If you give a moose a muffin ....

Does anyone else know this book series? My grandkids love them! Last night was Lexi night - we try to have a sleepover with one of the kiddos every Tuesday, although it hasn't worked out so well the last few months ... hopefully we're back in the swing. Lexi asked me why she hadn't been over in so long, and I had to swallow the lump of tears and humility in my throat to say, "You know, we've been busy, too busy doing other stuff. And that's not ok, is it? Because YOU are more important to us than all that other "stuff." She agreed, naturally ... but she needed to hear it. And I needed to say it out loud. I'm always talking about priorities ... wow is it easy to get them out of whack without even realizing it!

I digress. Lexi and I cook when we're together. Yesterday she wanted to make muffins because "my mom doesn't know how to make them." She makes these nonsense statements so solemnly and surely that if you didn't know better ... Anything we make in the "dessert" category is required to have chocolate chips in it, that's her only rule. So last night we made chocolate chocolate chip banana muffins. (Sorry Emily.)


OK they might not look like much (now that I look at this picture myself they look sorta awful) but let me tell you, they were yum-yum-yummy. The hardest part was keeping Lexi out of them until after dinner.



We had homemade pizza, which even Lexi said was the "best pizza ever" even though it didn't have cheese inside the crust, and despite the fact that she completely bailed on me and was working on art projects at the counters while I cooked. :)




Like this. While my first instinct is to scream, "Yikes, forget the "art," get that kid a calculator!" it also occurs to me that I have seen conceptually similar items in 3D on the lawns of our public buildings. So there ya go, let's not put any limits on her just yet.

This what? 40 pound child? Let rip the most outrageous burp during dinner I think I've heard since my son left for college (he had a true talent, he could burp the ABC's). This one surprised her as much as it did us - it was violent - sounded like there might be a projectile vomit coming behind it. But no, all that followed was a look of sheepish, wide-eyed wonder, and a sort of "hmmm, that was interesting ... could I do that again" look on her face ...

At bedtime I shamelessly set her clock back 20 minutes and told her she couldn't get up until it said 7:00. She thought for a minute and said, "You know, I think I'll get up at ... 7:02. Sometimes I like to sleep in."

The Kuchtas are leaving for Lincoln this afternoon for Thanksgiving - Sheila, Lexi is so excited to come to your house ... and to swim in your great big huge pool! Unless I've missed something (like covered, heated, etc.) I'm guessing that's not happening. But she talked non-stop about getting to see Grama Sheila and Grampa John and all her cousins ... hope it's a great weekend for all of you!