Me:  I am excited our cousins are coming to visit too, but I am a little upset that our house isn't as clean as I would like.
M:  Mom, success and failure hold hands.

They are running a free spa at school, I booked a massage for tomorrow.  They just take invisible money. They aren't that professional though, because they don't really keep track of who has an appointment and when.  And they shouldn't really call it a spa, because they don't have like cucumbers and lotion and stuff.

M:  Your the best mom in the world.
Me: Your the best son in the world, how did I get so lucky?
M:  You didn't get lucky, you're the great parent who raised me to be great.

M:  It's too bad life is so short.
Me:   What made you say that?
M:   I don't know, it just is.
Me:  Most 8-year-olds are not thinking that.
M:  (laughs) Yeah, I know.  Well at least you are in a good place.  I wonder what heaven is really like. Is it like souls floating around or just like life only really different?

About national testing at school:

"I mean they are talking like it's all fun and games.  It's serious.  It is nationwide, the information goes to the government and it represents OUR school and OUR 2nd grade and OUR class.  They need to stop acting like it's not serious, they could get themselves fired!  What if we do horrible and they think they aren't teaching us??"  

You angerized me, you put anger in my body. 

About food shared:
"It's just a gift from me to you to tell you how much I took care of you."

I can proudly say I have a daddy who cares about the earth.  

I wish I had my magical little spirit back when I used to like to get up really early. 

Why do they have such inappropriate things on the billboards?  Don't they know children are driving to school??

M:  I remember I used to be so sad on the way home from school everyday because I was thinking about what everyone else had.  Like they would say, I have an Xbox 360 and I do this...I just wanted to have what they did.  To be equally matched.

Me:  Do you still feel that way?

M:  No, I don't really care.  I just want to live up to my own legacy.

I think sometimes my dreams tell me about the future. Like not every moment is familiar but sometimes I have a moment and it's like, wait a minute I remember this.

M:  I wish Papa was here to calm you down.
Me:  What do you think he would say?
M:  I don't know, something wise and awesome.  He just knows so much!

M: Did you notice my hair?  

Me:  Oh yeah, it looks good, how did you get it like that? 

M:  Oh it's easy, I hand-crafted it.

The teachers have the time to really understand me and the other kids.   They don't just judge you by the first day, they stick around and find out.  They could think you are a bad listener, but then they could find out you're actually a good listener.

Micah:  I didn't want to tell you I was grinding my teeth because I thought you wouldn't like it.

Me: Well, it's not like you do it on purpose.

Micah:  Actually, I do sometimes.  My teeth are just dying to touch each other.

Remember when I thought three was pronounced "free?"  I was so convinced it was free that in kindergarten I said to Ixx, "I just ate free taquitos."  And he said, "What are free taquitos?" And I said, "Free!" (holding up three fingers).  And he said you mean three.  And I said no free! ...

M: You always wish you could do some things over in life.

Me:  Really, what do you wish you could do over?

M:  I don't know, I know I regret something, but I can't put my finger on it. 

Now I get why smart people worry more.  We know all the things that could happen.

M:  Ixx is the friend you want.  You can give him any topic and he has something exciting to say about it.
Me:  Do you remember when you guys did not get along?
M: Yeah! We laugh about this all the time.  I was best friends with T and everything he did, I did.  And Ixx wanted to be close to T too.  I would see Ixx with T and it felt like my spine went on fire.  I was soo mad.

To the guinea pigs:  Guys, have you seen Thunderbolt, you know the chinchilla (who is missing) anywhere in the yard? Just nod your head...Okay, I'm going to repeat the question...Wait, quit blinking, I don't know what that means!

About a note I put in his lunchbox on his first day of a new camp (which turned out to be a bad day):

Mom, quit telling me I'm special, I'm not little anymore it doesn't work.  You're just saying that because you are my mom.  I have been realizing for a while that it's not true, but I just wanted to let you have your fun.

I am not cute.  I am fierce.  Just don't describe me. 

Mommy, I love the fatness of your arm.  I don't want you to lose any weight.  You are the way God wanted you to be.  People love you for who you are and I love you most of all.  Pinky promise that you won't exercise anymore if it will make you smaller.

Why would anyone want to kill themselves?  Next thing you know you could be a caterpillar! You are pretty lucky to be selected as a human.