A Few Fall Photos

We picked up Great Grandma Norma and took her to the park to play. The kids rode bikes and scooters and brightened GG's day.

Sadie's class made turkey tail hats during their Thanksgiving party. Mama got to help out!

Thanksgiving at the P-Pod. Shenanigans abound.

With all the wonderful things to do and see at the Safari Park, all the kids want to do is ride the carousel.

Grandma took Benji and Sadie to the Old Globe Theater to see The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It's now an annual tradition for the 5-and-older crew. Of course they had to dress up.

I grew up in a home where we always had real trees, and the smell of a live/cut/dying evergreen tree is a hallmark of my Christmas experience. And by golly I wanted to have that for my kids. But, man oh man, getting this artificial tree a few years ago has been one of the keys on the chain of holiday sanity for us.

So for now, this is how we do it.

Every now and then this occurs: peaceful playing by the fireplace, the whole lot of them.

PRICE. LESS. This was taken after the kids' (Benji and Sadie) Christmas concert. Sadie's not tired or punchy or anything...

Sacajawea Obsession

Ever since seeing Night at the Museum, Sadie has had a certain obsession with Sacajawea. Pocahontas has NOTHING on her.

So Grandma sewed a couple of Native American dresses for the girls, and they are worn about three times a week for some adventure or another. I'm pretty sure I have to wash them as frequently as anything in the girls' real wardrobe.

Black Bean Burritos and Independence

THIS KID.

(I'm using these photos even though they have nothing to do with the story. At least they are recent shots of this kid.)

THIS KID.

So he got out from soccer practice and, of course, he was hungry. As I was driving him home, he asked about what he could eat.

More spaghetti? NO. 

Leftover chili-lime chicken and rice? *Wrinkled nose*

Salad? I'm going to have salad.  Ew, Mom. 

OK, I said. You can have whatever you want, but you have to make it. And clean it all up. Everything?  Yes. Everything you use. Spotless. Because Papa and I have already cooked and cleaned, and we are done for the evening.

He decided on a bean burrito. That meant he had to open a can of black beans. Find the colander. Rinse and season the beans. Roll them up with grated cheese in a tortilla. Microwave it. Not particularly hard, but he is a nine-year-old.

He did it. A few questions about where to find things like cumin and granulated onion and garlic powder...but he did it. AND he cleaned up!

After all was said and done, he came to me so proudly. I had two burritos and a side of beans, Mom! I did it all myself!

(I did not mention how TWO bean burritos AND a side of beans would probably not feel so good tomorrow.)

And now he's in bed reading a chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird, which I handed over to him two nights ago because he has read everything else that is remotely appropriate in our house, and we haven't had time to go to the library. AGAIN. And we have a lot of books in this house. Fat books. Entire series of fat books. He has read them all. Sometimes more than once.

One of the coolest things, I think, is watching your kids mature into the capable, interesting people you hope they'll be. THIS KID. He's totally getting there.