Yesterday is long ago

[We stayed up late playing games at a friend's house. Laura was leaving with Jason (who is 9), while Brianna (who is 12) and I stayed a little longer.]

Jason: Why does Brianna get to stay up late but I can't?
Laura: Because Brianna doesn't throw tantrums the next day. Besides it's already way past your bedtime.
Jason: But I haven't thrown a tantrum since, like, yesterday morning!

"It's okay" t-shirts

[I was flipping through the Spark magazine at breakfast and pointed out to Brianna that the Women's Volleyball team at Calvin won the National Championship. Brianna is in 6th grade and is planning to try out for Volleyball at school. There was a team picture after they won where the women are all wearing t-shirts that read "National Champions".]

Jack: Look, Brianna, the team is wearing t-shirts that say 'National Champions'.
Brianna: But how did they know they were going to win? Or did they also have t-shirts ready that said "It's okay."?

Fingering it out

[Brianna's piano theory book asked her to write the notes and the fingering for the d-minor scale.]

Brianna: "Dad, is this right?"
Jack (about to tickle her if she got it wrong): "Is that your final answer?"
Brianna (backing away): "Wait! I'm still fingering it out!"

Just like Mom

[Brianna found Laura's ankle weights and was walking in place while watching TV.]

Laura: Oh, I see you're working out.
Brianna: Yep.
Laura: Do you have a goal in mind?
Brianna: Naw, just exercising.
Laura: Maybe your goal is to be like me?
Brianna: In that case, I guess I'll have to eat a lot more chocolate.

[If I said that, I would be in the doghouse for a week.]

The same, but different

Brianna: This year is exactly like last year, but in different ways.

[I laughed when she said this, thinking she was just being silly, but there was a real explanation for this that made sense but which is too sad to print.]

No learning on Thursdays

Jack: How did you like school today?  What did you do?
Brianna: We learned new things.
Jack: That's your answer, "We learned new things."?
Brianna: Oh, wait, no, today was Thursday.  We don't learn anything new on Thursdays.
Jack: Ha ha.
Brianna: No really, on Thursdays we just review.

[The funny thing was, she was being serious.]

Missing mirror

[We had taken down the mirror in the kids' bathroom because we were about to remodel. Our daughter Brianna noticed that it was missing.]

Brianna: "Every time I turn around I see ... nothing!"