She Said What!?

So our kids have just started riding the bus to school this last month. They have been very excited about it and seem to enjoy it. I resisted the urge to follow the bus the first day they rode because I am a control freak and really wanted to know where it went and what was going on in there. Maybe I should have the school install a live web cam so I can watch them from home. Just the other day I discovered why it is better for parents to not know everything.

After picking up the kids from school we began the usual random 15 minute discussion. Julia told us all about the kid from her class who is moving away so they had a going away party for him. I am just driving along at 55 mph on the highway (okay, maybe 60)when Julia says, "Mom, a boy on the bus today said f***." Without thinking I yell out "what did you just say?" thus forcing my 5 year old to repeat herself.

That's right, my sweet, little, innocent 5 year old threw out the big one. Barely maintaining control of the tank that I drive I proceeded to move the rear view mirror so Julia so can see that I am serious and point out to her that "no one in this car ever has to use that word, never." Julia is looking very abashed when Andrew pipes up to ask, "Can we say flick?" I am in the middle of explaining that it is not just the word you use but the intent with which it is said when Andrew asks me another question.

"How much cheese do you think they have in Wisconsin?"

"Andrew, why do you want to know that?" I am now driving on the gravel and while I seem to be in control of the car I feel that I have fallen down the rabbit hole and everything around me is a little off kilter.

"Because, the boy from Julia's class probably moved to Wisconsin and that makes him the luckiest kid in the world."

Apparently I haven't learned anything because I again ask Andrew the question why. Why would this boy be so lucky to live in Wisconsin? Andrew very patiently points out, "Because Wisconsin is where Wisconsin Dells is and they also have lots of cheese there." Andrew has just very successfully changed the topic and the climate in the car and left me once again so baffled that all I can do is laugh and keep my eyes on the road.

So if anyone wants to know what to get Andrew for Christmas maybe a cheese wheel from Wisconsin is the way to go. Do Santa's elves make cheese?