Danny Humor

We are still alive! We've been having a wonderful whirlwind of a trip these past few weeks. Thanks to all of the many friends and family who have housed and fed us as we travel the Northwest. It's been so fun to see so many people we love in such a short time. Aside from Danny's poor sleeping (or rather, preferring to sleep with mom or dad such that they can't sleep well) and a couple flu days (which we managed to pass on to the rest of the Hong family), we've had a blast. Highlights include Olympic viewing, lunch at the Denver Natural History Museum, playing with new friends, watching horses, Cherokee and Stacey, hiking in a hailstorm, helping set up my brother's classroom, Chuck-a-Rama,hiking to waterfalls in the Utah canyons, mother-may-I with nieces, walking BYU campus, playing with 3 old high school buddies, their husbands, and our 9 children!!!, temple session in Salt Lake, Raffi sing-a-longs and ice cream car breaks, fast food playlands, bocce ball, Canasta, dog agility, running, playing in the fountain with "papa," watching a biology lecture with my mom as the professor, playing hide the balloon and legos with Kaya, Toy Story (Buzz and Yee-haw, as Danny likes to say), teaching Sunday School, lunch at Blackfoot High School with cousins, helping mom Hong in her classroom, painting the fair booth, feeding the animals at the petting zoo, train rides and horsey rides, closing shift with cool cousins. Now our days are filled with fried food, balloons, farm animals, and all you can eat Teriyaki. 4 fair days left and then we'll head home on Monday.

We are so glad Gustav did not turn at the last minute, because we are anxious to have our home back soon. We not only miss our bed and our beagles, but we miss all our Houston friends and family TONS!! Splashtown has really been calling!

So, for anyone who hasn't seen Danny in a while and misses his great personality, here's classic Danny humor. He's talking a lot more all the time, but still has many sounds that he uses in place of the words. Instead of train - choo choo. Cow - moooo. Cat - meow. Car - beep beep. volcano - boom boom. Monkey - eee eee.
Tonight just before bed I was trying to nourish him a little after a dinner of fair lemonade, caramel, and french fries. He was munching on an apple, some yogurt, and milk, but not acting too hungry. I was surprised when he pointed at the bananas on the table and said, "Dat mommy. Dat."
"You want a banana Danny?" I asked doubtfully, pointing directly at the banana.
"Dat," he pointed again to the bananas.
I pointed again, touching the bananas. "This is what you want to eat Danny? A banana?"
"Yes!" he smiled with a firm grin.
I peeled one for him and handed it over."OK Danny, here you go."
He smiled, took the teensiest nibble ever and then pushed it away. "No."
"Danny, you told me you wanted the banana. You need to eat it." I tried a little more forcefully and grumpily to get him to eat more.
"No mommy." Another smile and push away. Didn't he understand how wasteful he was being? Now the banana would get brown and yucky! Why did he demand something he didn't want to eat? Doesn't he know how many children are starving?
"How sad. It makes me sad when you ask for food and then don't eat it." To really get my point across I looked at him and said very seriously. "Danny, who is going to eat this banana now?"
Without even a pause for thought he looked right back at me with a huge grin and said, "Eeee eee."

Of course I had to laugh. But don't worry. Since there are no actual monkeys here in Idaho to eat the banana, my Danny monkey will get a slightly brown banana for breakfast.