Dorothy saved-up her money for this Lego set: Olivia's Space Academy

She reached her goal more quickly than we expected!

Here's how she did it:
$5 leftover birthday money
$6 leftover from Gram & Big Daddy's Halloween treats
$4 chores
$40 selling her Peppa Pig toys

Bivalent Boosted

*and a tetanus booster for Brian who already got 4x vaxxed

Thanksgiving feast at school

So Dorothy decided to sell some of her old toys to buy a certain Lego set. Goodbye, Peppa Pig set that Santa brought my 3-year-old!

We mailed a letter this weekend

The Sunday Funnies

I asked Dorothy's opinion on some new clothing choices, which included primaries, pastels, etc.  "I'm more into outer space colors," she informed me.

"How many hours do you think you've played with your Legos this weekend?" I asked.  "Do you expect me to count time?" Dorothy retorted.

Dorothy is at her first sleepover tonight (photo courtesy of text updates from the other mom)

Neighborhood friend Elias visited today

Marigold, from Phoebe and her Unicorn, with a book tail (book character dress-up day)

Peanut butter ball from the weekend

Dorothy staged this picture for her Book Week poster

Children's Book Week

The Sunday Funnies

Dorothy, fresh from bed:  "When I have a small stuffed animal in my bed, it feels like I'm supposed to take care of it.  When I have a big stuffed animal in my bed, I feel like it's taking care of me."

When I picked Dorothy up from school I told her that Brian had gotten his Covid booster that day, so he might be feeling bad and grumpy.  I meant that she should be kind and gentle, but she replied, "I'll stay away from him."

Dorothy let me know that a kid in her class used "the word that starts with an Hh that sounds like the Ff word."  After a few more questions, I figured out that she meant "heck."

Dorothy has decided to write a chapter book

Presenting this month's Star Student!

Spot Hammy

Halloween 2022

 Video:  https://youtu.be/SjyUAYo2A-A

We checked out some Halloween decorations around town this weekend

The Sunday Funnies

Out of the blue from the backseat, Dorothy said, "I feel like four is a big number, but three is a small number."

I asked Dorothy if she had any parrot stuffed animals for my pirate costume, and when she said no, I told her I would make one out of felt.  "And if you want to be really creative," she told me, "you can wear one of my flamingoes and dress it up like a parrot."

Marshpoint Fall Festival (and the booth Sarah helped build)

Ready for the trunk-or-treat

Midnight costuming

Taco Prep / Taco Joy

Bunk beds abound

Fresh from the bath

The Sunday Funnies

Dorothy was telling me about something served in the lunch room, which included a discussion of chicken legs and chicken wings.  I asked her a question about the difference, and she said, "I don't know.  I think Evalyn might have been confused.  I'm getting all my facts from Evalyn."

The temperature dropped into the 40s here, and I turned on the truck's heater for the first time.  After a few sniffs, Dorothy said, "It smells like Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's."

Dorothy and the boys

Uncle Daniel

Andrew

Maddux

 

Spot the girls (after school playdate with Amelia)

Long yo-yo string

Brian's college roommate passed through town; our kids played Cups

Festival Flashback

Dorothy presents "Opening Day at the New Lego Hospital"

The Sunday Funny

Dorothy and her friend were making a craft; the other mom reminded her daughter to use the paint sparingly.  Dorothy commented, "This might be a good time to use the phrase less is more."

Gulfstream Family Day

 Video:  https://youtu.be/U4DNokY52zU

50th day of school

Weekend Flashback

Pictionary

What you need to know is that I've had a terrible time finding a Girl Scout troop for Dorothy.  I've looked for months, with no success.

Last night we were playing Pictionary, and Dorothy's prompt, it turns out, was Girl Scouts.  She explained her drawing:  a daisy, brownies, a girl wearing patches, and me (Mama) on the computer, looking for a troop.

Doll salon

Goat yoga

The Sunday Funnies

We needed gloves for a craft project.  Latex gloves must have popped into Dorothy's mind, because she said, "We need the kind that smell like the dentist."

We've seen the actor Tony Hale in lots of shows lately, including The Mysterious Benedict Society, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and, this weekend, Hocus Pocus 2.  Dorothy noted, "He might get hired for everything because he can laugh so long and so well."

For Christmas last year Dorothy bought me a mug and she bought Brian a stuffed animal from her school's "Santa Shop."  I use my mug daily, and Brian displays his stuffed animal on his bookshelf.  Out of the blue this week, I told Dorothy, "I just love this mug.  It says World's Best Mom, but I think it should say World's Best World's Best Mom Mug."  A few quiet seconds passed.  "Mama, you are the world's best mom," Dorothy said.  My heart melted.  After a beat, she added, "There was also a mug at the Santa Shop that said World's Best Dad, but I didn't get it because..."  Pregnant pause.  She finished:  "Because it had dinosaurs on it, and Daddy likes cute things, so I got him the stuffed animal instead."

Dorothy is never so still as at the dentist

Just your typical October morning

Hammy Love

Really working on the handstand lately

We went in our pajamas to buy a pumpkin. Sometimes we take pictures of toys we don't buy.

And Happy Birthday, Gram!

Potions

Home for the Hurricane

Mud pie with her neighborhood bestie

Oreo phases of the moon (photo from school)

 

Yesterday these girls closed down our neighborhood pool for the season

The Sunday Funny

We were playing Family Trivial Pursuit, and a kids' card asked a question that Dorothy would not know.  I said I would give her three answer choices:  Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, or Bill Clinton.  "Bill Clinton," Dorothy guessed.  "No," I answered, "It's Richard Nixon."  "The only person I know out of those is Bill Clinton," she said, "so I thought that you might have made up the others."