	Debbie	4	Debbie brought home a dead robin and I made her throw it in the trash. She kept wanting to feed it, but I would not give her any bread so she fed the dead bird all of my lilacs that were in bloom.
May 9,1962	Debbie	4	Debbie received a belated Birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa McClintic and it had a little ring in it, which she was so proud of. She said she wanted to go to church and show God. Said God would say, 'What have you got, Debbie?' and she would say, 'A ring' and God would say, 'Oh, come here and let me see it,' and then He would say, 'That is so pretty, stay here with Me.'
May 10,1962	TJ	8	TJ asked me why is it I watch TV programs that they can all watch and Daddy watches ones they can't watch. Good question, TJ.
May 13,1962	TJ	8	TJ asked me why they can watch The Flintstones on TV because they don't always do things children should see. He was also questioning watching Felix The Cat.
May 23, 1962	Teri	2	I gave Teri a pickle to eat and she said, "Ooh, a hot-dog!"
May 24, 1962	TJ	8	On the day the second astronaut (Commander Carpenter) went around the world in the space craft, TJ asked me if they gave monkeys smart pills so they could guide the rocket around the world before men started riding in them.
September 21, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie saw my healing burn and said, "Oh, Mom, your burn is melting!"
September 26, 1962	TJ	8	TJ broke both bones in his right arm above the wrist. We were on the playground. One would hold a branch down and another would jump out and grab the branch and swing out over the slope and sidewalk and back again. Then let go. The edge of the playground had a steep slope of about 12 feet tall overlooking a sidewalk. When it was my turn, the guy let go just a little too early and I followed it out for a foot or so and then the branch kept on a more upward direction and I continued on a more downward direction. Like my car accident, these type events seem to be in slow motion. You just see it happening and there isn't anything to stop it. I also remember sitting in the office waiting for my compassionate father to show up. When he arrived he took my arm and flipped it. Since my hand flapped around limp, and I hollered, he was able to give his professional diagnosis. "Yep, it's broken.".
October 1, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie was playing with an Easter basket and I told her to put it away or the Easter Bunny wouldn't bring her any eggs next year. She said, "Oh, Mom, the rabbit doesn't bring us eggs. Grandma and Grandpa bring the eggs". They do indeed bring us eggs every time they come for a visit from the farm!!!!
October 6, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie asked me if I could pull my teeth out and I said no because my teeth are real. Debbie then said, "Well, why don't you buy something to take them out with"? I said I couldn't and she asked why and I said because the dentist takes them out and she then said, "Well, so does my Grandpa"!
October 7, 9162	Deb	4	While putting Debbie's shoes on her she reminded me to be sure and pull the plug (tongue) up.
October 19, 1962	Ricky	7	Ricky was singing 'She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes' and when he got to the part of 'We'll kill the old red rooster when she comes' he stopped and said, "Well, Mom, they call the rooster a she". I tried to explain but he still thinks the whole song is about a rooster coming around the mountain.
October 24, 1962	Teri	3	Teri asked me if my daddy painted the bathroom and then quickly changed it to "I mean your Tom".
October 25, 1962	Deb	4	I was helping Debbie put on her socks and I said, "Oh, Debbie, you have been running around with cold feet" and she said, "No, Mom, walking".
October 25, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie said her back is pushing her chest and making a round ball in there that hurts. Guess that was a pretty good description, at least to her.
October 26, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie said I was going to be a grandmother because I know how to cook.
October 26, 1962	John	7 mo	Ricky was wearing a Holloween mask and trying to scare baby John. He growled at the baby and baby John just looked at him and then growled back!! Ricky was seven years old and John was 7 months old.
November 2, 1962	Billy	5	Billy came in to the kitchen to inform me he didn't have any more long sleeve pants to wear because they were all in the laundry.
November 2, 1962	Ricky	7	Ricky was helping to make a cream sauce and when I added the milk it had an egg look and Ricky said, "Is this going to be scrambled eggs"?
November 2, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie showed me her new rhinestone earrings I had bought at a rummage sale for her and said, "Oh, these are rich because they have such pretty 'plastic' glass in them".
November 3, 1962	Becky	2	Becky kept saying 'all wet' and then she showed me her shoes she had taken off and stacked in the dish drainer to dry with the 'clean dishes'!!! They really were not wet but certainly not spotlessly clean either.
November 4, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie was reminiscing about when I used to nurse John and said, "It's all gone now, isn't it, Mom"? I assured her that it was, indeed. She thought awhile and then said, "Why don't you get some tea and put it in one side and then John can drink tea"!
November 11, 1962	Billy	5	Bill came stomping in so disgusted because 'Miss Virginia' on TV didn't see him in her magic mirror and didn't even say his name! He said, "She didn't see me and I was standing right in front of the TV"!
November 10, 1962	Deb	4	After Debbie finished washing up with scented soap she came to tell me her face and hands are milder now. (TV ads again!).
November 10, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie got up from the supper table and claimed her tummy was done and may she be excused. She then proceeded to get an exercise book because she ate so much she thinks her tummy is getting fat and before long she is asking what is for 'yert'. . . (dessert).
November 21, 1962	John	9 months	John stuck a hanger into his mouth and pushed down on it and it stuck under his tongue. Yuk.
November 24, 1962	Deb	4	Debbie was waiting for lunch and after six of the children had already been served Debbie said, "I'm just an ole poor Deb, cause nobody will feed me".
December 2, 1962	TJ	8	The seven children, Tom and I drove down to the Kansas City Plaza to see the Christmas lights and took as our guest Brother Luke (Uncle Bud Becker's brother). We were trying to wind our way out of a huge traffic jam and went through two busy intersections against the signals of traffic cops whom we didn't see until we were even with them. After the second time we half expected to hear a whistle telling us to stop, however, none blew and we kept on going. Tom said, "Look back, kids, do you see the pretty lights"? TJ turned around, looked and answered, "Yeah, and a police car, too". That shook big Tom up no end!!! TJ was kidding, of course.
December 4, 1962	Ricky	7	Ricky is writing a paragraph about his favorite shoes for his homework assignment and his subject is 'paratrooper' boots like Billy has. Ricky says the reason he likes paratrooper boots is because they protect his feet. Billy then decides to test Ricky's theory and climbed up on the table and jumped off and let out a big yelp because he said he about broke his leg! Ricky calmly said, "Yes, but you didn't hurt your feet, did you"?
December 8, 1962	Ricky	7	Ricky was watching 'Jungle Jim' on TV and was telling me that people on TV don't really get killed when they are shot because it is really catsup that runs on them instead of blood and when they are shot in cold blood they use cold catsup they get right out of the freezer.
December 14, 1962	Deb	4	I caught Debbie with the clear nail polish and she immediately defended herself by saying she didn't get out of the line of her fingernails!
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January 1, 1963	TJ	8	One very hectic day I kiddingly told the children that I was going to run away from home and told them this is just too much for me. "Me, too," chimed in TJ and Ricky and Billy and Debbie and Teri and Becky!" "Well, it looks like you will have plenty of company," said TJ. Suddenly the idea lost its appeal!!! Ages 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8.
January 2, 1963	Deb	4	I was telling Debbie about her birth and how excited and surprised we were to have our first girl and when I finished telling the story to her she said, "Oh, Mommy, read me that story again".
January 4, 1963	Deb	4	Debbie was using Ricky's water colors and I told her she had better leave Ricky's paints alone or he would pull her teeth out and she merely looked at me very solemnly and said, "Well, he can't do that cause I'm going to keep my mouth shut"!
January 6,1963	Ricky	7	Tom was telling the boys he came from a monkey and Ricky said, "But, Dad, a monkey didn't make you though"!
January 6, 1963	Deb	4	Debbie went to Mass with us and after the Consecration and the bells ringing she asked me if that was a telephone ringing. Told her it wasn't. Then she noted a speaker box on the wall and told me that was a phonograph and a fire alarm box and a radio all in one.
January 6, 1963	Deb	4	Bill is sick with the measles and Ricky has the flu and Tom is uptight about inventory at work and TJ is shook up over school, so after Tom left for work and TJ left for school, I said, "Oh, I'm going home to my Mother". Debbie chimed right in with "Me, too, cause this is just too much for me, too. I am just going home to my Grandma".
January 7, 1963	Ricky	7	The Christmas tree water made a terrible odor and as we were cleaning it up the children were watching a circus on TV. When the camel performance started Ricky said to Billy, "I think the little camel stinks the most, don't you"? They actually thought the tree water was coming from the TV set.
January 8, 1963	Becky	2	I held Johnny up to the window so he could wave by-by to Tom and when I got to the dining room I looked around and Becky was holding her doll up toward the window and telling it to wave by-by. . . only thing was, she was about one foot too short to reach the window ledge so was facing a bare wall.
January 10, 1963	Deb	4	Teri was playing with some blocks around the radio and Debbie heard a record playing with the sound of gurgling water and came running to me and told me Teri was pouring water into the radio.
January 10, 1963	Deb	4	Debbie told me she has milk in one breast and tea in the other.
January 10, 1963	Billy	5	Billy asked me how he was going to get out of the ground when he died because he will be all covered over with dirt and God is in heaven in the sky and not in the ground.
January 11, 1963	Deb	4	Debbie saw a picture of the three wise men and kept referring to them as the '3 wise guys'.
January 11, 1963	Teri	3	Teri was hunting a puppet and said, "Don't let Billy pup my puppet".
January 11, 1963	Becky	2	Becky had a convulsion from her high temperature and I was petrified since I had never seen one before. I took her to Dr. Van Biber who said the cause was her sore throat and high temperature. Just had to throw that in.
January 19, 1963	TJ	8	The little ones were so fussy and noisy while I was trying to prepare supper that TJ finally asked me if I didn't wish I was Bugs Bunny with long ears so I could just fold them over and sick the ends in my ear holes so I could not hear all of the noise. Sounds good to me.
January 24, 1963	Ricky Billy	7 6	Billy asked me how old I would be next year and I jokingly said '99'. He said, "Oh, I didn't know that was a real number. Ricky told me there was a '99' and I didn't believe him, but you will be 99 next year so it is real". After supper Billy told the boys I would be 99 next year and Ricky said, "Oh, Bill, Mom isn't that old and besides if she was, she would have more children".
January 27, 1963	TJ	8	Ricky said something to TJ and TJ said, "Oh, Ricky, I was just looking at my mom and thinking I love her so much I could die for her instead of for Jesus".
March 1, 1963	Ricky	8	Ricky was telling Debbie she is nice to him when he is sick and then he added, "Mom, you are always good to me".
April 27, 1963	Deb	4	Debbie was caught sucking her thumb and watching TV. She defended herself by saying her thumb has water in it and she was just thirsty.
May 7, 1963	Deb	5	Debbie told me the baby-sitter (11 year old Susan Reiff) does not pull her hair when she makes a pony tail and asked why I did. I asked her why Susan doesn't pull and she said, "Because Susan is older, that's why".
May 10, 1963	Deb	5	Debbie was asking me where her brain was and I told her in her head. I asked her if it didn't seem like she was thinking in her head and not in her tummy. She then wanted to hear my tummy to be sure she couldn't hear my brain in there and put her ear up against my tummy and got very excited and said, "I hear a baby in there and it is kicking the side of its bed"!
May 12, 1963	Teri	3	Teri came in to eat and said, she was "real big hungry".
May 31, 1963	Ricky	8	Ricky saw the First Baptist Church of Independence and said, "Mom, it looks more like the last Baptist Church to me". I asked why and he said it still looked awfully new to him.
June 3, 1963	Ricky	8	When looking at the tombstone my Dad had erected in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Monroe Ricky pondered over the dates on it and saw my Dad's birth date (1891) and also Mom and Dad's wedding date already inscribed on the stone and commented that the man buried there sure was old when he died. My dad was standing there and he sure had a big laugh over that. He was 73 years young at that time. Age 73 & 8
June 12, 1963	Teri	3	Teri asked me if I played the piano and I said I did and she asked me to 'sit down and play with it then'.
July 25, 1963	Deb	5	Debbie asked me if the Civil War is over yet.
August 20, 1963	John	17 mo	John picked up a garter snake in the yard and brought it to me as I was hanging out clothes on the clothes line.
August 27, 1963	Deb	5	Debbie said she hates to be growing up to be a mother and I asked her why and she said, "Because when I grow up I can't play with Vickie and Terri (across the street) anymore and I will have to play with 'PEOPLE'". (Terri Vetter died from cancer soon after this.)
August 28, 1963	Deb	5	Debbie wanted to know if people ate when they were dead and I told her they didn't and asked why she wanted to know. Debbie said cause she just wanted to eat when she was dead.
August 28, 1963	Deb	5	Uncle Bob McClintic (age 18) took seven of the kids and myself downtown to Kansas City (in his old beat up van) so I could go to my Internist appointment. After the office visit I walked to the Swope Park Entrance where we had agreed to meet. I waited and waited and waited and Bob finally arrived. He had gone to another entrance and then gotten lost. He had taken our pet rabbit (Christopher) to the children's zoo and left it (as previously arranged). He had also left four of the children at the Katz Drug Store while he took the rabbit to the zoo. (Can you imagine four little children running loose in a drug store for any length of time???) When Bob finally found me we went back to pick up the kids and were over half way home before I realized I had not heard Debbie's voice!!! I quickly turned around and counted heads and discovered she was missing! We turned around and went back to Kansas City and found Debbie being royally entertained by some of the Katz personnel. One of the people told us Debbie had run after the van across a very big and busy parking lot but had enough sense to stop when the van turned out into the busy street. Someone had seen her and taken her back into the store to wait for us to miss her and come back for her. Praise the Lord for another Mini-Miracle. Could have turned out quite differently!
September 5, 1963	Teri	4	Teri complained about Debbie spraying her with the garden hose and said she had water in her eyes and it made her eyes nervous!
September 13, 1963	Deb	5	I asked Debbie this thinking question from a children's magazine, "Why couldn't you run all day?" She thought a bit and said she might fall down and skin her knee. She thought a bit more and then decided she would get too tired and have to take a nap.
September 21, 1963	Ricky	8	Ricky was drinking his third glass of tomato juice and asked me if he'd get drunk if he drank too much of the juice. He sure hoped not cause he sure loves it.
September 21, 1963	Becky	3	Becky said if I didn't give her a piece of paper she wouldn't play with me anymore. . . (in a very pouty way, of course!)
September 21, 1963	Debbie	5	Debbie said it would be fun if we had a whole bunch of children in our family and we could play so good and not bother Mom at all. I asked her how many was a whole bunch anyway! She said, "Oh, ten, I guess"! (Only three to go, Deb.)
October 10, 1963	Debbie	5	Debbie asked me if I had 'spreckles' when I was little and I asked what she meant (already had an idea) and she replied, "Oh, you know, those sparkle spots like Ricky has all over his face".
October 10, 1963	Billy	6	Billy asked if Uncle Bob Dierkes was a Catholic and I said he was and then Billy said, "Oh, no wonder he's so nice. Catholics are supposed to be nice you know".
October 15, 1963	Ricky	8	As we passed the First National Bank in Independence Ricky looked at it and couldn't figure out why it looked so new for being the 'First' National Bank. He then said, "I am sure there is a newer one in Kansas City that looks older than our 'First' one does".
October 15, 1963	Teri	4	I was stressing to the children not to feed the dog before his surgery tomorrow because he would get sick if we did feed him. Teri (being super sensitive to all wheat products with diarrhea as the result of her exposure to it) wanted to know if the dog food had flour in it, too!
November 1, 1963	Billy	6	I asked Billy if he would forget his mama after he married because so many boys do. He quickly assured me he wouldn't and added hesitantly, "If you don't move, I mean". (Have you forgotten me yet, Bill? We have moved so many times since that date in 1963 and so have you.)
November 2, 1963	Billy	6	I was helping Billy examine his conscience at bedtime and asked, "Did I disobey my parents?" Billy said he didn't know. Then I said, "Billy, concentrate on how many times I disobeyed my parents every day when I was little". He answered very impatiently, "Well, I don't know. . . I wasn't born when you were little".
November 10, 1963	Debbie	5	Debbie was telling me about the donkey that drank from his mother. She said it had a big chunk to drink out of like a cow!.
November 12, 1963	Debbie	5	Debbie assured me her kiss would stay on my cheek because it was hooked on.
November 12, 1963	John	20 Mo	Caught John greasing his tummy and chest with white paste!
November 20, 1963	Teri	4	I was getting set to bake pumpkin pies and also peel potatoes for lunch. I asked Teri to get me some potatoes and she looked puzzled and thought a bit and then said, "Potatoes in pumpkin pie"?
November 22. 1963	Ricky	8	Ricky was complaining because he thought his daddy didn't like him because he has red hair and I assured him that was ridiculous and asked why he thought that and he said because Tuesday Daddy had spanked him two times with the belt easy and he spanked TJ real hard two times and said that was to teach him a lesson. Ricky said, "Daddy doesn't love me because he doesn't want to teach me a lesson, too, so I will be good when I grow up".
November 22, 1963	TJ Billy	9 6	TJ and Bill brought their two best cars to Tom to keep to make him feel better while he is ill with a cold which he has had all week.
November 23, 1963	Debbie	5	Bill and Debbie were having a real difference of opinion and Tom told them to kiss and make up and Debbie absolutely refused. Tom asked her why she was so adamant about not kissing Billy and she said, "Cause he doesn't taste good!"
November 30, 1963	Billy	6	I was encouraging Ricky to eat his spinach without sugar and to offer it up for his Dad who is now in the hospital. He did, but shortly afterwards Bill excused himself from the table and said he was not going to eat anymore supper and was offering it for his Daddy. (Actually, he was leaving his spinach which he detests in the first place so not much of a sacrifice.)
November 30, 1963	Ricky	8	Rick and TJ were looking at a book and wondering aloud which cow was Grandpa's, the Jersey or the Guernsey. Rick decided it was the Jersey since it was standing beside a chicken and Grandpa's cow isn't afraid of chickens.
December 7, 1963	Debbie	5	On learning that Tom was to have throat surgery that would require him to not talk for 10 days Debbie commented, "You mean he can't get mad and yell at us for 10 days"?
December 7, 1963	TJ	9	TJ was wondering if his Dad's lump in the throat could be cancerous and I said I did not know. TJ said, "If it is cancerous I hope they shoot Dad", then a long pause while we looked at TJ expectantly for more. TJ then added, "I wouldn't want him to suffer, you know".
December 7, 1963	Teri	4	Teri asked what hospital Tom was staying in and I told her it was her hospital and she said, "Oh, I thought maybe it was his hospital now". (Six of the nine were born in the Independence Hospital.)
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January 14, 1964	Debbie	5	TJ kept turning the kitchen light off and on while we were eating supper and Debbie finally lost her patience and said, "Tommy, stop that or you will ruin the battery".
January 14, 1964	TJ	9	TJ said he hoped Grandmother Dierkes lives to be 106 like she says she is now.
January 22, 1964	TJ	9	TJ and Becky were drinking water out of Tom's coffee cups and pretending it was coffee. Teri told Becky that it is caffeine free and full of flavor. More TV advertising!
January 26, 1964	TJ	9	TJ was trying to tell me about the sack you throw over your shoulders to carry picnic lunches in. I asked him if he meant "knapsack" and he said, "No, that's not what I meant". I listened carefully again when he repeated what he wanted and I asked again, "Knapsack"? TJ finally said in disgust, "Mom, it is too little to sleep in"!
February 2, 1964	Debbie	5	Debbie saw an ad on TV about a product called "Metrical". The lady in the ad is saying she could not fit into a size 12 and doesn't want a 14 so is asking, "Is this the day you will use your will power" and next a Lazy Susan swirls around with some cans and a glass of Metrical in it. Debbie pointed and said there was the glass. I asked her what was in the glass and she said, "Will Power".
February 9, 1964	Debbie	5	We were watching the Beetles on TV and saw a girl swoon. Debbie's comment was "They sound awful. Just look at that girl getting sick.
February 17, 1964	Debbie	5	We watched a TV commercial about colleges needing financial help and to dramatize the need a man was shown drowning and calling for help. Debbie's thought a minute and then said, "We should help the colleges learn how to swim, shouldn't we"?
March 3, 1964	Debbie	5	TJ came in tattling on Debbie because she had run over her daddy's good Sunday pants which got knocked down on the floor somehow. Debbie very indignantly denied running over the pants and said, "No, sir, I walked over them"!
March 4, 1964	Debbie	5	The weather man said temperatures are going down and Debbie said they are not. I asked her how she knew and she said, "Well, the kids are all still sick"!
March 7, 1964	Debbie	5	Ricky was talking about Great Uncle Alfred's impending visit and Debbie got quite upset and declared Alfred was not our uncle cause Wheel is our uncle. Ricky tried to explain that Wheel is Mom's little brother and Debbie had a very doubting look on her face so Ricky kept repeating it till finally Debbie cut in and said, "No, he's her big brother cause he is bigger than Mom".
March 9, 1964	Billy	7	After reading a story to the children about a little lady saying three Hail Mary's morning and evening and then giving them to Mary in an imaginary box for Mary's birthday Bill decided he would do likewise. He said he would stick his head in a box and say a Hail Mary, pull his head out and close the lid quickly before the Hail Mary got out"!
March 8, 1964	Billy	7	The boys were discussing Uncle Alfred's upcoming visit next Saturday and TJ was wondering what time he would arrive. I told him probably Saturday morning. Bill, in all seriousness said, "If he is coming in his ole truck he had better start right now",
March 10, 1964	TJ	10	TJ said he daydreamed he couldn't go to school until next September because his brain needed a rest and the doctor ordered him to the country with more orders for someone to buy him a horse.
March 18, 1964	Ricky	9	Ricky was talking about a nun and Bill said, "What's a nun. .. . a nothing"?
March 18, 1964	Teri	4	Teri said to bring in the thing that she and Bill coughed at. After much questioning I found it she meant the vaporizer.
March 26, 1964	Teri	4	Teri came in complaining that Debbie wasn't very friendly because she would not share her cookies with her.
March 26, 1964	Teri	4	Teri said, "Eenie, Meanie, Might and Moe".
March 27, 1964	Teri	4	I told the children their Daddy was going to call them every name in the book and the house every name in the book when he got home from work because every thing was in such a mess and they were supposed to have cleaned up before he got home. Teri said, "Well, how's Dad going to call us every name in the phone book and the house every name in the phone book, too"?
April 5, 1964	TJ	10	I was promising Tom I would be more strict with the children and TJ told me later he was kind of worried about me. He told me I wasn't used to being strict and would probably be mean until I learned how, but thought by the end of summer I would be used to being strict and be nice again.
April 9, 1964	Debbie	5	Debbie was getting ready to leave for kg and had her months milk money in an envelope. She said the 2 teachers were soon going to be rich because all the kg kids were always taking them money.
April 19, 1964	Teri Becky	4 3	Teri and Becky were looking at a Lysol box and it showed pictures of numerous places in the house to be cleaned with Lysol. Teri said you can wash any where with it and Becky piped up with, "Yea, lots of where's".
July 27, 1964	Debbie	6	After numerous things going wrong all day Debbie finally concluded that this just wasn't her day.
August 9, 1964	Becky	3	Becky came in all excited because the children had found a walking stick (insect) but she was calling it a walking tree.
August 11, 1964	Becky	3	Becky kept saying Marsha Kay (little girl next door) is going some place. 'Her' is nice, and 'Her' likes me and I finally said, "Becky, 'Her' is incorrect. It is supposed to be 'She' instead of 'Her'. Becky looked at me a minute and then said, "She-'Her' is going someplace".
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January 1, 1965	Teri	5	Teri came into the kitchen holding a magic wand. She asked if we knew who she was and we didn't. She said she is a teacher.
January 20, 1965	John	2	John came to me carrying a bottle of goats milk and said, "I want some Billy Goat milk".
January 25, 1965	Becky	4	Becky asked me to blow up her balloon because she is all out of gas.
May 30. 1965	Debbie	7	Tom took the family through the grave yard and explained Memorial Day to the children. Debbie was awed by all of the graves and exclaimed suddenly, "Mother, almost everyone is already dead!"
June 3, 1965	Becky	4	Becky was having Grandma comb her hair and informed Grandma she was fixing her ponytail just right. Grandma asked her how she knew since she couldn't see it and Becky said, "It's not hurting, that's how I know".
September 14, 1965	Ricky	10	When we brought red headed Timmy home from the hospital, Ricky immediately went to check him out and then doubtfully said, "Where's his freckles"? They are here now, aren't they, Tim?
September 28, 1965	John	5	John was watching Timmy nurse and said, "Let's pretend he is drinking milk on that side and water on the other side, okay"?
April 3, 1965	John	3	While eating breakfast John suddenly said, "Grandpa can't have milk cause he doesn't have a mama or daddy cow at his house".
April 18, 1965	John	3	After reading a long time I told Becky and John I could no longer read to them because I was losing my voice and John opened his mouth, reached up to his mouth and then held out his hand to me while saying, "Here, use mine".
May 6, 1965	Debbie	7	I was reading to the children about a mirage. Debbie said she knew what a mirage is cause the neighbor's have one in their back yard. Turned out to be a cactus.
May 7, 1965	John	3	John was using the rest room in the basement of the old church at Nativity and we heard a man talk. John said, "God can talk?" and later as we left the man coughed and John said, "God is coughing, Mom, he has a bad cold". (The man was sitting behind a desk in the Credit Union.)
October 16, 1965	Teri	6	Teri heard the TV announcer say the Camp Fire Girls were passing in review in the American Royal Parade in Kansas City so she hastily dropped her dish towel and ran to see, exclaiming as she ran, "Oh, I want to see the Camp Fire Girls, they might be carrying a fire".
October 17, 1965	Becky	5	I discovered Becky's fingernails needed cutting badly so I cut them for her and Becky thoughtfully said, "That's good that you cut my nails, Mom, cause now I can't pick my nose".
November 11, 1965	Teri	6	Teri was explaining how the vowels worked in set, sat, sit, sot, and sut. I told her there is no such word as sot and sut and she said, "Yes, there is, you know, like 'sot' and pepper your potatoes".
November 12, 1965	John	3	John excitedly pointed to a 'marrying place' as we passed by a church. I asked how he knew that was a church and he said, "It doesn't have a chimney or smoke on top".
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May 14, 1966	John	4	I told John he could have no more cookies, period, and he said very seriously, "No, Mom, I don't want any period, I just want a cookie".
May 16, 1966	Becky	5	We were planning to have strawberry shortcake for supper and Becky after getting up at 6 AM said, "Don't forget, we're having strawberry 'shortcut' for supper today".
June 4, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie was listening to a severe weather report which was reporting a section of Kansas City as receiving hail the size of golf balls. She brought the report to my attention and said, "It is raining hail and golf balls in Kansas City".
June 6, 1966	Debbie	8	On our trip to Grandma's farm we were discussing Daylight Savings Time, which Grandma and Grandpa have on the farm, and we do not. Debbie said very sadly, "That's not fair, the years go by faster for Grandma than for us".
June 8, 1966	Debbie	8	We were discussing 'hydrophobia' and we learned that animals who have this are shot. Debbie asked if she had it, because she didn't want to be shot, too.
June 10, 1966	John	4	John was eating fish and pulled all the meat off, held the skeleton up and exclaimed, "Look at the fishes teeth".
June 12, 1966	Teri	6	Teri was reading and was stumped on the word 'Uncle'. I asked her if she knew what an aunt was and she said she did so then I asked her what Jim and Wheel were (meaning uncles). Teri replied, "People?"
June 13, 1966	Billy	9	Bill said he had indigestion in his nose. He meant a congested nose.
August 3, 1966	Becky	5	Becky said her skin was dripping water from being so hot (perspiration).
August 20, 1966	Becky	6	I sent Grandma and Grandpa an anniversary card and Becky in complete amazement asked if they were married. I assured her that they were and then she said, "Is Grandma going to get a baby then"?
August 22, 1966	Ricky	11	I commented to whomever would listen that I would like to get TJ active in some sport and Ricky quickly commented, "He can't, cause his active glands don't work".
September 7, 1966	John	4	John walked in and noticed my tea pot for the first time and exclaimed, "Oh, a genie!"
September 11, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie and TJ had quite a lot of pony rides together at the farm and at supper while Debbie was spooning up a generous portion of Lima Beans for her plate Grandpa said, "Well, here's my horse back rider". Debbie continued spooning up the beans and then said, "No, Grandpa, Tommy was the horse back rider, I rode in the front".
September 13, 1966	Becky	6	I was driving to Raytown High School to enroll in an adult education class and as we approached the building I informed the three little girls that this is the high school I will be attending. Becky looked up to the full height of the building and in awe said, "Debbie, this is the 'HIGH' school Mom will go to. . . Wow!"
September 14, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie was complaining to her daddy because he played with the baby (Tim who had just turned one) so much and not with the rest of the kids and told him they were just little children, too.
September 24, 1966	Becky	6	We were looking for a parking place at the Englewood Doctor's building and I read the doctor's names as I drove by each parking spot and finally Becky asked what our doctor's name was, thinking we were supposed to be parking in our doctor's spot. I told her that is not what I was looking for and kept looking and finally Becky asked, "Are you going to park in the nurse's place instead?"
September 26, 1966	John	6	I corrected John for giving the movable lamp base such a going over by moving it hither and thither and he answered, "Mom, I'm just exercising it!".
September 26, 1966	John	4	John was telling me "Negro" is a good word and "Nigger" is a bad word and I told him yes that was correct and then I told him he is a "Caucasian" and he looked sad and asked, "Does that mean I am not John anymore?"
September 26, 1966	John	4	John saw a snub nosed bus coming toward us down the street and he very excitedly exclaimed, "Here comes a bus driving down the street backwards!".
September 26, 1966	Debbie	8	We gave Sister Karen a lift from school to the convent house (one whole block) and she commented that all the Dierkes' look like their mother. Debbie piped in and said, "Tommy looks like Daddy because he has the same name and because he even parts his hair on the same side as daddy does."
September 27, 1966	John	4	I was making cake batter and needed wax paper to sift the flour onto. As I tore a piece off of the roll John looked startled and asked, "Are you going to wrap the cake batter in that paper?"
October 12, 1966	John	4	I was washing John's hands with very warm water and he naturally was rebelling so I said, "Well, John, we'll kill the germs on your hands with this hot water," and John replied, "Well, you can freeze them if you use cold water."
October 15, 1966	Teri	7	While trying to cross Highway 40 on this lovely Saturday I remarked to Teri about the large amount of traffic and she said, "Well, no wonder, this is tripping day. People take trips on Saturday and Sunday, you know."
October 17, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie said she wished Mr. Tuttle was my husband because he buys his jeans too little and his underpants keep showing in the back. She further explained that if he were my husband I would scold him till he bought larger jeans.
October 30, 1966	John	4	John was getting ready to change the wheels on his little truck and I discouraged it because I was afraid they would get lost, as usual, and John said, "But, Mom, are they on the right feet then?"
November 2, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie is tired of school and asked, "How did anyone discover school, anyhow?"
November 6, 1966	John	4	John noticed my bent grapefruit knife (made that way) and very excitedly said, "Oh, the kids bent your knife, Mom!"
November 6, 1966	John	4	John was playing with his blocks and suddenly he discovered the blocks are made from wood and was amazed. He then asked who made the blocks and where they came from. Neat to see and hear a child discovering things.
November 6, 1966	Debbie	8	Debbie was so worried about Tim being sick. She was tearfully lamenting the fact that Adam and Eve committed sin and doomed us to illness, hunger and death. I asked her how she knew that some of Adam's children would not have committed the first sin if Adam and Eve had not. She decided we would cut down that tree in the Garden of Eden and then they could not eat the forbidden fruit. I asked how she knew God said not to eat, maybe He said not to touch and then what? Never at a loss for words Debbie then said, "Well, then we would build a big fire around the tree and keep it going all the time!"
November 10, 1966	John	4	John had Becky's thermos and was going to get a drink from it. I took a quick whiff of the contents and told John the milk was sour. John smelled it and said, "It is not sour, it just stinks."
November 15, 1966	John	4	In memorizing the President's from one of Tom's classes he was attending we learned the washing machine stands for George Washington, the agitator for Adams and Thomas Jefferson is sitting in the machine reading the Declaration of Independence. Later John saw a picture of Thomas Jefferson reading the Declaration of Independence in the Encyclopedia and looking very baffled he said, "Why, he's not sitting in a washing machine at all."
November 15, 1966	John	4	John has been collecting bugs, beetles and grasshoppers all fall in a jar and loving them to pieces. Today we caught a mouse and he excitedly maneuvered trap and mouse into his jar. It dropped once and he let out a ear piercing scream. I found him at the kitchen table later trying to disengage the mouse from the trap with a spoon and fork!!! Still later I found the mouse and jar sitting beside my lunch on the stove!! I am getting sick to my stomach! At supper we had steak and John told me it was good and asked if I had cooked his mouse for him. Forget it already, John.
December 1, 1966	John	4	John saw Tom taking a stick of dietetic gum and wanted some, too. Tom told him it is for people on diets and John, without a pause, informed us he is now on a diet, too.
December 1, 1966	John	4	John was trying to pour water into the sink and missed the sink and the water ran down the front of the cabinet and John mischievously informed me that my house was crooked!
December 20, 1966	John	4	I was driving through rush hour traffic and frightened to death. I told the children they could at least say a prayer for me. All quieted down and then John said, "Bless us, Oh Lord, and these thy gifts. Amen.
December 23, 1966	John	4	John was exercising in the living room and he commented to his Grandmother Dierkes that she'd better exercise so she would not fall all to pieces.
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January 20, 1967	John	4	John was talking to me and I was smiling at his seriousness and suddenly John stopped talking and studied me intently and then said, "Stop smiling, Mom. You're not supposed to smile now. Don't you know 'Candid Camera' is in bed now?"
January 21, 1967	TJ	12	Tom was trying to explain married love to TJ. He asked TJ, "Just why do you think your mother waits on me hand and foot, babies me and spoils me?" TJ thought a minute and answered, "Did you ever stop and wonder if she maybe needs psychiatric help?"
March 2, 1967	Tim	18 mo	Tim tried for about 30 minutes to get a pair of jeans on. He finally gave up and put them on his head for a cap.
March 4, 1967	Becky	6	Becky had laryngitis and I asked her if she did indeed have laryngitis. She kept asking me to repeat the sentence and after the third time she said, "No, there is no one in my room by that name."
July 26, 1967	TJ John	13 5	TJ asked John if he was eating an apple and John told him he was not and said it was a peach. TJ told him it looked like an apple, so John informed him he already knew that but he had just rubbed all the fur off to make it look like an apple.
July 26, 1967	Ricky	12	Ricky returned a jug to the store for me and I forgot to tell him he was returning it because Tom found a stronger and cheaper one. Ricky told the girl at the counter that he was returning it because his dad found a cheaper one. He knows his dad, right?
August 10, 1967	Teri	8	I told the children that Lillian (baby-sitter) had been here with her fiance and Teri popped up all excited saying she knew what that meant. I asked her what it means and she said, "It's one of those things you put in both hands, push back and forth and play with your fingers like a piano and it makes pretty noise." (Accordion).
August 11, 1967	John	5	I was taking John to Doctor Pugh's office for a physical for kg and he was not very excited about this at all. Just as we were ready to leave home I asked him if he had gone to the bathroom yet and then on second thought, I told him to forget it since the doctor would probably want a urine specimen anyway and John became quite alarmed and started crying and said, "You mean the doctor is going to cut off a piece of my ear for a specimen?"
August 12, 1967	Teri & Gerrie Becker	9 10	I was at the Mall with Teri and Gerrie Becker (niece) and told the girls to watch for Ricky who was walking home from band practice. I told them they would know him by his black pants and white t-shirt. Gerrie said, "Don't worry, I will know him cause he's the boy with all the freckles."
October 2, 1967	Teri	9	Teri said her third grade teacher is a "public". (Protestant).
October 3, 1967	John	5	John saw the Kansas City skyline as we came over a hill approaching Kansas City. He exclaimed excitedly, "Look, you can see the whole world from here!"
November 19, 1967	Teri	9	Teri said she knows why brothers and sisters can't marry. I asked her why not and she said, "Because everyone is supposed to have two grandma's and two grandpa's and if brother's and sister's married each other their children wouldn't get any more grandparents."
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January 24, 1968	Debbie	9	Debbie said Robin Tuttle had gone to a bride's bath. After some thinking about that statement I asked her if she might mean bride's shower. "Oh, yes, that is what it was," she said.
January 25, 1968	Teri	8	Teri said if I would give her the names of the "Apostibles" she would spell them for me.
January 29, 1968	John	5	John came home from school and entered through the back door instead of the front door. I asked why he came in the back way and he said, "I saw the barrel knocked over in the backyard". I was surprised and as I looked out the window I asked if he meant the trash barrel was turned over and he said, "I didn't mean the trash barrel. I meant the hamburger barrel." Finally figured out he meant the barbecue.
February 3, 1968	Debbie	9	We were coming home from Uncle Bill and Aunt Billie's little farm up by St. Joseph at 10:30 PM when we saw two school busses full of students pull up to a stop sign. Debbie exclaimed "Well, what d'ya know, night school!"
February 11, 1968	John	5	John was eating Jello and as it was shaking on his spoon he remarked that his Jello was jiggling.
February 12, 1968	John	5	John asked me I wanted to buy a pony act. I questioned him on that remark and he said, "Yes, look." He showed me a picture and it was a Pontiac car.
May 2, 1968	John	5	John and I were looking at a picture of Uncle Dick's new home. I said, "Here's a bedroom with a chest and twin beds in it." John became excited and asked, "Oh, does he have twins?"
May 4, 1968	Debbie	10	Debbie was disgusted because Teri flunked her pretend school test that Debbie gave her. She said that Teri doesn't even know what some of these words mean. I pointed to shift and asked Debbie if she knew what that word means and she said she does. She said, "It's in a car or something about moving a car."
May 6, 1968	John	5	John asked me if I was an old lady now and I told him not quite but why did he ask. He said, "Cause you're getting those wrinkles on the side of your eyes like Grandma." (PS. I am 37 years old, so beware, dear daughters.)
May 7, 1968	Debbie	10	We were given some home grown lettuce and when I made a salad I gave some to Debbie. She had not seen homegrown lettuce before and when she saw it she said, "Gosh, what is this stuff, leaves off of a tree?"
May 9, 1968	John	6	John wanted some left over ham at bedtime and said, "Mom, I want some of that stuff that came from cow's meat!"
July 5, 1968	Billy	11	Tom said we should have Tim's tonsils removed because he has so many ear and throat infections. I told Tom "they" do not remove tonsils like they used to. Bill immediately piped up with "Well, how do they take them out now?"
July 8, 1968	Billy	11	Tom has been treating the children to day old donuts this summer. Driving past a donut shop on 23rd Street Robin Tuttle commented on how delicious their donuts are. Bill chimed in with "Oh, do they make day old donuts there, too?"
August 4,1968	Billy	11	Removing a bar of soap from the bathroom stool I figured baby Timmy had dropped it in accidentally and went on my merry way. Next day Bill and I were in the bathroom at the same time. Bill pointed to a bar of soap and said, "That's toilet soap." I paused, then asked if he had put soap in the stool yesterday and he said, "Yes, because the wrapper said toilet soap, so I put it in the stool." He then asked if I hadn't wanted it in the stool yet or what? I then attempted to explain about the wording, etc.
August 8, 1968	Teri	10	Teri was telling me that Robin and Tammy Tuttle were going to move to Lake Tapioca. (Tapawingo)
August 19, 1968	Timmy	3	I asked Timmy if he was Daddy's boy and he said, "No, I'm Mama's baby."
September 5, 1968	Teri	9	Teri had piles of homework to do. After an hour or so she came to me and said Debbie is doing some of her homework for her. I was surprised at such a thing and said, "Why, Teri, that won't help you any." Teri answered, "Unhuh, I've still got lots to do yet."
September 11, 1968	Timmy	3	Tim awoke after a short nap, pottied and started back to bed. I told him to go on back to bed as he was turning around and coming back. He told me his pillow was wet. I asked him if he had pottied in his pants and he replied, "No, but my face pottied."
October 7, 1968	Timmy	3	When Timmy is upset with me he calls me a bad boy. But, tonight he was really exasperated and said, "All right, you're not my boy any more!" and stomped off to bed.
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January 20, 1969	Becky Tim	8 3	Becky was telling Tim she was going to buy him a new truck and I reprimanded her for telling Tim that because she has no money and I said, "Becky, you're telling Tim a bad story and you mustn't do that." Tim interrupted excitedly and said, "No, no, mom, that's a good story."
March 29, 1969	Debbie	10	Debbie saw an envelope marked First Class which was from my Graphoanalysis school in Chicago and she said, "Mom, are you still in the first class? I thought you would be in the second class by now."
March 29, 1969	John	7	Msgr. Bauer asked John if he was familiar with the Seven Sacraments and John said he was, so Msgr. asked him to name them. John said, "Pope John, Pope Paul" and we all started laughing, which made John kind of mad.
April 27, 1969	Debbie	10	After I told Debbie about the parents having no children joke from several lines above, she puzzled and puzzled over it and finally asked me if it is always that way for sure!
April 30, 1969	Becky	8	Becky asked me what kind of boxes the boys sit on at the ball park. Tom had box seat tickets for the boys at a baseball game several weeks ago. Sure took her a long time to finally ask that question.
May 17, 1969	Timmy	3	While teaching Tim the names of flowers he saw a spirea bush and exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, Mom, there's a diarrhea bush."
July 3, 1969	Debbie	11	Debbie, while eating a radish, said, "Be sure and show me a horseradish when I get one."
July 10, 1969	Timmy	3	On the way to Great Uncle Alfred's farm Tim decided he didn't want to go there at all. He wanted to go to Old McDonald's farm and see his pigs. But, we continued on and while at the farm Tim tried to get Great Uncle Alfred to get a bridle so he could ride a sheep.
July 11, 1969	Timmy	3	Tim asked Grandma if she was going to marry Grandpa and she said she already married him and Tim walked off in disgust and said, "Ooooh, Broooother!"
July 12, 1969	Timmy	3	Every time Tim was naughty at Grandma's I threatened to send him to bed. After spilling some milk he said, "Oh, I know. I'm going to bed," and he did just that. The next day I didn't threaten bed at all, but after he spilled something else he walked off and said, "Im going to bed again."
July 13, 1969	Becky	9	I took Becky and Tim to Jefferson City to visit Tom's sister and family and Becky said, "Gosh, it sure is quiet in this car."
July 14, 1969	Timmy	3	Tim wanted his second glass of juice and while I was filling the glass he said, "I'm going to be a pig."
July 14, 1969	Timmy	3	While being tested for allergies at Dr. Cox's office a lady asked Tim where he lived and without a pause he answered, "At home."
July 14, 1969	Timmy	3	Tim and I went into the post office and Tim said, "Oh, this is the hungry place." (Not a restaurant, Tim, honest.)
September 6, 1969	Johnny	7	John was playing with two toy police motorcycles and one toy auto. He placed one motorcycle on each end of the car and said, "Mom, lookeee, they caught this man left-handed and gave him a ticket." (Do you suppose he meant red handed?)
September 14, 1969	Tim Debbie Teri	4 10 11	Tim had a bill from Doctors Pope and Mount and both Debbie and Teri picked up the envelope and in hushed tones asked if Tim had really gotten a letter from the Pope.
September 19, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim wanted a slipper spoon but asked for a foot flipper.
September 19, 1969	Timmy	4	I was studying when Tim came in the house from outside. He walked in and sat down beside me and said, "You were all alone, Mom, till I came and sat down." I jumped up to go to the bathroom and he said kind of quietly and sadly, "Now, I'm all alone."
September 21, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim asked me if his fingers and toes and head were going to fall off so he could bigger ones.
September 22, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim loves to kiss and kiss and tries to get his friends to do likewise. He says to his friends, "Let's all go kiss my mom."
September 22, 1969	Johnny	7	While painting an old wagon wheel my Dad gave me from one of his old wagons, a neighbor, Mark Hayden, asked me where I had bought the wheel. I said, "My dad gave it to me, he used it on his farm." Mark said in awe, "Gosh," and John said, "Of course, Grandpa used it. He was born in the olden days."
September 26, 1969	Timmy	4	I was going over to Pat Coomes and told Tim we were going to see Mike Coomes and he was very excited but kept calling him Rac Coones or Racoon Mike.
September 30, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim was playing quietly all morning suddenly he asked, "How do dinosaurs kiss?"
September 30, 1969	Timmy	4	I was explaining to Tim how everything God creates is good, but people's misuse of God's creations can create untold problems. Tim asked, "Are grasshoppers good?" I said I guess so and Tim replied "Why do we kill them then?" Good point.
October 12, 1969	Timmy	4	Bill, Debbie and I were playing a game of Probe. I asked Bill if he had a blank and Tim said he does and disappeared into the other room in a hurry! We paid no attention but shortly Tim reappeared beside and me and said, "See, Mom, here's my blank (a heavy blanket). Then he looked questioningly at me and said, "Isn't this a blank, Mom?" I told him it was not a blank but a blanket and where did it come from. Tim said, "Off of my bed."
October 13, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim came home and said he had learned a new song at nursery school called "My Body Lies Over The Sea". I tried to talk him into saying it correctly, which is "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" but Tim was not buying my version.
October 17, 1969	Timmy	4	Great Uncle Alfred Parsons asked Tim if he wanted to go to Grandma's with him and Tim said very indignantly, "No, I don't want to go to your Grandma's house but I want to go to my Grandma's and Grandpa's." Uncle Alfred tried to explain that Grandma is his sister and Tim then wanted to know if he was going to marry her now.
October 28, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim said he loves Patricia (Uncle Dick's wife). Then Tim added, "She is so beautiful." After thinking awhile he added, "I wish Daddy would marry her." I asked what he would do with me then and Tim thought for a bit and said, "Oh, John could marry you, Mom."
November 1, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim came to me full of indignation and said, "MOTHER, why did we put the Christmas presents under the tree last year before Santa came? We weren't supposed to do that. Santa Claus was!"
November 7, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim and I went to school and Sister Karen said, "My goodness, Tim, you look handsome with your hair all slicked down." Tim, without missing a beat said, "It's combed."
November 9, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim was pretending to be "Batman" and playing in the kitchen. Tom decided to tease him a little and said, "You're not "Batman", you're just a chicken." Tim replied, "Oh, yeah, Super-chicken!!"
November 11, 1969	Becky	9	Becky heard the news commentators on TV talking about the Apollo 12 Flight and they were discussing the landing party. Becky looked surprised and asked, "What kind of party is a landing party?"
November 16, 1969	Timmy	4	As we were riding someplace in the car I noticed Tim was putting his fingers in his ears and experimenting with sounds. He finally said, "Now you can't hear me because I have my fingers in my ears."
December 4, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim was enjoying playing with his tinker toys and made a wheel of sorts, that is, one round tinker toy with yellow pieces sticking out all around and very proudly said, "Look at my 'Movie Star'."
December 5, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim was feeling the fur on my coat collar and I told him it came from an animal. He said, "Did it come from a 'kunk'?"
December 10, 1969	Timmy	4	Ricky told Tim we have to shampoo the carpet and Tim said, "No, no, we shampoo our hair, not the rug!"
December 11, 1969	John	7	John looked at two month old Camille McClintic (first cousin) and asked, "Is it going to be a girl?"
December 22, 1969	John	7	John saw some small biscuits and asked, "Are they shrinking?"
December 23, 1969	Timmy	4	Tim told us his teeth are going to fall on his other teeth! Figure that one out!
December 23, 1969	John	7	While decorating cookies with red, green and a mustard looking yellow John came into the kitchen and said, "Oh, no, you're not putting mustard on the cookies, are you?"
December 31, 1969	Debbie	11	Debbie asked me how old Uncle Dick is and I said 34 or so and she said, "Wow, he sure gets around good for that old!"
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January 5, 1970	Becky	9	Becky said Aunt Patricia should have a maid because she is so rich!. (& Becky is what today?)
January 11, 1970	Timmy	4	Tom told Tim to turn and face the wall while the girls were changing their clothes. When Teri finished Tim said, "You took off your pj's and still had your clothes on under them!" (Someone was peeking!)
January 15, 1970	Timmy	4	Tim gave Tom a big, big bear hug and Tom said, "Why don't you ever give your mom a big bear hug like that?" Tim thought a bit and said, "Because she's too 'kinny'."
January 25, 1970	Timmy	4	Tim was eyeing John's new cowboy boots and realized they would be his when John outgrew them. He asked Tom when and how the boots were going to get little so he could wear them.
January 25, 1970	Timmy	4	Tom was watching John draw and exclaimed, "Boy, you sure are a good artist." Tim said, "Yea, and he's a good drawer, too." Tom then said to Tim, "Is John your hero?" Tim answered, "Yea, and my friend, too."
February 24, 1970	Timmy	4	Teri was getting ready to vacuum the living room and Tim was on the floor playing. Tim looked up and said, "Don't vacuum me up, too!"
February 23, 1970	Timmy	4	Joe Maher (Grandpa's neighbor) took his boots off on the porch at Grandpa's house and proceeded to walk in with his socks coming off of his feet. Tim was aghast at both the socks sliding off and no shoes on either. He tried to pull up Joe's socks for him. He wasn't having much luck getting them up so he pulled his own shoes and socks off and showed Joe how to pull up his socks and asked him if his Mom forgot to show him how to put his socks on! Joe told him he doesn't wear shoes, so Tim decided to not wear his shoes anymore either. Joe told Tim he had a boy living in Kansas City and Tim said, "Does he wear shoes?" Joe kept teasing Tim until Tim finally lost patience and told Joe he would punch Joe in the stomach if he didn't quit teasing. Joe kept it up and Tim did punch Joe twice in the stomach and ended up with a hurt fist and then said, "You shouldn't hide your stomach like that, it hurt my hand." Later Joe told Tim he was going to take Tim home with him and Tim said, "Oh, no." Joe changed the subject by telling us that someone had stolen the battery out of his self-propelled combine and told Tim again he was taking him home with him. I told Joe Tim could go next summer and even drive his tractor and Joe said he would have to buy a new one and Tim said, "Will it have a battery?"
March 2, 1970	Timmy	4	Tim said he wants to grow up to be like his Dad, but, he doesn't want to go to work because then he can't watch "Batman".
March 12, 1970	Timmy	4	Tim didn't want to wear his coat outside in this 20 degree weather, but wanted to wear his towel (Superman cape) instead. Ronnie Rottinghaus, his friend, called and wanted Tim to come up to his house and play so I told Tim to wear his coat up to his house and then take it off and put his cape back on. Tim decided to comply. A bit later Tim came walking back in the house wearing the cape (towel) and tossed his coat onto the chest. I was puzzled as to why he came in coatless, so questioned him. He told me he had done exactly as I had said, meaning, I did not say anything about having to wear the coat home!
March 19, 1970	Timmy	4	We were shopping in a store in North Kansas City when Tim saw a six foot (plus) skinny Mom with her little girl (about 2 years old). Tim was awe struck and stared and stared. Tim came over to me and said in a hushed tone, "Gosh, Mom, that sure is a looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnggg Mom!"
March 29, 1970	Johnny	10	John was studying my Dad's family picture and said, "Boy, Mom, they sure did get married a lot of times." (Just because there were 10 children in the family? Well, not quite what you meant , JP.)
March 31, 1970	TJ	16	We were talking about Great Uncle Alfred and Grandma being in the same grade in school and the children were wondering 'how' that could be possible. I told them Grandma went to school during the day and when she got home she did what? (I was trying to get one of them to tell me Grandma had taught Uncle Alfred everything she had learned that day.) TJ said, "I know what she did. She picked up after him!" Sure can tell the children are used to picking up after John and Tim!
April 1, 1970	Timmy	4	I was taking Teri to Dr. Cox for allergy tests while a terrible blizzard was in progress. Everyone was slipping and sliding all over the roads. The city ordinance was put into effect while we were en route home. The ordinance was that anyone without chains or snow tires would be ticketed. I moaned, "Oh, no, I don't have chains on and the police will give me a ticket." Tim said, "You mean you are supposed to have chains on so you won't get loose? Are they going to put handcuffs on you, too?"
April 4, 1970	Timmy	4	I thought I had explained how huge and how small God is to Tim. We were talking about God being in the kitchen with us. Tim said, "Does God live up in the sky?" I told him that God does live in the sky and in everyone's home and all over the world and Tim said, "Well, is He going to break our roof down now?"
April 4, 1970	Timmy	4	Tim wanted some money to buy a hamburger and said to his Dad, "Does Mom have any money?" His Dad said, "Yes, but she can't afford to spend it." Tim replied quietly, "Well, I can."
October 1, 1970	Timmy	5	Tim stuck himself with a pin and said, "Mom, I pinned myself."
October 2, 1970	Timmy	5	Grandpa put his cold hands on Tim and Tim said, "Oh, Grandpa, don't. You 'colded' me."
October 3, 1970	Timmy	5	After I cut my bangs too short Tim said, "Mom, your hair looks pretty." I felt much better about the state of my bangs after that comment but then Tim added, "I had to say that so you would feel good,"
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March 3, 1971	Timmy	5	Grandpa and Grandma McClintic came for a visit for the first time since last August. Grandpa looked at the backyard and said, "Dorothy, is that your backyard? It has been so long since I have seen it." I told him it was and Tim said, "No, Grandpa, that's everyone's yard."
March 15, 1971	Timmy	5	Tim was looking out the window and saw a red bird. He yelled very excitedly, "Mom, there's a Blue Jay, no, I mean there's a Red Jay outside."
March 15, 1971	Timmy	5	The cleaners man came back with Tom's cleaned suit and rang the doorbell. Tim ran down to the door and opened it and said, "Don't ring that doorbell anymore. You will use up our electricity."
March 15, 1971	Timmy	5	Tim was holding a plate on top of his head and Ricky said, "You should be able to balance that plate on your head like the Chinese do." Tim said, "I can't", and proceeded to bounce it, thinking Rick had said bounce, not balance.
March 20, 1971	Timmy	5	Tim saw Uncle Bob Dierkes smoking and said to him, "You know I told you not to smoke anymore, Uncle Bob." Uncle Bob said, "Why not?" Tim answered, "Because you'll die and get sick."
Summer 1971	Timmy	5	Lucyle Piercall asked John where Grandma was and Tim said, "Oh, she's out at Alfred's Parsonage, meaning Alfred Parsons house.
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January 4, 1972	Timmy	5	Msgr. Bauer was questioning Tim in preparation for his First Holy Communion. He asked Tim if he was the baby in the family and Tim, more than a little miffed over that question answered, "No, I'm the youngest, but not the baby." Msgr kept chuckling over Tim's answer till finally Tim said, "Stop laughing so much. This isn't funny." Msgr later asked Tim if he had ever heard of Easter Sunday and Tim replied, "No, but I've heard of Easter."
February 3, 1972	John	9	Tom sent John to wash up good because he said he smelled like a dog and I told Tom to be more gentle, because I thought he had hurt John's feelings and probably made him cry. Tom called John back from upstairs and he was crying, for sure. Tom asked him why he was crying and John cried, "Because you hurt my feelings, that's why."
July 3, 1972	Timmy	6	Tim asked me if I knew why the moon is half a moon and I said part of the time I did and Tim said, "Well, I know all of the time."
July 5, 1972	Teri	13	Ricky sprayed Grandpa and then Grandpa said he guessed he would just have to go hang on the line and went outside. Later I looked out and said, "Well, what do you know, Grandpa did go hang on the line." Teri jumped up and said, "This I gotta see." Gullible Teri, I got you there!
December 13, 1972	Timmy	7	Tim was sweeping the basement and kept asking for the sandpan to pick up the sawdust.
December 14, 1972	Timmy	7	Tim found 8 spark plugs and wanted to keep them. He was very excited because he had a motor now. All he needed was the rest of the engine!!!