Why?

These are my conversations as of late with my eldest:

(Driving home today from a play date)
Makenna: I help you with the groceries Mama?
Me: We don't have any groceries today.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because we didn't go to the store.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because we went to the store yesterday.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because we went to go play instead.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because we have friends we like to play with.
Makenna: (I'll let you guess what came next.)


(In the car, driving past an over-turned car)
Makenna: What's wrong Mama?
Me: That car flipped over.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because he wasn't paying attention and crashed.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because maybe he was driving too fast.
Makenna: Why?
Me: Because his 3-year-old was in the back seat asking him 'Why' every 2 seconds and he needed to get out of his flippin' car.
Makenna: Why?


I was warned of this stage. I knew it was on its way. I was actually surprised it hadn't started until now. Please tell me it's over in a week. Please?
When is it okay to just stop answering the devilish question? Give me an out here, people. Quick.

Grandpa and Ba ngoai Come to Visit!

Last week Drew's dad and step mom came to visit from Seattle and we had so much fun catching up with them. It was the first time Addison met them but she warmed immediately to both of them. We kidnapped Grandpa for the weekend and drove down to Lynchburg to visit Drew's aunt and uncle and then do Skyline Drive over the Shenandoah Valley. Beautiful! Leaves were gorgeous; girls were fantastic; car company was phenomenal. Thank you Grandpa and Ba ngoai for coming all the way to see us!





(Trying out my tripod using the timer.)

Some Funnies...

*(Walking by a neighbor's decked-out Halloween house)
Me: Whoa! Look at all these decorations Makenna!
Makenna: That's not cool. That's scary.

*(Randomly one afternoon)
Makenna: I need to feed my baby with my milk. You have big milks Mama. I have tiny milks.

*(Just after running over my sunglasses with our car)
Makenna: You broke your sunglasses Mama?
Me: Yep. They're all smashed up.
Makenna: Maybe you ask Jesus, 'Please have my sunglasses? Please, PLEASE?'

*(I accidentally stepped on her foot)
Makenna: Ouch. That hurt me. You can't hurt me. I'm precious to you.

*(Me bumming a TicTac off of her...Grandma bought her a pack of them on our trip)
Me: Can I please have another mint?
Makenna: Fine. Just one. But then no more because we're having dinner.


Is it scary that I hear myself in 50% of what comes out of her mouth? Maybe, but it's mostly endearing. Does any stage even compare to this one? It's hard to conceive of one coming close. I feel like every day I'm trying desperately to take snap shots of her in my mind, so that I'll never forget who she is in this moment in time. Sometimes she takes my breath away.

Come to think of it, they both do.

New England

We went to New England this past weekend for a wedding of one of my cousins. Ahhh...where to start.

I suppose I should start with our drive up there, starting at 4:00am, Thursday. It's downpouring. We got a new cartop carrier for our trip (the cool, new kind that looks like a duffle bag; not the X-Cargo gray and white shell that we all had growing up). Before leaving, Drew wraps all our luggage in Hefty bags just in case our "Weather-proof bag" isn't so weather-proof. We were worried about our luggage getting wet. Not 8 minutes into our 7 hour drive, a drop of water flies into my face. Then two. Then three. By Baltimore, the straps holding it down (we have a sedan, thus no luggage rack, thus the bag strapped in through our doors) are soaking wet and providing a steady stream of rain water on all 4 of the Manns. I was literally cupping water above my shoulder and shucking it down around my feet. Addison's carseat was soaked. Makenna had one soggy pillow. Drew and I were completely drenched.

Drew (an hour into our drive): Should we turn back home and repack the car?
Me: NO!!! We didn't pay all that money to NOT use this car top carrier. We'll survive, as soon as it stops raining. (Sidenote: "Torrential Downpour" is in the forecast for the next 36 hours.)
Drew (in his infinite wisdom): Let's pull over at the next exit. I think I can fit everything in the trunk. We can use the bag on our next road trip.
Me (deflated, but humble enough to know when The Mann is right: Fine.

We finally dried off by the time we reached NYC. By Vermont, it was still pouring with no clear sky in sight. We meet Mom and Dad there to start our soggy Covered-Bridges/Fall Colors driving tour. It let up a little for me to get some pretty shots, but began quickly thereafter.










(Last but not least, how cool is this old building in Bennington, VT? I wish I would have taken more pictures of it, but it started to downpour again.)

Onto Boston, where we visit with my Aunt and Uncle. More rain. But they live on a lake, which is gorgeous and home to three swans.



Saturday was the wedding in Connecticut and was amazingly, the ONLY day without any rain. Miracles do happen on conference weekend...
The bride, the flowers, the music, the food, the view...all were amazing.












Wow. That was a ton of pictures. More than usual, but so pretty up in New England. How do people not carry their cameras with them every time they step outside their house? Gorgeous. Such a fun weekend. So happy to have spent the extra days up there with my parents. Oh, how I love Autumn.