Mama

1. What is something Mama always says to you?

G: She says, Gwendolyn, come here!
L: Clean up your room!
C: I love you. She also says, Go clean up your room! and Unload the dishwasher! And I’m pretty sure that’s it.
M: I love you no matter what.

2. What makes Mama happy?

G: Sleep. A clean house. Mother’s Day . . . because she gets to tell us what to do.
L: When she has a clean car.
C: Her children. And she loves the world.
M: Me hugging her.

3. What makes Mama sad?

G: When we fight, especially over things like Minecraft.
L: Moving.
C: A dirty house. And when she doesn’t get enough sleep.
M: When I do something mad at her, be really angry.

4. How does Mama make you laugh?

G: While she tells me jokes. Like, “you’re leaving me for cookies?  I see how it is.”
L: She tells funny stories, like the one about when she shot a basket in the wrong hoop.
C: By telling jokes, like funny nonsense words.
M: She tickles me.

5. What was Mama like when she was your age?

G: Well, she crashed her bike a lot.  But she liked swimming. And reading, I think.
L: Crazy about cleaning.
C: Like Gwennie – nice, most of the time. And cool!
M: Mama liked Polka Dot, my stuffed animal.

6. How old is Mama?

G: 41.
L: I think she’s 40.
C: 42 . . . wait! 41.
M: 15.

7. How tall is Mama?

G: I’m about four or five inches shorter than she is, and I’m 5’3”, 5’4”, so she’s . . . 5’6.”
L: Seven feet.
C: Six foot five.
M: She’s like . . . eight.

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?

G: Probably Downton Abbey or Call the Midwife.
L: Documentaries.
C: Either Broadchurch or Call the Midwife.  Or maybe Stephen Colbert.
M: Probably one about babies.

9. What does Mama do when you're not around?

G: She does boring paperwork, and she eats candy and half the cake.
L: Puts the kids down, and then takes a nap.
C: Watches tv. And once she watched Charades [sic].
M: She kind of does whatever pops into my head, whatever happens on which day.  She tries to gather up some Easter eggs to hide them on Easter Day!

10. If Mama becomes famous, what will it be for?

G: Her business . . . or skydiving while having a lazer gun battle.
L: Acting in a movie.
C: Anise Press. And the amazing cards they make!
M: It would be for dancing.  [She’s a good dancer?] Kind of!

11. What is Mama really good at?

G: Printing. Uh, being a mother . . . evidently.
L: Cleaning. I mean, being a parent.
C: Watching kids, going places, cooking meals, like she is right now.
M: Putting the baby down.

12. What is Mama not so good at?

G: Agreeing with everything I say all the time.
L: Jumping on the trampoline.
C: Pole vaulting.
M: Climbing a tree.  Because she doesn’t know how to climb a tree as good.

13. What does Mama do for her job?

G: She’s our mom, and she prints a lot, usually.
L: She takes care of us.
C: She bees a Mama.
M: Cleans up the house, do’s the laundry.

14. What is Mama’s favorite food?

G: It’s stir fry. She loves stir fry.
L: Stir fry.
C: What she’s cooking right now . . . Pasta Jana Kay [our version of carbonara].
M: Apple. A clementine. She likes strawberries! Um, she also likes, you know, cherries.

15. What makes you proud of Mama? 

G: She will get enough black clothes to get me through the summer.  And that she’s awesome.  She really thinks ahead.
L: That’s she’s such a good parent.
C: She had me. And had babies. And you [Daddy] had a kidney stone.

M: That she says I love me.

16. If Mama were a fictional character, who would she be? 

G: Lord Voldemort. Wait – Whitepaw, from Warriors.
L: I think she’s like the cat, the old alley cat, from Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.
C: Robin Hood, ‘cause she’s cool.
M: She would be a princess.  A pretty orange one, with sparkles! Pink, dark sparkles!

17. What do you and Mama do together?

G:  We talk a lot.  That’s usually what we do.  But sometimes we go to the store, or to the DI.
L: Go to the pool and swim.
C: Cuddle . . . and math.
M: We play games – kitties, and we play doggies, and we play koala-bear-that-hangs-in-the-trees.  And we play climb-the-tower, that is like climbing a pretend tower.

18. How are you and Mama the same? 

G: We like reading and writing. And we don’t like to procrastinate.
L: We both don’t like to be around a lot of people.
C: We both have green eyes. [goes to check] Okay, I’ve got green eyes, she’s got blue eyes, but whatever. Oh, we’re both Samuelsons.
M: We kind of wear the same clothes sometimes.  She wishes that she had a doggie shirt.

19. How are you and Mama different? 

G: She likes to sleep a lot, and I don’t.  And she likes to wear a lot of fancy clothes.  She likes her hair short.
L: She has glasses and I don’t.
C: That’s easy. I have green eyes, she has blue eyes.
M: She has different hair than me.

20. How do you know Mama loves you? 

G: She says it a lot.   She lets us watch My Little Pony.
L: ‘Cause she says it, and I can tell.  I just know.
C: ‘Cause she says it. And she kisses me, and hugs me, and I just know she loves me . . . for some reason.
M: She said it.  She reads me books, and helps me color.

21. What does Mama like most about Daddy?  

G: You’re smart and you’re funny and you’re nice.  And you read to the kids a lot, and help us with big projects.
L: You have a really nice job, and you can work on printing, getting the pressroom organized.
C: That you’re cool. And that you’re smart. And that you’re a librarian.
M: She likes that you always gives her kisses when she has to go somewhere . . . and that’s it.

22. Where is Mama’s favorite place to go? 

G: To bed.  And to Mars.
L: Costco.
C: The store. She gets food there.
M: To the animal shelter. To the toy store.

23. What is Mama’s favorite song?

G: Furr.
L: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt [theme song].
C: Everything is Awesome!
M: It’s cool, it’s cool to love your family.

24. What is Mama’s favorite book?

G: It’s going to be my book (if I publish it before your book, Daddy).
L: Harry Potter.
C: Harry Potter. ‘Cause she suggested it: Why don’t you read my favorite book, Harry Potter?
M: Busy Bunny Days!

25. What is Mama’s favorite movie?

G: That one that has the guy who likes to throw flaming balls of fire at somebody . . . you know, the one with the wizard? What’s that one called? [Jonathan Strange]
L: All My Circuits, the Movie.
C: Charades . . . uh, Charade.
M: Some about babies, and animals . . . that died . . . a long time ago.

26. What would Mama do with a million dollars?

G: She would buy us a nice house. With a nice yard. And you a nice car.  And plane tickets to Bryan.
L: Buy a house that was big enough for our family.  It would have three bathrooms!
C: Buy a big fancy mansion.  Just kidding.  She’d spend it on all kinds of Anise Press stuff – type, presses, stuff like that.
M: She would put it in her piggy bank. . . .  And that’s it! Can I go now?

Father's Day

1. What is something Daddy always says to you?

G: He always says different stuff to me, not the same thing all the time.
L: Go get in bed!
C: Do your chores!
M: I love you, Greta.

2. What makes Daddy happy?

G: Sleep. When we obey. Video games. His family. Playing with his family.
L: When we clean our room.
C: When he comes home and the house is clean.
M: Hugs.

3. What makes Daddy sad?

G: Daddy doesn’t get sad, he gets frustrated. [What makes him frustrated?] When we don’t obey and when we get in big arguments.
L: When he gets a stomachache.
C: When he was planning something and then it didn’t work out. Like going to a fancy lunch with somebody.
M: When he’s gone and he misses us.

4. How does Daddy make you laugh?

G: He has awesome jokes.
L: By showing us funny videos on the computer.
C: By telling jokes. Funny jokes!
M: He says funny jokes.

5. What was Daddy like when he was your age?

G: He liked books and I assume he liked writing and other written things. Like other written things besides books.
L: He liked DuckTales. And reading.
C: He had short brown hair and liked jokes a lot and was funny.
M: He just looked like me. I don’t know! Ask me how sticks make me dance. [Um, ok. How do sticks make you dance?] I don’t know. I just dance with them. TYPE IN IT!

6. How old is Daddy?

G: 42
L: 49
C: 41.
M: Three. FOUR!

7. How tall is Daddy?

G: 6 feet
L: 9 feet, 7 inches. Wait! 6 feet.
C: 6 feet.
M: [Holds up ten fingers]

8. What is his favorite thing to watch on TV?

G: Probably something I’ve never heard of.
L: 3D Rock.
C: The news. Or a movie. Probably a movie. Yeah, a movie.
M: Baby shows. Actually, I don’t know.

9. What does Daddy do when you're not around?

G: His work, because he’s at work most of the time. Does work stuff on his computer.
L: Plays Skyrim.
C: Watches TV with Mama. Like when I’m asleep.
M: Nothing. When I’m not around, he puts candy up for everybody. And then he tells me to guard the door.

10. If Daddy becomes famous, what will it be for?

G: For his book.
L: Making the world’s best food.
C: His amazing books stuff. Like Book History Workshop and stuff. And for being a good daddy.
M: Being handsome.

11. What is Daddy really good at?

G: Writing. His job. Cooking and baking.
L: Video games.
C: Being a daddy. And making us laugh. Telling good jokes.
M: Making me walk on the ceiling.

12. What is Daddy not so good at?

G: Coming up with good nicknames for my cats.
L: Riding a bike.
C: Skydiving. [Have you ever seen him skydive?] Um, no. Being afraid of stuff. Like fire bears.
M: Not being happy at us.

13. What does Daddy do for his job?

G: He’s a librarian. He’s the curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at Cushing Memorial Library and Archives next to Evans Library on Texas A&M University campus. Duh.
L: Rare Books and Manuscripts.
C: Being a librarian and being our daddy.
M: Work in the press room!

14. What is Daddy’s favorite food?

G: That is hard. I know he really likes the cooked vegetables and rice with the tomato and balsamic vinegar sauce.
L: Cake. County Fair Blue Ribbon Cake.
C: Cake. Chocolate cake.
M: Sandwiches.

15. What makes you proud of Daddy?

G: His hard work.
L: Anise Press. His cooking skills.
C: His amazing cooking.
M: His dragon that comes out at night.

16. If Daddy were a fictional character, who would he be?

G: Brambleclaw from Warriors.
L: Ironman.
C: A colossus from Shadow of the Colossus.
M: Daddy! Todd! Spiderman!

17. What do you and Daddy do together?

G: Write our books, cook, bake. We do crafts together.
L: Play X-men video games.
C: Watch TV, play video games.
M: Jump on the trampoline!

18. How are you and Daddy the same?

G: We like a lot of the same stuff like cooking, baking, awesome craft projects, writing, books. And printing and design.
L: We both like books. We both like video games.
C: We both like jokes and to have fun.
M: We’re just the same. [Yes, but how?] We’re just the same! I just told you!

19. How are you and Daddy different?

G: He never did a martial art when he was younger and he thinks Spats is a brat. And he likes peanut butter and I don’t.
L: He’s good at telling jokes, I’m not. And I did a lot more scouts than he did. Like Cub Scouts.
C: Daddy has brown hair and I have blonde hair. Daddy’s 42 and I’m 7.
M: We’re just different. [Is there a way that you’re different?] Nope. There isn’t.

20. How do you know Daddy loves you?

G: He does all kinds of stuff with me.
L: He tells me. A lot.
C: He says it allll the time and I can feel it. And I know he loves me. I just know it somehow.
M: He just loves me. I just know.

21. What does Daddy like most about Mama? 

G: You’re kind and sweet and awesome and intelligent and funny and creative.
L: That you both do Anise Press together.
C: That you have had the kids and he really likes the kids.
M: Simon. He likes that you have Simon.

22. Where is Daddy’s favorite place to go?

G: He likes the UK, but he also likes Idaho and Utah, because that’s where his parents live.
L: Poland.
C: To work.
M: To Virginia.

23. What is Daddy’s favorite song?

G: I don’t think he has a favorite; he likes a lot of songs.
L: How am I supposed to know that? [Guess.] Um, something by the Beatles.
C: Lampshades on Fire.
M: Everything is Awesome!

24. What is Daddy’s favorite book?

G: I don’t think he has a favorite; he likes a lot of books. But he likes poems.
L: How am I supposed to know that? [Guess.] I can tell you a book that he likes. Can this also be a magazine? Fine Cooking.
C: I think a Dr. Seuss book, probably. Maybe Oh, The Thinks you can Think.
M: Wild Beasts!

25. What is Daddy’s favorite show?

G: He likes Buster Keaton.
L: X-Men 2
C: That show you were watching last night. [Parks and Recreation]
M: Spiderman.

26. What would Daddy do with a million dollars?

G: He would probably take us over to the UK and show us all his favorite places. He would get us a nice house in Rexburg and then get a new car for him.
L: Save it. Probably. Get a bigger house.
C: He would probably get lots of stuff. Books, presses, type, food and stuff for the family.
M: Give it to somebody else. [Is there anything he would buy?] A press room.

Mama's Day

1. What is something Mama always says to you?

G: It’s obviously “I love you” – she always says that.  She also says, “Gwennie!”
L: Go get your shoes on!
C: I love you, my little boy.
M: “Go to bed.” “Go get me some boxes, please.” “Getta, can you please get me some pictures?” “Getta, can you please play BusyTown?”

2. What makes Mama happy?

G: Sleep, a clean house, and when we do something nice for her – like make her a present.
L: When we clean out the car, because she likes a clean car.
C: A clean house . . . and presents!
M: Daddy. Children. Boxes.

3. What makes Mama sad?

G: When the house is a wreck, she didn’t get any sleep, and we’re all asking to do different things at once (and not listening to her).
L: When something bad happens – like when Grannie and Grandad got in a car accident.
C: A super messy house.  And when one of us gets really hurt, or gets sick.
M: Aaah! Things that are scary make Mama sad.  Scary fire bear!

4. How does Mama make you laugh?

G: She always makes up very funny jokes (not as funny as yours, though).
L: She tells us funny stories. Like the story she told us when Sophia and Phoebe’s trampoline got picked up by the wind. It was funny when we found out it had gotten totally smashed.
C: By telling jokes – when people say stuff, she makes the words into jokes. It’s funny.
M: “Getta, laugh!” “Ha, ha.” “Getta, please give me a funny picture.”

5. What was Mama like when she was your age?

G: She liked books, and friends, and her cat Nappy.
L: She liked reading, like mysteries.
C: She liked to go outside and play games, like soccer.
M: This [pulling her hands through her hair and making it seem short].  She liked to climb bars, the black bars on the front that you touch the roof with. Put tape on doors and on fire bears and everything. Plays with boxes, plays with toys, plays with everything.

6. How old is Mama?

G: 40.
L: Was it 50 . . . 51?
C: 40.
M: 3.

7. How tall is Mama?

G: 5 ½ feet.
L: 4 feet, 5 inches.
C: 5 feet something inches.
M: 4.

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?

G: Call the Midwife.
L: Call the Midwife.
C: The news.
M: Baby shows like Peg + Cat, doo dee doo dee doo doo.

9. What does Mama do when you're not around?

G: Grown-up stuff, like work (paperwork and bills, sometimes taxes) and things on her computer – things for her book, but not very much. And eats chocolate and candy and watches shows.
L: Goes to the grocery store.
C: Watches tv sometimes, or lies on the couch.
M: Um, nothing. She plays with the other kids? And she watches scary, super-scary movies that I don’t like.

10. If Mama becomes famous, what will it be for?

G: Her book, which is about this girl whose parents disappear and she has to go into fairyland to save them.
L: For Anise Press.
C: Amazing printing!
M: Babies. Daddies. Mama Day (Mother Day!)

11. What is Mama really good at?

G: Coming up with good answers to my questions, which are pretty complicated sometimes.
L: That class that she taught, where we did papermaking and printing and marbling paper.
C: Telling us to do chores. And amazing printing!
M: Getting kids. Doing everything!

12. What is Mama not so good at?

G: Being wrong.
L: Playing basketball. [when informed that Mama used to play basketball in high school, he says, Really?]
C: Bending down. Her back is old.
M: Watching kids. She’s not so good at putting baby chappie on babies, and closing their mouth, and making them sleep. And these little letters [type] – she’s not so good at those.

13. What does Mama do for her job?

G: She’s our Mama for her job: drives us around, makes us work, makes us not fight, talks to us, helps us feel better. Makes lunch.
L: Works on Anise Press, and takes care of us. Gets us food, gets us clothes, plays with us.
C: She is our Mama, and she prints. She watches us, and drives us to places, and tells us to do chores.
M: Exercise. Everything.

14. What is Mama’s favorite food?

G: Salad – she likes salad because there are so many different types.
L: Stir fry, this new stir fry.  (It’s a lot yummier than the old stir fry.)
C: Stir fry – with carrots.
M: Three things that she likes: kids, babies, houses. And tummies. [But what does she like to eat?] Burgers. Bacon. Bacon!

15. What makes you proud of Mama? 

G: Because she’s awesome – there’s nothing else I could say. That sums it up.
L: Her working so hard every day.
C: She put the bink in Simon’s mouth and he just fell right asleep.
M: Candy bars – she gives them to kids.

16. If Mama were a fictional character, who would she be? 

G: She would be Frostfur from Warriors – because Frostfur is one of the Warriors, but she’s also a mom of some kittens and she’s brave and strong.
L: Solovet, from Gregor the Overlander. It’s just that the description sounded a lot like Mama. [“It says here that she is ‘ruthless, dangerous, and manipulative’ – is that it?” “Yup!”]
C: She’d be Maid Marian, from Robin Hood.
M: Chimney – she’s like a chimney that Santa climbs down!

17. What do you and Mama do together?

G: We talk, and do crafts, and make lunch.
L: Play board games, like the board game I made up, Run of Fire.
C: Play games, board games. I like the one I made up.
M: Walk down the street, walk down the sidewalk, drive in cars!

18. How are you and Mama the same? 

G: We share a lot of the same ideas and thoughts.  And we have the same eyes.
L: We both like red hair.
C: We both have blue eyes.
M: I like toys! Me and Mama play with toys together. I like birds, and Mama likes birds – birds what have wings.

19. How are you and Mama different? 

G: She doesn’t like her hair to be long, but I like mine to be long. And we disagree on some things.
L: I like playing video games, and she doesn’t.
C: I’ve got blond hair and she’s got brown hair.
M: Mama doesn’t like chicken wings to eat, and I like chicken to eat.

20. How do you know Mama loves you? 

G: She does all these awesome things for us, like gives us gifts and helps us when we’re hurt or sad. And she always says she loves us.  All the time.
L: Because she tells me every day. [“Does that get a little old?” “Yep, sometimes.”]
C: She says it.  Pretty often.
M: She cuddles with me.

21. What does Mama like most about Daddy?  

G: That would be too long of an answer. ‘Cause you’re kind and you’re smart and you’re funny and you’re awesome.
L: That you work on Anise Press with her.
C: That he’s her husband.  And Daddy helps the family so much, by going to work and getting money.
M: Mama likes something about Daddy – watching everything that’s Daddy’s shows. Everything that you talk about, every picture, every book – everything!

22. Where is Mama’s favorite place to go? 

G: To sleep. Or Boston.
L: Poland – she told me she wants to go.
C: China!  (I just assume that Mama might like China.)
M: Museum, Library, Torres’s house.

23. What is Mama’s favorite song?

G: She likes “Furr” by Blitzen Trapper a lot.
L: I know her favorite Muppets Most Wanted song – it’s the one Constantine sings to Miss Piggy (“I’ll Get You What You Want”).
C: I have no idea.  “Lampshades on Fire” is the only one I can think of.
M: “Everything Is Awesome!”

24. What is Mama’s favorite book?

G: She likes Goody O’Grumpity.
L: The book that’s she’s writing. That’s easy.
C:  Ferocious Wild Beasts.
M: Ferocious Wild Beasts!

25. What is Mama’s favorite show?

G: Some kind of theatre thing . . . something she saw before I was born. Didn’t she go to a show when she was in New York? She said she really liked it.
L: The Avengers.
C: The LEGO Movie.  I think she likes the characters.
M: Babies.

26. What would Mama do with a million dollars?

G: She would get us to a new house, a bigger house, which has more bedrooms and a bigger yard. More bathrooms – she always wanted a half bath. And a bigger kitchen.  Then she would retire you, and we’d go on a big trip across the U. S.
L: Get a bigger house, with orange – lots of orange.  More bedrooms, more bathrooms, and two stories.
C: Buy a ton of type.
M: Put it in a piggy bank!

breathe out the old

We haven't been lucky enough to get any snow this year, but our New Year's Eve was a bit chillier than it had been the week of Christmas.  As we were getting ready for a little party (hosting some friends with a feast of dips and pigs-in-blankets), the children went outside to play and were excited that they could actually see their breath.  A little.  

swearin'

Linus: Gwendolyn’s trying to get me to swear by the River Styx!

doy

Margaret: I want to go see baby Jesus [in the nativity].  And say to him, what are you doing here, big guy?

Jennifer: What did you like about Christmas?
M: Foxes . . . & Totoros . . . & little Totoros next to Totoros!
J: And what did you get in your stocking?
M: clementines . . . & legos.

M: Can I help you play your game? I’m a good girl at doing things! And at touching things!

Greta finds a lost piece from her Busytown game (a mini-magnifying glass), a gift from Christmas .  When she comes into the kitchen, she holds it above her head and sings the Legend of Zelda found-the-treasure fanfare.

M: Look at that big chicken there!  [Big Bird] I think that’s from Sesame Street.

M: Are the police going to come and take my brother [Casper] to jail so he never screams? [after a major freakout]

Greta asks me to read her The Fooky Old Pants.

M: This giraffe is my new lovey.  It’s the brown ninja and the white ninja.  It has throwing stars on its horns.  It says, hi-yah!

M: Last night in Daddy’s office, I found a sugar ant, and it was nice to me! But then it got away from me.  I think it climbed up and went down and out the doy.
J: It went out the doy?
M: It’s said, doy.

M: Do you have Daddy powers, Daddy? You do – you’re magical! And I have Greta powers.