ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS...........

Mimi started her Christmas letter to Santa way back in June of this year.

Mimi: Mom, you know what a iPod is?
Mom: No, what is it?
Mimi: (big wide open eyes) You don't know what an iPod is ?!!! Blake has one. It where you take these two thingies and stick them in your ear and you listen to music.
Mom: You also asking Santa for a cell phone? Why?
Mimi: So I can text you!
Mom: You can just talk to me you know.

Last month when dad did the bills he asked if I had been texting a lot as we were $50.00 over our planned payment. "Nope" I answered. Then we both pointed our fingers at Mimi who sheepishly said "But I NEEDED to text Sara!"

SITTING IN THE HOT SEAT

For months and months I have telling Mimi to brush her teeth longer
only to get the rolling of the eyeballs and her saying with a long
heavy sighing voice of "I know mom!"

Well let me tell you, she now knows why I have been nagging her all
these months. She now has one cavity. Fortunately it was not so bad.
The doc did not have to numb her up. She did feel a bit of mild
discomfort though. The bad part was that it is on her adult tooth. So
it will be there permenantly.

BUTCH AND TEDDY

Butch is happy that school has started cause now he gets to see his
old friends again too. This is Teddy, then there is Lola the Princess
Pug, then there is Rex the Pugle (Zoe's dog) and then some. Come this
Sunday he will have a playdate with Ziggy and Marley as both he and
Mimi will be staying with Krista while dad and I attend dad's company
picnic at the boss's home up in Clyde Hill.

THE THINGS THAT COMES OUT OF MY CHILD'S MOUTH

This was this mornings conversation.

Mom: (reading fb) Wow! Brandy says that Halliwell is going to school by herself today.
Mimi: Well then, if Halli's going to school by herself WHY can't I go to school by myself?!
Mom: Because I'm going to walk with you that's why.
Mimi: Well.......I know that when I get college age, I'm going to walk to college BY MYSELF!
Mom: I hope so.

Then this evening Krista stopped by to see if her little boy Xander (5 yo) could spend a couple of days with us next week while she and her husband go to San Fransico to take care of some personal business. And as a whole lot of us know, Mimi has been dying to get a brother along with a sister.

Mom: Hey Mimi, now's your chance. Your going to get a brother for a couple of days.
Mimi: SEND HIM BACK! I CHANGE MY MIND!
Mom: But why??? You said that you always wanted a brother.
Mimi: I know but send him back. He is going to mess up everything in my room.

Like the girl has never done that before. Krista and I just busted up laughing. Krista says that this could a trial run for Mimi to decide if she really wants a brother.

THE PROPER WAY TO SWING ON A SWING

When the parade was done (only about one mile), we all met up at the Black Diamond Elementary School. Although there was a small carnival going on there we did not stay long as we were all quite famished. So on to El Corpral we went and boy did they ever make some good strong margaritas. Just the way I like it.

LABOR DAY PARADE IN BLACK DIAMOND

Mimi has been on the team one full year now. It just seems longer though. Maybe because she has been doing gymnastics since she was 4. Last year Labor Day in Black Diamond was her very first parade ever.

She really hates her leo and cried all morning long. "I wish the parade was yesterday", cry, cry, cry "I wish the parade was tomorrow" followed by more crying. They purposely make the competition and parade leos a smidgen tighter than the practice ones so that when the girls go to do their stunts nothing and I mean nothing is showing.

She also detests being a "twerp" as the girls are affectionately called by their teammates. Can't be helped though I tell her. She comes from short people. Even Elsie is a smidgen taller than she is now. I told her that the upside of being short is that she gets to be in the front and hold the banner and won't have to do any stunts down the street. That made her smile. I think that Elsie may have been a bit jealous of Mimi though because in the past it was always the other way around and Elsie loves being in the front. I say this because Elsie had made mention that half way down the parade route she was going to trade places with Mimi. That did not happen.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL/SECOND GRADE

Today is the first day of school for Mimi. Some kids started last
week, today is Mimi's turn and tomorrow will be the rest of Washington
state kids.

Mimi was excited about school so much that she was ready to go by 7
this morning. On the other hand she was a bit apprehensive because she
was afraid that she wouldn't know many of the kids. As it turns out
she knows about 3/4 of her classmates in her room.

Pictured here from left to right is Briella, Mimi and Kaiya. They were in Mimi's first grade class. Then there is Devon, Caleb, Rachel, Maddie, Blake, Olivia, Hayden then plus some more. Too many to mention.