Last week, Emma Rose and I ran into a store while Daddy and Anabelle sat in the car. Emma Rose was very busy looking at and picking up every pretty item on the shelves. I told her we had to hurry because Daddy was hungry. Then I asked, "Do you know what happens to Daddy when he gets hungry?" She shook her head, and I told her Daddy turns into a monster. He really does get grumpy when he's hungry. A few days later, we were upstairs and Daddy was being the Tickle Monster. Emma Rose looked at Daddy and asked, "Do you need a snack?" and quickly ran to her kitchen to whip something up. She took me very seriously!

Emma Rose had to go to time out this weekend. After it was over, I went to talk with her about what she had done and why she had to go to time out. She looked at me and in her sweetest voice and with her most precious facial expression said, "God made me special, and I'm your little girl." It was a very sweet distraction from the pertinent issue, but I'm glad she understands I still love her even if she has to go to time out. It was also very difficult to keep a straight face!

We had a new bird at our feeder over the weekend. I couldn't quite tell what he was, but he really looked most like the picture of the Nelson's Sharped Tailed Sparrow. I emailed the folks at the Cornell Lab, and they told me the bird is a Chipping Sparrow in "winter plumage." I guess some of the birds have a summer/spring and fall/winter wardrobe just like people. At least I was right that it was a sparrow!

Chipping Sparrow

John and Emma Rose also painted one side of the garage Ford blue. He is awaiting a mural of the Mustang's logo from reknowned artist Joseph Griffith. John is slowly converting the garage into his own area dedicated to Ramona, his mustang. I will still be allowed parking privileges, or he will be in big trouble. I'm very thankful that we can now actually use our garage for cars rather than just for storing all of our crap. Now, it's all in the basement, and although much more spread out, it is much more organized.

Emma Rose Painting Primer on the Garage Wall

Deck Extension: Day 10
No visible progress has been made on the deck. However, deck building software has been purchased, and the permission slip for the HOA has been started. We have also learned that we can buy a book at Home Depot to make sure we adhere to the building codes. I can now see that John's planning tendencies are getting the best of him. If it keeps getting cold, no one will be able to dig in the rock hard Georgia red clay to do any work.