Weekend Things

I have nothing substantial or riveting or poignant to say today, but at lunch after church, my friend Rachel asked me what we'd done this weekend.  I had to think about it for a second because it was one of those weekends that felt a little long......in a good way--because we'd packed enough into it to last four or five days. And these are the kinds of weekends that should be remembered because they make life good, our family stronger, and memories better. Most of the time just doing the everyday stuff together is the best way to spend your time....and it's definitely what kids remember when they look back ten years from now--I know it's true of my child-hood.

I didn't take pictures of all of it--sometimes my trigger finger needs a break........so I'm missing documentation of dinner Friday night with some college friends......but it was good, I assure you!

We kicked off Friday with this ensemble, a la Carmen Miranda, we're just missing a hat basket of fruit.  And this was the second time in the course of the week that this outfit was requested.  Shocking that I had a headache.

And we had our first dusting of snow on Friday morning as well............

See those orange posts?  The snowplow guys put them there one night while we were sleeping.  When Georgia asked why and I explained it to her she started to cry.  Huge tears that needed a hug and some holding in order to stop.  "I don't want those guys to take away our snow.  I want to play in it."  Anxiety.  She's picking it up quick.

If you don't think your kids are watching you................

Here's a dinner party Georgia orchestrated for Dora and Pinky (the unicorn of course)......it was grand.......

So grand in fact that pictures of the event needed to be taken with her key-chain camera just like I took pictures of the table at Thanksgiving.  One hundred percent undirected by me...just pulled from the recesses of her smart little brain.

These are the moments when I couldn't love this girl more.  I wanted to grab her out of this scene and kiss her like a crazy person but I couldn't ruin the moment either.  She was taking this serious.  When I moved one plastic glass to get a better picture I was instructed on the ways of her dinner parties.....and it didn't include that glass being anywhere than where it had been originally.  Pinky couldn't reach it.

And of course.........we made cookies........almond cookies--daddy's favorite............

This is classic.  She's looking for dough to eat that's fallen out of the bowl.  She thinks she's being sneaky and that I don't see her.  But really G......you've got a mama who would let you eat raw dough anytime.......because it's AWESOME. Sometime I'll tell you all about the time I ate a whole bunch of raw dough out of the fridge and tried telling my dad my mom ate it.  Addicts lie, right?

I leave extra dough on the beater--it's the right thing to do for your kids......and yourself.

Saturday night......Chris and I went out for dinner.  Georgia wanted to take our picture.  They turned out nice. 

Our babysitter showed up and lent a hand............

I found this book at a local book-store and the teacher in me (albeit the middle school teacher) couldn't resist seeing what it might be like to do with Georgia........it was a smashing success!  Some of the pages are a little, and a lot, hard.......but we'll work up to it before the end of the year and parent teacher conferences.

We ended the weekend by taking a drive through a light display at the ball park in Grand Rapids.  It brags to be the biggest light display in Michigan--which I sort of believe.  However, I grew up in the Detroit area where we'd drive through Domino's Farms every Christmas--and this ball park thing didn't hold a candle to the Domino's headquarters......not even a flicker really.  Sorry--it's kind of true.  Either way, Georgia loved it and thankfully you get to drive through twice because there were tears when we told her it was all over.  

Georgia abbreviates everything......cranberry juice is 'cran,' Joseph, of Mary and Joseph, is Joe, and gingerbread men are 'gingers.' Chris and I beg her to tell us what they're called over and over.  Too funny.  Who knew she was British?

And of course we wrapped up the evening with crazy lights.  Tonight we got crazy to Cheetah Girls, "Only five more days 'till Christmas."  

It was a great weekend--one of those that makes you feel really accomplished when you head to bed on Sunday night........more where that came from.........December crazy is just getting started!