Because 7 ATE 9

Last night we were sitting around the dinner table and the boys were telling us about their day. Rusty and I enjoy just sitting back and letting the kids follow one another rapidly with stories about school and friends and such. So last night, Jake was talking about something that happened at recess and Hailey decided that it was her turn to talk. She kept repeating, "8 11, 8 11, 8 11."
Now she knows how to count to 10, but this is her favorite little sing song phrase and it really cracks us up because it normally comes out of nowhere.
So Jarred then says, "No Hailey it is 1,2,3......" And starts counting in which she quickly jumps in with him and soon all 3 of the children are counting to 10 over and over.
This reminds Rusty of that one joke:
He says, "Hey Jake ( my literal one), why is 6 afraid of 7?"
Jake: "Umm. because it is bigger?"
Rusty: "Nope, because 7 8 9."
Jake is now sitting there puzzled and you can see the wheels turning in his mind.
Jake: "Right because it is bigger!"
Rusty : " No, because 7 ATE 9."
Jake: "Ohhh I get it!" Still with the puzzled look on his face.
I say, "You know because 7 ate( and I pretend to eat) 9."
Jake: "Ohh because 7 8 9." Continued puzzled look.
Rusty again says, "Because 7 ATE 9."
Jake: "Oh because 7 8 9. Ohhh because 7 8 9. 6 was afraid of 7 because 7 8 9." A moment of thought and then it clicked, "OHHHHHHHHHHHHH because 7 ATE 9."
This gave Rusty and I quite the chuckle. Not to mention how impressed Jake was with his parents for "thinking up" such a clever little play on words. hehe
He then began to go over the list of people at church who later he would try and flub up on this little joke. We assured him that most of his list probably already knew it, but he was determined to find some prey.
He then turned to his little brother (who had been sitting at the table the whole time) and tried the joke out on him.
Jake: "Jarred, why was 6 afraid of 7?"
Jarred: "Because 7 ate 9."
Jake: "Right, because 7 ATE 9."
Jarred: "I know Jake..I get it."
I just love dinner time!!