Ho... Ho... Ho...

Suprise, suprise. Guess who showed up at our back door? None other than the big guy himself. The girls shrieked, screamed, giggled and gawked. Reese wouldn't sit on his lap-- so Momma had to sit in on the pic. (By the way, now that he's safely gone... she won't stop talking about him)! And guess what she wants Santa to bring her? Candy! She is definitely her father's child. Holland wants some Hannah Montana doll that sings Rockin' around the Christmas Tree and Greer would like Barbie's Christmas Carol DVD. Being the ever thoughtful guy that Santa is... he brought the girls a kid's Christmas treat cookbook. We're already having fun with it!

My Cup Runneth Over

I went with my friends Joannah, Ali (their children) and our friend Inge who was visiting from Holland to hear Greg Mortenson speak at BSU. He's the author who wrote Three Cups of Tea, a book that's been on the best seller list for something like 97 weeks straight.

In short, his attempt to summit K-2 failed just short of the top. He nearly froze to death, was seperated from his team and wandered into a remote village in Northern Pakistan. While the villagers nursed him back to health, he fell in love with the people and found his calling. He left with a mission to come back and build the children a school-- a real school. The children were doing their lessons with sticks in the dirt.

That was something like 15 years ago. He has since built 70-something schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan-- and many of them girls schools (something unheard of in the past). (Read the book-- it will inspire you).

Anyway, it was a real treat to hear him speak. Two of my girls have spent the past month, along with their schoolmates raising money for Mortenson's Pennies for Peace program. I even helped out with drumming up a bit of media coverage. We're hoping to do this every year. It was a great experience for the kids and a little brain food for this mom.

Hangin' Onto Halloween

Holland came home from a playdate the other night with this little surprise. Guess she and her friend got into the markers. With the two little red horns on her forehead... we figured she was going for the always popular "Satan" look. But she corrected us and explained she is a jaguar.

The girls told all the parents that the markers they used were Sharpies. After I got out the acetone and cotton balls, she decided to "fess" and tell us it was all washable. After that, I say, forget jaguars. Definitely, our little devil.

Candy, Candy Here We Come!

As if being treated like rock stars at the Nursing Home (kids with all kinds of Grandpas and Grandmas-- need I say more?) and a Halloween Party in the afternoon weren't enough... we took the girls out for a little candy grab. Ug.

My mom gets all the credit for Greer's costume. It was beautiful and GiGi felt like a true princess.

And Reese... well let's just say she really got into the knocking on doors and getting candy gig. She kept saying more, more, more. Did I tell you, she totally takes after her daddy?!?!

All Treat and No Trick

The girls were out of school on Halloween, so I thought we'd try a tradition my mom started when I was a little girl. (In Vegas, Halloween was always on Nevada Day-- so we never had school). My mom would dress us up in our costumes and we'd take treats to the Elderly and shut-ins.

Fast forward to 2008. Holland dressed as a pirate, Greer as Mulan (a Chinese princess) and Reese was the old stand-by Little Red Riding Hood. We took cookies to the nursing home where our next door neighbor's wife is a resident. The girls loved going around and sharing treats with the residents and staff. We had so much fun!

The Great Pumpkin

Ahhh, the yearly ritual of pumpkin guts all over the kitchen. Gotta love it. The kids sure do.

Voila!

Three girls couldn't be prouder (even though dad did the heavy carving).

How much longer 'til Halloween? I'd be rich if I got money for every time that was said.

ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH (to quote Charlie Brown)

My Gentle Readers--
I have not forgotten you. The Halloween pictures etc. are coming. I've just had a slight (not a true representation of the word I should use) snafu. My laptop gave up the ghost. I've gone through all the stages of grieving, am getting over my severe depression of this loss-- and am now trying to get my act together and blog once again.
So be patient with me....

P.S. Anyone want to join me in my new career boycotting H.P.? My baby was only a year and a half old. Don't get me started.