Happy Santa Cow

Max has been an absolute doll this season going on about Santa.  He wrote his letters, visited a few "Santas" and will be helping me make treats in a few min.  To add to the adorableness, Max lost his first tooth this week and talked about how he; "heard the tooth fairy, but did not see her."  Mae isn't quite there yet, but she gets that the guy in red is Santa and that he will likely be giving her a toy.  She wasn't too thrilled with Santa Cow this year.  Spike just sits where we put him and scowls.  This is perhaps why I am so desperate to get Max to Disneyland soon.  I want him to still believe that the characters he meets are real.  Maybe it won't happen, maybe it will.  But at least he still has Santa tonight.

x-mas

Went to the ward x-mas party this past week.  I would say from an activities committees point of view it was a success in that they didn't run out of food.  Cause really isn't that the only way you can measure the success of an activity, since by their own nature they can only be tedious?  Santa was good, the food was good, and well I can't speak for the program cause I was done by the time they finally got around to that.  What I take issue with is the lack of respect for the church building that people have.  I am ALWAYS shocked at the way people let their children act in church buildings.  I am fine with children running around and yelling in the cultural hall, but that is it.  I am sorry, but it is the only place in these holy buildings that is designated for that kind of behavior.  There should be no running in the halls or classrooms any day of the week.  There should not be any running in the chapel EVER!  There are some families in my ward that should be down right ashamed of themselves for not watching their children and teaching them that that kind of behavior is acceptable.  Kids will be kids....nope, sorry that doesn't fly in the House of The Lord.

Little Brother Indeed.

Don't judge the messy diningroom.



Busted!  This is what I saw when I came into the kitchen

Earlier this morning.

What are little brothers good for if not to come and eat the food you don't want but mom is demanding you finish?  Thanks Spike, Love Mae!

Now including Spike

Cause it is so very natural for us to go sit out on a log as a family.

This is the Christmas shot.  See the wreath and balls?

That little guy decided he wanted his own shot.  The photographer was nicely induglent.

After the initial 18 month transition period we have decided to keep Spike and include him in our family portrait.  It was nice to just pay for the picture instead of whoring myself out on the Internet for votes like last time.  It was also nice that my parents were in town to help wrangle the babies and let me know if my multiple chins were showing. 

Busy Bees

So my parents came and brought me lots of pretty furniture for my bedroom.  We visited, went to a civil war re-enactment, and had some family pictures taken.  Jeff and I have also been working on getting our fiances in order, which means re-financing our houses.  When we bought this house the basement wasn't considered "finished" because the last owner had pulled out all the carpet and tried to add a room.  We have been working like crazy to make it look "finished" for a reappraisal and hopefully get the full 2700 sq feet recognized.  And you know then we add Christmas into the mix.  We have been very busy little bees.  The kids are good and if you want more then that right now I suggest you check facebook.  (It is also good for a laugh to watch me get into stupid fights about stupid things.)  So that is everything until we get all this stuff out of the way.


I'm just gonna throw this out there... So I often document the awesome stuff my parents give us.  They own a furniture store so we benefit with a lot of nice furniture.  We are beyond grateful and honestly almost a little embarrassed by how much they spoil me.  That being said, I want to mention that Jeff's parents have been beyond generous to us over the years.  They are always there for us and we would not have been able to buy this house without them.  It is just easier to mention all my parents have done cause:

1.  They are my parents so I naturally think of them first
2.  I like to show off my nice stuff cause I am vain and materialistic like that.

It is slightly more awkward to talk about all the money Jeff's parents have lent us, and it would be really bad manners to take a picture of the kids rolling around in money or something.

So thank you to both sets of parents for your generosity.

The Winner!

No one actually won a pie this time, I just like pictures.

While I must admit that Meg's comment was my favorite (Cause you know how much I hate the living scripture guys,) the name I drew from the sack belonged to my blog friend Lindsey.  Congrats my dear and please email me your address so I can send you the Sonic Gift Card.  Do they even have Sonic out in CA?  If not let me know and we'll change it to Taco Bell or something.  Also sorry about the delay in prize announcement, I have been a tad busy lately and will blog about all my misadventures soon.

So Sleepy

Daylight savings has really done a number on poor Mae.  Girl just can't seem to adjust and now falls asleep randomly.

Holiday Fun

The Minnie Mouse Booth

Being a smidge of a grinch I am suprised to report that the holidays have started a bit early for us.  I think a big part of that is due to Max being in school now.  I am such a sucker for kiddie projects and it was hard throwing away his pilgrim apron, from the class lunch yesterday, this morning, (you can't keep everything right?)  The holidays here being the first Friday in November with Walmart's Toyland.  Walmart invites all the toy vendors to set up booths on the city's old timey square.  The booths include the new toys coming out to play with, visits from characters, and lots of give aways.  So ofcourse it is a MADHOUSE!  I think it would be better if they didn't give stuff away.  I think a lot less people (who don't have kids and are just greey,) would come and then there would be more space for the kids to breath and play.  The kids got to play with some Leap Frog, Transformers, and Barbie stuff before we staked out some good seats for the Minnie Mouse show that was reported in the paper and on the website.  Nope, no show.  They did have a insipid Radio Disney show, but no Minnie.  The best I can say is that Max got to compete in a hula hoop contest can came in third.  That kid is really good with a hula hoop.  The sad thing is that by the time we gave up on Minnie it was Way too crowded to go to any other stations.  The Scooby Do Bus line looked to be atleast an hour wait.  But all things considered it was a different experience for the kids and Mae came home with a pretty awesome Barbie Makeup compact. 



I let Mae look at her make-up kit on the way home.

The next weekend I was lucky enough to score an invite to a Christmas Party from a lovely lady in my ward.  The concept behind this party was pretty genius and I highly recommend it as a change up from white elephant parties.  Everyone brings 6 of the exact same item that they really like.  The price cap for this party was 5$ per item.  At the party you draw five names and give them your items.  So everyone gets five different items from 5 different people.  It was fun to see what stuff you would get, and unlike the unpredictable white elephant parites everyone got some good stuff and I don't think anyone went home dissapointed.  I know I didn't!  The last item, remember you bring 6, is put in a grand prize bag that includes one of everything.  Guess who won that!  Yup, I was the lucky winner.  I totally didn't see that coming.  I wasn't even really listening when they read my name cause I totally figured it wouldn't be me.  There was some great stuff in that bag.  I am even wearing some festive fuzzy socks as I type.  I, myself, supplied some nice finger nail polish cause I love polishing my nails.  One of my friend put in a hunting knife from our new Cabella's which is just the zany kind of thing she would do.  I am also exited to try out my new lime juicer.  There was so much stuff!!!  So much stuff that I made up a small bag and took it to a friend who couldn't come to the party cause she had to work.  I suspect that there was atleast 20 people there.  So yay me!  And thanks ladies!

P.S.  Spellcheck is not working today.

And This Time He Means Business

So as far as I can tell The Living Scriptures people have re-packaged the "He Is Risen" dvd and are calling it "Jesus Returns."  This is so wrong.  Just so wrong.  I went ahead and IMBD'd for us all to see who else had returned. 

Superman
Batman
The Mummy
and
Nanny Mcphee

So I leave you all here with this challenge; come up with a good subtitle for "Jesus Returns" and you will be entered to win a $5 Sonic Gift Card for the holidays.  All entries must be amusing and entered by Sunday November 25th.

It really really works

This is the first ripe batch.  I had a second larger batch follow.  And yes, I had a yellow tomato plant.

As I posted earlier, my tomato bushes didn't produce until a week or so before the first frost.  I gathered all the tomatoes and placed them in sealed brown paper bags.  Well two weeks later and I had so many tomatoes that I made pasta sauce and froze it for later.  So very Mormon of me!

Mae Your Days Be Merry and Bright

I will never ever tire of puns.  I don't know much about our next kid, (other then they are still a good 3-4 years away,) but I do know their name will be a word like all the other kids.  Anyway, I thought I would mention how much I have come to enjoy Mae.  It seems like she has been such a terror these last two years with a few exceptional bursts of cuteness.  (Just enough to keep her alive.)  While we haven't per say had a break through with her speech, she has been slowly making progress, and I feel like we are now able to effectivly communicate with each other.  This has made all the difference in the world.  She and I are both happier.  She still throws tantrums, but there are less of them and it is helpful for my stress levels to atleast know what they are about.  We don't have any of the car screaming that was killing me, because we can now tell her where we are going or that we will be home soon.  Potty training is going slowly but atleast it has begun.  But Mae is just a new girl.  She plays by herself, (a welcome change from Max,) and is mostly happy during the day.  Mae currently loves Minnie Mouse and Hello Kitty.  She begs to go to the park any time we get in the car and loves playing with other kids.  She thinks the name for all kids is friend.  Any times she see a new kid she calls out "Friend!"  She loves her friends.  Her best friend is a little girl named Emmy.  These two are adorable togther.  It is fun to hear her talk about Emmy and give her hugs.  Mae loves to hug all kids.  Her speech and developmental therapy are going well, but I don't see a whole lot of progress in her physical therapy.  Yesterday her physical therapist said we needed to work on Mae core muscles.  I mentioned that I needed to work on my abs also.  She looked at me and agreed.  Ouch!  Mae is my cutie pie bubbles again which is good, cause Spike is demon monster who has his mommy's temper and anger management issues.

In the Toilet

Max and Mae's pumpkins this year

Spikey is obsessed with the toilet.  That kid is always trying to get in there and play.  You slip just one time and leave the lid up and he is there.  Today he has learned to lift the lid himself.  Grr.  I don't want to put a child safety lock on it cause of Mae and Max.  Grrr...  Well as one of my sister's said as a child, "Cleanest water in the house."

Things That Must Go.

1. Chalk. I do not understand the re-emergence of chalk in decorating. Chalk is messy! Don't people know this? Half the pictures on Pinterest show chalkboards put in all sorts of places. Not only is the actual chalk piece messy to touch, the board is messy and the erasers are messy. After one erase it is difficult to read the new message if the board isn't cleaned with spray and a rag. I don't understand why the church continues to place chalk boards in every classroom, white erase boards are so superior.

2. Arkansas Parking Lots. I can't speak for all of Arkansas, but in our area we have a large amount of badly designed parking lots. Perhaps there is a great deficency of civil engineers in Arkansas. There is no way to get into the drive through of the Bella Vista Mcdonald's without first driving all the way around the building. My gym is located in the strip mall with the Krispy Kreme, and I think there should be an award given to that mall for most awkard parking lot layout in the country. It is impossible to turn out of it without blocking three different roads. My greatest headache was Mae's therapy clinic. It is located in a office park and I swear whatever the regulation size for parking spots is; their's are 4 inches smaller. It doesn't help that all the cars going in and out are large mini-vans, and often handicaped vans.

3. Mitt Romney.

Happy Halloween!

Run Away!

Decoy photo

Earlier this month I gave up my gym membership to save money.  It was a good gym and I really miss having time to work out, and be away from the kids.  Because of my gym membership and the excessive heat, I didn't really run outside this summer.  Most of my miles were on a treadmill which meant there weren't as many of them.  Before I took up running I preferred to run on a treadmill because treadmill running is great, even superior, for 30-45 min., then it becomes tedious and lonely.  Anything past that and 45 min. sucks.  I think my speed improved, but my endurance defiantly suffered.  That lesson was learned this morning.  After a few weeks off of running, (I still did weights and some aerobics,) I started back up again today.  I really wanted to push myself so I did six miles.  While my lady parts didn't quite fall out, I question whether they will still work right.  I am beat!  Several hours later and my calves are still screaming.  About that....I am beginning to question whether all this working out is worth it in the long haul.  I mean yes, I have lost a ton of weight and I'll admit to spending waaaay too much flexing my arms in the bathroom mirror, but I am sore almost every day now.  My shoulders have been hurting since last spring.  I have always made fun of people who play volleyball cause no matter how you hit the ball it hurts!  Why do those fools play a game that hurts.  Well I guess I am the fool now.  In response to numerous requests and to supplicate my vanity I am posting a picture.  It isn't my best, and I am not sure it really shows off my arms that great, but there will never be a perfect picture.  And don't bother asking for the lower half cause that isn't coming for another 10 pounds or more.

I just got my hair cut last Tuesday and still haven't gotten it styled right.

Photo Bomb!

Burrr

So the temperature dropped yesterday and in case it froze I snagged the rest of my tomatoes.  Once again due to the nasty record breaking heat I got like a total of ten tomatoes all summer.  Things went like gangbusters a few weeks ago, but they are all green.  Last year a friend turned me onto ripening them in brown paper bags, so I'll give it a go again this year.  Wish me luck.  I did have some small success with green pepper this year.

A little shut eye

This is what happens when you lie down for a few moments in the morning.

Most of the time quiet from the kids is bad as in the above photo.  Sometimes they can surprise me, as in the photo below.

We moved some furniture around a put the computer and desk in the playroom.  It is now Spikey's favorite spot and we have to make an effort to fold the chair up when we are done.



Caught!



"What are you gonna do about it mom?"

Well Spent



Add caption

Some days I need to avoid the associate store.  That place is a trap cause the prices are just too good.  Here was an impulse buy, but totally worth it.

Pumpkins

Look at how cool he slides.



Thanks to so annoying girl this was the best shot I could get.

It was a hard day at work

Once again we headed deep into Missouri to go to the pumpkin patch.  This year we went earlier in the day to accommodate naps and it didn't turn out as well.  Next year we will make sure to go later in the afternoon/evening when the sun isn't blazing.  I also didn't help that it was super hot and I did not dress the kids accordingly.  Despite all that, we did have fun and Mae had her hand eaten by a goat.  Good times.  I do like our little tradition, Jeff just about flipped out when I suggested we save gas money and go to a patch closer to home.  I guess some things are already set in stone.

What do you want to do?

Just now...
Me to Jeff: "So what do you want to do tonight?"
Jeff: "Like right now?"
Me: "No, in the next ten years, lets plan."

This actually made me remember a couple from college.  He was my home teacher/roommate's brother (nice normal guy), and she was a friend in the ward.  They dated for a month or two then got engaged.  His sister, (who will go down as one of my bitchiest roommates ever, an impressive title to attain,) told me about a meeting the couple had had with the bride's parents.  Before they were allowed to get married, (yeah red flag right there,)  the presumed groom needed to set some goals.  They worked out a ten year plan for him that included job ambitions, spiritual standards and even weight loss goals.  Now I have no idea whether or not they are still together, they did get married, so I assume he must have passed the prerequisites.  This was a little over ten years ago so I kinda wonder how the ten year plan panned out.



Because I feel like a pictureless post is a waste; Spike standing.

Not in the plans

So for the past few months I have been procrastinting using our health savings account to get some new glasses.  I badly need new frames, the ones I currently have are cheap walmart frames that just haven't held up over the last three years.  I also suspect that my perscription has changed.  Well as luck would have it the money is going somewhere else.  Spike got sick this weekend and we spent Sunday night at the hospital.  Grrr.  Don't get me wrong I am so grateful that he is now fine, and that we live in a time of modern medicine and have access to a hospital.  That is great!  It just sucks to think that if it had been 24 hours later then I could have taken him to the doctor and probably gotten a steriod shot, nebulizer perscription and saved myself a thousand bucks.  Grrr.  He had a nasty case of croup and sounded like he couldn't breath at times.  Poor little guy.  I did learn a few things from the experience.

1.  My friends are awesome and I am lucky to have them so close.  There were a lot of people helping us out with the other two.

2.  Jurassic Park is an awesome movie.  Twenty years later and it still looks great and entertains.

3.  I am glad I don't waste money on cable because most of the time there is nothing at all on all those channels.  I didn't even like what was on HGTV.

4.  Mercy is a much nicer hospital then Northwest.

5.  There is a good reason they clear the screens in the ER when they leave the room.  They didn't and I got to read all the stuff going on with all the other patients.

6.  I am taking my previously mentioned procrastination as a sign from the Lord that all of my procrastinations are just the Spirit telling me something and am now going to give in.

7.  Spikey's squishy fatness is adoreable to everyone.  No one is immune from that kid's squish.  Everyone wants to pinch him just a little bit.

We Decorated

This guy is my favorite.  I may keep him forever.  Mae did it.