Happy Halloween!

From my terribly spooky goblins to yours!

E-Bee!

Kind of a hodge podge of costumes this year. A wants to wear her little mermaid costume, K doesn't like costumes, but he thinks dressing in jeans, a white t-shirt and tool belt is respectable enough to qualify for trick-or-treating. I did find a bumble bee costume for E-Bee. Yay! I really wanted to dress her as a bee last year, but I had the pumpkin costume from A and figured she would be asleep before the festivities started, anyway. I managed to get some pictures of the little bee this afternoon while the big kids were at school. Hopefully they will cooperate tonight so I can get a picture of everyone.

Carving Out Some Time

Seems like our weeks are just jam packed - with what? I have no idea. But we're always busy. I've had the pumpkins for a while, but I wasn't sure when we would get them carved. Didn't want to do it too early and have shrunken-faced jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, but Wednesday and Thursdays are filled with evening activities around here and Friday is Halloween! I decided to have the girls work on theirs this afternoon and K could do his tonight after drum lessons. I was waiting for a big fit from him when he got home and saw that some of the pumpkins had been done without him, but he was fine with it. whew! We went with the standard faces this year, as much as I wanted to use the patterns in the pumpkin carving kits to make something fantastic. I'm thinking the fact that I got them done at all is fantastic! Managed to get pictures of the girls working this afternoon, but I forgot to take pictures of K working on his. I'll just note that K actually did the carving this year and it turned out great! The girls scooped goop and let me do the carving, and then they actually posed together and smiled! Warms my heart...

Get that baby an agent!

We got some interested looks from people walking by when my friend Sarah and I took EB to the American Tobacco Historic District the other morning and followed her around with our two giant cameras. They must have thought we were shooting some tiny little model. I saw this picture and immediately the lyrics "I'm a model and you know what I mean, and I do my little turn on the catwalk, on the catwalk, yeah, I do my little turn on the catwalk..." popped into my head (OK, those of you were high school-ish aged in 1991, you KNOW you are singing along with Right Said Fred). ANYWAY, she's too baby for that song, too baby for that song, so baby - sorry it's still stuck in my head.

I don't think I had seen Sarah in about 8 years, so I was thrilled that she would take a break from her exciting life in NYC as a stage manager to come down and see us and meet our kids. We were great friends in high school - she and Geof and I all played in the band together and generally "hung out" as we tend to do in high school. Turns out we have a common interest in photography, and through the magic of facebook we've reconnected and planned the visit! I'm sure my stay-at-home life seemed quite different than what she's used to, but then taking a step back, I guess it all seems very predictable based on how we were back in the 'burg. Fun to visit, fun to chat, fun to pick her brain about camera stuff. Next I get to go visit her, camera in tow, for some photo safari in the big city! When on earth will that ever get on the calendar... ONE DAY! You read it here. :) AND, I think I have a new place to suggest when looking for session locations for something a little different that the typical garden scene. This place is so great! I'm thinking next time I drag K's drum set out there. :)

is she paparazzi or what?

I never noticed - I take pictures like the queen must drink tea!

Fun Run

Today was K's school Fun Run. He's gone back and forth between being excited for the event and being worried that he wouldn't be able to run his laps. He set a goal for himself of 8 laps, and by last night he was overcome with anxiety about how he might do. I chalk it up to him being one very tired little boy. EB and I headed over to school this afternoon to cheer him on and so I could help man the ice pop and tally stations - my first PTA event! :) EB had fun playing with friends and toddling on the track. With each lap completed, the kids collected a rubber band on their wrists, and then we tallied up their laps (I presume high lap counts resulted in fabulous prizes...). Well, Kellen need not have worried. He surpassed his goal and complted 9 laps! Way to go Kellen and way to go Hawks!

Ramblings

Some observations from the week:

1. You can clean baseboards quite nicely with baby wipes (and you can be quite impressed with yourself that you did it in the first place!).

2. You know you've trained your kids well when this is the exchange you have at the State Fair (while walking through all the deep fried vendors, cotton candy, candy apples, gyros, etc):

"Mom? Can I just have 1 little snack?" Me: "Well, what do you want?" Kid: "Well, I saw you pack goldfish crackers in the backpack."

3.  When you realize that the bag compartment on your trusty vacuum is somehow broken and you're pretty sure that nothing is actually being sucked off the floor, still the lovely lines left in the carpet make you feel like it's clean and worth the effort.

4.  It's so funny that the pillows I picked out from PB (you know, the big chain store with trendy house stuff that results in everyone's furnishings looking exactly the same...) just happen to be of the same pattern that my brother's girlfriend has been eyeing.  Seems that even if you live in a renovation project in the country surrounded by goats and chickens and you are capable of cooking homemade chicken soup in an iron pot over a fire in your front yard using a chicken that was running around that morning, PB will still find you! (and is all that REALLY just one sentence?).

5.  No matter how many pairs of jeans  you try on in the store and no matter how  you've convinced yourself that you've done it - you've found THE pair, after wearing them at home for a hour they are bound to start sagging or twisting or stretching.  So frustrating!  And, I think the mirrors at AT Loft are rigged for skinniness.

6.  If you're 18 months old, juice just tastes better if you drink it from a prepackaged bag.

7.  Drywall dust is a horrible, invasive entity that has kept us coughing for weeks despite my efforts to clean, wipe and purify.  I'm thinking we'll be allergic to the basement and not be able to move in!

8. Little kids really do think chocolate milk comes from chocolate cows, and they have no concept that we just can't keep a cow in the backyard.

 That's it - back to cleaning. :)

A Fair Evening

On a whim we went to the State Fair tonight with Ben and Maeve. We had not been before, so we didn't really know what to expect, but we had a really nice evening and the kids had fun! We went mainly for the animal displays. I think Geof was most pleased that we came away having spent only $2 and consumed nothing other than 1 carton of milk! I took my old tiny friend Mr. Fuji along and was quite pleased with his behavior! I'm working on a layout, but with company here tonight and new company arriving tomorrow, I really must get off the computer!

when we arrived and when we left the Fair

Spectacular Stone Zoo

A few pictures from our day at the zoo last Saturday. As we moved from one exhibit to the next, the live (and admittedly often sleeping) animals got a quick look and then it was off to find the matching animal statue. I guess climbing all over a giant metal animal is more fun for a 4 or 5 year old than watching a sleeping lion lay in the grass. Anyway, each trip is an experience, and this experience was all about the zoo art.

Slacker

(I can hardly believe it myself - I have done NOTHING, zip, nada to document the progress on our basement. You would think I would be down there with the camera every day... Now that the drywall is up I can't even fake it. Oh well, on to the real purpose of the post.)

*Cue the angelic choir, harps, oohs and aahs, drum roll, etc.*

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you......

MY VERY OWN OFFICE!!!!!!!

(views from the picture window that looks between my office and the den - that's right kiddos. Mom can see you out there, and you can see me, but there just might be times when I turn that trusty little lock and the squabbles disappear for 5 minutes...:)

(view from the double french door opening!)

I know, I know, it's like a baby. Sometimes you just don't appreciate how gorgeous it is unless it's your very own. I happen to think it is stunning! So imagine carpet, custom built cabinets and shelves my brother and I designed, a custom concrete counter top my childhood crush is building, a wall gallery with track lighting, a cozy chair that's mine, all mine... aaahhh. can't wait!

Zoo Part I

So we went to our favorite zoo this weekend. And YES, we did stop and see a few live animals, but for the most part, the kids were only interested in finding and climbing on the cast iron animal statues. Hello? Live gigantic elephants standing 20 yards in front of you, or small metal baby elephant statue that you've actually seen 4 other times? What is more interesting? The elephant statue. And the rhino statue. And the buffalo statue. And the numerous monkey statues. And the aardvark statue. And the lion statue. And the ostrich egg statues. And the rhino cut-outs. And the bee statue. Anyway, you get the idea. I don't think I'm raising any future zoologists around here, but then, maybe my craft-happy kids will end up designing animal statues one day. Here are the only pictures of real animals I came home with on Saturday. More of the statues to come (ooooh - aren't you on pins and needles waiting for those?). :)

Round Meadow Hike

After we finished at Mabry Mill, we stopped at the Round Meadow trail head for an easy hike through the woods. The hike took longer than the 20 minutes estimated on the sign, but that was because there was so much to stop and look at - acorns to fill our pockets, mushrooms, fuzzy caterpillars, colorful leaves, walking sticks, a stream to rest by, a huge bridge to admire, stumps, logs, roots, the smell of pine, the sound of nothing - it was so nice! Everyone did great on the hike - no complaining, and even EB was content to walk or ride on G's shoulders for most of the trip (this spread splits tree in middle on the blog - oh well!)

Quick Trip

We decided a few weeks ago that it would be nice to take a quick trip this weekend, to get away with the kids and do something fun now that we're well into our new fall routine. On Friday morning we drove up toward Mt. Airy and got on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The day started a little foggy and rainy, so I wasn't sure we would be able to see any changing leaves or beautiful mountain views, but by the time we made it to our first destination, Mabry Mill, it was gorgeous outside. The leaves are just beginning to change - I'm sure next weekend will be stunning. But, since my favorite color is green, I really like the greenery studded with spots of gold and red. I used to go to Mabry Mill often when I was little - our family loved going to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Geof and I had been once when we were dating, but this was the first trip back with the kids. They had fun watching the old water powered gristmill, searching for salamanders in the stream, walking in the woods, and finding apples to snack on under an old apple tree. It was a really nice way to spend an early fall afternoon. I think they most enjoyed eating apples they found, and even EB tried out her new front teeth on a little green apple.

Pumpkin Patch

Well, it's the same old post that everyone else has, but we, too, went to the pumpkin patch today. A had a field trip with her preschool, and EB and I went along for the fun. 'Twas a very pleasant day - very sunny, not too hot, happy kids. Hay ride, corn mazes, picking corn and cotton, feeding goats, picking pumpkins, playing on hay bales, picnic lunch with friends. Whew - I'm tired! And of course, pages to document:

A New Tuesday Thing?

I'm wondering if we are starting a new thing for our family on Tuesday nights. I think we had a picnic at the park 2 Tuesdays ago, and tonight we decided to take a picnic to the airport observation park since the weather's so nice in the late evening. It was a little cooler than I had hoped, but we had a fun time. There weren't too many planes taking off tonight, so we created our own takeoffs. G got a workout launching the kids high into the air, and A turned out to be quite the twisting acrobat (can you see how she's twisted in the main picture?). There were a few tears over having to wear a coat (ahem, middle child). A was in the most pitiful state of tears when I put EB's coat on her, and as soon as I got it zipped, EB started the most hilarious fake crying, just like big sis. No sympathy here for the two drama queens in the house. The kids got to make fluffernutter sandwiches for dinner, a totally out of the ordinary dinner around here and a first time treat. Now they both want fluffernutters in their lunchboxes tomorrow... G and I feasted on Paula Deen's pimento cheese sandwiches. So yummy! And good for you, really - cream cheese and cheese and mayo MUST be good for you if they make it on TV!! And finally, I think we discovered that K has a very slightly loose tooth - so slight that it may be New Year's before it comes out. He said he was going to tell his teacher right away because she has papers to send home about it. Interesting! Here is my double layout:

Trying a little charm

Where do they learn this stuff?  Being the third kid, nothing EB does should surprise me, but I think I must have been in a fog when K was this age (A was just about due) and when A was this age (she cried constantly between 16 and 20 months), so I don't remember what they are learning around 1 1/2 years old.  EB is not quite there yet, but she sure thinks she is at least 4.  

I keep a stash of juice bags in boxes on the floor of my pantry.  EB discovered them as soon as school started, and she usually wanders into the pantry and emerges with a juice bag asking, "juice? juice?"  Sometimes I give her one, most times I don't.  (Aside - you'd think by now I would have moved the juice bags to a high shelf, would keep the pantry door closed, would keep then in the garage to stay cool, blah blah blah - I can only be but so organized...).  Anyway, this morning EB starts toddling into the pantry.  Knowing full well what she was after, I stopped her in her tracks saying, "what do you want to get, EB?"  She looked back at me, put on a big grin, smiled, waved and said "hi-eeeee," and then she came over and planted a big wet kiss on my mouth (now I'M worried about having her suspicious oral yeast infection...), and then went straight back into the pantry and got a juice bag.  She came out clutching it looking a little sheepish.  Oh, she can be quite the charmer, and this time she thought ahead about how to get me to give her that juice bag.  Did it work? Actually, no, since she had a big sippy cup full of milk sitting on the table, but I give her props for a nice try!

Addie's melt your heart words yesterday: after getting ready for bed, G picked her up and she cradled his face in her hands and said "Daddy, I love you mucher than much." :)

From the Mouth of a Kindergardener

1. "So do we have to pick out a new president because George Washington died?"

2. K: "Mom? What does puh-fwanuddy mean?" Me: "Where did you hear that?" K:"On the bus. No puh-fwanuddy is one of the rules, and each kid in each seat has to say one rule every day on the bus."