There's a legend in my family regarding my first trip on the Tilt-W-Whirl.  It was many years ago, before I could pronounce the letter "L" correctly.  I believe it was at Grandpa's carnival (a Chicago church festival that wasn't actually Grandpa's, but since he took us every year, it became Grandpa's!) On exiting the ride (or perhaps during the ride?) I was heard screaming 

I YUV IT! I YUV IT! I YUV IT!

You can understand then, why I was excited to ride it again today when I saw it at Milwaukee's Winterfest! The kids are all tall enough! I could share one of my favorite rides with them!

But Abby wan't so sure.

'I don't want to go! It's too fast! It's too scary! I don't wike it!'

But Abby, it's perfect, you sound just like I did way back then - at the end I know you'll scream I YUV IT, too!

Despite her hesitation (screaming) we took her on the ride.

(Here it should be noted that Chris decided to go too, which is odd because just watching this ride makes him queasy!)

The ride operator took one look at us and put all 5 together in one car. It was a tight fit. Maggie, Katherine and I were giggling with glee. Chris was hoping his breakfast didn't end up in the car with us. Abby was still trying to decide if she was going to like it.

The ride started, and we slowly began to swing back and forth. Abby realized it wasn't so bad. Everyone was happy! SUCCESS!

And that happiness lasted about 3.2 seconds. Pretty soon Abby was screaming again, Chris was moaning for it to stop, and Maggie, Katherine and I continued to giggle with glee, having a great time! It was the longest Tilt-A-Whirl I've ever been on... which was fun for some of us, and horror for others. I didn't even take a picture of Abby when it was over because she was so crabby.

Lesson learned:She may be my mini-me in many ways, but NOT in her love of carnival rides!

But, lest you think I'm the meanest Mom ever - look how much fun she lad on the Merry Go Round!

A good time was had by all, and I don't think she'll have any permanent psychological damage!

I thought I'd bake cookies this afternoon. It's chilly and there are many other things I COULD/SHOULD do (like write a post about the month of November, which I seem to have skipped!)  But I kept thinking about cookies.

Until I opened our baking cabinet and thought to myself, "Self, you can NOT cook anything until you clean out this cabinet."

Um yeah.

About half of what I found.....

15 bags of baking chips (chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, etc) some opened, some not.

10 sticks of Crisco - some opened some not

6 bags of chopped nuts - almonds, walnuts, pecans

5 cake mixes-4 yellow, 1 chocolate

4 frostings - Chocolate, Vanilla, Funfetti (PINK!) and Peppermint

4 cans of baking cocoa - all opened

4 bags of marshmallows - 1 open, 1 expired

3 sweetened condensed milks and 3 evaporated milks, none expired

2 jars of molasses, both open, with the exact amount missing from each

And a partridge in a pear tree!

I guess I'm ready for holiday baking?

There are 3 very excited girls here tonight, expecting St Nick.

Here are the shoes they chose.....Katherine was quick to point out, "I used a boot-the bigger it is, the more stuff I can get!"



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Look who got her very first haircut today!






Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone