M-I-C-K-E-Y

Why do pancakes taste better when they are Mickey-shaped? My mom used to make these by pouring two little circles for ears and a big circle for the face. We found a fancy pancake stencil at the World of Disney store. They turn out perfect every time! Yum!

Park Day

I So Dearly Love to Laugh!

Last month at girls night, I realized I was the second oldest in the whole group. I'm used to being the youngest. It felt weird.

Last night I read a facebook post. In college, I had been the girl's piano teacher until I moved away. Her post read "I am 18 today." So why did it make ME feel old?

Tonight I looked in the mirror. I noticed fine lines forming under my eyes (*gasp).

I didn't freak out. I came to terms.

Why? Because they are the kind of wrinkles you get from smiling and laughing a lot. I see no shame in that, so I will consider these the "good kind" and try my best to wear them well.

Age equals experience. Experience is good.

Dear Sister Abbott

Kate made this valentine for her Primary teacher while we were getting ready for church last Sunday. She told me it says "Dear Sister Abbott, I love you." Adorable!

Richard Nixon Library

Happy President's Day!

We spent the holiday at the Richard Nixon Library, meeting dead presidents. I thought Abe Lincoln was spot on, but George Washington...not so much. Katelyn's 8-yr-old friend was with us. (She had all my favorite quotes of the day.) I told her "Look, it's George Washington!" She said, "No it's not. He's too fat. That must be Ben Franklin!"

George

Outside in the courtyard was this reflection pool. Kate's friend wanted to know why they would have this "swimming pool" in the courtyard. She figured it out on her own: "Oh! I know why this is here! Ben Franklin LOVED to swim. He would swim anywhere! Lakes...rivers...streams. This was HIS pool!" I laughed as I tried to picture "fat" Ben Franklin swimming laps in a one foot reflection pool.

To the left of the pool you can see kumquat trees and white orbs covering the lightbulbs along the walkway. Just as the girls began picking kumquats off the trees, Zach discovered that he could punch the orbs off their posts and they would go bouncing along the walkway. I decided that the kumquats were the lesser of two evils, so I went chasing after Zach. As soon as I got one orb back on it's post, he was already on to the next and it would go bouncing along the path. People were gasping, thinking the bulbs would shatter. Oh, the joys of motherhood!

Nixon was born in this small house and lived there until he was 10. We even saw the bed where he was born in 1913. Kate's friend was awed to learn that a president could be born in a home like this. She thought they came from castles.

O, how I love America!

Here is Kate waiting to talk with Honest Abe.
Usually she's too scared, but she thought he would give her a penny.
He didn't...but he had a lot of good stories to tell.