Candlekazam!!!

So, we made a little craft the other night. It involved wrapping toilet paper tubes with construction paper and adding paper wicks to create candles. On each wick we were supposed to write down a Christmas activity for our family to do during the coming month. However, we (the girls in our family) decided it would be a much better idea to write down some CRAZY activities for Dad to do to entertain us. We have decided to call this craft/event Candlekazam! Each day for six days, Dad draws out one wick and is required to do whatever it says. The first day he had to dance a crazy dance to whatever song Bennett and Ainsley chose. He did a fine job getting down to Kung Fu Fighting by Cee-Lo and Jack Black. Today he must go about the tasks of his day with a blindfold on for one half hour. Here are some photos taken during yesterday's challenge, and it was a challenge for him..."Let Bennett and Ainsley paint your toenails." Dad is such a good sport!

Stool Steps

Bennett and Ainsley have an affection for climbing apparatuses in our home. They refer to the three we have each as Stool Steps, as if that is the proper name of an inanimate object that has feelings and a life. Weird. Anyway, they both love Stool Steps and use them regularly for various purposes. However, last night our largest Stool Steps became useful in a new way...stadium seating in the living room. Above the children can be seen eating some cheese cubes while watching a favorite PBS television show of theirs, Antiques Roadshow. Two young children eating cheese on a step stool watching Antiques Roadshow is something you just don't see every day. We live in a house of unique and entertaining experiences!

To Grandmother's House We Go...

Last night we were off to enjoy an evening of football and pizza at Grandpa and Grandma's house. Prior to heading out the door, Bennett decided she needed to wear an old cap and a pirate's eye patch. She also decided she should do a little Kung Fu. I'm not sure why the transition of going to a grandparent's house sparked these last minute changes. Strange kid!

New Threads

The Girls recently received some beloved dolls from their Great Auntie. They cherish them, and tonight they were delighted to receive two large bags of clothing for their dolls. While rummaging through the many items, Bennett and Ainsley found a few pieces that they could fit into themselves. Above, Ainsley is wearing some pink and white pinstriped bibs with a light blue sweater and hat. Bennett is modeling some red bloomers with a tiny kimono and a red night cap of sorts.

Here we have more doll clothing...Ainsley found a nice, red swimsuit. However, she did have to cover her chest for the photo. Slightly inappropriate. Bennett has a lovely little sweater on, and again you see the red night cap of sorts. She actually wore the night cap to bed. It's on her head at this very moment. Thanks, Auntie!!!

Blankets + Slick Floors = Lots of Fun

The Girls spent the majority of their evening on Wednesday enjoying a new activity. It is called "Pull Your Sister Around the House On a Blanket." There was a large amount of laughing, screaming, squealing, huffing and puffing going on, not to mention several near-misses between heads and walls or furniture.

These two had a great time, and they slept very well that night!

And The Winner Is...

Several weeks ago Bennett came home from school telling us that she had been instructed to color a picture for a coloring contest. Her teacher said that prizes would perhaps be rewarded to the winners of the contest. That was the end of the discussion. Today, Bennett came waltzing out of the school with a little mouse in hand. Today she found out that she won 1st place in the Kindergarten division of the said coloring contest! She was given a lovely certificate of recognition and she received a Beanie Baby mouse named Cheddar. She is absolutely thrilled, as she has never before won a contest! Her only disappointment is that they misspelled her last name of the certificate, but she is willing to overlook the error, she said. Congratulations, Bennett, on your fine accomplishment!

When Big Sis Is Not Looking...

What goes on while Bennett is at school? Ainsley does things that she knows would never fly when Bennett is home! Today she is enjoying her big sister's beloved, flannel, Christmas duckie nightgown. Oh yeah!

Let It Snow!

Oh, the joy of a season's first snow! Bennett and Ainsley were thrilled to see snow falling as we walked out the door on our way to school this morning!

Both girls enjoyed the flakes on their little cheeks and they also tried to eat a few!

At our house we follow this equation...

Snowflakes = Christmas Music!!!

Recent Gallery Additions

Bennett continues to draw up a storm. Here are a couple of pictures she drew this evening...

Here we have a fine Thanksgiving sketch featuring a traced-hand turkey and two traced-index finger Pilgrims. I think the turkey may be resting his snood on the lady Pilgrim's hat. Interesting...

Bennett is advancing from exteriors to interiors of homes. Here is the interior view of a dancer's home. She is getting ready to go to her dance lesson, I'm told. I personally enjoy the sun shining in through the window and the pet door featured in one of the doors. I also like how the picture on the wall is hung by a tack-like fixture. Fine illustration, Bennett!

Weekend News

Here are some highlights from our first weekend in November. Now, you may be looking at the first photo and asking yourself, "Who are these two children? What does this have to do with Bennett and Ainsley?" Well, over the weekend we hosted a Slicky Boot Awarenss Party with some friends. However, I took not a single photo of my children enjoying the party. Therefore, here are two other cute girls who were enjoying the party. They appear to be digging things of great interest and contemplation up in the yard during a FloamBall tournament being played by their fathers. On Sunday, what better to do than to stare out the window for a long period of time at a group of teenagers attempting to start and teeny, tiny motorcycle!? Bennett was quite intrigued by these happenings outside our home. As she watched she told me that the scenario playing out in the street was "as good as watching a t.v. show!" Funny thing is, the hooligans never did get that crazy little motorcycle to run! We did have a meaty talk about teenagers, their behaviors and such while we watched them yank and yank and yank the pull to start the motorcycle. Bennett told me that if she had two phrases to describe teenagers they would be "crazy" and "double crazy." Oh, the wisdom she as already achieved at her young age!

Finally, we spent Sunday evening as a family watching a PBS documentary on a pair of orphaned cheetahs. It was a very interesting show for both parents and children. Here the girls are lounging with me during the show. Not only did we learn some things about cheetahs, we learned some things about Bennett. She apparently LOVES African sunsets, and she will NEVER eat the back end of a gazelle, as a cheetah would. Interesting. I'm glad to learn that.