Fast Thinking

Last night, my husband went in to check on the girls before we went to bed (as usual).

He stopped by Annabel's room and found her sound asleep, sprawled across her bed, upside down with a book in her hand (as usual).

When he opened the door to peek at Ella, though, she stirred and started crying. Trying to keep her from waking up, he started patting her, saying "Shhhh...Shhhh..." Instead of soothing her, Ella started crying out in a sleepy voice "Oh, no! It's a snake!" Thinking quickly, he started hooting like an owl instead.

She went right back to sleep.

Guitar Owl

Hopes and Dreams

Annabel and her classmates were instructed to write down a special hope or dream and draw a picture to go with it. I submit this as proof kids do in fact see the world in a completely different way than adults.

A few of my favorites:

I hope I don't fall in a cactus.

I wish my sister would be quiet and the world doesn't blow up.

I hope we have burgers for dinner. No pickles. I don't like pickles.


And here is Annabel's. Naturally, it's my favorite favorite.

A New Holiday

Annabel likes to come up with her own holidays and special events. We've had Special Gift Giving Day, Tea Party Day, and Spirit's Feeling Sad and Needs a Present Day, among many others.

Yesterday was camping day.

I know, the weather is frigid and there's snow on the ground, but it was camping day all the same. Now, you're probably imagining tents and campfires (and thinking how crazy I must be), so I should explain a little more (as it was explained to me). Camping day happens in the living room and involves a sleeping bag, a stack of books, and every stuffed animal in the house. Everyone has to be on the sleeping bag at all times, no matter how cramped it is, and you have to share the books. Conveniently, the sleeping bag easily slides along the floor, with everything piled on top, so it can be relocated in the bedroom come bedtime.

So, mark your calendars for Camping Day 2012! It'll be here before you know it!

The New Joke

There's a new source of amusement in my house. It involves Ella, whatever she's wearing, and a hysterically laughing Annabel.

This is how the gag goes:

First Ella will say "Is it good?" (She says this with amazing clarity. Probably because she asks everyone the same question five-hundred times at dinner every night). Then Annabel, laughing the whole time, will answer "Mmm! Yes! Try it!". This is Ella's cue to take her sock (or sleeve or pant leg) in her mouth and pretend to eat it.

It's funny. Really funny. Well, it is if you're a little girl, I suppose. Judging from the squealing and laughing, it's the funniest thing EVER.

Spirit Gets Into MORE Mischief

Spirit--Annabel's crazy, mischievous kitty who inspired the painting in this post--managed to outdo himself. We were sitting in the living room, getting the kids ready for bed, when we heard the most piteous meows ever uttered. Sound tends to echo off our hardwood floors, so we looked EVERYWHERE for the cat (Annabel was in a panic, because he's her "baby").

We checked in the pantry. No cat. The bathrooms. No cat. The closets. No cat. Under all the furniture. No cat. We were running out of options. That's when I happened to open one of the drawers in the kitchen. There he was, squished in with the dishrags and the tea towels.