"Thistle Dhu" Nita...

I unfortunately don't have any pictures of gingerbread houses to share because as it sometimes happens, plans changed.  My poor friend Amber caught some nasty bug (feel better!!!) and wasn't able to make it here this morning.  Super bummed, but we understood.  So instead, the Bean and I headed up to the church where my MOPS group meets to hang out with some of the lovely ladies and their kiddos.  From there it was a quick stop back here to move some laundry (does it EVER end?) and then off to a PTA Board meeting.  Work this afternoon, and then we ended up having the girl that rides the bus with Noah down after school to hang out for awhile.  They noticed the flag was up, but we decided to hold off 'til a bit later.

When we did get to it, though...

This is the face he made after he read "silly little detectives"

And the rest of the letter read: 

My silly little Detectives,

I’m so confident in the fact that you have no idea where I currently am hiding out, I took time out today for a game of golf – mini golf!  It turns out that the very first private miniature golf course (which was named Thistle Dhu) was created on the Pinehurst Estate by James Wells Barber in 1919 – right near where I’m currently hiding out!  The course is now open to the public and I just had to try my hand at it. 

I hear that Detective NJ thinks he’s a regular whiz at finding “Waldo” so I’m a mini-golf version just to keep you on your toes.  I’m sure that you’ll never find all the items on the page – just like you’ll never find me!

HA HA HA HA HA!

Nita

This is the "where's waldo" like clue they received from Nita.

They had to find all these hidden objects

So they went to work

And even enlisted Daddy

They did successfully find all the items, and we discussed what we knew so far.  I suggested they consider some resources they had available to them already and see if they could make any connections.   Further looking at their 'stuff' found this...

This is the North Carolina picture Kayla drew during the state project and she happened to notice that she drew a bottle of Cheerwine, which was mentioned in one of our earlier clues

So....  They've narrowed it down

 For dinner tonight, I tried out something that I hoped would be a hit with Grant and the Bean for sure - Crab Rangoon Crescent Cups.  Grant and I LOVE crab rangoon.  Scratch that, Grant and I love crab rangoon from the Vietnamese restaurant in Peoria near Bradley's campus.  But you take what you can get.  And of course, seafood for my Bean.  Everyone really enjoyed them.  There was also quite the lively discussion at dinner because there was a big announcement - Grant is going to Italy!  Work is sending him to Turin for a whole week!  So starting next Saturday the Dynamic Duo and I are flying solo while Grant goes international.  The "please bring me back from Italy"'s have begun ;-)

More adventures and whatnot tomorrow I'm sure.  So until then...

(The title to today's blog is a nod to my FAVORITE movie line ever "That'll do, Pig" from the movie Babe.  A year or two ago at one of my MOPS meetings with my lovely ladies someone asked if we had one wish, what would it be.  I said that it was my wish that at least once, every day, someone would just say to me "That'll do, Kristi."  And bless my friends, they took me seriously and on a regular basis I get a 'that'll do' which means more than I can say.  I know it's just a silly little phras,e, a couple of words, but just like Babe, I don't need much.  So to everyone out there tonight 'that'll do, that'll do')