Big tree, little tree

Grace and the neighbor girl playing

While Grace and I were making cookies I had to take a phone call.

Notice the suspicious looking marks on the stick of butter I was getting ready to put into cookies?

Notice the suspicious looking "yellow stuff" on grace's mouth?  Coincidence?  I think not!!  (I asked her if she ate butter and she denied it) (hmmmm)

Snow White and two of her dwarfs were wandering through the Christmas trees Saturday looking for "the one".

Grace kept picking trees that were about as tall as she is.  She must have taken lessons from Charlie Brown.

Can you see the little bitty tree right beside her?  She kept pointing to the littles ones and asking "What about this one?"

At last a consensus is reached.

Get to work John!!

We watched the workers bind the tree so we could haul it home.

 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

Fashion vs faux pas?

Just in case you were wondering if we fell from the face of the earth, I thought I'd post to reassure you we are still clinging to terra firma and thriving.  We have been busy traveling about visiting family and friends and preparing for Christmas.




However, we did have time for a short fashion show a couple days ago.  Grace came sacheting into the office wearing this number.

 I picked up the camera and told her to "work it, girl".  This is how she rewarded me.

 She even gave me a few spins while working the catwalk.

 I think this one is going to give us a bit of trouble as she gets older..... she's already got more flair and style than her mother does.

 This one............not so much!!

I caught him like this in the playroom the other day.  I had to crop up the picture.  He was airing off his, ahem, equipment.  He'd been to the bathroom and was looking for new ways to get his pants where they belong.  Sorry, buddy, you'll have to find another way.

It's nice to be home.

Thanksgiving - school style

Lots going on here today to celebrate the big holiday...... first it was off to preschool for a "feast" with the pilgrims and indians.  They had a full sit down meal for the kids.  All of the kids had made indian excuse me, native american costumes and pilgrim costumes to wear. 

Let's Eat!!!!

 Then it was off to see the elementary crowd perform their American Revolution Parade.  They narrated and displayed dioramas of the stories of the American Revolution.  It was very nicely done.  Can you find Emily and John among the colonists?  John played "Yankee Doodle" on his recorder for the class to sing along with him.

 When I returned home, I found the cutest little indian squaw had followed me home.  I think I'll keep her. 

 This was the outfit she made to wear to her "feast".  She opted to not make this much of a fashion statement at school.  She wore the beads and headdress to her feast, but not the indian vest.

 We are all excited for the holiday and a chance to see family.  I think right now I am most excited about a day to sleep in!!

Goodnight, folks.

Say WHAT?

Grace:  Mom, where's the bathroom?

Mom:  Um, right next to your bedroom, remember?

Grace: Oh yeah!!  Thanks Mom!!  (???????)



Grace:  Grant's spitting water on me!!

Mom (to Grant in the tub):  Don't spit water at Grace.

Grant:  I'm not!!  I'm making FIREWORKS!!





Grace:  Wow!  I'm a genius!!     (humble too)





Grant (to Mom): I don't want THAT water!  I want DRY water.  (?????)






Quiet weekend here.  Lots of time to play, rest and count our blessings.  We have a lot to be thankful for as we enter Thanksgiving week.  I hope I never take any of it for granted.

Are you ready to rumble??

 You would really not believe the goings on in my living room today.

 A full blown wrestling match broke out between these two.  There was much kicking, eye gouging, yelling, pulling of hair and general rowdiness taking place. 

 Once the scrappy little guy got the upper hand, he was ready to put his "death move" on the big guy and win the match.

He begins his move by carefully positioning himself above his unsuspecting opponent.

 He steadies himself........

 He focuses.....

 Aaaand JUMP!!!! 

 Say it with me........OUCH!  What a move by the little guy!!

 Don't you know that one hurt?!!!

 The crowd goes wild!!  What a performance by the little guy!!

 You guessed correctly....not much going on around here today.  The big kids raked leaves.  I baked one last batch of cookies.  Grant and Grace played like angels all day.  David worked on a bunch of "projects" around the house.  Just another day in paradise the zoo.

Have a good weekend. 

One of those OTHER kinds of days

Look what I found on my desk the other night......

Emily had been busy and mysterious all evening Thursday.  After she went to bed, I found an envelope addressed to me on my desk.  She had snuck around making me a birthday card.

I like the inside even more than the outside....

I don't mind if the card was late.  I loved it. 

I love her too. 

Thanks Emily.  You are so sweet to me.

You always make me smile.

Love,  Mom

Fire, Fire!!

  Look what we found at Wal-Mart today.......

 
We pulled into the parking lot and there happened to be a firetruck sitting there from the local station.  I guess firefighters need groceries too!  They do this a lot here.  They'll park the truck and go to a fast food restaurant to eat somedays.  You'll see them parked at YuckDonalds or Arby's close to our house.

Anyway, I was in no hurry so we got out and walked around looking at the firetruck up close and personal.  They were very excited.  Grant asks me at least once every day to draw him a firetruck.  He goes through the whole list of what has to be on the picture.....big tires, hose, ladder, headlights, lights on top, driver with hat, nozzles, and doors.  He LOVES fire trucks. Both of them wanted to see and touch (we didn't) all the hoses and levers and dials on the REAL firetruck.

   

To make a good situation even better, while we were looking at the truck the firemen came out of Wal-Mart ready to leave.  They opened the cab and let the kids climb in and sit in their seats.  They also turned on the lights for them to see.  Both kids were in awe.  They thought it was wonderful. 

I didn't take pictures of them in the cab.  I didn't want to impose any on the guys' time.  I thought it was so nice of them to take time for the kids in the first place.

   

So that was our unexpected fun for the day.  You never know what extraordinary things you may find among the ordinary things of life.

Good night!!  I've got to get kids ready for bed.

Fairy tales and birthdays

Little Red Pink Ridinghood

This one was so troubled when she realized I had not gotten a birthday cake that she decided to make me one......out of boxes!!  She even put candles on the top and "lit" them with the yellow and pink cups she balanced on top.

She then sang happy birthday to me and blew out the candles for me.  Thank you Grace!  That was very thoughtful.

Heard around here this week..........

Grant to the babysitter:  Can you please stop talking to me?

Grant into the potty:  Bye poop.  I'll miss you! (really?)

Grace while shopping at Target:  Oh Mom!!  Buy me that shirt.  I like it.  It's skinny like me!  You can't wear it though.  Your tummy's too fat!  (Ummmm, thanks Grace)

Grant (to anyone that will listen and many that won't):  I'm two!!!

John:  I hate school! (and so do half of all school aged kids) (now get out of bed)

RULES, RULES, RULES

Let me enlighten you to the content of the royal decree posted outside Queen Emily's door.

Rules of My Room

No burping or tooting

***************

You must be quiet when you

are sleeping in my room

unless you are my friend

and you are a girl

**************

No horseplay during

the night unless I say

otherwise

**************

You MUST

read these rules before you

go beyond this point!!!!!!!!

In case you were still in question to which twin has the stronger personality, let me put your uncertainty to rest.  This 'royal order' from the queen herself has been posted on her bedroom door for quite some time.  Each time I enter her "chambers" I get a good chuckle reading it.  She is not shy about laying down the law of her land.  The only thing missing is the threat of beheading for any poor soul found on the wrong side of her rules. 

As you can well guess, this is all directed at her poor brother.  If there is any kind of an up side to the never ending conflict between these two, I guess I've finally managed to find it.  Truth one is that John is going to make a great husband some day seeing how hen pecked he is by his sister.  The second truth tells me that no man will ever abuse my Emily.  She is not about to let any man, young or old, run her over!

So the battle of the sexes still rages strong in the zoo.  Emily's little sign stays posted on the door reminding John that he is no better than the dust bunny lurking under the queen's bed.  John continues to agitate his sister to alternating points of tears and insanity. 

 

Life is good.