S-E-C-R-E-T-S

With Christmas fast approaching we have been doing quite a bit of spelling out words around our house and I think Ellen is onto us.  She sometimes asks "What does that spell?" and that is when I know I made the right choice.  Her listening ears are almost always on these days.

During one of our game nights Ellen had chocolate milk in a mug.  But not just any mug, one she picked out one day while we were out shopping (she picks out a lot of things but this was only $3 and had dogs on it so I gave in).  Now whenever we play games she must have chocolate milk in that mug.  She does not forget these kinds of things.

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes (the white ones) are the candy corn of this holiday season for our family

Phillip started wearing Breathe Right strips a few nights ago and I think they make his snoring worse instead of better.  On a snore scale of 1 to 10 he is probably only a 3, maybe a 4 at times, but since he knows it wakes me up he wanted to give them a try (which I greatly appreciate).  His other motivation may have something to do with me beating him up in the night to get him to stop snoring.

My pants are constantly coming down in the front... and I am constantly pulling them up so I don't flash this belly to the world.  As Ellen and I were walking into daycare yesterday morning I mentioned that my pants were falling down and she immediately came to my rescue.  Of course she started pulling them up in the back, which isn't the problem area, but it was so sweet of her to help.  She takes good care of me.

Ellen has stellar negotiating skills

A fifth hook mysteriously appeared on our fireplace over the weekend.  I first asked Phillip if he had put it there but something told me Ellen was to blame.  Apparently she saw the pack of Command hooks in with our Christmas decorations and decided we needed another one on the fireplace.  Since we had another stocking I went ahead and let her hang it on the extra hook.  Now both George and Lucy have a stocking hung by the chimney with care.

We decorated Ellen's holiday tree with little ornaments.  She is very proud of it.

Phillip's Mom bought Ellen a subscription to Highlights High Five magazine and we got the first issue today.  She loves it.  It came with a 2012 hidden pictures calendar (and stickers!).  What a great gift.

Ellen has been interested in time lately.  She has a digital clock in her room and Phillip's alarm clock is also digital.  She likes to read off the numbers to us and we then tell her what time it is.  Ellen really wanted milk before going to bed tonight.  Much to her dismay we said no, offering her a glass of water instead.  She called out from her room "My clock says milk time".  Nice try.

My favorite team on Amazing Race, the snowboarders, were eliminated Sunday night.  Even though I like the other teams I kind of don't want to watch the finale now.  This happens to me almost every season but I always come back for more.