Green Beans?

This hardly seems like the season to find really super duper good fresh green beans in the store.  I always thought of green bean season in the late summer.  For the last 5 summers or so, I've been anxiously scanning the produce sections for a crisp semi straight unblemished green beans.  Five years.  It could be that my standards are just too high or that I'm looking at the wrong stores, or that they do actually have the best selection in the winter. 

So you had to read all of that, to find out that today. . . I found them.  The perfect green beans.  I'm picky because I need straight and crisp ones for canning.  Taaaa Daaaaa!!!! Pickled green beans.  Mmmmm.

The boys, as you can see, wanted to help snip the ends off with a knife so they used their kid butter knives to help.  It was so cute to see them putting the pieces in the correct bowls.  They loved stuffing the jars with the green beans too.  Although, Lucas took a whiff of the fresh dill and recoiled with a wrinkled nose.  "It is so stinky Mom." 

Speaking of Lucas quotes, here are a couple from today.  Please keep in mind that the first one is embarrassing for me because I don't want to admit that he may have heard this around the house.  However I want to remember it because some day they will be super funny and I won't be embarrassed. 

AJ was wrapping presents and Lucas stole the tape and walked away.
AJ: Lucas bring that back, aren't you going to stay and help me?
Lucas: Daddddyyyy, don't be such a pain in the ass.

Do you see why I cringed?  It was REALLY funny and cringe worthy at the same time.  I do need to watch what I say now more than ever though.  Next up:

AJ's suitcase has been sitting in our bedroom for two days and he didn't open it to unpack it.  I always bug AJ to unpack so I can wash all his clothes but recently have given up and not said anything about it to him.  He will unpack when he gets to it.  So Lucas went into our room and began to unzip and pull the dirty clothes out. 
AJ: Lucas what are you doing?
Lucas: I'm doing what you have not been doing.

That kid is full of one-liners lately.  So if you  see a bunch of Lucas quotes on here more frequently it is just because he is hysterical. 

Speaking of Nick.  He is a dictator.  In a cute lovable, cuddly way.  He lifts his shirt up and orders you to say hello to his belly button.  "Say hello to my belly button!!"  You had better comply or else he will persist until you begin to beat your head on the counter tops. 

Also Nick is learning new boundaries by having to clean up messes he deliberately makes.  Case in point:  AJ asked Nick to go throw the empty pretzel bag away and instead he turned the bad upside down and dumped pretzel crumbs all over the carpet and then threw the container on the ground.  Then he walked away.  I then MADE a limp and screaming Nick pick up the bag and take it to the garbage.  THEN we forced him to get the vacuum and clean up his crumbs.  The battle rages on. 

However Nick is also all about the tickle too.  He will walk up and lift his shirt up and order you to tickle him.  "Tickle me all over.  TICKLE MOM.  TICCCCKKKKLLLLEEEE!"   It is adorable, but we really need to work on some manners.