Home Alone

M&M knows that while I love to have some time alone (nights out at restaurants, and sleeping alone with no one to worry about), I definitely miss my princesses when I travel for work. So, he nicely sent me this picture this week about what he and Starshine are up to...

Apparently they are in the middle of a big Monopoly match (which Starshine is dominating with her railroad monopoly), while enjoying Chinese take out and gummy worms. It sure sounds like fun...

Arizona Adventure

Today began our girls only Arizona Adventure! I have a conference for work in Phoenix this week, so what a perfect opportunity to visit my parents. Unfortunately, Starshine has school, and it just didn't seem right to pull her out for an entire week. So, Jr. Princess and I headed out today on the airplane. Here she is with her very own can of soda (ok - it's apple juice, but she thinks it's soda because it comes in a can). She has been telling everyone about how she is going to get her own can on the plane.

My parents picked us up at the airport and dropped me off at my hotel. Then the three of them are headed off for some special fun for the week.

I'm done with my conference Thursday night, so Starshine will be flying down Friday morning and we'll join Jr. Princess for the rest of the weekend. She's slightly outraged that she doesn't get to come for the whole week, but M&M Dad is working hard to make her week at home a little special, too.

I wonder what M&M Dad is going to do for his quiet weekend alone??

Funny Note

Last night Starshine and I each had our own social plans. I went to the ballet and she went swimming with a friend. So, when I got back late in the evening after she had gone to bed there was a small bag of potato chips on the counter with this note:

"These are Starshine's chips

if you want one ask in the morning"

Wow - I think she means me :).

Oh, and check back in about a week to see Starshine's new glasses. It's official - she has M&M Dad's bad eyesight and picked out her first pair Thursday night.

Something Only Dads Do...

Last night we had a delicious dinner at Macaroni Grill complements of a gift card from Grandma and Grandpa M (thanks for dinner!). The girls love the kids' meals there because it comes with a free sundae, and even though they shared a meal, the waitress brought two separate ones.

The dinner seemed to take a while, but M&M Dad and I both complemented the girls on their excellent restaurant manners and had fun revisiting the story of several years ago when we had to take a sassy Starshine out of the restaurant across the hall (which was very effective because we haven't had an incident since). Well, just as we were wrapping up, M&M Dad was showing Starshine how to stir some of her milk in with the leftover hot fudge sauce and drink the concoction with her straw. [Insert Mom eye rolling here]

Of course, you know Jr. Princess would want to try, too...

Family Game Olympics for New Years Eve

I was wondering what we should do for fun on New Years Eve because we certainly weren't going to be staying up until midnight! Well, M&M Dad had the great idea for a Family Games Olympics and appetizer dinner. So, the day before the girls were busy crafting our beautiful medals, and then we rounded up any games we could think of where multiple people could play but only one person wins. After Starshine got home from swimming with a friend (have I mentioned how full her social calendar is...) we fired up the appetizers and lets the games begin!

After each game there was a triumphant medal ceremony...

And at the end of the evening, the grand champion was Jr. Princess! She received medals in Pass the Pigs, Candyland, and the Rock Paper Scissors bracket challenge.

It was so much fun I have a feeling we will be seeing Family Games Olympics II well before next New Years Eve.

Oh and all of those boxes in the background? They are the before picture to my awesome new cubbies going in the dining room so I no longer have to try to cram all of our art supplies into the hutch with the china. Here it is almost finished when Starshine and a friend (yup - social event #2) couldn't resist jumping in

M&M Dad thought I was crazy about the large size but it works great! I love a good New Year's organization project!

Oh and did I mention that Starshine is currently spending the night at a friend's house for social event #3?