STILL LEARNING THE FINER POINTS OF THE GAME

Maggie called down the stairs to her Hide and Seek playmates, "I'm going to go hide upstairs, in my bed, under the covers."

WHAT MITCHELL SAYS

Mitchell: Hey Nick, you know who's really good at finishing things?

Nick: No. Who?

Mitchell: The Finnish!

* * * * *

Janice (to Ellery): Oh, your hair looks so beautiful!

Mitchell (deliberately misunderstanding): Why thank you.

Janice: Mitchell, I really love your humility.

Mitchell: Don't you think I should get an award for my humility?

NEW MATH

Ellery was playing a game with a balloon, trying to keep it of the ground. At first, she gave herself 10 chances for it to touch the ground. When she had used those chances, she said, "It's okay, I still have ninety-ten chances left."

"I don't think that's a real number," Sarah said doubtfully.

"It is," Ellery assured her. "You just don't hear it very often."

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PEANUT

Ellery and Mom were discussing Peanut, Ellery's imaginary pet mouse.

Mom: You've had Peanut for a long time, haven't you?

Ellery: Yes. I think since I was four. And now Peanut's cousins live with us too. I don't know why.

Mom: Her cousins live with us?

Ellery: Yes. Her whole family does. Well, not her mom and dad. Her mom lives in Hawaii and her dad is fighting in the war between the mice and the rats.

Mom: Oh my!

Ellery: Actually the mice already won the war. If they had lost, then all of Peanut's family would have to go live with the rats. But since the mice won, they got all the rats' stuff. Now Peanut's family is rich!

NOT EQUIVALENT

At bedtime:

Dad: Ellery have you brushed your teeth yet?

Ellery: No, but I am making my own time capsule.

THERE'S A LOT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME

Dad was reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to Ellery. They were at her favorite part with the Dufflepuds.

Dad: So the Dufflepuds were kind of like the wizard's servants.

Ellery: You mean his minions?

Dad (taken aback): I guess so.

Ellery: I was a minion once.

Dad: You were?

Ellery (shaking her head slowly at the memory): It's a long story.

WHAT DANE SAYS

Liz to her two-year-old son Dane: Dane, can I have a kiss?

Dane: No!

Liz: Why not?

Dane: Because that is not how I roll.