Cheap Labor!

We planned on taking the night off tonight, but I should have known we would not really "take off."  Rod called tonight when I was leaving work and asked me to meet him at Home Depot.  We purchased most of the fixtures, vanities, and other things for the house from Home Depot in advance to help with budgeting.   

I decided to stop by Wes and Jessica's (my sister and brother-in-law) house while waiting on Rod to get to Home Depot.  They have a lot of projects going on at their house, as well.  Rilee immediately ran out of their garage and announced that she was going with me.  I never can resist that three year old request, "Please Ja-jew." 

Who would have thought a Wednesday evening trip to Home Depot could have been so fun. 

Rilee anxiously waited as a orange aproned Home Depot employee lifted 3 pallets of items onto the trailer with a fork lift.  Rilee asked me "can I have one," "can I do that when I grow up."  Believe it or not she was talking about wanting a fork lift and being a fork lift driver.  Wow...what it would be like to be 3 again. 

The truck was finally loaded.  This looks like it is going to be a lot of fun, I mean a lot of work.  This is not everything.  We have already picked up a lot, and we have a lot left to pick up. 

 

After everything was loaded, we tried to convince Rilee to take a picture sitting on the truck.  I thought every three year old would think it was neat to climb up on a bunch of boxes, well not my niece.  We finally got her up, but this is the face we got. 

*Note the uniform (half way there to that fork lift dream) and dolphin shelf*

No worries, this is not the best we got.  Rod was quick on his feet and said Rilee "SMILE like a PRINCESS."  This is what we got . . .

I thought we were going to make it through the evening without a request for a toy or fake fingernails (I will save that story for another day), BUT boy was I wrong.  As we were standing there, I got the famous question "Can you buy me this?"  See the face below.



It is hard to resist this face, but I promised her I would take a picture and send it to Santa.  (Hint, Hint, Mom and Dad).  I have done my job. 

On a serious note, I love being an aunt.  It is so cool.  You can have so much fun and have no rules.  For instance, Rod and I took her to Rush's for dinner and let her eat the cheese off her hamburger instead of the bun and hamburger meat.  I attempted to tell her one more bite, but when she said she wasn't hungry I just let it go. 

I think back to when I was Rilee's age (or as far back as I can remember), and I cherish those days and nights with my aunt (and my namesake).  I spent many nights and weekends with her and my uncle, and I had so much fun.  As my mom loves to remind me, I was spoiled as a child, and I was especially spoiled when I was at Nana Jew's house.  Every time I eat a fig newton or think about participating in a 5k race (key work "think"), I think back to those days with Nana Jew and Uncle Mike.  Words can't describe how much I cherish those times. 

Okay, I am done being sappy. 

Goodnight!