2008 - The Year that Was

It's been a long week since Christmas and an interesting year.

Wishing you all a wonderful end to 2008 and a very Happy New Year!

Ready for Christmas

Our plans changed at the last minute this year, and due to the flu bug making an untimely appearance at Grandma and Grandpa's house (where we were supposed to stay), we are having a small just-the-three-of-us Christmas here at home. So we braved the Christmas Eve crowds at Walmart, went grocery shopping and got a few food items to make it through the next few days and had a nice quiet day here at home. We watched the classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" movie (we rented a couple) and then the three of us stood around the cake below and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. Em blew out the candles.

Here is Emily, posing with a slice of the Jesus cake and a cup of milk for Santa. (He probably likes the variety from all the cookies!) If you look closely, you will see that Emily decided to stick the fork in the cake for Santa. Such a helper!

The gifts are ready and Puma the cat decided to check them out.

Hmmm...something in that stocking sure smells good....

Merry Christmas to all....and to all, a good night!

O Christmas Tree 2008

This year, we bought a real tree (a Frasier Fir, if you care) for the first time in our little family.

We finally got it decorated on Saturday, sans the beaded garland, but it is decorated!

Below is the view of the entire tree.

This is the top of the tree. I didn't think the star would fit or stay on, so I went with a bow this year.

The reason for the season. I have a nicer porcelain nativity, but I have discovered that real tree branches aren't as strong as artificial ones...so this one will have to do.

Some of the random ornaments we've collected over the 8+ years.

I must say that I highly recommend the satin ribbons to hang ornaments instead of the more traditional metal hooks. It takes a little more time the first time you use them, but then they are ready to go for all the following years. You can make your own or find them in some stores, pre-tied. Very kid-friendly too!

BRRRrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!

Short and Sweet:

Today's actual temperature: -2 degrees F

Today's wind chill: -15 degrees to -30 (Currently around -23 degrees)

Don't you wish you lived here?

Weird People and Women's Intuition

So I need some opinions here...and rather than take up space on Skyepuppy's blog (go check it out, it's good!) I thought I'd post the whole story here.

Today, Skye posted about a book that basically tells women to trust their intuition in situations where they feel uncomfortable. I think I'll probably check out the book when I get a chance, but it immediately brought to mind a particular person that I've run into in our local mall too many times to count. So here's the whole story:

Emily and I frequent the mall, especially in the winter, because there's really not much else to do in town, and because the play area there has always been a good place for her to socialize. We haven't been going as often now that Em has preschool and plenty of friends with which to play, but we still occasionally go just to let her run around and play.

So starting either last winter or spring, I began to notice a frequent visitor to the play area. Now, and I know this is prejudicial but if it means keeping my kid safe, I will profile, if this person had been a man, I'd have reported him in a flash, but instead, I noticed the same woman hanging around inside the play area, with no children of her own. Ordinarily, this wouldn't bother me because there are rows of padded benches and lots of older people in particular like to sit and watch the kids play, but something just didn't feel right with this woman. She looks a little odd...hard to explain, just odd, and most importantly, she didn't just sit there and watch, she was usually standing right where the kids were playing and often trying to engage them.

Now, this wouldn't be so unusual, but she seems to pick Emily out every time we go. Sometimes she will go over and sit beside her on one of the benches and read books to her or other times talk to her, but it started to bother me a lot that she was always around. Even when we would leave the play area, I would notice that she would suddenly be in the same store we were in, and again, she would try to engage Emily.

Now for those who don't know my little darling, she is not shy. She will talk...and talk...and talk...to anyone and most of the time, knows no strangers. So at first, it was easy to believe that she might have initiated the contact with this woman, but time and again, it started to bug me. At this point let me say that Em was never, even for a moment out of my sight, so nothing could happen, and I always block the entrance to wherever we are so no one can snatch her and run without me seeing.

The day that put me over the edge was more recently. We were shopping in the Gymboree store. They have a kids tv area in the back of the store where kids can sit and play and watch videos while mom is shopping. I let Emily go back there because again, she can't get out without me knowing. Well, apparently while I was shopping, this woman must have either been in the store already and I missed her (she's very short) or she came in while I was turned away from the entrance, but when I went back to check on Em (I could still hear her with no problem....she's very loud) there was this same woman talking to her. Frankly, it just freaked me out. She had no reason to be in the store...and why is she always around?

So after this, as soon as we were out of the store, I pulled Emily aside and asked her what the lady was talking about. Of course, I got the usual, I don't know answer. So I point blank told her that if she saw that lady again, she should come find me and that if the lady ever tried to get Em to come with her, she should come get me immediately or scream as loud as she could. I didn't want to scare her, but this lady really gets under my skin.

Does this sound odd to anyone else? She just raises my radar, even from the first time I noticed her. I know it could be totally innocent, but I don't like the feeling I get. I think the next time I see her around Em, it's going to get reported. I don't want to make her life miserable, especially if she's just someone's mom or grandma who loves/misses her kids, but I will not put Emily in a dangerous situation either.

Thoughts? Am I just overprotective and nuts?

Christmas Pictures-Casual

The size of these pictures is really annoying me, but at least you can get the idea. This was Em's casual, playful look!

Christmas Pictures-All Dressed Up

We had Em's Christmas pictures taken at the Picture People. I don't know why the pictures are so small here (copyright protection I guess) but here are her dressy photos.

The Racial Divide

Well, we just elected a black man to the highest office in the land, the Presidency, but I guess even that does not prove that the races are equal.

While "surfing the net" this evening, I ran across this delightful little article about an internet browser designed and marketed for blacks. You can read the full article here, but I thought I'd give you the gist with just a few quotes.

About the "Blackbird Web Browser":

"For African-American Web surfers who just can't relate to their browsers, there's hope: the Blackbird Web browser.

Billed as "the Web browser for the African-American community," it's a modification of Mozilla Firefox with a different color scheme — black and earthy shades of green and brown — as well as certain built-in features meant to appeal to black Americans.

These include "Black Search," which brings up results tailored to what its backers assume are African-American interests; "Black News Ticker," which does more of the same; and "Blackbird TV," which is "the best of Black video on the Web."

Reaction to the browser is mixed:

"Wait, why do I need a special Web browser?" asked Gizmodo writer Adrian Covert. "Last time I checked, I don't physically browse the Internet any different than anyone else."

"The way this browser is marketed, the language, and the very idea that Black people somehow need a different piece of software to deal with the Internet all rubs me the wrong way," wrote K.T. Bradford of Laptop magazine."

But there are some who feel differently:

"The BlackWeb 2.0 blog was more supportive.

"There is a Black culture and a Black Experience, and this naturally translates online and into any other medium since we are all a part of the human race," regular poster "Markus" wrote. "In 2008 it is not wrong to want to identify with your culture regardless of what that culture may be or how you choose to identify with it."

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by stories like this anymore, and yet I still am. I mean, it's late 2008. We just elected a black man as the President of the United States of America. Slavery ended a LONG time ago. Black men and women have every single right that white men and women have, and due to affirmative action, sometimes have more job opportunities. The civil rights movement is over. I believe we are equal. So why are we still dealing with this nonsense? Why are some still determined to create a racial divide? How much more equal can we get, folks?

And finally, I saved the best for last. The last quote in the article was too good to pass up. I have a feeling that, other than the man's poor choice of language, he and I would agree on this topic.

According to "Cordfucious the Unbuntu Walker", a poster on the blog "Gizmodo",

"I am offended at this," ... "As a Black man in this country I don't need a browser to help my kids find culturally relevant material... it's the damn WORLD WIDE WEB... not the Black Web, or White Web or Yellow Web. ... It's s--- like this that burns me up. I need to tell my wife (who is Hispanic) that the[y] need the BlackBean browser for the Hispanic community."

AMEN!!

Fun Accent Quiz

I am originally from Delaware, considered neither north or south, but a "mid-Atlantic" state. People from where I grew up definitely have accents. Some are decidedly southern, some are more typical north-eastern (think New Jersey/New York/New England). Some are not really that defineable, but they are definitely present. I would say that the rest of my family have variations of a southern accent, but I do not.

I don't say this just from my own judgement, but when I moved to Indiana for college, I noticed the Mid-western and Northern accents, but no one could ever guess where I was from, and then when I would tell them, they would always say that I didn't have an accent. My husband agrees.

So when I found this little quiz, I decided to take it and see how accurate it was. It was quick and I found it to be right on the mark. Take it for yourself at the link below and see how you rank. It only takes a couple minutes. I posted my results below the link.

Have fun.


http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have

My Results:

What American accent do you have?

Your Result: The Midland

"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.

Prop 8 and Hate

Let me make a statement: I am sick and tired of being called "hateful" by people who don't know me at all. Not even a little bit.

In fact, if the same people who call me "hateful" knew me, they would know that I don't even ever use the word "hate" in relationship to people because I know the Biblical definition of "hate" and since I do not wish anyone to die, I don't say it.

Today, over on Malott's Blog, I was called "hateful" for my comments about the homosexual lifestyle and the pushy agenda of the homosexual activists. So, let me state for the record how I feel and why I feel that way.

I, in no way, shape or form, hate any homosexuals. I have never been physically or verbally violent to a homosexual. I have never spewed threats or misinformation about homosexuals. I have, in fact, never treated them any differently than another other heterosexual person. Nor will I.

So how can I be called "hateful"?

Let me tell you.

I am considered to be "hateful" by homosexual activists who are angry that I will not condone, endorse or accept their chosen lifestyle. I am considered to be "hateful" because I call the homosexual lifestyle a sin. (Which, by the way, would also make Jesus Christ "hateful" by this standard.)

The Bible says, in I Corinthians 6:9-10, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually imoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

No matter how you interpret this, the homosexual lifestyle is wrong in the eyes of God. It is a sin. It is not a sin any worse than any other, but it is still a sin and as such, it will, by God's own definition, separate us from Him.

The good news is that the passage above goes on to say, in verse 11, "And that is what some of you were. [sinners] But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." We've all sinned, in some way or another, but with salvation through Christ, we can be reconciled to God once again, despite our sins.

However, the passage does not say that we should condone sinful behavior. Instead it warns Christians against being "deceived" into believing that we can be tolerant of sinful behavior and still belong to God.

How then, can I be a good Christian, one who believes the Bible as the inspired word of God, and tolerate and accept a behavior that I know would separate a person from God? Is it loving or hateful to want a person to spend an eternity in heaven with God? Is it loving or hateful to go along with the crowd and allow thousands of men and women to fall into sinful lifestyles without saying a word against it? Is it loving or hateful to stand up against sinful behavior in order to prevent more people from being deceived and lulled into a false sense of security?

I truly, from the core of my being, believe that homosexuality is wrong and that it is a dangerous and risky lifestyle that puts many lives at risk. I firmly believe that it is not in the best interest of children to be raised by two dads or two moms. It is well documented that the homosexual lifestyle is risky to one's health. So why would I stand back and allow others to go down this destructive path without sounding a warning? Isn't it more compassionate, and therefore loving, to try to prevent others from being hurt?

And so this is why I am called "hateful" when I (and many, many others) take a stand against homosexuality, and especially legislation that attempts to force this lifestyle choice in my face again and again. Over and over again, homosexual activists try to enact legislation that will force the rest of us to accept their choices, even when those choices are harmful and destructive. Time and again, these activists call us hateful for taking a stand for what we believe in. Just like when the majority speaks, as in the case of Calif. Prop. 8, and we vote against homosexual legislation, we are called "hateful".

I, for one, am sick of it and I'm not going to sit back and just be silent anymore. Sometimes the truth offends. Sometimes the truth is not what we want to hear. But just because a minority is offended, this does not make me "hateful".

So I have this to say...if the homosexual activists want to call me names and pretend that I am a bigot or hateful, fine. It doesn't make it true. And if they keep pushing their sinful lifestyle in my face and down my throat, fine go ahead, but don't expect me to sit back and take it without a fight. I'm ready to fight and so are a lot of others. So give it your best shot but be ready for the rest of us "hateful" people. We love you so much, we'll fight to keep you from destroying yourselves and society.

Brrrrr....

And the snow season has officially begun!

We woke up to about 10-12 inches of snow this morning. It was barely snowing last night before bed, and then...this.

Above: The back deck. The snow is just piled up that high. No wind to make drifts.

Above and Below: View from the front door. The snow is up to Bella's tummy, so it has to be about a foot high. She enjoyed her morning romp (umm, I mean constitution) in the snow.

Fun stuff...except if you have to go anywhere!

Mama-Bear Syndrome

Today Emily and I went to the mall, partly to get out of the house, partly because I have B-day money to spend, and mostly because I need to start doing some Christmas shopping.

So anyhow, as is typical of our mall outings, we always end up in the play area. Usually there are 3-4 other kids there at any given time, often in the toddler range, sometimes older. Today, there were probably 20+ kids, mostly Em's age and younger. It was quite crowded and most of the kids belonged to a group of 3 moms who decided to park their large strollers in the entrance/exit and then sit in front of the strollers, completely blocking access in or out. There are comfy couch-like seats all around the play area where most (normal) parents sit, but as quickly became apparent, these moms weren't really concerned with proper etiquette.

Before I go on, allow me to characterize these women for you. All were dressed in the most fashionable Gap (or similar) clothing, had the most expensive purses and diaper bags, the most trendy strollers and jewelry and all of their (many) children were little mini-fashionistas.

Now lest you get the idea that I am jealous, think again. I could shop at the Gap (and do from time to time). I could have exactly what they have, but I don't really care about the latest trends, so I don't. I care more about Emily and more about how she acts than how she looks.

And this is where the Mama-bear instinct comes in....the worst offender in the above mom description had at least 4 boys, one of whom was brandishing a long sword the entire time. This wouldn't have bothered me that much if there were 3-4 kids playing there, or even if mom had been paying attention, but since neither scenario was the case, it was just a major menace as he ran around the area hitting people and generally being too wild. Then, the same child, who was playing with his little group of friends apparently couldn't be bothered to include anyone else. Emily, our little "friend to all" wanted to play and asked if she could, only to be told that she was in the way and bothering them. Then, to top it all off, the sword-brandishing boy came over to where I was sitting (a few feet from the 3 moms) and loudly told me, while pointing his finger at Emily, that "she was bothering them and they didn't like her and didn't want to play with her and that she had to leave them alone". He told this to me...her MOM. What nerve! I pretty much ignored his little tyrade and then quietly told Emily that he wasn't being very nice and that she should just go play with some of the other kids.

Then later, I was helping Em climb out of something in the play area and I quietly told her that I didn't want her climbing in it anymore (since you're not really supposed to be inside it anyway). Well, the same little brat (I mean boy) loudly told me that "I can do whatever I want to do!". Again, what nerve to mouth off to someone else's mom. I wasn't talking to him, and I told him that and then we walked away.

What is wrong with kids today? Oh wait...maybe it's parents who are so self-absorbed that they care more about appearances than character. Maybe it's a problem with parents who care more about fitting in with their friends than paying attention to their kids and taking the time to correct bad behavior. Maybe the problem lies in a culture that tells parents and educators that kids should be able to decide things for themselves, the consequences be darned. Perhaps it's the ridiculous propping up of self-esteem and praise for absolutely nothing that makes kids believe that they "can do whatever they want" and don't have to answer to anyone or be in submission to any authority.

Perhaps what's wrong with kids lies in the parents.

I'm not a happy Mama bear today. I couldn't protect her tender feelings, but I could teach her that we don't act like that because it's not nice, it hurts other people and it's rude. Somehow, I'm pretty sure little sword-boy hasn't ever heard that lesson, nor is he likely to anytime soon.

29: Going once, Going Twice....GONE!

Officially, I am still 29...at least until 7:49 pm. Then, another decade is behind me, with a new one staring me right in the face.

I was awakened this morning, as usual, to Emily yelling "Daddy...Mommy!!" (Repeat at will) Then I was instructed to stay in bed for a while. So I did...and I was treated to breakfast in bed. This breakfast consisted of a paper plate that read, "So many candles, so little breathe!" and on it was a granola bar (the breakfast of champions). I was also given the royal treatment: a plastic tiara, plastic clip-on earrings and 6 mardi-gras style beaded necklaces.

And this was all before I got out of bed.

I am told that I will going out to eat later, at the restaurant of choice. Em suggested Subway at Walmart, to which Daddy replied, "You are going to make some young man very happy someday." I believe she said, "I know." I am toying with the idea of either Red Lobster or Famous Dave's. Just not sure which fits my mood better yet. Then we will be shopping for a special controller for our recently purchased Wii game so that A and I can play the oldie but goodie, Donkey Kong game.

More to come later....until then, Life is Good!

And He Gave Them What They Wanted...

Sometimes, we get exactly what we ask for.

I am reminded today of the story of the first king of Israel. Since someone reading this might not know the story, I am going to include the passage of this event from I Samuel 8:1-22 (NIV version)

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges forIsrael. The name of the firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."


When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, "Listen to them and give them a king

This story has been on my mind a lot the last couple of days. It strikes me
as eerily similar to what we, the people of this country, are going through.

Some, like Samuel, hear the cries of the crowds for "change" and a new leader and recognize it for what it is...a rejection of the traditional principles that have successfully governed our country and the whole-hearted acceptance, despite the dire warnings, of something new...desiring to be just like the rest of the world.

Those of us who recognize the danger of choosing someone like Obama have been trying so hard to warn others that this modern-day king will not be what they hoped for. Instead, he will ultimately make things much harder for them. And because of all the hardship that he imposes, eventually the people will cry out to be rescued, but it may very well be too late. This is what the people wanted, and sometimes, God gives us EXACTLY what we ask for, even when He knows it will not be good, simply because He knows we have rejected Him and will no longer listen.

I believe that day came yesterday.

The majority of people got precisely what they have clamored for. The majority wanted Obama to be our leader. They put all their faith and trust in this man and they now expect him to fix all their problems, simply because he said the things they wanted to hear. Never mind that absolutely no earthly leader could fix those problems, the majority chose to trust in a man, so God gave them a man....and they will get that which they asked for.

However, it would be wise for the majority to remember that the words of God, to the people of Israel, when they begged Him for an earthly, physical leader. When a nation rejects it's Godly foundation and principles, the human leaders will be free to reign as they see fit and it won't be pretty. There will be taxes and war and pain and suffering and servitude. We will be BEGGING to be rescued, and God will no longer listen (for a time) because He tried to warn us. But we didn't listen.

The bright side of this story is that, just as with Israel, God is patient and loving and kind. He will probably choose to let us wallow in our own self-inflicted misery for a while, but He will not leave us alone, and if we humble ourselves and repent and change our ways, turning back to Him, then He will heal our land and deliver us from our bondage.

But as I always think when I read about the Israelites and their habit of turning away from God time and again, only to find themselves in deep doo-doo, wouldn't it have just been easier if they'd listened to God the first time?

And finally, to those who might be reading this and thinking...I DIDN't vote for Obama, but now I'm going to suffer along with those who did. Remeber that God is still in control and that He does not forget His children or abandon them. The words of the following hymn are a comfort to me, when I get discouraged, so I'll leave them for you:

Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or shame.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still my soul, thy best, they heavenly friend,

Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end.

Be still my soul; thy God doth undertake

to guide the future, as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still my soul, the waves and winds still know,

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Number 387

Well, I did my civic duty and voted this morning. I was vote number 387 in our polling place, and since I often vote around the same time of day for each election, I would say that the number is quite a bit higher than usual. I think I am typically only the 160th or so vote, but I might be remembering incorrectly.

I didn't really have to wait more than about 5 minutes and most of that was just the deaf poll workers trying to communicate with each other and find my name on the roster.

Sadly, I am virtually positive that my county will vote Democrat (as usual). Then they will continue to gripe and complain about unemployment and high taxes and gas prices and SOARING crime rates. You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. But will it stop them? Not a chance.

Oh well, I did my part, I have prayed and cast my vote and now I will wait...and avoid the MSM for as long as humanly possible as they will lie and skew every poll and result that drifts in. I have a feeling it could be a long night.

For the record, the cashier at Walgreens predicts an Obama landslide. I (politely) told her I didn't think so. We'll see who is right.

T-Rex...the Restaurant

On Monday evening, we ventured out to the Downtown Disney area (mostly shopping and restaurants) to try a brand new restaurant called T-Rex. We didn't have reservations and weren't sure if we would have trouble getting in, but as it turned out, we were seated immediately. If you've ever been to the Rainforest Cafe, this is run by the same people and is quite similar in the experience and quality of food. We all liked the restaurant, but I can only imagine what a dino-crazy little boy would have thought.

Above is a picture of the outside of the building. There is a HUGE dino skeleton (I was too close to get the whole thing) on the outside.

Inside, there are different theme rooms. We were seated beside the bar in the "coral reef" room. (Personally, I like this one the best as it is the most colorful.) Above the bar is a HUGE octopus and a very large salt-water fish tank. Our table was just to the right of this.

Right behind me was a rather large wooly mammoth that would periodically come to "life".

The room behind the coral reef was the "ice age" room. Everything appeared frozen and would change from blue to purple to orange/red. It was pretty cool...pun intended!

The picture above is from our table looking out to the entrance and (of course) the gift shop. Note the HUGE dino that greets you as you enter.

There were two other rooms, but the place was very busy and I didn't want to get in the servers' way more than I already was, so my pictures are not very good from there.

All in all, it was a do-again and I predict we will have to wait a lot longer next time!

Random Disney Moments

Mom and Emily, riding the teacups. (Mom was the only one brave enough to ride this with Em.)

Emily pulling on the "Sword in the Stone" in front of the "Horsey Merry-go-Round", a favorite for Emily.

Emily being "eaten" by Bruce the shark (of Finding Nemo fame)


Em, posing outside of the Finding Nemo ride/exhibit. The seagulls to the left of the sign periodically say "Mine, Mine, Mine". (You'd have to see the movie to get it)

And finally, Emily running around in the "Journey Into Imagination" exhibit. The squares on the floor would light up when the instrument on them was playing in the song. If a kid stepped on it while it was lit up, the instrument would sound. Emily LOVED this.

A Day Late...But Still Scary

Well Isn't This Rich?

Apparently all the "Hope" Obama is spreading around thick enough to need wading boots might just be a tad bit too optimistic.

According to Tim Reid, of the Times of London (as found on Fox News), Mr. Obama's plans for America sound too good to be true...even to Obama. As a result, senior advisors to Mr. Obama are drawing up plans to scale back expectations for the (already-won) Obama presidency so that all of his frenzied supporters who were counting on "change they can believe in" won't be too disappointed when it doesn't happen right away (or at all).

Says Mr. Obama, " 'The first hundred days is going to be important, but it's probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference,' he said. He has also been reminding crowds in recent days how 'hard' it will be to achieve his goals, and that it will take time."

So to all those Obama supporters out there, don't get your "hope"s up for too much "change" any time soon. You can keep "believing in" it, but you won't being seeing it in the near future. Even Obama is saying it will take at least 3 years to see any results...and that's only if his plans work. Guess you'd better "hope" his "change" is worth believing in!

Pre-school Costume Party

And now we break from Disney photos for a quick peek into the exciting times of a pre-school costume party.

Emily's school allowed the kids to wear their halloween costumes today (since this is the last day they go before halloween) and the classes had a little party with crafts and treats.

The first picture is of Emily with her best buddy Amelia on the left and Riley (who just wanted to be in the picture!). Note that while Em is likely the youngest among them, she is still the tallest.

Next we have and action shot. You might notice that Amelia is still close to Em. I have a feeling the whole time is like that most days.

And here we have Miss Emily and two of the boys in her class, playing with grape-scented playdoh.

Next I included the shot of the little boy on the far right because he really likes Emily. Apparently while we were on vacation, he was very concerned about her whereabouts every day and when she didn't come on Monday, he was REALLY worried. Apparently Mr. Ben likes Miss Em!

And finally, not related to the class party at all, Emily and I made and decorated sugar cookies with a fall theme. Pumpkins and leaves...and they taste good too!

A Meal Fit for a Princess (or Five!)

Our little Princess Emily loves anything and everything involving the Disney princesses. Every night for about a year and a half, she has slept in her "pincess besses" (aka princess nightgowns), she loves any and all princess movies and quite possibly one of the highlights of her trip was our breakfast with almost all of the Disney princesses.

We decided to try a new (to us) restaurant in Epcot, in the country of Norway, called Akershus that had a princess character breakfast. As with the dinner at Cinderella's castle (which apparently Cinderella never leaves) the meal included a photo package with Belle of Beauty and the Beast fame. The food was excellent, with a large fruit and pastry buffet and a nice family-style, all-you-care-to-eat hot food platter with sausage, bacon, eggs and cheesy potato casserole. As we dined, we were visited by four other princesses.

Above: Emily posing with Belle

Above: Emily and Snow White


Above: Em and her current favorite, Sleeping Beauty (forever known to us as "Seeping Booty")

Above: Miss Em with Princess Jasmine

Above: Last but not least, Emily with Mulan

Overall, the whole family enjoyed the meal and we decided that it was a definite do-again. I would recommend this to any family with little girls, as it was one of the more laid-back meet-and-greets.

Dinner at the Castle

On Monday evening, we dined royally. We took Emily to Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle to dine. The meal included a photo packagae with Cinderella herself, so Emily's night was made. The picture above (the lighted area with the huge windows) was the dining room, which over-looked Fantasy Land.

Above: Emily poses for her official photo with Cindy herself. We got a nice photo, but my camera was on a weird setting that wouldn't allow flash, so my pictures here weren't great.

Above: The Royal Menu

Above: Emily gets into the performance, waving her magic wand along with the music.

And finally, no Cinderella story would be complete without a visit from the Fairy Godmother and Cinderella's friendly mice. (Again, the picture quality was less-than-stellar.)