Abe the Builder

One of our traditions at our Christmas party (pre or post) is drawing names, then going to the Dollar Store and buying a present for that person. A fun, inexpensive activity. While in Idaho, Grandma had us do this with the rest of the Park family, and Abe ended up with a tool set, which he has put to use since returning to New Mexico. The tools came out when he saw the ladder we had used to take the tree down, along with a yellow hard hat that came with a tractor a few months ago. I may be a horrible mother to let him play on the ladder, but he would think I was more horrible for taking it down. He seems very stable and happy on it, so it's staying up for at least one more day (school tomorrow).

He tells me each morning that he's going to work, and to keep an eye out for all the worker men that will be in the house. Luckily I can't see or hear them, so I don't mind having them around.

Notice he's made signs using 'bendaroos' on each side of the divider between the kitchen and living room - labeling which room you are entering. (Apparently there has been confusion.) Kitchen is spelled, "KICHIN" and Living Room is spelled, "Livreang Room" - backwards. When I asked about it, he was very offended, so evidently it's for those people with X-Ray vision looking at it from the Living Room. If you look closely, you can see how he's twisted different colors of bendaroos to make the letters quite pretty.

On the kitchen side, you can see where he has started a new 'Searing' (ceiling) - because our old one is 'crappy'.

I did, however, turn down his offer to paint the kitchen walls a different color with his water colors. I told him I liked the color of the kitchen walls, and that when he grew up and had his own kitchen, he would be able to paint his walls whatever color he wanted.

He was disappointed, but didn't pursue the issue.

I am still going to hide the water colors.