Advent Calendar Season

We delayed our return trip by a bit because this happy tête-à-tête just kept going!

Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way...

 

A few Thanksgiving photos of the busy cousins in Valdosta

 

The Thankful List 2022

 At age 8 Dorothy is thankful for:

• That Timon's [her piano teacher's dog's] eye is getting better
• Planet Earth because it has so many people on it
• The same thing as you [Mama said "our picture book reading time."]
• CCD
• for Livia being my friend
• Marnie & Brownie, the goats at my school
• for having such a silly Mama
• that I have such funny parents
• that you got that Lego set ahead of time and that I'm paying you back
• Baby Josie & all the cute babies in the world
• my friends
• playdates.  I'm thinking of the wonderful playdate with Elias yesterday, and today's.
• for being thankful--that's the only thing I can think of
• I know this might be silly but I'm thankful for my Squishmallows.
• for me finding my Hatchi Crystal Pixie Flying Fairy
• my family
• ice cream.  Actually, I'm thankful for dairy pills!
• Greek myths
• Olivia's Space Academy
• blankets
• for you [Mama] doing embroidery & diamond painting
• for your [Mama's] china doll
• all of my family

Goodbye Arendelle, hello outer space

And it's off to the store for longer pants

Oobleck: a non-Newtonian fluid

The Sunday Funnies

When Dorothy received the Star Student of the Month award, she came home with a blue ribbon, which she identified as a bookmark.

I write notes that I put in Dorothy's lunchbox, and for the past couple months I've written a joke on each note.  Yesterday she told me, "Mom, I want you to stop writing jokes on my notes."  "Why?" I asked.  "Because it feels like you're not really talking to me," she said, "just telling me a joke."

Something I did to Dorothy's tablet made her podcast start over again.  She complained that she would have to listen for 25 minutes to catch-up, and I suggested that she fast-forward.  "Don't worry, Mom," she told me, "it won't actually be 25 minutes.  It will just feel like 25 minutes."

An ad on t.v. announced that the movie Disenchanted was now streaming.  "Now?" I asked.  "I thought it was going to drop on Disney+ on Thanksgiving Day."  Dorothy answered, "I think they mean now streaming in theaters."

Update: Mission Complete

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