Scarlet Velvet and Pearls

I just happened to check out at the library one of Mike's favorite books as a child - Tikki Tikki Tembo. I wasn't that familiar with the book and I didn't realize that this was a book Mike knew until I read the sentence, "Most Honorable Mother, Chang has fallen into the well!" I was reading it to the boys, of course, but when I read that sentence, I had to stop and laugh. Mike has randomly said that sentence, with a Chinese accent, throughout our marriage. I never knew where that came from and I never asked because he has many sayings and phrases that are just so ridiculous, I don't bother asking where he got them. Mike has also known the full name Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo and will spout it out every now and then. So when I saw the book title Tikki Tikki Tembo I had to check it out! That name was so familiar to me - I'd heard it throughout our marriage! And what is so fun, Kyle and Jordan just eat it up! We have read it about five times now in two days. When we arrived home from school yesterday, it was the first thing they wanted to do - read Tikki Tikki Tembo. No way! They usually want to eat and play! When I told Mike about it, he was so pleased and excited. I think he was most excited to see the book that he hasn't read in such a long time. I am thinking about buying it for our library.

Oh, and to prove how this book has made an impact on my children already, let me share what happened yesterday. It was at the end of the day and I was trying to get all three boys into bed. They were rambunctious and wouldn't do what I was telling them to do. To be frank, I was very annoyed and I kept snapping at them to do this or do that. In the shower, Jordan kept throwing a cup around. I kept telling him to stop, but he didn't. The cup eventually fell out of the tub out of his reach. Jordan poked his head out of the shower curtain and said, with a pleading voice, "Mom, can you get that?" I just glared at him and shook my head. He didn't give up. "Pleeeeeease...........My Most Honorable Mother!" Well, that did it. I couldn't hold back the smile and I couldn't refuse the pleading. That little schmooze!

It is such a joy to share with my kids the things Mike and I enjoyed as children. The book that I loved as a little girl that the boys have also taken a liking to is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I think we all can relate to a that book!