Ode To O.J.

The hairy orange cat.......he was our house guest for a time. These pictures are from when he was staying with us. Annika came to visit, and she was delighted to see him. He went home shortly afterwards, but this past week he was taken to the vet and put down. He was pretty old and not too healthy. I was at the house right before the vet appointment and told him goodbye. He really was such a good cat. Annika was crying when they left- she only knew that he wasn't coming back, and she is the one who really loved that cat. She carried him around like a baby. It was hilarious to watch! I had to give O.J. a place of honor on my blog!

Some overdue Christmas photos:


the cute newly engaged couple


Grandma with the gang

everybody home for Christmas!

The Imagination Game

I just came home from playing with the girls while Nils was at his swim lesson. I couldn't resist recording some great quotes from our playtime.

Marta kept referring to herself as Princess Jasmine, until Annika decided that I should be Princess Jasmine. I agreed and told Marta she could be Abu and Annika could be the Genie. Annika didn't like that idea and told Marta to say no. Marta said clearly, "I don't want to be Abu and a weenie."
Annika and I both laughed out loud.

After awhile I went upstairs to check on the dog. When I came back, they were playing The Little Mermaid. Annika was Ariel and Marta was Melody ( Ariel's daughter in Little Mermaid 2).
Annika: "O.k. Marta- you're Melody and you shrink and I have to save you."
Marta lies on the ground and sticks out her tongue.
Annika: "No, Marta. don't stick your tongue out. Just be shrunk."
Marta pulls the tongue back in and closes her eyes. Annika picks her up, saying dramatically, "oh, baby, come on. You're o.k. I'll save you."
Marta opens her eyes and looks at me, groaning, "Oh, Grandma."
Now I was the grandma. I'm not sure how that happened.

A few minutes later-
We're still playing. I tried to be the audience. Annika stood in front of Marta and said,
"o.k. I resus to you Melody, who is going to shrink." I think she meant "present". I didn't last long as the audience because Marta kept climbing on my lap and calling me "Grandma."
Then a moment later I wasn't grandma anymore.
Marta said, "No, I'm Melody and you're a squid."
Annika and I once again started laughing, which made Marta frown. She obviously doesn't like it when we think she's funny (unless, of course, she's trying to be funny).

The next thing I know we are hiding in the bathroom from "the mean girl", who also happened to be named Melody. Annika gives us instructions.
"Marta, you have to come and save me and ask Melody to turn you into fins. Melody, you are magical so you can turn her into fins and she can save me."
She went out and fell on the floor, closing her eyes and lifting her arms up as if she was trying to reach for someone.
"Come on, Marta. Save me before the storm comes." I gave Marta fins, and she saved the day.

Tea Party

My mom and I took my cousins to a wonderful tea party when they were visiting Rockford last month. The girls had so much fun- they had been pumped up for days beforehand. We had lots of lovely food- who knew you could get so full at a tea party? The girls were especially thrilled to have a little bell at their table to ring if they needed anything. They "needed" something several times- more tea, more sugar........they used a lot of sugar! We had a such a great time- definitely not something we will forget!

Annika has more to say.........

Last night I was cooking dinner for the kids. Annika was in the kitchen with me. She had placed pillows on two of the chairs and was using them as a bed while she waited for her dinner. We were listening to Christmas music. At the end of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" she had a question.

"What is 'tidings of peppermint joy'?"

This led to a discussion of the word "comfort". I told her that comforting someone was cheering him up or trying to make him feel happier.

"Well, sometimes I try to make Marta happy when she is crying, but she just keeps crying."

I responded by saying that sometimes people are just grouchy, but we can still be nice to them.

"Well, I just get kinda.......disgusted if she's grouchy."

There you have it. Grouchy people must be disgusting to a 5 year old!
As for "tidings of peppermint joy".......that should be the name of a special holiday tea or hot chocolate, don't you think?