Smurfin' Grandma

Merry Christmas!  We had a wonderful dinner with my parents last night!  Studbucket smoked a turkey and it was mouth watering delicious!  While doing the dishes, Bad Grandma asked me if I had bought the Smurfs movie for Makaela....with that look on her face saying "I should have checked with you before I bought it."  Of course I knew better too.  Bad Grandma took Makaela to see the Smurfs at the movie theatre TWICE.  Then during family reunion, I came across a stuffed Smurf at the candy store....yep, here comes Bad Grandma carrying Smurf AND Smurfette.  I put mine back.  She can have all the smurfing glory!  Whatever!
Christmas morning came with my copy of the Smurfs stashed away in the closet to return to Wally World. Makaela had a great Christmas- from Wii games to a new razor scooter, turquoise sequined boots, even a digital puppy.  What got the biggest response??  You guessed it, the stupid Smurf movie!  (Although it was the super cool blu ray package, I had just bought the dvd.)  Makaela screamed with excitement and threw herself into Bad Grandma's arms (literally)!  Bad Grandma just smiled an "I'm sorry" over Makaela's shoulder, even though she really wasn't.  I stuck my tongue out at her like any grown up would do.  Smurf you, Bad Grandma!  Smurf you.

A Christmas Story

Last night for Family Night, we added some decorations to the tree and perfected our Christmas Letter.  My husband then told Makaela a Christmas story about when he was a little boy.  The story is about him and his sister, Cori, sneaking into the living room on Christmas Eve and hiding behind the tv to see Santa when he came and they both fell asleep.  Cute story.  Santa came- they missed the whole thing.  So he starts the story off, "When I was about your age...".  Makaela quickly interrupts and asks, "When you lived in a barn?"  She is really is curious about her Daddy growing up on a farm!  A few months ago, we asked her if she knew where everyone is from.  She answered that she was from Colorado and I was from Idaho and Daddy was from a farm!
Back to last night- after the story (and much laughing on my part), she wants to tell her own story.  Her Dad asks her, "Do you remember a story from when you were a little girl?"  She thinks for a few seconds, then says, "I can't remember that far back."

We're Off To See The Wizard!

Makaela watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time tonight.  It was so entertaining watching it thru her eyes!
Let me back up a minute- she is deathly afraid of costumes and mascots, we narrowly escaped Halloween this year.  Parades and sporting events are touch and go.  Disneyland is out of the question!
Back to following the yellow brick road- she loved it!  Every time something new happened, she had to tell us all about it.  The munchkins were a little creepy, but she fell in love with the show and the story.  Once she realized that they were all costumes, she was braver than ever!  We'll have to find a Dorothy costume for Halloween next year!  (Bad Grandma's dog, Smitty, can be Toto!)
Her favorite part was the Cowardly Lion.  At first she was afraid, but just for a minute- because then she saw what a scaredy cat he was- crying and wiping his eyes with his tail.  She was rolling on the floor!  She also LOVED Dorothy's red shoes, since she has a pair just like them from Bad Grandma for Christmas!  My favorite part was when Makaela told me how Dorothy ended up in Oz- she got twirled up in a tomato!

Get Your Lemonade

Makaela wants to buy the movie "Chicken Little"- she saw the preview on another movie.  She doesn't remember that was the first movie she ever went to.  Yeah, she thru a fit and we left early.  Maybe that's why I don't like the movie.  Anyway, I told her we would have to order it from Amazon dot com (since it's surely not in any stores).
When?
Maybe on payday...
 LIGHTBULB!  Let's open a lemonade stand!  We could do it on Saturdays when people aren't working (sounds reasonable!).  We could charge 10 or 3 dollars.  Mom, do you have a desk?
No.
How are we going to get a desk to make the lemonade stand?
I don't know.
Maybe we could buy a wagon (there goes the P & L).
Mom, do you have a blank sign?
I don't think so.
Do you have a sign with stuff written on it?
Not sure.
Do you have any kind of sign?
No.
We could glue a bunch of papers together and then put them on the lemonade stand.
What is the name of lemonade stand?
 "Get Some Lemonade" (good branding, action required).
How will you market it?
What do you mean?
Like advertising...
What's advertising? (Is she our daughter??)
You know, commercials to tell people about your product or service.
Mom, you KNOW where we live....and how many people there are!
Oh!  Location, location, location!
Yes.  (Not too bad for a six and a half year old!)

Just before that conversation:  Mom, do you like Spongebob or Patrick?
Spongebob.
Me too, because Patrick is a dork!  One time his brain fell out!  (I know alot of people like that.)  Mr. Crabs is a nice boss.
No, he isn't Makaela!  He just pretends to be nice to poor Spongebob, but he takes advantage of him.
Uh-uh, Mr. Crabs is nice!  Besides, I've watched a lot more Spongebob than you!
Well, I've had a lot more bosses than you baby girl!

First Day of School

Today is Makaela's first day of 1st Grade!  She started a new school this year and was a little nervous about making new friends...which I'm sure she will accomplish by the end of the day!  We got the usual new school supplies, backpack (cutest EVER from Gymboree!), new clothes (Thank you Bad Grandma!), etc.  She woke up early, took a shower, ate breakfast, fixed her hair...and got ready to take some pictures.  I threw on some jogging pants, tshirt, put my hair up and put on a visor.  I told her she looked BEAUTIFUL!  She looked at me and with a forced grin told me that I looked "Good enough".  I love honesty!

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Makaela said her prayers before bed, and afterwards she asked me, "If I open my eyes during the prayer, do I still get the prayer (blessings)?"  She is trying to figure out what is real and what is make believe.  She knows Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are real and that prayers are answered- guess she was just wondering if there was a loophole!

Just Keep Swimming

Just over a year ago, Makaela went to swim lessons and was so scared.  She wouldn't even stick her mouth in the water to blow bubbles, and forget about sticking her whole face in the water.  She went home so discouraged after her first lesson.  I hadn't ever really seen her beat herself up like that.  She knew she didn't even try and was very upset with herself.  I suggested that she practice blowing bubbles in the bathtub and it worked!  Little by little she got braver and braver and before you know it, she was slowly but surely improving in swim lessons.  During the last lesson, all of the kids were strapped into life jackets and taken up on the diving board.  Her instructor was right behind her and Makaela was so scared that she reached back with both hands and wrapped her arms around her instructor's legs!
Makaela was fortunate to spend a couple of months at our friends' house during the summer months and gained a lot of swimming instruction and confidence.
Fast forward to July 2011- she is completely comfortable in the water and loves to go all of the way under.  She is learning to float and swim as well as how to be safe in the water.  This year on the last day of swim lessons, the kids were again put into life jackets and taken to the diving board.  There are 3 diving boards at this particular pool, with the middle one being a high dive.  Makaela marched right up to the high dive, climbed up and bailed off!  No hesitation at all!  Zero!  Zilch!  Nada!
I was so proud of Makaela pushing herself when she was scared and overcoming her fears.  I hope and pray with all of my heart that she will take this lesson and apply it to every situation in her life!

Makaela on the high dive!