I picked this up at Target the other day — it was so cute, and it was 50% off! I also got a small jug to fit on the bottom shelf of the fridge and filled it with milk. So now Chloe can make her own breakfast while I'm still in bed — hence the title. We also got the popcorn maker, which was 50% off, for movie nights with the girls. Fun times!

Okay, the title isn't the best, but I couldn't think of anything else. It's supposed to be a pirate reference — you'll see. Yesterday Chloe and I were talking about her Uncle Brian and Aunt Kristina; they're coming in two days! They've been living in China since July — my sister-in-law is teaching at an American school there, and my brother is an assistant — and they're coming home for Christmas. We're very excited, and Chloe has been counting down the days.

So anyway, back to my story. We were talking about when they would be here, and she said, "Yeah, they're probably in the car right now driving to get here!" My parents drive up from Georgia all the time, so that's why she said that. I explained to her that China is very far away; it's across the ocean, so they have to fly here. They can't drive. When she heard me say "ocean," she got very excited and said, "I love the ocean! I wish I were a pirate so I could sail the seas and be near the ocean all the time!" And just to clarify, she meant the feather-in-your-hat, parrot-on-your-shoulder, "argh!"-saying kind of pirate. Not the pirates who are wreaking havoc off the coast of Africa, but I'm sure you knew that.

As I was walking Chloe home from the bus stop today, she went out of her way to step in all the snow, which was mixed with mud and leaves. I asked her not to step in the mud because she'll track it all over my clean floors. She stopped, looked quizzical, and said, "What? We have clean floors?!" I guess not.

This year for Thanksgiving we went to the Outer Banks with Mike's family. Each of us had a dish to bring, so everyone contributed. We had such a fun weekend, especially the kids! During our time there, Mike and Will (with some help from others) built a kite out of drinking straws and mylar. It took them a long time to make it, but it was fun watching it fly. The weekend didn't start out smoothly and we had some bumps while we were there, but we still had a lot of fun.

The day we left, I found out Emily had pink eye. The day after we returned, Chloe had croup. Then Zachary got a small fever and a cough. The day before we left, Mike pulled something in his foot and could barely walk. The day we left, I started to get a cold, which is now at its worst. Even though there was a lot going on, there was still some quiet time to relax and read. I'll leave you with some photos... My Drama Queen Chloe and Aunt Andi. Emily seeing the ocean for the first time. Little Man enjoyed himself too. This is the kite that they made; doesn't it look festive? The finished gingerbread house that the kids made with Aunt Andi. The kids in their PJs. You wouldn't know it by looking at them, but this was taken right after we watched the sunrise. Yes, they get up that early! I started to see this on other blogs and thought that I would join in on the fun (even though I should be starting dinner). The things that I have done are in bold print.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris (almost did this; had plane tickets and hotel reservations but had to cancel for a family emergency)
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sunrise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper (still am!)
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment.
Had a food fight.
Bet on a winning horse.
Asked out a stranger.
Had a snowball fight.
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can.
Held a lamb.
Seen a total eclipse.
Ridden a roller coaster.
Hit a home run.
Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking.
Adopted an accent for an entire day.
Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment.
Had two hard drives for your computer.
Visited all 50 states.
Taken care of someone who was drunk.
Had amazing friends (still do).
Danced with a stranger in a foreign country.
Watched whales.
Stolen a sign.
Backpacked in Europe.
Taken a road trip.
Gone rock climbing.
Taken a midnight walk on the beach.
Gone skydiving.
Visited Ireland.
Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love.
In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them.
Visited Japan.
Milked a cow.

Posted by *** Update *** - Everything has already been claimed. I have some baby things that Zachary has already outgrown (or doesn't really like) that I'd like to get rid of. If you're interested, please let me know as soon as possible.