Jenna found out the hard way that cats don’t actually make the best cooking assistants.

catatouille

One could say that it might have something to do with the fact that the cat couldn’t quite reach the counter, but there was some question as to what he would do if he actually could.

I try to give others the benefit of the doubt, but come on. I think it’s pretty safe to say that he’d probably use his paw to shovel more of it into his mouth than onto a cookie tray.

Perhaps like Puss N Boots he’d be pretty good at swordplay or something, but cooking is just not his forte.

And then there are the large beasts who currently take up residence in my parents’ house.

sometimes we just need to sit and squeeze each other and that's okay

And they get presents.

On Christmas.

A pillow and a pig knuckle, respectively.

Have I mentioned lately that I am grateful to be me?

To not receive pillows and pig knuckles on high holy days?

Okay, so I guess I’d take a pillow, if pressed.

But the pig knuckle? No.

And have I also mentioned that my nieces and nephews are some of the coolest people around? Not even just taking into account all the kids I know, either; I am talking some of the coolest people.

Today Lyric and I took a long drive in a car together and sang the whole way.

I taught her an audition song from my book. She taught me some songs she learned at camp this summer. And then we finished it off with singing through the Christmas musical that the kids in church just performed. All in all, it was awesome.

And too bad that the rain was pouring down like God was draining his bathtub. Otherwise, we totally would have rolled down the windows and let the songs out into the world. Well, except for the fact that’s it’s winter. That kept us from letting the songs out too, I guess.

But before we started our sing-a-long, we took a picture.

Because we love each other.

so gangsta

And because we’re too cool for school.

*and for any of you who might be concerned as to whether or not my pop is actually still alive after seeing the second picture posted here, let me assure you: he is.