Mom, E and C - South Bend / Lake Michigan

A leisurely stroll through the Notre Dame campus during an ice storm.

Christmas Day

ALL ABOARD....THE POLAR EXPRESS!

Cousin Christmas

Dog Days

Schoolwork

His Response....

Painting with JT

Two Days with Shay

Subway at Coe

E, Shay and Berkley

K-Nex

HyVee with Sandi

Leaf clean-up at Coe!

Marble Mania

Family Christmas

Company was exquisite!
Food was great!
Gifts were a hit!
All in all, top rate!

Gabi's Birthday

Winter Party at Pierce

Reindeer Graham Crackers

Bingo!

Quotes

Two minor things went wrong to start Emmie's day, "This is already a horrible day."

Emmie left her car door open:

Mom:  Don't worry, Eric will get the door for you.

E:  Yeah, he's my door manager.

"This mystery dum-dum was the key to my life."

We left keyboard early because Emmie had an ear infection that was worsening.  She was crying in pain on the way home, but decided she wanted McDonald's ice cream anyway.  We waited in the drive-thru for a few minutes before our turn came.  I had just asked Emmie if she really wanted ice cream, or whether she'd prefer to go straight home to get medicine.  While crying:

"Let's go home.  They're all busy and have poor service.  They can't even help a sick child."

Keyboard

Mom's Birthday Dinner with G&G

Charlie Brown Christmas

Dad's Company Christmas Party

Mom's Birthday

The 3 of us went to Whitestar Alehouse for dinner.

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Really Elfie!?!?!

Eric was not happy to see such a mess in his kitchen.

The World According to Emmie

Emmie took her toothbrush and sat down on the potty:

Eric:  What are you doing?

Emmie:  Multi-tasking.

Emmie was a reader at the Coe Christmas Vespers service last year.  I asked if she wanted to go to this year's service:

Mom:  Do you remember the Christmas service at Coe that you and I served as a reader in last year?

E:  Yes, why?

Mom:  This year's service is tonight.  Do you want to go?

E:  Do I get to wear a fancy dress?

Mom:  Sure, we can dress up.

E:  Will you straighten my hair also?

Mom:  Yes, after we shower.

E:  Ok.  Let's go.  What are our lines?

Mom:  We're not readers this year.  That is an opportunity that only a few people get each year, and they like to give others a chance to read also.  Did you want to be a reader?

E:  Yeah.

Mom:  How about I ask if we can do it again next year?

E:  Ok.

Mom:  So, do you want to go to the service tonight to watch, even though we're not reading?

E:  No, that'd be a waste of time.

(We had a discussion about the worth of attending despite, but ultimately decided to pass this year since we have a busy week with doctor, dentist (2x), gymnastics, Anya's performance, etc)

Quotes

While Mom was folding and putting clothes away in Emmie's room, she chose to catch a catnap.  Emmie put a blanket in the laundry basket, laid in it and said, "This is the life."

We've lived in our house for 2.5 years.  6 months in, we had an electrician do some work, including the installation of a fan in the living room.  Emmie would have been 5 when the work was done.  Last week (and at age 7.5):

Emmie:  Hey, how did you get a fan in this room?

Mom:  What do you mean?  Do you remember this room without a fan?

Emmie:  Yes, it didn't have a fan.

Mom:  You are right, but that was 2 years ago.

This past Saturday, Emmie worked at PIP with Grandpa:

Grandpa:  We're done working for the day.

Emmie:  I like working.  Do you have any work for tomorrow that we can do?

Grandpa:  Tomorrow is Sunday.  I am not planning to come to work.

Emmie:  What about Monday?  

Grandpa:  Why?

Emmie:  If we do that work today, you won't have that much work to do on Monday.

On the way home from work with Grandpa, they saw a HyVee truck, "Hey, we have those by our house too, except with different people on it."

We had breakfast for dinner:

Emmie:  Eric, thanks for making the perfect eggs.  These are actually really good.  Mom, do you want some?

Mom:  I had some of those eggs in my wrap.

Emmie:  Good, more for me.

Emmie asked what a bladder was, and we proceeded to discuss.  Eric clarified that her bladder was an organ, but not like the instrument.  

Emmie:  What happens if you hold your pee?  Sometimes at school I have to go, but I hold it because we're doing something important and then when I finally sit down to go, it has expired.

While reading a book, Emmie struggled with the word, stomach:

Emmie:  Stom - ach (rymes with hatch)

Mom & Eric gave her the hint that it was a body part.

Emmie:  Why is there a c-h there then?  That is ch.  They should scratch out the h and put a k.

Emmie has been getting time on her iPod right before bed.  She has been sending Daddy, Anna and Mia messages that are very brief, "No more text messages.  I'm going to bed.  Night."  I questioned her brevity.  "I am going to play games for a few minutes and I don't want messages giving me issues while I'm playing."

Emmie brought a letter to Santa home from school:

"I wish for Shopkins for Christmas.  If it is too much to ask, make it easy on yourself."

Mom:  What did you mean by saying make it easy on yourself?

Emmie:  Like if his sleigh is too heavy, he could give me less.

Mom:  (big smile inside and out)

Mrs. Bass

We stopped at HDS after Emmie's morning dental appointment.

Iowa Women's BB