CAR WASH

My car is so dirty i can't even make out its color. So we are in line for a wash. And Kate is flipping out in the back seat. She HATES the car wash. Today she is yelling, "No mom! Not a car wash! It's.... too dangerous!!!" HAHAHAHAHAHA! I tried to yellower that sometimes the car likes to play in the tub too.:)

Here comes the water!!

CUTE

I just saw Kitty doing this....

...nibbling on a little bag of veggies and looking at a book. Seriously, could she be more perfect? Actually I think this is just her way of resting after distroying the entire house in last 2.5 minutes. Love this kid!

MAKE UP

So I went to grab a something in my bedroom and found the door to be locked. That is an immediate red flag because just two minutes ago, Kate was laying on the floor watching Cinderella on my laptop. In my sternish-nice voice, I said, "Kate. Unlock the door. Right now." Immediately I hear scurrying. I hear a "okay! I coming!" In her "I am not doing anything wrong" voice. Two seconds go by. 

"Kate. Now." 

"Okaaaaaay." Voice trails off as she gets further and further from the door. I hear here in the adjoining master bath.

"KATE. RIGHT NOW."

"I am coming. I am.....watching?" Voice trails off again.

I run to the kitchen to find a paper lip. Whatever is going on in there is not good and I want to catch her red-handed. I pop the lock like a professional burglar but I am half a second too late. I find her in the master bath, hands empty. She did however, forget to close my make-up drawer and it is wide open behind her. She also failed to wipe my eye brightener off her lips.

"Kate, did you get into my make up?"

"No."

Again. "Kate, did you get into my make up?"

"No."

"Why is it all over your face?"

"I don't know."

"So you didn't put it there?"

"No."

"Who did?"

"Me."

"So you DID get into my make up."

"No. Where's Ben?"

She is looking for a rescuer. Unfortunately for her, he is at school. It's just you and me, babe.

"I can tell you were in my make up, Kate. So you are not going to be able to watch Cinderella anymore today."

MELTDOWN. Disc taken out of computer and we walk into the kitchen.

"Mom I so sorry I got in your make up."

"Thankyou Kate."

"Now I watch Cinderella?!?!"

"No. Not until tomorrow because you got into mommy's make up."

MELTDOWN.

Nap time.:)

FEAST

Today was Pilgrim Ben's Thanksgiving feast at school. It was so fun! Instead I ordering the school lunch tho, Ben requested a less traditional meal..... Chicken fingers, grapes, a cupcake and chocolate milk. I am sure the pilgrims and Indians would have loved it.

Once again, my little buddy teared up and got sad when it was time for me to leave. I could tell he was a little "off" throughout lunch so I figured it was probably coming. It is hard for him to see me during the day! As much as I love him he is having a little bit of a hard time being apart right now. And it shatters my heart! I am hoping it gets easier for him, but I know it's going to be hard with the upcoming holiday vacations. No one wants to go back to school after a holiday!

HEBER

On our way to Salt Lake, we took a little detour and drove through Chris' hometown of Heber. It sure has changed since we were there last in 2002, let alone since he was a kid! He was excited to show our kids around such a special place.

It is still such a pretty little valley, even though there are lots of people and houses filling it up! Chris showed the kids the creek he swam in, the hills he sled down and where they rode horses and camped.

Taco Time was one of his favorite places to eat crispy bean burritos with his mom.:) We saw Chris' elementary school and highschool as well as the football fields where he became famous. It was really fun driving around town and hearing his funny stories!

Only a tiny bit of his childhood home is left as it is being remodeled for the second time in the last five years. We drove by and the new owner came out to talk with us. He was very kind and gave us a tour of the house. 

As we were leaving, Chris noticed that their old mailbox was still there with "Smith" on the door and "David Randall Smith" barely visible on the side. Since a new one had been put up next to it, he went back and asked if he could have it. I think he has plans to use it as decor in our house....:)

Our last stop was at Dairy Keen for some ice cream. (Granny's was closed for the season.) The ice cream was good, but the best part was probably watching Kate watch the train. It was suspended up high on a track that ran around the restaurant. Every minute or so, it would fly by us and she got SO excited, like it was the first time all over again. She wanted to know who was in the train and if it was a ghost or if it was Ho Ho and where the train went and if it was coming back and on and on. And on.....:) She was very loud and hopping up and down on the bench and SO excited that her older sister tried to hurry everyone so we could leave quickly. Instead, we took our time, fielded comments from an elderly man about Kate/her age/how cute she was, and finished our ice cream. 

It was a fun afternoon!

TREE

Once we decided to go to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving, we got our Christmas started! I wanted to be able to drive home (on Dec 1st!) and just be ready for the month when we arrived. I got all the Christmas boxes shipped out and we set up the Christmas tree the weekend before we left. As always, it was an adventure. I think we spent two hours trying to fix the lights. Ben was mad because he doesn't have as many ornaments as Olivia, who has been alive twice as long as he. Thankfully, he got side tracked with his pretend mistletoe that allowed him to get kisses from everyone. Nick joined in and they both attacked Olivia who doesn't often agree to let her brothers kiss her. Tonight was no exception.:) Kate loved being able to help. And eat candy canes. We spent the evening listening to Christmas music and being crazy. It was great.

THE STUFF BEN SAYS

Today, we were looking at shoes online. (Ben wants some that he doesn't have to tie.) So we find a cute pair, Ben is looking very carefully at the image, and the following conversation takes place:

"Mom? Are these scarecrow?"

"Um, what?"

"Are these shoes scarecrow?"

"Huh? WHAT?"

"ARE THESE SHOES SCARECROW? YOU KNOW, as he sweeps his hand across across the top of one of the shoes he is wearing, SCARECROW?" 

"Do you mean VELCRO?"

"Yes. Velcro. So I don't have to tie......."

Last night we were playing games in the living room. Ben was talking about playing with the  "E-dults" (adults) and then started singing Queen's "Under Pressure but changes the lyris up just a bit to "Under Russia!" This morning he was all ready to go sledding at "Reckenranch" ( Breckenridge.) Gotta love this boy!!