Kirin took a look and whined: "Awww, why do we always have to eat vegetables and meat, and other things. Can we eat something else like chicken nuggets? I CRRRAVVE them SO BAD! We haven't had them in like FOREVER"

Sage chimed in: "Yeah, I LOOOVVE chicken nuggets. Why can't we have chicken nuggets instead?"

Next day, we were eating dinner, and Sage gave me a stern look and said: "I wish we can eat Ramen noodles, those are so delicious. You never let us eat them!" (I wish I recorded the way she said it so you get the full drama.) She added: " You don't let us eat peanut butter and jelly pocket for school lunch either. Brook and Lauren and Nick all eat them, and it looked soooo good."

On some mornings, when Kirin gets in one of those mood, he would begs for boxed mac'n cheese for breakfast, and I often don't have them. Then he'd asks me to run a mac'n cheese errand to the store after he goes to school. And if I happen to serve them remotely healthy snacks after school, I hear complaints all night long, and how hungry they all still are for such things like Nutella or Fondue or ice cream.

Tonight while smoothing out her stomach and waist, Jade said: "Your cooking is terrible." I stared at her with wide eyes in disbelief of what she just said. Then she corrected herself by explaining: "Too much good cooking, it's a terrible thing for me."

I can't win, you know. No matter what I cook, they wish I give them boxed food, or that I don't cook so well so they don't eat so much.

Just now, Kirin is sitting next to me with his feet by a space heater and a blanket over his lap, preparing to read Calvin and Hobbes. He just now said: "Mom, this is perfect like this, now all I need is a sandwich and a can of soda. Huh, what do ya think, want to get me those?"

This will be our last time visiting Disney World in a very long time. I was pretty determined to have Sage meet almost every princess in the park...as long as I don't have to wait forever.

Mission succeeded.

As it turned out, these are one of my very favorite Disney memories. It was so fun to see Sage's eyes light up when she enters the room where Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora are all smiling in their sparkling dresses. These princesses must have a book of things to say, from sparkles to mice in teacups to singing squirrels. They sure know how to enchant these little girls. But as beautiful as these princesses are, they can't compare to the big smile on my daughter's very happy little face.