We have visitors.....

Maggie's old friend.

Christmas Angel

After recovering from her traumatic experience with Santa, Maggie got back into the Christmas spirit and was willing to help us decorate the tree. But first, she had to put on her halo.




And now, get ready for the Many Faces of Maggie, Part III:

Maggie the Mischievous:



Maggie the Glad:



Maggie the Innocent:





Maggie the Devious:



Maggie the Aloof:



Maggie the Surprised:



Maggie the Distracted:



Maggie the Focused:






Finally, after all her hard work, this is what the tree looked like. (We didn't actually make her put all the ornaments up.)





For the finishing touch on our Christmas decor, we placed the ornamental Santas, frogs and stockings on the big heavy thing that is a real pain in the butt to move:



Check out these recent videos. Maggie is getting real good at identifying her animals,



learning her letters,



and blowing killer spit bubbles!




We're off to Texas in a few days to visit family. We'll make sure to take lots of pictures and post them for everyone.

Frozen Precipitation (I believe they call it snow)

After a few flurries Thanksgiving weekend, the Arctic revealed to us its true nature. Like an American with irritable bowel syndrome after an all-you-can eat Thai food buffet, the Arctic dumped a foot of snow on us overnight. Just for scale, note the snow on 1) Maggie's swing:




2) The patio table:



3) and at the base of my truck tires:











After living in the south for the better part of the past 15 years, I had forgotten how serene the snow can be - silently drifting through the somber winter air while the world slumbers completely unaware. Unfortunately, the highs in the single digits that followed the snow quickly snapped us out of our poetic daydream. (I am secretly enjoying the cold. I have actually not broken a sweat since I moved up here.)


After bundling up Maggie like Randy from the Christmas Story, we dared to venture outside. Don't worry grandparents, she has about 5 layers of clothes on. If you don't believe me, just watch her try to walk with all this stuff on.











I put this video last, because Maggie gives a nice au' revoir at the end:

Merry Christmas!!!

Little Thief and a Nugget of Wisdom

So, the other day, Gabby shared one of her Hostess cupcakes with Maggie. A few minutes later, Gabby was in the back of the house doing something and I was playing on my computer. I realized that Maggie was being quiet and, when I looked over towards the table to see what she was up to, I caught her red-handed:






It's almost as if she hasn't grasped the concept that what she's doing is wrong...





...I don't buy the blank stare. Do you?




In this picture, it looks as if she is actually intoxicated on chocolate and cream.





















Just so all of you can rest easy, we don't normally feed her this stuff.


And now for today's nugget of wisdom:

The other day, I finally realized what the main difference is between Texas and Illinois (other than the aforementioned property values and ghetto:nice neighborhood ratio). In Texas, the condensation from your breath NEVER freezes into ice on your mustache (at least not in this geologic era). Those of you considering starting a citrus farm in the midwest should keep this mind.


More updates soon to follow.

Stay tuned......

The budding artist

Here's mom sitting in Maggie's chair and using Maggie's crayons.



Here's Maggie politely asking mom to move.












After finishing a few masterpieces, Maggie unveils her true talent - blowing snot bubbles.

First snow

Maggie was hanging out in the toy room and started shouting, "hat, hat" then walked into the living room (where I was watching tv) wearing her Daddy's hat. She put it on by herself. Since they go outside at school everyday she knows she needs her coat, hat and gloves before she gets to go outside.




Now for snow pictures. One of the coolest things about living in a place that actually has a winter is that you get to wear some totally sweet clothes that never get used in a place like Texas. Here Maggie's donning her sporty new warm fleece outfit, fully equipped with Jim Tressel sweater vest (Thanks Honey) and preparing to face the freezing weather.




The great outdoors (ie our front yard/driveway). This was the first snow of the year. We got a little wintry weather for Thanksgiving, but it was mostly sleet and freezing rain. A few days later, we got a light dusting (less than 1 inch) of powdery, dry snow.