NIght Skating

Must be Santa, must be Santa

Anticipations

Ida:  Dad, do you think it could be that Santa is actually just you and Mom?

Pete:  Well, that would be way too much work for us, don't you think?

Ida:  Probably.

Bad Language

Ida:  "Lucy, stop doing that or I'm going to say the S-H word!"

Ella:  "What's the S-H word?"

Ida:  "I don't want to say it."

Ella: "I don't know what it is."

Ida:  "Shik!"

Ella:  "Shik?  What does that mean?"

Ida (walking away):  "I don't know.  Annie J. said it."

Russell Stovers Chocolates

Miki:  Is it a dessert night?

Ella:  No, but in honor of Jim, I got us a special treat.

Ida:  Which Jim?

Ella:  Big Jim.

Pete:  Grandpa Jim.

Ida:  Jim?  I love him!  So much!

Miki:  I love him so much I'm going to kiss him all over!  I'm going to kiss him to death.

Ida:  Miki, if you do that you won't have a grandpa anymore.  At least not a grandpa Jim.

What up with Star Wars?

Miki:  "I'm Dark Vader!  I'm your father, Luke Skywalker!"

Ida:  "Miki, Dark Vader's lifesaver doesn't look like that.  It's glowing.  Dad, Miki's crazy about Star Wars!"

Should we correct them/let them watch this film?

Morning conversation, overheard

Ida:  "Well, maybe he can fly, but I don't believe in Rudolph's nose.  It's probably a nightlight taped on there or something.....  Miki, what kind of noise does a Pegasus make?"

Miki:  "Neigh!"

Ida:  "Miki!  A Pegasus isn't even a real thing!  'Neigh' is a sound a horse or a unicorn makes!"

Miki:  "Okay."

Rare Snow in PDX!

Furthermore / Masters of Disaster

Oh yeah!  The day after thanksgiving we were ready to get into the action.  Headed out into the "Lowlands" to seek our tree.  As Arthur so wisely told me, "You know, some of these saws are probably sharper than others."  Lucy put on her best sweater and off we went.

Did Maggie grow a little wiglet of light blue hair?  Yes.

Grambee has many afflictions, including a huge red hand!  She tried to grasp Maggie.

Ella likes Jim's hat.  A lot.

Soon the Bradfords and Maggie headed off to their special tree spot.  Historically, this takes 3-4 hours, so we decided to look around some...

Ida found this feather, which she gave to Miki.

And then, Lo and Behold, minutes later, we saw the Bradfords on the horizon!

Arthur has grown a mullet.

Soon we had to snag our own misbegotten tree and get started on our Christmas card photo.  This is not it.

Nor this.  Too leany.

No.  Too awkward.

Nope.  Too dog neck bendy.

Arthur lifted Miki up to get this apple.  It turned out to have a hole in it and she threw it upon the ground with Disgust.

We're so busy!  That same day we headed to the magnificent Holiday Train!  Maggie loves this adventure!

Girls got all worked up...

...waiting for Santa and his candy canes!  (Arthur got in trouble and got kicked off the train again.)

Some thought Jim was inadequately impressed with the HT.  Some thought he looked like Colonel Sanders.  Maggie asked, "Are you growing a beard?" not knowing this beard was six months or more in the growing.

The next day at the Blue Kangaroo, Jim had cheered right up!

And Grambee took Ida and Miki out "rollerskating."

What a fantastic visit!  Hope you come back soon!  (The image blow is kind of out of focus and stuff because I took it from a distance and didn't wish to rouse them."

After these oldsters departed, I was beset by the hiccups for the first time in 27 years.  Coincidence?