Our Advent Calendar

Just like last year, we’re keeping our trip to Walt Disney World a surprise until Yule.  This year though, we’re leading up to the reveal with her advent calendar.  We bought a whole bunch of Disney pins off eBay, and have put them inside dated Disney ornaments:

Disney ornaments from Target

So every day the girl gets a new pin.  

She loved the first one:

Showing off her Mickey Mouse pin.

But by the third was catching onto the theme and finding it less than fun.  Last year her advent calendar included little baggies filled with little toys, MLP clothes, LPS accessories, and other odds and ends with a lot more playability.  Then, by about day five, she realized these are the same pins they use for pin trading at WDW…  and a world of possibilities came flooding in on her.  Now she’s excited to see which one is inside each ornament, and likes to think about which might be keepers and which might be good for trading.

Her first five pins.

I am so looking forward to the big reveal on the 21st.  I know she’s just going to be over the moon to learn our next trip is coming up so quickly.  It’s going to be amazing!

My Little Pony Toys are Magic!

Last night, while kid-kid was at her weekly sleepover at my parent’s place, Damon and I were at the store.  We excitedly discovered both FS (Fashion Style) Princess Luna and the pink FS Princess Celestia My Little Pony toys at Superstore….  and even better than just finding a toy you’ve been looking for, is finding it at a reduced price!  The MLP collector in my tried to convince Damon that we should buy two of each – one of each to keep mint in box, and one of each for the girl to play with.  LOL  That proved futile, but we did buy one of each – one for the girl and one for me.

Tonight, after supper, I presented the ponies to the girl.  She was ecstatic!  We giggled together, and compared Luna (who is mine) and Celestia (who is hers), talked about how each was similar, how each was different.  We laughed about all the ways we can play with them.  Lily-Ann shared her plans to hold a royal wedding for them, and how my FS Pinkie Pie and her FS Twilight Sparkle could attend.  How tomorrow she is going to lay out all the pony outfits (while she doesn’t have all the FS toys, she does have all their outfits – purchased from a customizer who didn’t need the clothes, only the ponies themselves) and shoes, and how each pony is going to get to have a new outfit for the big event.  How the cutie mark crusaders are going to be the flower girls, and what role each pony will play.

Being so close to bedtime, we didn’t liberate the princesses from their packages…  but we sure had fun talking about her plans for them.  I knew she would be excited about our little surprise for her, but the extent of her delight was a surprise for me.  Now we each have a pink FS pony and a purple FS pony – a fact that thrills her to no end.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again:  There is nothing like sharing something you love with someone you love.  And I feel so very lucky to have a toy that I loved thirty years ago be that something that can unite us today.  I remember the joy and excitement I felt when enveloped by that “new pony smell” that is the off-gassing of the plastic when the package is first opened, and sharing it with the girl now, it brings back all those same memories for me – and it means the world that I can give that same unbridled (pun obviously intended) happiness to my daughter.

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Now if only Hasbro would send out a WHITE Celestia, the girl’s happiness (and mine as a collector) would be complete.  😉

Finding Princess Primrose

These days it’s pretty rare for us to find a G1 My Little Pony during one of our thrift store trips.  G3s have become a dime a dozen, and most thrift stores will have at least three or four of them.  But a G1?  The original MLP toys from the 80s, when I was a kid?  We just don’t come across them like we used to.  Which makes today’s find at least 20% cooler.  😉

We were out hunting down some dress pants for the Daddy, so I figured I’d check the toy section while he was trying things on.  There, staring at me through a plastic bag, with $1.99 written on it, was Princess Primrose.

Princess Primrose is hardly a rare find.  She’s probably the most common of all the Princess Ponies…  but she’s also the one my daughter has always liked the most.  I have her in my collection, and Lily-Ann has always admired her.

Her hair is cut, and her tinsel is a little frizzy…  but otherwise?  She’s in pretty good shape for her age.  She’s got a little symbol wear, but that’s to be expected.  She still has her blush, and only one of her eyes has even the slightest rub.  Her haircut is rather unfortunate, but the girl doesn’t love her any less because of it.

When we picked Kid-kid up from my parents (we moved her usual Friday night sleepover to Thursday this week to help make sure she’s well rested for the wedding we’re attending tomorrow) I told her we had a surprise for her in the car.  She couldn’t have been more excited ripping into that little plastic bag.  She just thrilled to find Princess Primrose and gushed over her as if I’d found some rare, invaluable, gem.  And perhaps that’s exactly what I found.

Lily-Ann, right after getting Princess Primrose out of the baggie.

Tomorrow’s the big day… pre-k graduation.

It’s been a long day.  Lots of stuff going on.  But now?  right now?  Now I just want to go to sleep.  Can’t though.  Still more to be done.

Tomorrow the girl graduates from Pre-K.  Don’t ask me how we got from that tiny infant that all the doctors and nurses kept coming in to peek on because they’d heard from other doctors and nurses about how special she was…  that tiny thing that left the hospital at 6 pounds 12 ounces…  to THIS!  ‘Cause truly?  I have no idea how we got here so quickly.  Yet here we are.

Today Kid-kid gave each of her classmates and her teachers her farewell gift.  We bundled up gourmet jellybeans (seven or eight flavours – all green) in little baggies tied with green ribbons.  And tied little note cards she drew in, wrote in, and put stickers in onto each bag.  All because of a song their class sings (and we now sing at home too) about avoiding eating green jellybeans because of all the trouble they cause.  Everyone loved them.  🙂

Her little dress, along with her shoes and hairband (all that she picked out) are hanging up, waiting to be worn tomorrow.  She’ll look adorable – but she always does.  😉  It’s going to be super cute.  She’s already told us what songs they’re performing – and that she get’s to be the rat in the farmer song.  LOL  We like rats, so that’s just fine by us.

So, that’s it.  I have to run.  Still lots to do tonight before I can hit the hay.  Thankfully the girl is snoozing away though.  At least she’ll be well rested for her big day.  🙂

Skippyjon Jones – preparing to party

Kid-kid will be turning five on July 20th.  And the two of us are both fans of theme parties.  Being a crafty momma, I love making things for her birthdays – both for her and her guests.  Which means it’s time to get working, lest we run out of time prior to the big event.  😉

This year the girl has asked for a Skippyjon Jones party.  Not familiar with our little skippito bandito buddy?  I’d highly recommend doing some reading.  Here’s a link to get you started:  http://www.wegivebooks.org/books/skippyjon-jones  Not only can you read the books for free, you can also help give books to programs that make them available to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.  I’ve blogged about We Give Books before (see here, and here), and we still absolutely love it!

So…  ideas thus far:

• Chihuahua window clings for all the mirrors
• Bandito masks for all the party guests
• mask, cape, and Chihuahua ears for Lily-Ann
• Skippyjon stuffy gift for Lily-Ann
• Skippyjon cake or cupcakes
• have a pinata
• Read the original Skippyjon Jones book

But that’s where my ideas stop.  We could definitely use a craft idea, and a game idea…  So I’d be up for any thoughts from the peanut gallery (or from los chimichangos).  🙂

Good, old fashioned, gay bacon.

It was a long day today.  Though I don’t think it would have seemed nearly so if I’d gotten more than two hours sleep.  😉  But between hubby staying up late streaming video, the girl waking during the night, and the dogs getting me up bright and early… well…  it was one of those twenty minutes here, thirty minutes there nights.  And they don’t count for much.

Over all today was a good day though.  We didn’t win any more points, but I’m cool with that.  It’s nice to share the wins.  If the same dog(s) always win it can take the fun and sport of it out of the weekend.  More points is always nice, but not having anyone get discouraged is nicer.

After the show we tried to hit the laundromat…  but there weren’t any washers available.  I figured it would be busy, but didn’t expect a complete lack of free machines.  So we’ll make due until we can try again – probably on Tuesday in the late afternoon.

The kid and I played all evening.  And it was one of those imagination games where Mommy doesn’t actually have to get up and do too much to be completely involved.  Considering I’d been too exhausted to attend the volunteer appreciation supper the Avenue Community Center put on (that I was sooo looking forward to) there was no way I was getting involved in any active play.  I rather liked the game we came up with, as I could play it while laying in bed, half sitting up with a pile of pillows under my back.  LOL

The girl was a secret agent – Agent Omega was the name she chose – and I was her superior.  I ended up with the moniker Purple Bunny.  She’d come to me for missions, and I’d send her on hunts for clues, notes, bad guys, and to rescue Agent Stinky Daddy Pants who had gotten himself into trouble and needed an injection of “pure awesomeness” in order to resume his agent duties.  As Purple Bunny I did my absolute WORST British accent.  Back from my acting days, I’ve still got several accents I can pull out of my pocket whenever needed, but this was a new one…  purposefully awful, it kept the girl giggling.  It really was a lot of fun.

To top off our evening, we enjoyed a bit of good, old fashioned, gay bacon:

Mmmm…. yummy gay goodness

Nothing like a sour yet sweet, gay treat.  🙂

Night everyone!  And may all your dreams be filled with bunnies, secret agents, Chihuahuas, and bacon (of the most gay variety).

My Little Junior

Well, today the big show news is all about Lily-Ann and Alice.  They were so cute together!  For both of them, it was their second time in the ring – but it was their first time as a team (you can see the girl’s first time here: junior handling debut) .  Sure, there were a few hiccups.  In an ideal world you put an experienced dog with an inexperienced handler or vice versa…  but they worked their way through it together, and looked cute doing it!

Damon took the video for me, from the other end of the ring.  You can actually see me, standing next to the ring steward (who happened to be the show secretary) at the table.  And Jewles took some photos – but I haven’t transferred them to one of my hard drives yet.  😉

Alice placed the same as she did yesterday, winning one point for Best of Winners, and winning a stuffed cow toy for Best Puppy.  Gotta love when someone has sponsored a booster and there are little gifties to go along with a win.  LOL

So, one more day left, and then it’s back to business as usual as we wait for the next show.  🙂

A2Z – Wishing

 

One thing I know with assurance is that wishing doesn’t change things.  But, those same wishes can inspire us to take action that does.  Change happens slowly, gradually, with these sudden AHA moments of hope that cause things to leap forward.  It’s not easy, it’s hard work, but it’s so worth doing.

I’ve said it many times before, but here it is again – just for clarity.  I know I’m not the one who will change the world, but maybe I’ll inspire those who will.  I know things can be better, heck, all I have to do is look at how far society has come just in the last twenty years.

The things members of the acronym community had to face when I was young, seem unspeakable and foreign to the youth of today.  The physical punishment and torment, while so fresh in my memory, is a lifetime away for those who are currently discovering their sexual identities.  Bullying is still alive and real – but it’s a very different type of attack.  And I have hope that it too will fade into a distant memory.

My wish is one for my daughter.  And it’s a wish that I hope will spur the action needed to see it come true.  I wish that by the time she is old enough to be discovering her sexual identity that it will no longer matter how she identifies.  She will be accepted as she is, for who she is, without question.  It’s a big wish.  But I know it can happen…  after all, look how far we’ve come in the last decade, given one more, just imagine where we could be!

 

 

Chihuahua with a Mustache

Today there was a book fair at the girl’s school.  She and I spent a great deal of time checking out all the titles on the tables.  Very honestly, there wasn’t much there that was even worth a second glance.  It was highly disappointing.  I knew we had to find something though.  The fair helps support the school, and a portion of the proceeds goes towards getting new books for their classrooms.  That, and the kid knew she was allowed to get a book.

Back and forth between the chapter book tables.  One mundane sounding description after another.  Then we wandered back to where we started – with the picture books.  We don’t read that many of them any more.  We read for a half hour (sometimes more) a day, but that’s almost all devoted to novels.  That’s when I saw it!

It was hidden beneath scores of boring paperback children’s stories…  a hard cover, only one letter of the title peeking out – but I recognized the font instantly.  “Lily-Ann!  What’s this???”  I slide the book out just a titch, so that two letters are now revealed.

“SKIPPYJON JONES!!!!”

I’m sure her animated shout could be heard throughout the main floor of the school.

Yep.  We found a copy of Skippyjon Jones; Class Action.

We love Skippyjon.  We read a lot about him at wegivebooks.org.  I remember the first time she saw the cover of the original Skippyjon Jones, she said “Momma, that cat looks like a Chihuahua.”  This sticks with me because I poo poohed her, assuming it was just the illustrators style… but very quickly found out I was wrong.  And yes, I made sure to apologize for it.

We’re Chihuahua nuts around here (as I’m sure you’ve guessed).  So these absolutely adorable books, with their smart stories, and rich characters?  We ❤ them in a big way.

So yay!  The kid now has her very own Skippyjon Jones book…  and we popped the CD in to listen to it being read while we drove to get her Daddy from work (it was interesting to hear someone else’s take on the characters voices and the songs – her mom voice and my mom voice are VASTLY different, and curiously enough we were pretty dead on for every other character and the songs).  We’ve now heard it six times.  And it’s no less charming on it’s sixth than on it’s first, though I’m not sure her Daddy would agree.  LMAO

Anyway…  instead of sharing a book cover as I often do when I’m writing about a book we enjoy, I’m going to share a picture the girl did up yesterday.  She took a photo (using the iPad) of Deedee, and then proceeded to edit it.  So here’s Deedee, or as the girlie put it – giggling hysterically:  “She’s a Chihuahua with a Mustache!”

Spring is Here!

Well folks, I think it’s official.  Spring has come early to Saskatchewan.  And well, let’s be honest.  I’m not sure Winter ever fully arrived.  LOL  It was an odd, odd season.

It’s even more wonderful coming outside to discover Spring has arrived when you’ve been cooped up indoors for days on end with a cold.  🙂  So after her first afternoon back at pre-k, the girl took the opportunity to jump, and splash, and just breathe in the awesome Spring air.