Some Men are Cool

Yesterday we were at the Dairy Queen after My Gym having an ice cream cone. A man walked in and ordered an ice cream and sat near us. Katie said, "Mom... come here. I want to tell you a secret."

I bent down and leaned close and she said, in a stage whisper, "That man has on earrings." I said, "Yes, some men wear earrings" and my mind began to race about what else she MIGHT say and how in the world was I going to fix this before it got really embarrassing.

Then she said and I can't quote exactly because I was so surprised, but it was something to the effect of "... some men like to be cool stuff and so they wear earrings."

"Yes, Katie... some men are cool", I replied.

Songs and Symbols

This morning Ella was working on her 'sewing' -- those little cards that you thread a shoestring through. She was showing me her work and said, "See, I made one of those Glory-to-God-in-the-Highest-things."

"A cross?", I say.

"Yea, a cross."

Puppy is HOME!

Okay, it's official. I apparently don't clean up enough around here. Yesterday, Ms Anna, the lady who cleans our house every other week, came to clean the house. We were at cooking class and when we returned, who did we find sitting on the purple chair? Puppy! Katie found her when she went upstairs to get something. I was downstairs running on the treadmill when I heard hysterical laughter. Then I saw Katie smiling ear-to-ear and she was jumping up and down waving puppy. She was sooooo happy!

When Bill got home from work, she told him this big story about how Puppy went to Beach 5 and she got lost on Perch Path (the little nature trail near the beach) and couldn't find her way home and then she found her way home and here she is!

Ahhhh... all is well in the Brigclan.

Treat Please!

The girls had a difficult time deciding what they were going to be this year for Halloween. We thought Belle and Arial were in, but Ella was having a hard time with her "itchy" dress, which meant Katie's was "too itchy!" too. I thought I had them talked into dressing up as LSU cheerleaders (I was even going to paint a Mike the Tiger face on them), but they balked at the last minute. Literally moments before leaving, we were looking in the closet and Ella spied last year's Easter dress and said, "Wow! That sure would be a pretty princess dress and it wouldn't be itchy at all!" How could I say no to that?

We went trick or treating a the base again this year -- wow, what a treat (pun intended, of course!). Without a doubt, the BEST way to do Halloween with little kids. As we were driving to the base we had a huge discussion about which princesses were 'white', meaning which one wears a white dress? We decided Giselle (from Enchanted, the newest Disney princess movie) wore white. But, Katie remembered that we had a book about Lacy the snowflake who was special and made the snow sparkle and she decided that in her white dress she sort of looked like Lacy the snowflake. Hence, the girls became fairy snowflake princesses. Ella was blue, of course, with a blue princess crown and Katie was pink (thank goodness I had the foresight to just bring a collection of princess crowns with me so the girls had plenty to choose from).

The base festivities began with a parade. This is one of the first times we didn't bring the stroller with us and, in hindsight what a mistake... our little ones were pooped before we even began the trick-or-treating, but they managed to rally.... Note to self, BRING STROLLER on ALL EXCURSIONS!

Thinking Kate & Ella were going to be LSU Cheerleaders, you'll notice Daddy (and Momma too) dressed as a LSU baseball player.

The girls having a little snack in the back of the van prior to treating.

Putting on our make-up.

Katie helping out with Ella's make-up.
All decked out and ready to go (at this point, the girls looking a little more 'trick-ish' than 'treat-ish').

A photo op with Mom before we hit the streets. Ella giving her funny 'fake' smile.

Trick or Treat?

A quick loot check.

Looking a little more ghostly than snow-flakey under the street lamp.
This is not what it looks like... Ella is NOT unhappy. She's telling me about the scary face she saw that "looks sad...""...and has a mouth that looks like this..." "...and blood going down like 'dis..."

Katie, on the other hand, IS mad.

She's "TIRED, Mommy!" and wants to "GO HOME!" and "QUIT TAKING PICTURES OF ME, MOMMY!" She yells at Daddy to "stop talking and drive TOWARDS MAC-DONALD'S and GET ME SOME MILK -- RIGHT NOW!!!"

In Loving Memory of Puppy

It's not clear when Dora (AKA Puppy) was made, but she came into our lives when Katie was born. She was a gift from our friend, Anja, who lives in Germany. Looking back, the little stuffed animal became "Puppy" when Katie was about 18 months old. We began to notice that Katie relied on Puppy, especially at night-night time and nap time or when Katie was upset, scared, or hurt. Puppy (and blankie) were her constant companions.

Puppy was named "Dora" after Grandma's dog, Dora, a King Charles Cavalier, who was also white with black and brown spots. But, Dora was known to all that loved her simply as "Puppy". Puppy's gender was undetermined for some time, but it eventually became a 'she' and Katie was insistent that we all referred to her properly, correcting anyone who accidentally called her "him" or "he". Puppy also went through a transformation over the years in terms of looks due to the many years of loving abuse -- basically, by the end, she was filthy and had no nose, giving her an 'old man' quality. Puppy was dearly loved by Katie... she has drawn pictures of her and Puppy and blankie to share with her friends at school and when asked what she was most thankful for, she said, "... for Puppy and to Grandma for making my blankie."

Last week, Puppy disappeared. We don't know where Puppy has gone, but we suspect she's in heaven with Wally, keeping him company (or she could be in the grocery store parking lot or with a homeless person somewhere, we're not certain). To be sure, we have looked high and low for Puppy (including the grocery store parking lot and lost and found box!), but she's no where to be found. Despite our best efforts to keep Puppy in view at all times, she's gone.

Ella has been a gem about the loss and has even offered her puppy, Abby, as a substitute for Puppy. (Anja also gave the girls a second puppy, which became Ella's after Katie claimed Puppy. Ella named her puppy, Abby, after Grandma's other dog, Abby, who also happened to be the same white-ish color.) This morning Katie told Daddy and Ella that she had a surprise for them and as she hurried off to get it, Ella said to Daddy, "I hope it's Puppy."

All in all, Katie is taking the loss quite well. She "... really misses Puppy!" and has decided she's going to ask Santa for another puppy... or maybe a kitty cat... a pink one... and maybe a blue one for Ella too. So, I guess things will be okay, although Puppy will be sorely missed by all... well, at least by Katie.

Katie at about 3 months old with Puppy. Who knew puppy would become Puppy?

Ella with Gwagy (the name of her blankie) and Brown Baby (so named because of how filthy she is - she's no longer white!) and Katie with Puppy and her blankies (she has two!). They were about 20 months in this photo, having a snack and watching TV. This is one of the earliest photos we have of the girls and their "lovies".

Katie showing off Puppy to the camera.

Katie, at Disneyland, letting Fairy Godmother hold Puppy. She looks a little uncertain about it...

The picture Katie drew of her and Puppy and Blankie (the blue rectangle). She took this to school to share on "Student Spotlight" day so that the other kids could see her favorite things.

Pumpkin Painting

It's that time of year again... time to decorate pumpkins for Halloween. The girls decided to paint their pumpkins this year.... thank goodness, because with daddy out of town this week, I had no desire to carve them!

A very serious Katie working on her pumpkin

Ella also taking her pumpkin painting very seriously. She is showing me "...how the REAL painters do it, Momma", with two paint brushes.

Our Second Lake Barcroft Halloween Parade

Our neighborhood Halloween Parade was last weekend. Our friends, Ms. Margo, Hunter, Royce, and Ben, joined us for the parade.

Here we are getting ready for the parade to start, watching the band and all the other kids in their costumes. Katie is dressed as Sleeping Beauty -- she has a brand new Belle costume, but said it was too itchy. Ella was going to be Ariel, the Mermaid, but she started the "it's too itchy" business too and decided to go without a costume. Do you see her outfit though? Pink (and various colored) stripes on the top and blue and purple stripes on the pants -- this is what I'm dealing with here! She has her own very unique sense of fashion... who am I to argue???

Margo, Hunter, and Royce with a national celebrity...

Ms Sarah Palin!

Ben was too pooped to walk home, so he hitched a ride in Katie & Ella's stroller.