So “Santa” got Kate and I these foam swords for Xmas and we’ve been fencing with them in the kitchen, much to Nicole’s delight. Kate is into it and having mock fights with her is pretty fun. Kate clarified that we were only “fake killing” each other, so that was OK. Earlier tonight we dueling while Nik bravely tried to reorganize our cupboard in the midst of our battleground. After awhile, I leaned back against the sink to take a break. Kate says, “Come on, you’re just standing there playing with your sword.”

“Well, Kate, you’ll find that men like to play with their swords.” Nicole snickers.

“But you’re just resting!”

“Yeah, that’s usually what happens after men play with their swords,” I reply. Nicole laughs.

More banter and sparring follow. Finally, Kate gets fed up and says, “Less talk, more smiting!”

Yep, that’s Nicole’s daughter all right.

Kate shared much of her wisdom with us on our recent trip. She was really cracking us up, so I wrote down some of the highlights.

Kate clarifies things with her Mom: “I didn’t say you were mean, I just said you weren’t nice to people.”

Kate comments on the hardness of life on Little House on the Prairie: “Back in those days, Thomas Jefferson hadn’t even invented the light bulb yet!”

Kate reacts to Destroy All Monsters: “Godzilla is nice; he helps people.”