Halloween (another wordless post--the pictures say it all)

Wordless Friday: Goober Addition

School Parade

Today was Anna's Halloween parade and party at school. She dressed as a ballerina. Upon waking up, I asked Anna what a prima ballerina might like for breakfast and then mumbled under my breath, "Quaaludes and black coffee?" (due to a lack of daily adult conversation, I have to sometimes provide my own comic relief) to which Anna replied, "No. I don't drink coffee."

So, she had pancakes with copious amounts of pancake syrup, which probably has a similar effect to quaaludues and black coffee...especially coupled with the candy and cupcakes that she's sure to consume at her Halloween party today. She readily dressed in her ballerina get up and seemed to embrace the role. On the way to school, she declared that she was a "Mean Ballerina". My insistence that ballerinas are nice, not mean, was only met with louder growls and more insistence that she is, in fact, a "Mean Ballerina." Interesting kid, this one is.

Jack, waiting patiently for the Halloween parade to begin

I've been spotted!

Anna and friends, congregating in the gym after the parade

It's hard to pull-off "Mean" with pink tights and 10 lbs of tulle.

What a great weekend...

We have a bad track record of disastrous Fall/Pumpkin Patch activities in this house. Here's a recap of our first year and a picture of our second. So, you can imagine that I was cautiously optimistic over the weekend, when the weather was perfect and everyone seemed gung-ho about going to a pumpkin patch and then attending Anna's school's Fall Festival afterwards. It started out a tad rocky, when Jack vomited all over his one and only Halloween shirt, on the way to the pumpkin patch, but it wiped off fairly easily. We ended up having a great time, spent with good friends and family.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Weekend of Fall Fun: Your Sneak Peak

Jack's head, impersonating a pumpkin

More pics to come. Now, back to this beautiful Fall day!

Up to no good

In order to get some laundry folded today, while Anna was at school, I let Jack loose in his new favorite place in the house: The hallway. I closed off the hall bathroom and master bedroom but left the doors to his and Anna's rooms open. After a few minutes, it got eerily quiet in that part of the house. I went to investigate and followed a trail of drool, leading to Anna's room. Here's what I found:

It appears as though he's added pulling-up to his repertoire. Sister would be none too happy to see him all over her bed like this. Shhh. Please don't tell her.

Busted, Brother!

And just what are you after, there on Sister's bed?

Oh no...poor Blue.

Now, how to explain Blue's soggy tail....

Open-letter Wednesday

Dear Crazy Couponers,

I love a good deal...LOVE, but, 14 bags of Lifesavers, just because you have a coupon? I think not.

Yours in frugality,
Me
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear PMS,

Why do you make me so insatiably hungry?

(Note to self: Look for coupon for 14 bags of Lifesavers)

Hugs,
Me
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Old Navy,

I find your trickery to be annoying. Why is it that your Halloween merchandise is 50% off online (but $7 for shipping) but your Halloween merchandise in the store is full-price? And yes, I'm aware that you offer free shipping on purchases over $75, but do you have any idea how much stuff you have to buy from Old Navy to total $75 and, frankly, your stuff just isn't doing it for me these days.

Boo to you,
Me
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Gerber,

Is it too late to purchase stock in Puffs? My boy, he loves them.

Hugs and kisses,
Me
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Facebook "Friends" Whom I knew 15 years ago,

Get over it. Move forward. Get on with your life...I certainly have.

Best,
Me
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mosquitoes,

ENOUGH ALREADY! Get away from my kids. I know they're succulent, sweet and delicious, but you've worn out your welcome here.

Buzz off,
Me

Beautiful Babies

(L) Me (R) Anna at 6 months old

(L) Jack at 6 months old (R) Kevin

Why we don't have nice things--Part: Infinity

This cute basket is supposed to be for Halloween candy but Molly B'Golly seems to have claimed it as her bed. If you come trick or treating to our house this year, I hope you like cat hair, 'cause that's what you're getting.

40 Days of Joy

I'm going to be observing 40 Days of Joy in my Twitter sidebar. The idea is to post something that you're thankful for every day for 40 days. I know that some days, I won't have enough space in my Twitter to express what I'm thankful for and some days, I might struggle to find something...anything, that I'm thankful for, but I'm hoping to keep up with it. Feel free to give me a nudge if I fall off the wagon.

You should do it too. I dare ya.

Self-Feeding Baby

Please view the video below only if:

• A) You have an extreme, and perhaps unnatural interest in the mundane day-to-day activities of my children
  

• B) You have 2 minutes of your spare time to kill

• C) You're addicted to chubby hands, slobbery mouths and baby giggles (hang in there until the very end of the video)

• D) All of the above (Grandparents, that means you!)

A special birthday

Daddy had a birthday last week, so we made him cupcakes!

Yes, it was a mix and canned icing. Don't judge.

An unconventional method for stirring

Then, after naptime, the icing began. She was exercising such restraint...

but, the spirit is weak when chocolate icing is involved.

BUSTED!