Thanksgiving Part 2 (and yes, I realize it's late)

We drove up to Dewey (think right before Prescott Valley) after we left Jim and Brenda's to bunk at Granddad and Nana's house. I slept in the same room with Miles and didn't realize until then just HOW LOUD a sleeper he is! He never woke up, but he talks in his sleep and at one point started kicking the pack-n-play in a rhythmic fashion for a half hour. Sucker. Josh and his Granddad went golfing in the morning, so the kiddos and I left to head up to Grandma Cheryl's house in Paulden (think north of Prescott).

Miles, Nana and Kate Miles' favorite spot at Grandma's Kate and Granddad eating guacamole. Kate totally double-dipped. Uncle Ben and Aunt Stacey. Baby Natalie is all set to arrive sometime around the first of December. Oh, and Skip Bo is boring. Kate and Aunt Cara Miles and Uncle Jake Gavin

Miles' second favorite spot

Grandma Cheryl and the boys. There is always someone playing some type of music around there.

Stacey and her new mobile. Come out, girl! Seriously!

Miles: "Hey, these books are neat!"

Gavin: "Yes, reading is fundamental."

Miles: "Your book looks a bit more exciting than mine. I would like to eat it."

Gavin: "It does appear to have more pages than yours."

Miles: "I will take it then!"

Gavin: "Ummm..."

Miles: "I do enjoy the taste."

Gavin: "Give it back! Just because you're twice my size..." Miles and Mommy

Thanksgiving Part One

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's all about food, family and reflecting just deep enough to be aware that life is really good and that there is lots to be thankful for. There isn't a depression when the day is over because Christmas is coming and it's all just beginning. No gifts to buy, so you can (mostly) avoid crowds - unless you are in charge of pies and hit AJ's the day before, which, as you remember, was where I saw the two-legged dog. We had a three town tour this year and started if off in North Phoenix at Jim and Brenda's house with my side of the family. There were delays right off the starting gate with me forgetting the jackets and the whip cream at home, traffic on the I-10 (the whole north bound lane is a parking lot until January when the huge fair leaves town. Everyone slows down to stare at the pretty lights. AAAAGHH!), and Kate needing to go to the bathroom on the one day that every store is closed.

I am thankful that my family waited for us before digging in. You see, when they say "2:00," they mean 2:00. Not 2:15 and definitely NOT 2:30, which was our arrival time.

Kate's "donkey kick" on the tramp

Brandon and Kate.

She is really learning fast how to grab whatever grown-up is around drag them with her to wherever she wants to go.

Miles

Brittany and me

Kate hanging out in the backyard.

Brandon, Eli, Irish Matt and Dani

My dad and Kate eating the infamous AJ's pumpkin pie

We celebrate Kate and my mom's birthdays on Thanksgiving. She got some pots and pans and play food for her "kitchen" - which is what she calls her closet.

Seriously, What Is Up With My Life?

Here's another chunk of our life around here - riveting, I know. We were all set to take our Christmas pictures yesterday around noon. Last year, I attempted to fix my own hair and makeup - in addition to that fact, the pictures were taken at the break of dawn and I was super pregnant and puffy. So, fast forward back to present day where I did not make a hair/makeup appointment in time to see my wonderful Christine, so an Other gave me highlights and the face of a hooker. I was running late, and of course... ran right into a truck at the on ramp. A truck that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and then stopped in front of me. (I was looking left, and I thought he went - alas) The guy came barreling out of his barely dented truck - mine had a scratch and my airbag is set to go off at 5 mph, so I really didn't hit him THAT hard - yelling and screaming some encouraging and helpful words. AND ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS... I look like a hooker! So, I started crying, because I was tired and late and he probably thought I look like this all of the time and we have to do these pictures today, because LOOK AT MY FACE! I'M CAMERA READY! Well, he called the police and didn't apologize to the scary looking woman who was crying in her car while simulaneously blotting and trying to reschedule Christmas pictures. Thankfully, the kids weren't with me because it totally would have freaked Kate out.

The pictures went great, even though Kate did fake smiles just to make me nuts. Thanks Joe. Afterwards, we went to Rawhide for my mom's birthday. Yeah, Rawhide. It just isn't that exciting if you aren't three or from Boston.

PICTURES ALREADY!

Kate and I at our Rawhide dinner, see the smile? It might be all over your Christmas photo from us. Oh, and I ate buffalo. And my makeup was much tamer by then.

My parents, who were trying to show Kate how to smile properly.

Miles, who ate everything near him and then started on the table itself.

I have not, however, ridden a camel before. I spent the whole ride trying to figure out how to save Kate if we slid off. The camel's name was Joseph, but Kate kept calling him "Jofes." She also read the stop sign letters backwards to me today. Is this dyslexia or just that she's thinking in Japanese?

My mom and Miles - this is his favorite game. "Go to sleep." "Wake up!" He has regressed and calls everyone Mama now - I'm ok with it.

Sheriff Kate

She wanted to ride the sheep.

Today, Kate informed me that she had an email address. It's "I 26" if you want to reach her. We went to my parent's house today to drop off Thanksgiving pies, so my dad and I took the kids to the park by their house. They had a bath when we got back and I realized then that I had no diapers or clothes for Miles. My mom had two things: one of Kate's old swim diapers - which leaked all over her, dripping down her arm - and this...

My little lady.

I also saw a weiner dog at AJ's that was walking on his front paws because his entire lower half was encased in some sort of wheelchair contraption and I got kicked of Craigslist for being "inappropriate."

A Handsome Reason To Celebrate

What a year it has been! Scotty turns one tomorrow, so we all partied it up at Arrowhead Park last Saturday.

The Birthday Boy

Amelia and Owen

Big Scott (as we like to call him)

Scotty and Miles

Kate

We had a blast, even though there was a noticable shortage of balloon animals. Check out Mini and Brother for more pictures.

Triple Dooty

I headed to the far reaches of 7th St. and Happy Valley yesterday to help Tina with the triplets. She has a nanny a couple of times a week and her mom takes the night shifts, but she relies on volunteers on the other days. As a matter of fact, she and Brian also manage the Saturday night round, so I'm sure she's up with them right now. I don't think "exhausted" quite covers it. All three babies are home and weighing in between 8.5 to 9 pounds each.

I spent a good chunk of the day with Braden. He took a couple good naps on my shoulder.

Braden

My aunt Yoshiko was there as well. We got to visit with each other for a bit while we rocked and fed and burped and held and soothed and changed the babies. This is Yosh with sweet little Alyssa.

I didn't get a picture of Davin, but I'll get one next time. They all seem to be doing well. Tina got a nap and a shower - complete with a good hair washing and I came home with a renewed appreciation for babies that sleep through the night.

At Least He Didn't Die In My Living Room

It's really not that big of a job. Seriously. Kate's big girl room has been painted, but not decorated for over six months and it is high time that something is done. We just wanted someone to take off the baseboards, put the new ones up, install easy crown molding and nail wooden stripes and a bookshelf on one wall. If you can't picture it, someday I'll post a picture of the finished project...but not today! Noooooooooooooooooo... we hired "Wayne" and here's his story.

First off, I should have paid attention to his older sounding voice, or maybe a red flag should have gone up when he said that he would be here after his doctor's appointment. Poor Wayne turned out to be, like, a hundred and six and with all of the wheezing and clutching of the knees, I felt really mean to be making him work.

This is what Kate's room started off looking like. I took this before he began working in the hopes of posting "before" and "after" pictures tonight. Well, that's not going to happen.

About halfway through the morning, he asked me for a piece of bread (yes, I had already given him a glass of water) to take with his medication. I opted for toast with butter and jelly because, man, this guy was old and he hadn't brought any food. I realized at this point that poor Wayne had been here for close to two hours and only had the baseboards removed. Ummm... we are paying him $40 by the hour, people.

Another hour later, I talked to Josh and we decided that it was just crazy to let him spend all day here when the job could have been done in half that time. So here I am, almost in tears because I have to tell this sweet old man that he needs to finish up the baseboards and go home. AAAUUGGHH!

I am a terrible liar, but I just can't tell him that he has to go because he is so. freaking. slow. As I pull into the driveway (we had to get out the house, Kate was all "Wayne, here's my frog." and "Wayne, watch me dance!") I see his car for the first time.

He had his tools in the trunk.

I am just really hoping that this was for his wife or something.

Anyway, I choked and mumbled a lot about the kids needing to take naps, and the pounding wouldn't be good for sleeping and I had Bunco tonight (what?!) and I just didn't think it would take this long and and and and...

He totally did NOT buy it and kept asking if he did something wrong. Ouch. He ended up leaving, but didn't bill me because HE THINKS HE COMING BACK ON MONDAY! It is well established that I suck in these types of situations and that we should all live in a commune because Katie would be much better suited for this kind of crap.

Here's what Kate's room looks like now:

Wayne did a good job on the baseboards, but they should look good - he worked on them all day long!

Meanwhile, Kate's a wreck because her bed is all wrong and please put my nightstand back and my fan should be over there and why is my other table here!!!!!!!!!

For the love of all that is holy, I could use some help over here.

Kate's Favorite Ladies

I hosted a holiday boutique on Saturday - sorry if you missed it, we had a chocolate fountain - and Angie and Sierra came over to hang out with Kate and Miles while I was gone. Here are a few shots of what goes on when I leave them alone.

I bought these shoes for church, but somehow she keeps getting them out of her drawer at night and then sleeps with them on. This, I assume, was how they found her in the morning.

Sierra and Kate

Kate just adores the girls and she gets "exciting" when they come over. What a blessing they are to us.