M's Question: Is Santa Claus real?

Santa Claus going up our chimney in Keller, Texas.

M trying to catch Santa Claus putting out presents but she feel asleep.

When M came home for dinner last night and immediately after the prayer.

M- "Mom".  

Mom - "Yes"

M-  "I have a very important question to ask you and I want you to be honest with me"

Was how she started.  

Mom - "Of course",  I reminded her.  

Then she began.  

M- "Mom,  I need to you to tell me the truth.  Is Santa Claus real?  Are you and Daddy pretending to be Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus?"

Mom - "Where is this coming from? Tell me what is on your mind."

M- "What is on my mind is that I am thinking he is not real and then there is part of me that thinks he his real."

Mom - "What would it benefit you if he wasn't real?"

M - "What would benefit me is that I could stop waiting into all hours of the night waiting for him to come down the chimney and being able to see Rudolph's nose.  I could actually get some sleep on Christmas Eve."

Then M's little brother interrupts.

E - "I've seen Rudolph's nose."

M- "Have you really?"

E - "Yes"

M - "Does it glow?"

E - "Yes, just like this." (Then proceeds to gesture with his hand)

M - "Have you seen it for real... or on the movie?"

E -  "The movie"

M - "Then you have not seen Rudolph for real"

E - "We did at Thanksgiving Point"

M - "Those were Reindeer, but that was not Rudolph."

Then after that the conversation just drifted somewhere else until I heard.

M- "May I please be excused"

Mom - "Yes, you may"

M picks up her plate and drink pushes her chair and places them in the sink.

Then I hear almost an exact repeat of being excused from the table from E and our conversation is over.

Watching Luke / Thanksgiving Point

E was so sad this morning when he woke up and his buddy L was not here.  He told me very sweetly, "Mommy I miss L!  I want him to come back to our house."  I love how cute he is with little kids.  He loved that L followed him around all day.  I watched him last Friday and yesterday and here is a video of the both of them.  L is the son of another one of my best friends from growing up in California.  It is so great to live only 15 minutes from each other.

We started the day by sending M off to school with a sleeping bag and pillow pet for a read-a-thon in her class.  She was so cute and excited.

We ended up meeting with my best friend and her family at Thanksgiving Point's Dinosaur Museum.  We actually stayed the longest we have ever.  Staying for 2 1/2 hours.

Unfortunately I took my camera but in the process of downloading pictures didn't put my memory card back in the camera so I need to search for our original camera cord to pull them off which I don't recall where it would be since I have not seen it or paid attention to it since we moved from Texas.

I saw some sweet cameras that I saw various Mom's using.  I quizzed them about their cameras and would love to know if you have one you like and what kind it is.   I am looking for picture quality.  

Best Friend Came Into Town From Ohio

My best friend from growing up, who was how I met Chad, came into visit from Ohio.  I still remember that it was only one day into my visit to Utah when I just turned 14 years old that we meet.  We have tons of memories and lots of which include Chad.  It is always so nice to have great friends that you have known forever and who know all the details that you never have to give background history.  I am very grateful for our friendship.  I was even there when she met her husband for the first time.

We had a great time eating at Olive Garden tonight.  We chat all the time so it was not like we were trying to play catch up.  

I ended up going to the Dr. earlier in the day and finding out that I have bronchitis today.   I didn't want to miss out seeing her and vice versa.  The next time we could see each other she would have her kids so this might be the only time. (Cross fingers that I get better.)  

It was so fun and great to see each other minus the bronchitis of course.  My plan is to take it easy so I get better and don't have to go in for a chest x-ray.  

Challenge: To Blog Everyday in June

My friend Jessica gave a challenge about blogging everyday in June.  I am one of those who is so guilty of not blogging.  So guilty that my private blog is still back on Christmas Eve 2010.  I think I started my new public blog so the guilt would go away.  Who knows exactly why.

So I am going to do it.

M's School Trip To The Zoo w/ Our Camera

M's first grade class went to the Zoo.  Since I just had surgery and would have been released to normal activities two days earlier  I decided not to volunteer to chaperon.  I was pretty sad as E and I were making our way home from the gym and saw the buses pulling onto the main road.  I thought to myself, "There goes my baby on her first bus ride."  I was grateful for my friend's husband who chaperoned his daughter.  We carpool together and those two girls are so sweet together.  

I let M take our camera to the Zoo.  I wanted to be able to capture the memories.  Part of me hoped she would lose the camera.  Not that I wanted the memories lost but I really want a new camera.   One of those fancy ones that take amazing pictures.  Though I have a great small camera that has treated us well for the last 4 years.  

Video M captured.

M's Friends

Of course we have to pose.  What would be a picture with out her posing.

Tender.

Love seeing all that she wanted captured.

How do you measure up?

Too cute.

I loved seeing all of her pictures and here are just a few.  Next year I hope that I will be able to join her on her next adventure.

Bountiful Baskets

We have really been enjoying our Bountiful Basket that we have been getting each week (or whenever we order it).   The bananas on the left we got were in addition to our normal order.  We let them ripen and then froze most of them.

We have loved the variety and the kids are always so excited to see what we got in our basket this week.    I have loved trying to figure out how to use all the veggies and fruits in our meals.

I Want The Kitten To Sleep With Me

Our Conversation while putting the kids to bed.

E: I want the kitten to sleep with me.

M: Bells slept with you last night, tonight is my turn.
(E's sad)

Me: No, worries E.  After M falls asleep she always ends up on your bed.
(E is happy, M is sad)

Me:  M I was just saying that, so E would not be sad.
(M now happy.  Chad and I walk out of the room.)

Chad:  Nice save.  That was quick on your toes.
(Around 4 am I moved kitten from E's bed to M's.)

M: (In the morning): Bells slept with me all night!!!

(M extremely happy)

Me:  Wow!!  Very nice!

Isabella, but we call her Bells.