JINGLE ALL THE WAY

HIGHLIGHTS

When I was Mimi's age, I loved going to the library every Saturday
morning and reading Highlights.

A couple of years ago I started a subscription for Mimi and she really
looks forward to recieving them in the mail every couple of weeks.

She is also really into the spy thing, so we sent away for the
Highlights Top Secret Adventures. You were allowed to choose two
countries and so she chose China and Japan. Japan came today just in
time too because she will have something to do on our long car drive
to Ohanapecosh.

SLEEPOVER

When the movie was done and I had taken Mimi to gymnastic practice, it was time to take Zoe home. It was then that Shelley asked if Mimi could sleepover with Zoe as big sis Alleyah had a friend staying the night. What's been happening lately is that a couple of Mimi's friends has older sisters and when they have friends over, it's the younger sisters who become kind of a pest. So it is just easier when they both have friends over for the night. Later this month Mimi and Elsie will have a sleepover at her new house. Big sister Emma is not looking forward to Elsie and Mimi's sleepover. I guess this is what we have in store for us when our time comes. Sigh.....

AT THE MOVIES

Mimi has been keeping this summer with piano lessons, karate and
gymnastic practices. Then there is the playdates and movies in between
times. Today was spent with piano, going to see Dispicable Me 3D with
Zoe and gymnastic practice in the afternoon.

SUMMERTIME FUN

I absolutely love our summers up here in Maple Valley. This morning it was a bit cloudy but then by afternoon it was gorgeous. Not too hot and not too cold. Not hot enough for swimming though but the kids still had big time fun.

We had a total of 7 moms and 16 kids. Phew! Plus and a dog and cat. Phew! The kids had fun playing Wii, fuseball, bubbles, tag your it. Then Keri brought over "The Beast" as she calls it, the bouncy house.

Of course we had all kinds of food and drinks for the kids, then there was the Margaritas for us moms.

Today was also a great opportunity for our new neighbor Corry and her kids a chance to meet the other families in our neighborhood. She already knew Keri and her family.

We are all hoping that things work out for Corry and her family. They just moved in just before the fourth of July and just recently found out that the owner of the house has not been making his payments and the house is in foreclosure. In fact while she was over here at our house the mailman came knocking on her door to serve her the papers. How's that for a "howdy do" to the neighborhood?

As it turns out, we have another neighbor Andy, who is getting ready to evict his tennents out of his house and it will soon be available. The downside is that it is a smaller house than the one Corry and her family are already in.

SHE'S MOV'IN ON UP

GOOD THING OR BAD ?????

Not sure which it is. This is a picture of Mimi standing in the
entrance to Freddie's Playland at our local Fred Meyer's grocery store.

Their rules for entry to the playland have changed to the dismay of
some of my mom friends.

When we first moved up here in 2007, the rules were any child up to
the age of 6 could enter. However there are quite a few tall 6 year
olds up here of which Mimi's friend Alex is one of them. He was denied
entry because everyone including the manager would not believe that he
is 5 (at the time in 2008) because he is taller than the archway. This
really made Katrina mad. Management said that the archway is the
proper height for a kindergartner and that if Alex was to sit on any
of the furniture he would break it. Heck, both dad and I have stood on
Mimi's furniture and they're still in great working order.

Management has since changed the rules. They now say that any kid who
can fit under the archway is allowed to enter. This picture was taken
this afternoon. For good or bad, Mi still
Fits under and people still think she's a 5 year old.