Christmas Tour

Merry Christmas and welcome to the Christmas Tour of Homes. Grab a mug of coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy the tour!

Santa greets you as you make your way to our house. Kristin was so excited about this addition to our house and yard decorations.



Once inside, you'll find my table with some of my many snowmen. Also I have my Christmas Card Tree. I found this last year at Khol's and have really enjoyed it. Hoepfully it will have more cards on it in the days to come!

Hanging on the wall next to the table are our stockings. My grandmother made my stocking and my mom made Chris and Kristin's. I considered learning how to make them myself, but they involve a lot of cross-stitch and beadwork and I do not have the attention span or patience to do it!




This is my wreath that is too delicate to put on an outside door, so I hang it on the wall above the couch. It was made by the mother of a friend of mine from Japan.

Here is our tree. I usually do ribbon, but Kristin wanted the cranberry and gumdrop garland, so that's what we went with. We considered getting a live tree this year, but with all the allergy and asthma issues we've been having, we decided against it.



To the right of the tree are more snowmen. I love my snowman who counts down the days till Christmas.



To the left of the tree you'll find a good place to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee (or hot chocolate).


On top of the entertainment center is our nativity...


Here is our door going to the garage...


and as you make your way to the kitchen....on top of my pantry you'll find more Chrismas odds and ends. Some I have had since I was little. I love the little Christmas cottage. When you blow out the tealight candle inside, smoke comes out of the chimney.


And in the kitchen window...more snowmen, of course! I also put out my Coca-Cola Polar Bear glass...I always loved those commercials and am so sad they no longer show them.



Down the hall is Kristin's advent calendar. This was mine when I was little, a family friend made it for me. Now Kristin looks forward to moving the bear each day until he finds Christmas. She is especially excited about it this year since she is beginning to be able to read some of it herself.


Here is Kristin's tree and her ornament she got last year at the Precious Moments Chapel. She is hoping that Santa will leave a present under her tree.

Well, that about does it. Thanks for visiting and have a merry Christmas!!!!!

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things.....

Ok, I don't look or sound anything like Julie Andrews, but since I've been tagged to do it, here's my list of top 10 favorite things:

1. Kodak--I LOVE Kodak products...I have a Kodak M1033 camera that I take pictures with on almost a daily basis and Chris got me a Kodak printer for an early Christmas present. With the Kodak software you can do anything..order and edit pictures, print pictures, make all kinds of cards, albums, etc. LOVE IT!

2. GreenWorks Cleaner--this stuff is great...it's all natural cleaner that you can use on anything, and I do! I buy a bottle of concentrate (which is only a little over 2 bucks) and it lasts forever. Best of all, since it's all natural, Kristin can use it to help me clean! :)

3. Purell Hand Sanitizer--I'm becoming more OCD in my old-age and since I am around germy kids all day and wash my hands constantly, I, of course, also love hand sanitizer and am somewhat addicted. I have no clue how many times I use it throughout the day, after helping kids wipe their noses, etc. I always carry a travel size bottle in my purse and use it before and after grocery shopping.

4. Udder Cream--between all the hand washing and sanitizing, needless to say, I have very dry hands. They are especially bad this time of year. Udder cream lotion is something I always have around, usually right next to the hand sanitizer! It's great stuff and a little goes a long way.

5. Hallam's Peanut Butter---this is a local peanut butter made in Ozark, Missouri and it's WONDERFUL! Between Kristin and myself, we go through tons of it. It is natural, organic peanut butter and it's yummy! There are several things that I always but organic, and this is one of them.

6. Burt's Bees or Carmex--I always have one of these on hand...usually one at school, one in my car or purse, and one by the bed.

7. Jan Brett--ok, she's not a thing, she's a person, but her books are things! Jan Brett is a children's author and her books are wonderful..The Mitten, The Hat, Annie and the Wild Animals...just to name a few. Kristin loves her books and I have lots of The Mitten and The Hat activities to do with my kids during our winter unit.

8. Folgers Coffee, classic blend---yes there is Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and many other "better" brands and flavors, but Folgers original will always be my favorite. With lots of cream and sugar, of course! Maybe it's because that's what Dad always drank and it makes me think of him, but I have to have some every morning. I love when I wake up at 5:15 and smell my coffee brewing!

9. A Christmas Story--it's Christmas and I love this movie. Last year Chris got it for me on DVD and I think Kristin and I watched it almost every night! It just makes me laugh.

10. Crayola--anything made by Crayola! Kristin will spend hours drawing, gluing, cutting, painting, so we have a lot of Crayola "stuff" and it's all worth every penny. This past summer while at the Crown Center in Kansas City we discovered a huge Crayola store...I don't know who liked it more, me or Kristin! She told me this morning that she is ready to go back!

Well, those are some of may favorites, now what are yours?

I tag...Mandy, Cassie and Allison Lynn, I would tag you too, but you don't have a blog :(

Playing Catch-Up

Wow, seems like a lot has been going on lately and I haven't posted in weeks. I'm at home sick. Kristin was sick the past couple of days and I think I have whatever it was that she had. Chris has a cold, but doens't have a fever or anything. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Kristin and I went to Cabot, then went with Mom to my aunt's house in Truman for Thanksgiving. Kristin had so much fun playing with Luke and riding with Uncle Dutch on the 4-wheeler. She was so upset when we had to leave. Lynn, Brandon and Lindsay went back to Cabot with us and spent the weekend. We all got up at 4:30 Friday morning and headed to Wal-Mart. I was on a mission to find Kristin a coat and a fleece-lined jacket. They had great deals on them and Kristin is SO picky about her coats (all clothes, actually)...they have to feel just right and not be too "puffy" (she has a wonderful Gap down filled coat that she refuses to wear). We found a couple of coats and some other things. I think everyone but Lindsay took a nap later that day. We came back home Saturday to a nice, clean house (thanks, Chris). Chris had gone to Joplin and ended up staying the night since the weather was getting bad. Kristin slept in the bed with me and at 4am, threw up all in the bed. So, I did a load of sheets at 4 in the morning! We awoke Sunday to snow! It snowed all day and night and we got a nice dusting...it was so pretty.

Here are some more birthday pictures...some from Kristin's birthday with Grandma and Grandpa. I'll post pictures from Cabot soon...Blogger is giving me trouble!

Within the next couple of weeks we will be having a referral conference with Kristin's teacher and school to request that she be evaluated for an IEP or 504 plan. What that would do is require the teacher and school to make accomidations for her such as a quiet place to do work, daily reports about her day that are more in-depth than what I usually get, more one on one teaching, etc. And if she qualifies, she would get to work with an occupational therapist on her many sensory issues (refer to her clothing issues above). Anyway, hopefully this will get things going in the right direction. I never hear from her teacher, but Kristin seems to be having fun at school and is beginning to read...all I did in Kindergarten was play! Oh well. I will update again after the conference.

Prayers Please!

Everyone please visit the blog of a family near and dear to my heart...the Tugwell family. Their daughter Lily was in my preschool class and they need every prayer they can get...take a moment to visit their blog, read their story and to PRAY!

tuglor.blogspot.com

You can also find thier blog by the clicking on the name Lori under the links listed on the right

Happy Birthday Kristin!

Today is Kristin's birthday! Six years have gone by so fast and I can't believe she is already six! Kristin is so much fun to have around...she loves animals, art, music, cooking and having fun! She loves to "collect" (right now it's marbles she's into) and organize her collections (a girl after my own heart!). We never know what she's going to say or do next and not a day goes by that I'm not laughing at something she has said or done.

We started the birthday activites this morning. As soon as Kristin finished her breakfast and was dressed, she was ready to open presents!


presents ready to be opened


Kristin was so excited about this cookbook

new winter pajamas

and slippers to match!


We let Kristin decide what she wanted for supper. She picked Mazzio's chees pizza and a chocolate chip pizza for dessert. Here she is ready to blow out the candles!


I will post more after her birthday visit from Grandma and Grandpa on Friday and her party on Saturday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAT BUG! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Tomorrow's Kristin's Day

Well, tomorrow Kristin turns six. I can't believe that six years ago tonight I was packing to go to the hospital to be induced the next morning. It doesn't seem possible. I was looking through pictures and loved these from Kristin's first birthday. The first three are from her party with Grandma and Grandpa. The last two are from her party in Cabot.

We have a full week of activities planned and I'm so thankful Kristin is getting better. Tomorrow she will get her presents from me and Chris. She has requested Mazzio's pizza for supper with a chocolate chip pizza for dessert. On Friday night Grandma and Grandpa (my in-laws) and maybe Aunt Carol, if she feels up to it, will be here to celebrate with Kristin. Saturday is the party day Kristin has been waiting for. We are having Pajama/Hannah Montanna (PJ, but not sleepover...I'm not that brave yet) party with her friends. After all of that we'll be going to Cabot in a couple of weeks and she'll have another birthday there! So, I'll have lots of birthday pictures to post!!!

Worn Out!

The past couple of days at our house have been, well, sick. Kristin woke up Sunday morning complaining of her throat and ear hurting. Soon after she drank a little hot chocolate and no breakfast (that's never a good sign), she asked if she could go back to bed! I told her of course she could and I took her temp...101.1. Great. So, I dosed her up with Motrin and tucked her into bed. About an hour later her temp was 102 and she was nauseous. During this nauseous time she insisted on sleeping on her floor. And there she slept for a few hours. Here she is camped out on the floor. Chris asked why I took a picture when there was throw-up in her bowl, but it's just the bunny's leg under the bowl!



She finally got back in her bed and slept all day long. No eating or drinking, other than a few sips of sprite, which she couldn't keep down. Around 8:30 her temp was 103.9...yuck. I started alternating doses of Motrin with tylenol, which worked pretty well. Monday morning we got in to see the doctor, who confirmed that she had a bad ear infection and the beginnings of strep throat (she said her tonsils were huge). Yesterday her temp seemed to be going down, but started back up again last night. We stayed home again today and her temp is now 99, which is much better. Tomorrow is her birthday and she wants to be at school tomorrow, which I'm sure she will be. Saturday is her party, so hopefully she'll be completely back to normal by then. For now I am worn out and need a nap!

Happy Halloween!

Hope eveyone had a good Halloween. We had a lot of fun and the weather was perfect. Siloam didn't have school Friday so Kristin's school party was Thursday and she had a party at church Wednesday night. On Friday she went to another pumpkin patch with Shawn, her group of preschoolers and a few school-agers we had for the day. They had a good time and I was left at the school with only 4 kids! All of my kids were staying home with older siblings, who didn't have school. Needless to say, I had a good time too!

Kristin was an adorable "scary" fairy...she loves getting all dressed up. We started the evening by trick-or-treating at Shawn's house. She and Rick were pretty scary themselves in their Hillary and Barack masks! We went around Shawn's neighborhood then came home and went around our neighborhood. Kristin was then read to go home and pass out candy. She enjoys that as much as she does getting candy. She sat out on the front porch until all the candy was gone. I'm so glad Halloween was on a Friday this year. Kristin is still sound asleep and showing no signs of getting up anytime soon!

Parent-Teacher Conference Nightmare

Last Thursday afternoon I had Kristin's first parent-teacher conference. Unfortunately I left mad and have continued to get more mad. Ok, before I go on about the conference, I have to give the backstory. Most of you know that two years ago Kristin was diagnosed ADHD, which came as no surprise to us, and she has taken Strattera everyday since then and has done great with it. Siloam schools do not allow you to request a certain teacher for your child so I wrote a letter to the school just telling them about Kristin and that she has to have a teacher who will be loving, yet firm, who will be consistent and keep her focused. When I found out she had Mrs. Thomas, I thought it would be a good match. Mrs. Thomas is an older teacher who is known for being a little tough with the kids, but fun. So, at open house I told Mrs. Thomas all about Kristin, that she is on medicine, but still needs help staying focused and that she like to talk....all the time (I have no clue where she gets that :) ). I gave her all of my phone numbers, e-mail, and asked her to let me know if Krisitn has any problems. I heard nothing, Kristin was gettting good behavior reports, etc. Well, last month it was time for Kristin's Strattera check-up. I e-mailed Mrs. Thomas, told her Kristin was going to the doctor for her meds and to let me know how she's doing in class. I heard nothing. The day that I was taking Kristin to the doctor, she called me and told me Kristin does not listen, pay attention, do her work, and talks all the time. I said ok and that I would let the doctor know. Meanwhile I'm thinking, why is she getting good behavior reports if she's having all these problems? We go to the doctor and she decides to raise the dosage of Strattera a little since she's grown so much since last year. The next day I wrote a letter to Mrs. Thomas about the new dosage and to please let me know how she does..good, bad, no change, whatever, I need to know. I heard nothing, Kristin got great behavior reports, so I think things are great.

Last Thursday was the conference. Mrs. Thomas starts in on how Kristin is just out of control, does not listen, talks all the time, does not finish her work, does not know her sight words and is just having all kinds of problems. Why am I just now hearing about it???? She wanted to know if we started new medicine and I said it's the same medicine just new dosgae (did she read my note?). Then she said "well shouldn't that stop everything?" At this point, I was really getting mad because she was already talking bad about Montessori children and how they cannot handle the structure of public schools (hello, I am a Montessori teacher and she knows it!). I told her that the medicine just helps her to better control her impulsions, focus, etc, but that she still needs help, there is nothing to just "make it go away or stop." From what I gathered from the teacher, when Kristin talks when she's not supposed to, she just tells her to stop, there is no other consequence. Kristin has to have immediate consequences. Mrs. Thomas said she doesn't remember what she's supposed to be doing after directions are given and I told her she will have to tell her more than once and then check to make sure she's doing the work. If not, make her do it. If the teacher isn't checking to make sure she's doing her work, then of course she's going to talk or draw or whatever else she'd rather be doing instead. I suggested that she have Kristin sit at a desk by herself. She didn't like that idea but said she'd try it. I asked Kristin if she sat by herself yesterday and she said no, she was in her same spot.

I talked to Shawn a lot about it (her daughters are in the 5th grade and are both ADHD). I'm writing a letter to the teacher telling her things that have and have not worked for Kristin in the past. I'm going to give it a week, if I continue to now hear anything from her, I'm going to talk to the principal. That's what really makes me mad in all of this...I've asked numerous times for her to please let me know how Kristin is doing and she doesn't do it. The preschool I teach at is literally right across the street for the kindergarten school, so she has many ways to get in touch with me. It also bothers me that she told Kristin that I would be dissapointed in her and mad after the conference (Kristin didn't want to go home..she thought she'd be in trouble). I would never tell that to one of my kids. She made it clear to me that she does not like Montessori teaching and I figure since she's and "old school" teacher, she probably doens't believe ADD even exists. I really don't think she's taking any time with Kristin. On the report card there were several things Kristin has known forever that the teacehr says she doesn't know..days of the week, colors, rec. numbers 1-10. It's just crazy. So, that's been my past few days...mad and frustrated. As a teacher I know how hard it is to have to keep remining a child to their work, or to be quiet, or to keep checking up on them. I've got two in my class that I have to constantly stay on top of or they will be off somewhere doing who knows what, and I've got other children I have to teach too, but that's just part of it!

Ok, I'm done vernting now and feel much better. Kristin spent the night last night with Shawn and her girls...she will probably never want to come home!

Picture Day!

Kristin and her Halloween decorations


Fall is here and so is the Kids Special at Main Street Studios! Kristin had her pictures taken today. This year they were at a big yellow barn out in the country. It was such a pretty fall day today. I can't believe this is the same child who just two years ago refused to smile for the photographer. Now she thinks he's her best friend! She had a great time posing and I think he was able to get some really good pics. These pictures were taken after we got home and she was still in "model mode".

We have gone from a stomach bug to a chicken pox outbreak. There are a ton of kids in the middle school coming down with it, as well as both of Shawn's girls and some of the preschoolers. Thankfully if they've had the shot, it won't be as severe, but it's still no fun.

Summer is over, fall is here, I've brought out the shorts and sweatshirts and have come to life! This is my favorite time of year and the colder it gets, the happier I get. I'm as crazy as my preschoolers!!!

Afternoon at the Park

One of my favorite things about Siloam Springs is the great parks and today was the perfect day to get out and enjoy them. I was a little reluctant to though once my allergies started kicking into high gear. But Kristin reminded me that we "pinky promised" that we would make a trip to the park after school. How could I break a pinky promise?? So, off we went with a bunch of kleenex to the park! Kristin had fun even though we forgot to bring some crackers to feed to the ducks. Oh well, we'll do that next time. All in all it was a great day!

One of Kristin's favorite things is to help me in the kitchen and whenever possible, I let her. A few nights ago we had homemade pizza and I let Kristin make her own pizza. Of course she had to make a smiley face with the pepperoni!





Last night she decided to make dessert with her Easy Bake oven. Mom got her the oven for her fourth birthday and she uses it as much now as she did then, if not more. Here she is mixing up frosting for her chocolate chip cookie.



Kristin recovered quickly from her stomach bug, thank goodness...it was not fun. While we were in Joplin over the weekend, she picked out her Halloween costume...a "scary" fairy. She picked a black skirt that is glittery and lights up and black wings. I told her she could wear a black leotard with it. She wants to make her hair black and glittery and wear goth makeup! I said yes to the hair and talked her into some sparkly stuff for her face instead. She said next year she wants to be a vampire. Let's pray she changes her mind! I must say, she definitely marches to her own beat. She has a dark sense of humor....great, she's going to be one of those creative weird people! Some of the pictures she draws just crack me up...they look like Dr. Seuss or Tim Burton creations. She just sees things in a different way and is ALWAYS entertaining!

Stomach Bugs and Dirty Sheets

Kristin has caught the stomach bug! It didn't last long, but it was not fun! It started yesterday around 4:45. Kristin was at her ballet class and I'd walked down to a bookstore to use my gift certificate and look around while she was dancing. Just as I'd finished picking out my books and was about to sit down to start reading, I got a call from the dance center saying that Kristin wasn't feeling good. So, I paid for my books and went back to the studio. I found her laying in the lap of another mom with a cold cloth on her head. I thanked her for taking care of Kristin and we left. Just as we got in the car Kristin said she was going to throw up. I dumped my books out of the bag and let her use it to get sick it. Chris found it amusing that I left the bag by the curb, but I wasn't about to bring it home!

We made it home and Kristin went to bed. I figured she had a migraine since she was complaining of having a headache. Around 7:00 she woke up and said she was hungry. I gave her chicken noodle soup, a warm bath, oh, did I mention she threw up in her bed before she went to sleep? Well, she did and at this point had one set of sheets in the laundry and a new set on her bed. After her bath she wanted to lay in my bed at watch the Disney channel. I tucked her in with Raggedy Ann and a bucket, just in case. As I was taking her clean sheets out of the dryer, here she came, down the hall, telling me she'd thrown up in my bed and had missed the bucket. SO, I took off those sheets and started a new load in the wash. By this point her stomach was hurting really bad and I knew it wasn't a migraine. She fell asleep on the couch and I put her in her bed around 11:00. She got sick again in the night and once more this morning. Since then she is fine and dandy and wanting to go out to play. Needless to say we all have clean sheets!

Dance and A New Do

Yesterday Kristin had her first ballet/tap class. She was so excited and had a blast. Parents aren't allowed to watch, which I totally understand, but she showed me some of her new "moves" when we got home. She's already looking forward to the recital in June. Here she is ready to dance!



After her class she was completely exhausted and was also getting a migraine. I gave her some medicine and got supper ready. I later found her sound asleep on her bed in the fetal position!



Kristin decided over the weekend to get her hair cut. She was in the process of letting it grow, but on a whim decided to cut it (she's just like me). It's cut about the same way it was before, bobbed and stacked in the back. It's a little shorter this time, but very cute, I think. I like it because it's easier to deal with...no more detangling spray!

Thank goodness for holidays and long weekends! After being in school for two weeks, we are in need of a little break. Kristin was sick this past Thursday and Friday and spent those days with me at work. She just laid on a mat and hung out. On Thursday afternoon when she was starting to feel better I let her get up to do some art. Well, I was in the back of the school getting a load of laundry ready when I heard a child crying and then screaming...and then I realized it was Kristin. I found her in the bathroom with another teacher with blood running down her hand and arm. She had been cutting and accidently cut her finger (yes, that's my child). After about 20 minutes of screaming and me about to pass out...blood has never bothered me, but that day, I about lost it and we both ended up on the floor before it was all said and done....I got the bleeding to stop enough to see that while she had managed to cut a small part of the tip off, it didn't need stitches. My nursing genes kicked in and I got her all bandaged up. Needless to say we all took some Motrin before going to bed!


Showing off her hurt finger


Kristin is enjoying school and is having fun. I am working 7-3, which means I get up at 5:30 (which I actually like), get myself ready, get Kristin up around 6:45 and we go to the school. She gets dressed and has breakfast there and Shawn picks her up and takes her to school with her girls. Then at 3 when she walks over from the school, we go home. And I love my class this year. Shawn and I switched...she is teaching the pre-k kids and I have the younger ones. I have eight 3 year olds, only 2are girls. They are good kids though and I just love seeing their minds at work. They are like little sponges. Anyhow, the schoolyear has started off pretty well.


Ready for the first day of Kindergarten



Enjoying some hot chocolate after school


Hope eveyone has a good holiday weekend. Keep those on the Gulf in your prayers. I have a couple of friends who live in the New Orleans area and have evacuated...it's not looking good. We aren't doing anything exciting. I'm planning on sending myself to the spa next weekend for my birthday...I definitely need a massage!!!

More Pictures

Tomorrow is the first day of school! Kristin is very excited...she has all her supplies ready and her clothes picked out. We had open house at Kristin's school last week. She saw her room, met her teacher and checked out her locker. This is going to be a bit of a change for her...OAS, where she was last year, was very small, and Northside is a lot bigger, but her class isn't very big. She is excited about school, and I think she will have fun. It will be very convenient for me to have here at Northside since it is right across from my work and I am going to start working awesome hours--7-3. I can't wait! Kristin decided not to do soccer this fall and is instead taking ballet and tap. I was talking to her about when I took ballet, her mouth dropped open and she said "YOU can DANCE?!"

Here are the rest of our vacation pictures. Kristin just asked me when we are going back!


Kristin and one of the ball blasters at Peanuts Playhouse


Inside the playhouse

Chris and Kristin enjoying their funnel cake


Build-A-Bear


Kristin and Bunny Boo


The Rainforest Cafe


Chris and Kristin after her art session at the Crown Center


Kristin posing outside of Fritz's

Kansas City Vacation

I'm finally updating my blog! It's been forever, I know. Kristin is home sick today and is in bed, so I have some extra time. We had a great time on our vacation to Kansas City. It went too fast though, and none of us were ready to come back. This was Kristin's first trip there (that she remembers)or to be in any big city and stay in a hotel, for that matter. As we reached the city limits and Kristin saw the big buildings and big traffic, she said "Wow! This is a beautiful town!". Sunday night the weatherman was predicting record heat for Monday, which was when we were going to Worlds of Fun. However, God had other plans and we awoke to a cool, almost cold, rainy morning. Once we got to the park it quit raining but stayed cloudy and very cool all day. It was the perfect day to be there...not hot and not crowded. Kristin rode tons of rides, got her face painted and met the Peanuts characters. Her favorite non-ride was in Camp Snoopy at Peanuts Playhouse. It was basically a gigantic room full of air pressured ball blasters with foam balls all over the place. It was fun and there were as many dads running around as there were kids!







Our second day we spent shopping. I found great deals at Children's Place outlet and Limited Too. We took Kristin to Build-A-Bear which was the highlight of the day for her. She stuffed a bunny and of course had to dress her and do all that fun stuff. I think I had as much fun as she did! It is kind of expensive, but fun to do at least once. We ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, which I think has a better atmosphere than food. I don't care for the food at all, it's overpriced and not that great, but it is a really neat place to eat. Kristin was freaked out the first time it "stormed" and all the animals came to life. We got to eat next to one of the big fish tanks and Kristin was thrilled with all the "Dory fish".

On our last day we went to the Crown Center, in downtown KC. We have never gone there and I have no idea why, since it is so neat. We took Kristin to Kalediscope, an awesome hands-on art center for kids. The setup is so neat and makes you feel like you are inside a Dr. Seuss book. Kids can go in to the art center for an hour session and go crazy making art. They had a really cool observation area for parents and they had later sessions where parents can go in with their kids. It's all sponsored by Hallmark, which is based in KC (hence the CROWN center...that just dawned on me!) and is all free! After her art session we did a little roaming around the 3 levels of stores, then had luch at Fritz's. It was a neat little restaurant where you order your food by phone at your table, then the food is brought to you by a train that runs on a track around the top of the restaurant. So neat! I didn't take any pictures inside and don't know what I was thinking! I guess I was too busy watching Kristin have fun. After lunch we walked around some more and decided the next time we go back we have to spend a whole day at the Crown Center. We had to drag Kristin out of the Crayola store since we needed to leave before rush hour traffic hit. I think she would still be there drawing and coloring if we would've let her! We had such a good time and can't wait to go back again!

Blogger isn't letting me post anymore pictures. I'll try to post more soon.