Jonathan, Samuel, Aaron and Mrs. Duck

This actually was supposed to be yesterday's post, but the internet went down...

As I drove up to my driveway today after work, I was thinking that I have to nag The Husband to mow the lawn today being that I feel like horrible neighbors for having such a long lawn and its only our first week. Then I looked closer at our lawn and noticed it was already cut... and nice looking.... and there was a boy standing on the bulivard with a push mower. I recognize the boy as being one of three boys from next door.... the SOUTH neighbors. I walk up and introduce myself and all of a sudden this little man in front of me reaches out for my hand and says "hello Mrs. O'Brien my name is Jonathan, Its a pleasure to meet you"

Mrs. O'Brien... seriously.

We chit chat and thank him for mowing our lawn. Jonathan is just about the smarted 10 year old I've ever met. And talkative...wow. THen his brothers Samuel, 9, and Aaron, 5 walk up with big smiles on their face "Hello Mrs. O'Brien"

Again with the Mrs.

I go in and change and come back out to talk more with my new friends. In the hour long conversation with these boys (10,9 and 5 mind you) I find out they are A. Homeschooled (that explains the intellegence) B. They are babtist... that would explain the "do you celebrate Halloween, you shouldn't because its the Devil's Birthday" This coming from the 5 year old. and C. They are VERY "Organic" people. They cook strictly organic foods and use EVERYTHING recycled 5 times over. THey told me not to chew Jucy Fruit gum because it has Aspirtane in it and that causes cancer (again, the 5 year old) They don't use a gas lawn mower because not only does it polute but the grass clippings it leaves behind allows for the lawn to grow greener and it cuts shorter so that weeds don't grow. The 10 year old went on and on about yards... and how to properly cut them... he says that 14mm is too short for grass, but 18mm is just about right.... again, a 10 year old schooling ME on lawn care.

Jonathan is now our official lawn caregiver, at a wopping $15.00/week. He cuts it every Tuesday and Kevin cuts it Saturdays. He said that he'll cut $2.00 off our weekly "bill" if we can refer him to anyone else in the neighborhood... such a little business man. Cutting us a deal like that :)

Then me and the boys played basketball and Jonathan and Samuel taught me how to shoot hoops (shut up, I actually took their pointers because I honestly have never been taught how to throw a basketball) and I improved my game immensely in the 2 hours I hung out with the boys. I actually enjoyed myself. They are super smart kids. Then their mom came over with banana bread (organic of course!) and we chatted but she had work to do (they are shooting a documentary on military vets in their basement, they own a video production company)

I was scolded for saying "Geeeez!" when I missed a basket because Geez is short for Jesus and "you should NEVER take the Lords name in vein, NEVER!" When they asked me if I go to church, I said sometimes, they asked where, and I said I'm catholic and all three boys looked up with disappointment and just said "oh"

They are good kids, very full of questions, and I'm really scared of offending their parents because it seems that they have a very strict way of life. I'm worried too that when they get to know us better, we will clash a lot. But the kids are great.

Then when we were leaving the house, we heard russling around in the bush right ourside our front door. WHen we took a closer look, we found that a small little duckling was flapping around! Than we heard more russling, and out ran the Mama Duck... a DUCK in our BUSHES!! IN TOWN! and the duck darted at Kevin because he was too close to the baby, and Kevin backed off. THen she went around to the back of the house and called for her babies and they all piled out of the bushes, formed a line, and wobbled to the back yard to be with Mama duck and then disappeared into the Alley. But that was cool, I with I wouldn't have interrupted the little nest, I would have been able to see them everyday!