Thursday, November 29, 2007

Mystery Dinner and Crazy Kids

Derek and I recently had the pleasure of attending a Mystery Dinner. So many times we wanted to do one of these with our close friends while we were living close enough, but we never got around to it. With our crazy gang of friends, it sure would be a blast! (I see Nate, Julia, Kayla....all playing their roles to the hilt~!) Anyway, this particular function was for the "YAMS" like group in our church, though not everyone wanted to participate in anything 'dress-up'. Spoil Sports! The mystery was entitled "Mystery in the Library"; we were each assigned roles to play and given just enough info about our particular character to share in conversation facilitated by Sherlock Holmes (our Pastor); all the characters were from classic works in a library who would come out of their books after dark and interact with one another. At the end of the evening we were each given individual time to reflect on all that was revealed by the various characters, and to write down who we thought had done away with King Henry VIII. Derek and I played Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter. We had a ball! I was most pleased with myself for piecing a costume together mostly from the Goodwill!:) Gotta love a bargain. Derek rented his hat and put the rest together from his closet. Here are a few pics...










As for the "crazy kids" part of this post....my children have kept me hopping in recent days. Our youngest, the beloved baby, is now crawling all over the place and into everything. My heart breaks that we have reached the constant "no-no" and hand smacking days. He's my baby! (uttered with a stifled wail.) The first time I had to do this, Lauren was horrified. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I explained that the training process had begun and she had been through it too. She remains skeptical. Speaking of Lauren, after a lunch outing with Jam the other day (my kids' name for my mom), she informed me that Rafferty's was, (and I quote) "the most horriblest place I have ever aten, and I don't ever want to go there again." After which she dutifully shuddered. Can this really be my kid? Is a DNA test required? I promise I am teaching her the rules of grammar slowly. But it's that drama queen living in her somewhere.....now where could she possibly get that from????????? (asked innocently and with all sincerity). Cameron walks up to me with an ad for a hot ticket Christmas item the other day, and asks for my phone. I ask why. He informs me there is a number for the company, and he's gonna call and ask them to send him one of their toys. This said with a HUGE smile spread on his innocent little face, and with his tell-tale lilting lisp in his voice. Ah, to be so naive! Doesn't he know if it were that simple, Mama would be spending her days curled up on the couch with all her favorite flyers in her lap and her phone permanently attached to her ear?!? Now, to share something about the Sophster. Where do I begin? She is my "one". I guess I go back to Thanksgiving week while visiting at G-pa and Nana's. Sophie had mistreated her sister, for which she was reprimanded. I noticed a few minutes later she was no longer in the room. So I go down the hall to the bedroom, door slightly ajar, and hear her just talking away. I peek in and she has the big crocodile tears streaming, and she is bemoaning her plight in life. I step inside and quietly ask her what she's doing. My heart melts when she informs me that she is talking to God. (my long-term readers may remember this trend with her speaking to God and He to her!) So I say, "Did you ask Him to forgive you, Sophie?" Tears immediately gone. Face turned up to mine, wide-eyed. Small shoulder shrug. "Ohhhhh...I FORGOT about that part!!!!!!!!"

Yep, those are my kids! :)

14 comments:

Liz said...

Such a cute Alice!! Enjoyed reading this post..esp. about your kiddos!!!

Charity said...

The pictures are great! I think you both dressed the part perfectly. Nathan is, of course, jealous. ;o)

kayla said...

Oh my word, that sounds like so much fun. Speaking Nate, Julia, you, and me the High School Christmas Play is tomorrow night. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, but "Grand Dad Hangs the Holly" still rules.
Love the stories about your little budding actor and actresses. Sophie catches on fast. It is always easier to get forgivness after you have recieved sympathy.

Julia said...

Love the post. And yes, I would LOVE to go to a Dinner like that, sounds like so much fun!

I had to laugh for more than one reason at the comments by your kiddos. First the comments were just cute and funny. second, too funny that your kids are so much like their parents. Drama ala momma and mischief ala papa! :)

jenny said...

Very funny stories!!! And I'm with you in the baby entering major need of discipline stage....I just crack up every time I think of Lauren saying WHAT ARE YOU DOING? and I've never even met her.

Loved the article on advent too...SUCH a good reminder not to be stressed out in setting a disciplined time to have special devotions...because then what are we really teaching? We broke out the nativity that the kids play with the other night...Tom and I weren't sure whether to be amused or alarmed when the boys also brought out their micro rescue hero sets...we never caught on until we heard Cole hollering "fire, fire!" followed by Si's "get the baby!"

julie f said...

I loved the pictures and narratives! Such cute and honest things come from their mouths!

We too are thinking about/preparing to teach our little one the new word "no". He has started crawling and with that mobility comes new lessons to learn. It's always sad to me when the realization comes to them that there are boundaries and consequences...until now he has thought the world was all fun and games! :)

Hope your Christmas days are filled with great joy and peace!

sarahmfry said...

Oh wow. That dinner looks like such a hoot! Years ago, David and I went to a 50's mystery dinner with some coworkers of mine and had a blast. This has reminded me how much I want to do it again.

Your kids are great....full of vim, vigor and vitality!

Kimberly said...

You look beauiful!
I would be very bad at this I think, but it looks like a good time!
Such great stories! Love to All!

Anonymous said...

How cool is that?! You guys looked fantastic! Really, you did. I was moved...deeply. You made a really pretty Alice. :)

And I must say, there are a few times in my life that "the most horriblest place I have ever aten" would just about be the only words that were fitting. I love that girl! Thanks for making me laugh out loud.

Thanks also for noticing I was missing. It has been some crazy days! Love you!

Leah said...

I loved your costumes. Very cute!!
Your kids are absolutely adorable! I'm so glad I got to see you all at YC!

Marty said...

Tara,
LOVE The picture from your dinner...you both look fantastic. I'm like Kayla and think that "Grand dad hangs the Holly" was the BEST! By the way, your actress "mom" is STILL that bossy to her own children!

I had a very funny dream about you the other day...it included Lauren being 16 years old! She was BEAUTIFUL and out with you and Derek on a date.

Kim M. said...

Love the Alice & Mad Hatter costumes. Love that book... one of my favorites as a child (I know... weird.. but loved it!). Like everyone else, I think you made a great Alice.
Great kiddo stories!!! Love the word "aten". It made me smile!

The Dickinsons said...

Enjoyed this post and the pics too!

Baby and I are doing much better and I'm able to cook and bake more now...for which I'm THRILLED!! =D

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season!!

Love, Heather and baby! =)

Making Memories 1999 said...

Loved the post!! You make quite a stunning Alice! And I loved the Mad Hatter's hat!! (I have a funny story about Mad Hatter! When I moved to Illinois, there was a small grocery store called Mad Pricer. However, I couldn't remember the name, and referred to it as Mad Hatter more than once!!! Just about as good as WIEN, eh? haha)

LOVED the stories about your kidlets! Priceless!! Thanks so much for sharing them!