"Going to Hah-aween..."

Anna: Mommy, can we go to Hah-aween?

Me: Anna, it's Halloween all day today.  So we are already "at" Halloween.

Anna: Oh. Are we going to Hah-aween at Daddy's Oppice? (office)

Me: They are having a Halloween party at Daddy's office, and we get to go see some friends and get some candy.

Anna: OH YAY!  I'm gonna show Daddy my tail!  ...and my SPIN!

Me: He will love to see your tail and spin.  You'll have to show all our friends your pretty costume too!

Anna: Mommy, is Daddy gonna where his thing you made for him?

Me: I think he is.

Anna:  Mommy, are all Daddy's friends gonna laugh at him?   ...he's kinda silly.

Me: Yes, I think they will laugh.

Anna:  Mommy, are we going to Hah-aween?

(and yes, almost all of Anna's sentences begin with "Mommy.")

Caught.

As I was doing my hair this morning (yes, that's what I said...), this is what Anna was doing.  I promise I fed her breakfast.  She ate scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon mixed in AND a whole thing of strawberry yogurt.   And her usual chocolate milk.

I came into the living room and saw her in the kitchen floor under Grey's highchair eating his leftovers that had been swept into a pile.  I'm sure there were other things that got swept up with those Cheerios.  Yuck.  

Me: "What are YOU DOING?!  Are you STILL hungry?!"

Anna: "Don't you LA-AUGH!"

...and she kept on eating.

I'm SO good.

Check me out going upstairs on stilts!  Did I mention how GOOD I am?

G-Money in tha Tub.

It's one if his favorite places.  Poor kid had 3 mosquito bites on his forehead.

Royal cookies and creepy princesses.

This weekend Anna, her new best friend Eleanor, her mom, Meredith, and our event coordinator, Erin, all went to a local bakery to decorate princess cookies.  We (I mean Erin) RSVP-ed for us and everything.  The girls dressed in their best gowns, jewels, and crowns and we hopped in the car.  They had a blast, although weren't quite sure about the "princesses" at the bakery.  Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella were all there.  The poor high school-ish age girls dressed in the princess costumes seemed a little overwhelmed by all the little girls bouncing everywhere.  I think our girls could see right through those cheap satin dresses they wore...not literally.  They didn't want to come near the "princesses" and just wanted to make sure they got enough icing on their cookies.  I'm pretty sure 3/4 of an inch of icing on the top of a cookie is plenty.  After they both sucked on the icing squeezers and licked the spatula things they used for spreading, we left them for the next bunch of girls to use.  I hope they washed those...we were in the first batch to come in and there were three more batches to come.  

The finished masterpiece.  Can you see the layers?

I heart Fall.

This is our new tree in our back yard that we planted this summer.  I'm SO glad it's happy and changing these beautiful colors.

Anna got her first taste of hot chocolate.  She's decided that it's ok to ask for it every night.  Doesn't she look like she should be sitting in a coffee shop somewhere?

A long time comin'...

Yes, the pro-photographer wanna-be finally got some family shots done.  These were taken by the great Teri Cepica.  Thanks again Teri, you did a FABulous job!  She was the artist behind the camera on these and I did the post-processing.  :)  I think they are the best I've seen yet.  But of course, they're my kids.  :)

Poor Daddy.  He is in many of these pictures but since he's an undercover CIA agent, his identity cannot be revealed.  Oh wait...  ;)  

The Reagan Obsession.

Anna has LOVED Reagan for as long as I can remember.  Reagan is always a topic of conversation around here.  She will pop in and out of random sentences now and then.  Lately, Anna has been waking up in the middle of the night crying and wanting her "best friend Reagan."  As always my response is either, "She's at school.", "She's at home with Jon, Lee, Reese, and Sage.", or "She is her OWN bed ASLEEP like you should be."  But who couldn't love that face?

Leftover makeup acceptable.

I washed my face last night for the first time since Friday!  Take THAT Erin.  HA!

Gamer.

Anna got a new Leap Frog "super computer" game system for her birthday.  She has been wanting to play it so bad.  I thought that you needed a game cartridge to be able to play, so we ventured to Target to check out the selection.  To my surprise, Anna chose the Disney Princess game.  You may ask why I was surprised...there was also a Dora the Explorer and a Go Diego Go game next to the Disney game.  She almost always goes for the Dora or Diego stuff.  Gag.  So I was armed with a strategy for trying to talk her out of those before even getting to the store.  I was glad she chose the princesses.  I get enough of those other two shows everyday (she just watches one of each in the mornings)...but they talk SO loud!  Also to my surprise, you don't need a game cartridge with the system.  It comes with a few little built in games.

Anyway, last night Anna was busy dressing the virtual Cinderella and I, of course, was at the computer working.  I heard Anna say, "Mommy, can you come help me?"  She's been saying that many times since she'd just learned how to use the mouse and keyboard, so I thought she was just having trouble figuring something out.  I went into the living room and saw her having no trouble with a nice "video game gaze" on her face looking at the tv.  I asked, "You look like you're doing fine.  Why did you need me?"  She replied still staring at the 'beautiful dress' she was making, "Can you take off my shoes?"  She, sitting comfortably in her chair, couldn't bother to reach down and pull her shoes off because she might mess something up on her game.  Hmm, I see 'limits' on this game already.

Take a hike, Puppy.

Anna has had her beloved "Puppy" since she wanted something to hold.  She would carry him around everywhere.  Some of you can remember...   She has had a baby for a while, maybe as long as she has had the puppy, but the baby has never been wanted.  The original puppy had been replaced by a newer, more "fuzzy" puppy.  One where Anna could twirl it's fur between her fingers when she was going to sleep.  Now that newer puppy has been pushed aside.  I guess he's not fussy enough anymore.  This "new" (it's really not that new) baby has become the favorite.  She used to have clothes and a diaper, but they have been lost...long ago.  We bought her new clothes and put one of Grey's tiny diapers on her.  She goes everywhere with Anna.  Even to Target this morning.  She must be wrapped up (swaddle style) before bedtime and sometimes I even have to come check her diaper to make sure it's "ok" before she goes to sleep.  That poor puppy is always either hanging off a shelf in her closet or under her bed.  I feel sorry for him.   

www.yearbookyourself.com

This is hilarious!  Go to this site and make a "vintage" yearbook photo of yourself.  I saw this on Fred Egan's blog and then on Carla's.  And with the peer pressure looming in the air, I had to jump on the bandwagon as well.  ;)  The very first picture (1956) looks a little too much like my sister...just because of the dark hair, she doesn't have that hairstyle.

1956+1958

1960+1966

1976+1978

1980+1984

1996+1996

No sticker. No sucker.

I asked Anna why she didn't get a sticker and a sucker at school today so Daddy could hear it straight from her.  She searched the ceiling for the answer...then began with this:

Anna: Um, I got up from my nap mat.

Me: I know, but what did you do after you got up?  Did you climb on something?

Anna: Yeah, I climbed on Allyssa.

Me:  ??  You climbed on Allyssa?

Anna: Yeah.  

Me: I thought you climbed on the table?

Anna: Me and Allyssa climbed on the table...and I fell off and hurt my neck.

Me/Daddy: So you got in trouble when you got up from your nap mat AND you caused someone else to not get a sticker and a sucker too?! (and risked both of your LIVES?!)

Anna: ..yeah....(hanging her head and sticking her lips out).

The sticker and sucker are their rewards for staying on their mat at nap/rest time.  They don't have to sleep, just stay put.  She has been getting up from her nap mat off and on since she started school.  Somehow I think the slyness and excitement of getting up when the teachers aren't there and coaxing a partner in crime is way more rewarding than something that will get lost within 10 minutes and a sugar high.

Traffic lesson #2.

Today as we were driving home for "school", I came to a red light.  I was in the turning lane and the turning lane light, which is an arrow light, was red.  The light for those going straight was green.  

Anna: Mommy, go ahead! Go ahead 'cause your light's green!

Me: Anna, the light in front of me is a red arrow.  I can't go because I'm turning and it's not my turn to go.

Anna: No, see the light?  It's green.

(the arrow for me turns green)

Me: Ok, now I can go because my arrow is green.  (turn left and pass underneath the red light for the people to my right.)

Anna: NO MOMMY!  We-member how you posta stop at da red light?  You didn't!  You NOT posta go under it, you posta stop!

Me: No, that light wasn't for me, it was for the other people beside us.

Anna:  You we-member Mommy?  You didn't.  Where we going?

Me: Home.

Anna: Ok, you go ahead...go ahead and no stop at the red light...  are we going to da store?  

Me: No, we're going home.

Anna: Ok...you need ta we-member ta stop at da red light next time...you go ahead and turn by da store and go home now.

McScreamy.

Grey has become even more of a "screamer."  It's not the crying type of screaming either.  He's already master that one.  He is to the age where he thinks that if he screams at the top of his lungs, he'll get what he wants...more Cheerios, more food, his bed, attention from anyone, etc.  He's in there right now screaming away.  Anna tends to cover her ears when he starts this and complains that she can't hear her shows in the mornings.  Sorry girl, those boys just have to complain sometimes.  I'm trying to break him of it, but it's a long, slow, ear-piercing journey.

The rain...again.

It has rained two out of three of Anna's birthdays.  It rained off and on today...and when it wasn't really considered as rain, it was misting.  So you'd be wet either way.  Anna felt a little tortured today as she sat eating lunch while looking out the kitchen window at the wet trampoline.  She wanted to jump SO bad.  I would have let her, but Daddy was going to take her to a soccer game (in the rain) this afternoon.  She thought that would be a pretty good consolation prize, and when she got back, was pretty tired and took a nice rainy day nap.  She had fun at the soccer game.  They got very wet, but Anna was well equipped (unlike at the cousins' soccer game on Saturday morning...my fault).  She wore her new rain coat and took her Sleeping Beauty umbrella.  She was set.  Maybe the rain will let up a little tomorrow, but the forecast is looking grim.  She'll end up jumping if it's wet or dry.  It's only water.  :)

Happy 3rd!

The trampoline was a HUGE hit and the reveal went very well.  Jenni brought Anna home just before lunch, equipped with spa-quality pink toenails, ready to party.  Lots of family came in for lunch, cake, and presents.  Thanks SO much for all of you who donated to the "jump fund."  It will be hours, days, and years of fun for Anna AND Grey.

By 10:30 this morning my husband and I still had not completely attached the enclosure to the trampoline.  The steps included weaving a long cord in and out of every hole in the net and tying the cord onto every spring on the trampoline, and then figuring out how to make the overlapping enclosure, well, overlap...and look like the picture.  And by 10:30 a.m. there were other things that needed to be happening as well.  Anna was scheduled to arrive at 11-ish and others would soon follow.  We still needed to go to the grocery store and get bbq fixin's and pick up the cakes from the bakery.  No, I didn't make the cakes.  I didn't have time.  I probably COULD have, but whatever...  So I sked my husband to go to the store and get the stuff while I tried to finish the enclosure.  I called Jenni at about 10:45 and they were about to leave their house.  That gave me about 15 minutes to get everything closed up, things started in the oven, get Grey settled (which wasn't hard since Nana had him), among other random things.  I didn't finish the enclosure completely, but well enough that kids could jump and not fall out.  So I left it as it was and went on with the party.  

We ate some great bbq, had some awesome cakes, and opened some presents that some "over-achievers" brought.  HA!  She LOVED ALL the gifts.  She got two Fancy Nancy puzzles, a Leap Frog computer/video game, a rain coat, a Sleeping Beauty Umbrella, some princess house shoes (HOUSE SHOES! for those of you who saw them...they will stay in the house!), a Fancy Nancy tule skirt with flowers inside, and best of all, two cards that played music when you opened them.  Notice the look on her face...she was fascinated.  She made everyone laugh.

After presents, I snuck to the backyard with my camera and got into position to get the "reaction" shots.  We opened the door and....

(GASP) "MY TRAMPOLINE!"

She began to float...

and then soar...

Then jump...

and jump...

and jump...

It was a great day.  I feel like the other kids in the family won't be so bored at our house anymore.  :)  

I will be sore...

T-Minus 18 hours and 30-ish minutes until the big birthday reveal.  Anna is having a slumber party at Jenni's house, which is was VERY excited about and Grey went with Nana for his own little party.  He wasn't excited, but not unhappy.  I don't think he minded either way.  I'm sure he'll be very spoiled when he gets home tomorrow morning.  ;)  We needed the kids out of the house so we can clean and put the trampoline together.  Anna doesn't know that she's getting it so it will be a big surprise.

Sweet Erin came over this afternoon and helped me put the trampoline together.  We got most of it done when we decided to take a break and get Grey's things together.  It looks great and is the perfect size.  Once everyone left, I decided to pull the remaining springs into place.  Man, will I be sore tomorrow!  There were 72 springs on that baby, not all of which were hard to pull, just the last ones.  And since I do no working out what so ever, my muscles  didn't know what hit them.  So now that lactic acid has flowed and now that it will slowly settle into my muscle fibers, I'll soon start to feel it.  It will be totally be worth every bit of sore muscle to see the look on Anna's face when we open the back door tomorrow.

My husband and I will still have to put the enclosure on tonight, so pray that we don't kill each other...since both of our witnesses are gone.  Ha!   We don't work well together...most of the time.  But I think it will be fine.  :)  

And yes, I've already jumped on it.

Early Birthday Present.

We were at Sam's today when I saw the movie isle.  I turned and started looking for the "Sleeping Beauty" DVD that just came out.  I thought I'd be able to find it before Anna saw it and stick it in my purse, then pay for it without her seeing it.  It has worked before!  As I turned down the isle Anna immediately yelled "LOOK! SLEEPING BEAUTY!"  It was about 10 feet down the row and there were only a few left.  It took me about a minute to find it and I had to ask her to point it out to me a couple of times because I still couldn't see it.  She spotted it from 10 feet away in a sea of other kid/Disney movies.  She gasped with excitement as I picked it up.  I was trying to figure out a way to let her see and hold it (since she MUST hold it the entire time we're in the store), then snatch it away and wrap it for her birthday...and somehow make her forget that she saw it and I paid for it.  No chance of that happening.  She held on to it, told the entire story of Sleeping Beauty to anyone who would listen while we were in Sam's, told others as we stopped to get other things as they passed us about the fairies and the witch, told the woman at the check out counter about how she was going straight home to watch it, and so on...  So now, after holding it while we drove home, after being crazy impatient while I took it out of the packaging, and after jumping up and down while I put it in the DVD player and hurried through the previews to the menu, she's in heaven watching in her room.  I don't think she'll forget about it so I can wrap it for her.  Happy Birthday Anna!  :)

WARNING! Bloody pictures!

Anna: The obstetrician in training.

It's the weirdest thing...sort of.  Anna LOVES to watch the Discovery Health channel.  Especially the "hospital with tha babies" shows.  She loves to "watch the babies coming out" and c-sections.  Sometimes there are random "eeewwwwwww"s and gasps of excitement.  I'm not too sure that this channel is very appropriate for a 3 year old, but she really loves it.  Right now she's watching "Maternity Ward."  She narrates each picture she sees.  She just said, "Mommy, what's wrong with dat baby?  Is he sick?  He gonna get better when the doctors fix him.  He has a band-aid on his beh-wee.", etc.  I think I may know where she gets the fascination with watching medical stuff...and it's definitely not from Daddy.

Grey:  I've seen that look before.

Anna: With her curved legs.

Anna: The Flower Girl.

It looks like Anna will be in TWO weddings at the first of next year.  We are very excited!  She doesn't actually know what it means to be a flower girl, or the responsibilities that come along with the job, but she does know that she will be wearing a "princess" dress, and that's all that matters.  Her favorite pass-time these days is twirling, so she'll be an expert by then.  She is in her cousin, Brooke's, wedding in January and an (old) teammate and good friend's (bad grammar?) of mine in April.  She will LOVE all the attention!  :) 

We butchered the paper!

If any of you have been to our house, you know the butcher paper covered walls in the entry way.  Some people say they really like it, some don't say anything.  For those of you who like it or who like butcher paper walls, sorry...because I really didn't like ours.  It's NOT my style at all.  I knew it had to come down sometime and Nana decided that this weekend had to be the time.  Daddy and the kids went to Grammy's for the weekend while we stayed home and peeled, sometimes almost microscopic, pieces of paper off the walls.  Some came off very easily, some needed a little more time and patience.  The walls were in pretty good shape once we got all the paper off and we didn't need to retexture, thank goodness!  So we painted a super cool color, got rid of the 1995 GOLD, beveled glass "chandelier" (GAG!), put up a sweet track lighting system (sort of), and rehung pictures and put back the modern shelves.  MUCH better.  Daddy was even impressed...also a difficult job to pull off.  I have several big frames waiting for family photos to be placed in them.  Finding the time to do that may be the hardest part of all.  

Apple Butter Festival

A couple of weeks ago, we went to an apple orchard to have some fun and pick some apples. Of course Erin and Chas came along to save the day...it was actually their idea to go.  We had fun with other friends too and Anna picked way too many apples.  :)  We walked up and down the rows of apple trees and almost got carried off by the mosquitoes the size of horses.  But we had a blast!

Grey was having SO much fun.

Feeding the animals.

We had a few to choose from.

Johnny Apple Seed HIMSELF was there.

Now Grey is having some real fun.

Hayride while we enjoyed our apples we picked straight off the tree.