Laptop ladies

Audrey and Kate with "computers" they made for themselves.

Starting to look a lot like Christmas

Other than the festivities on the holiday itself, Audrey and Kate had a low-key Thanksgiving break. Everyone in the family was sick to some degree, with Audrey especially walloped by her ear infection. The girls did manage to muster some Christmas cheer, decorating the mini-Christmas trees Honey gave them last year and helping Mama unpack some of the Christmas decorations.

Thanksgiving 2012

Audrey and Kate got to have two Thanksgivings today. In the early afternoon, they went to GG's house, where they got to eat lots of yummy appetizers. Then they went over to Honey and Honey Grandpa's house for dinner. They got to meet Aunt Marie's friend Shane, but a planned appearance by Uncle Keith and Allison's new puppy was called off. They did get to stay up well past their bedtime.

Now just need a spoonful of sugar

Audrey's been fighting a cold for several days, and it seemed to have moved to her ears. This often happens when she gets sick -- making her temporarily hard-of-hearing for a few days -- but this time it caused her more pain than usual. A trip to the doctor this afternoon confirmed an ear infection, for which an antibiotic was prescribed. It's the first time either Audrey or Kate has been prescribed medicine to fight an illness. They've taken lots of over-the-counter children's Advil and Tylenol over the years for all manner of sniffles, aches, and fevers. They also take a prescription fluoride pill. But this is the first time an illness has required calling in the pharmaceutical heavy artillery.

Taking it back

After putting to paper some disgruntlement with Dada about something he would not let her do recently (picture one), Audrey had second thoughts and expressed her regrets, writing out the letters in "sorry" as she heard them (picture two).

Spike

Audrey sports a new hairstyle, enabled by some of Mama and Dada's shampoo.

Tacoma trip

Audrey and Kate headed north to Tacoma this weekend to visit some of Mama's friends and their kids. After a stop for lunch in Olympia, they headed over to Margaret and Ryan's house, where they got to play with Nathan and Sarah and see the new babies Anna and Jessa. Curt and Rachelle and their three boys were there as well.

The girls spent the night in a hotel, where they shared a bed. After lots of giggling and whispering they finally fell asleep. It wasn't the most restful night, with Audrey waking up several times to complain about Kate being on her side of the bed.

In the morning, Audrey and Kate had breakfast and then spent time in the hotel pool and spa with Benjamin and Bradley and Jordan. Then it was off to visit the PLU campus, where they got to have lunch in the student commons and try out some Lute gear at the bookstore. Then they said their goodbyes to the Mulders and headed home.

Halloween 2012

Audrey and Kate were excited to go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood last night, and the rain obliged by holding off for a few hours. Audrey wore a Batgirl costume, and Kate dressed as a pirate (loosely based on Izzy, a girl pirate from the Disney TV show "Jake and the Neverland Pirates"). They were joined by Mama's friends Jeanie and Chris and their 14-month-old son, Porter, who were all dressed in matching fishing outfits, as well as Mama's friend Ingrid, who wore a Little Red Riding Hood costume. After hitting a few houses on their block, the girls headed in the direction of the "holiday house," a house in the neighborhood on Alameda Street where the owners decorate their house and lawn for many holidays but go all-out for Halloween. On the way, they ran into their friends from school, Charlie and Finley, and the four trick-or-treated together. Audrey saw a couple of other friends from school as well.

The holiday house wasn't quite as over-the-top as last year -- no Elvis impersonator or news media this time -- but still busy. Several blocks of one of the adjacent streets, 51st Avenue, are particularly festive as well -- a sort of Halloween Peacock Lane. The street was closed to cars for a couple of blocks, which made for safer and more pleasant trick-or-treating.

The girls got lots of candy, and ate a considerable amount while out. They stopped by Charlie and Finley's house for a few minutes, then headed home. They selected a handful of pieces of candy to keep and gave the rest to the "Candy Witch."