Pitiful Christmas tree update...

It looks a little better.... but not much:)

Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium....

So... yesterday I had to work all day. Jasmine was stuck in the living room watching cartoons and playing by herself when it was 75 degrees outside. The living room was covered with Barbie Dolls, Barbie's accessories, shoes, clothes, bike, car. etc. I also kept hearing the refrigerator/freezer open multiple times. I told her she could have *one* of the cookies we made if she promised to eat lunch. She agreed. When I came downstairs, interspersed in between the Barbie stuff were tons of cookie crumbs/parts and lollipop wrappers. She had eaten the entire plate of cookies! She had also opened a bag of lollipops from Halloween and ate the whole bag! I told her she had to eat the nice piece of salmon and spinach salad... and later I found the bowl on the floor completely cleaned, with just a little piece of lettuce next to it. Presumably, the Chihuahua vacuum cleaner had a very nice lunch and a few cookies to top it off.

Today, to keep keep Jazzy a little busier, we visited the Wildlife World Zoo/Aquarium... way on the west side of Phoenix. It is literally 1/4th of the way to Los Angeles! It is really much nicer than the Phoenix Zoo because all of the animals are very close and used to human interaction... as opposed to the safari like atmosphere of the Phoenix Zoo. We stood on a platform and were able to feed and pet the giraffes. Jasmine screamed hysterically when the giraffe stuck out his long tongue to reach for the food... then everyone stared at us!!....probably thinking I was torturing her or something. We also were able to get very close to the tigers/panthers and leopards... literally about one foot away for a long time. We then went thru the extensive aquarium. We stayed at the zoo for the whole day. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera:( We could have had some very close up animal photos:(....

On the way home, we picked up a little Christmas tree. It kind of looks like the pitiful Charlie Brown Christmas tree, but it was the only one that would fit in my mini-mobile car. I just got the lights on... and am totally exhausted. We will finish it probably tomorrow. Of course, Jasmine is not tired!:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Went to the gym this morning, while Jazzy made a turkey craft in Kid's Club. Instead of going out for dinner, which was our original plan, we cooked a tofu turkey, sweet potato rice pilaf, and steamed veggies.... then Moose Tracks ice cream- the best ice cream on the planet. I don't really like pumpkin pie- so ice cream is a better option. Jazzy will have to decide that later.

While we were "cooking", we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Purina National Dog Show. The amazing German Shepherd received second place in the Herding Group, and the short coated Chihuahua named something like "Stand to the Side":)) got second place in the toy category.

Then, the big cookie baking extravaganza that Jasmine had been bugging me about all day. Our cookies looked more like miniature pancakes than they did cookies. Way too much sugar today.

Three year anniversary of our first day home from Vietnam! Thanksgiving Day- so grateful for this little munchkin:)


Watching the dog show wrapped up in a blanket. It was cold and sprinkling today.

Decorating... and eating.. our lovely cookies!

Day off with Jazzy....

Today, Jasmine was off from school. I decided to take the day off work too, because working with her around is virtually impossible. We went to the gym - as usual- this morning... then to - of all the places... Arizona Mills mall. I really don't enjoy going to malls, but we went there specifically because there is a huge life sized sand sculpture that took some artists many weeks to make. Santa was there, too. Jasmine sat on his lap and told him that her favorite princess was Ariel. I really don't know why none of my photos turned out:(

Next, we went to the movies there in the mall. We saw The Muppets Movie. There were literally 30 minutes of previews and Jasmine started whining even before the movie started. Two hours was kind of long for a kid to sit there... even if is *was* the Muppets. We rode the merry- go - round, since they have rides in that mall too. The mall is so huge.... 6 different "neighborhoods", and it took us the entire day to go to each one. I swore I wasn't going to buy anything since I am basically done Christmas shopping, but then there was Claire's and the Sanrio store. Jasmine picked out a couple of stocking stuffers. I told her that I would have to call Santa on his cell phone to see if it was ok to buy them.

Today was a really nice day...81 degrees with perfectly clear skies. We should have/could have gone to the Wildlife World Zoo, but it is really far away on the west side of Phoenix, (not the regular Phoenix Zoo) and this is the worst traffic day of the year- or so they say, so we didn't go. The plan was to do that on Thanksgiving day.... but not if it is pouring down rain.... which is what it is supposed to do. I asked Jasmine what she wanted to do tomorrow if it is raining and we have to stay inside all day and she said... "Bake and decorate cookies"... aaaargh. I am not a happy homemaker. So, I went to the store tonight when she was in gymnastics and bought the kind of cookies where you just slice them and put them on the baking sheet and that is it- along with some decorating supplies.

Three years ago right now, we were just getting home from Vietnam!

Happy Thanksgiving!
A placemat made by Jasmine this week at school. It is even laminated!

They also made "stone soup" yesterday. Jasmine had to bring an onion to class! It was funny watching her go to school carrying an onion! I guess they put the whole onion, carrots, other vegetables and potatoes in a big pot and cooked it. They ate it for lunch, and according to Jasmine.. they cooked a turkey. I don't know if I really believe that!

Funny again....:)

Tonight I asked Jasmine what she wants Santa to bring her for Christmas... even though I'm already done shopping. I just wanted to see if I missed something really obvious. She said very seriously,
"I want a brother". !! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... Sorry Jazzy!:)

Funny...

Tonight we were watching a show on PBS about turkeys. There was a guy who lived with wild turkeys for 1 1/2 years, learned their language and became part of their "pack". I will never be able to eat a turkey again... not that I ever could. Anyway, after the show was over, I left the room for awhile. The Lawrence Welk show came on and Jasmine was engrossed in it:)). I changed the channel and she got very upset insisting that it was American Idol:0))) So funny!

Pho Van and Gelato 64.....

After ice skating, Jazzy and I went to Pho Van and of course the next door ice cream/gelato shop afterwards. Jasmine had her usual Pho.. and I had some type of thing that ended up being kind of gross.... so I took it home to the Chihuahua vacuum cleaner who thought she was in heaven.

Here is Jazzy with her little change purse with money in it!