No Offense

Abbie really enjoyed having two weeks off from school over the holidays and she got to spend time with both sets of grandparents, which helped keep her from getting too bored. As is often the case, the days leading up to Christmas were hectic and filled with special events at both girl's schools. Abbie had a holiday concert on the Friday before Christmas. The music was good, but even more entertaining was watching Abbie interact with the kid next to her (the one in the red vest).

Abbie can't stand this kid, and it really frustrated her that he wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing - he would randomly sit down in the middle of songs, and he kept invading her space. As the program went on, you could tell that she was more and more irritated - the elbow wars that started out as subtle and infrequent became all out battles. I took videos of each song that they sang, but toward the end I was laughing so hard that I couldn't hold my phone steady.

Of course, Christmas is always exciting for the kids, and I think that Abbie got a lot of good loot. She was pretty determined about going with Santa on his sleigh. She left him a note that told him how to get to her room so that he could wake her up and take her with him. He left her a note back, explaining that her parents would miss her too much if she left.

Abbie is on to Santa's tricks, though. She noted that it always looks like the presents he brings are store-bought, which is ridiculous because obviously the elves make the toys in Santa's workshop. So, she has concluded that Santa must make them look store-bought so that nobody figures out his secret manufacturing process. Lookout Sherlock Holmes, Abbie is on the case!

Now that Abbie is back to school, she is involved in all sorts of after school activities. There is still violin, of course, and we are on track to have her Twinkle recital this spring. At school, though, she has signed up for an indoor exercise class (sort of a mix of stretching, and strength training), tennis, and Tae Kwon Do. All classes meet once a week, and Tae Kwon Do is in place of the ballet lessons that she was taking in the fall. It is totally new to her, but so far she really likes it.

Last but not least, Abbie's new phrase is "no offense." Apparently, you can say anything you want to someone as long as you say "no offense" either before or after the potentially offensive statement. For example, "Mom, the next time you get your hair cut, you should tell her to cut all the frizzy parts off. No offense." Or another good one, "No offense, Mom, but you look exactly like George Washington right now." Thanks, Abbie. No offense taken. :)