All Dressed Up

Just wanted to show off our crew in their Halloween uniforms.

We'll start with Ainsley at school. All the classes marched in a parade around the parking lot and then we got to take pictures of the class.

We did Trunk or Treat at church on Tuesday and Trick or Treat around the neighborhood on Wednesday. Everyone got their turn in the make-up chair. Piper was fascinated by the kids getting their faces made up.

Here's our little lamby.

Isn't her tail cute?

Here's our little green monster being monstery! She definitely was an original. I'm glad she didn't mind since this was a recycled costume. I know every little girl wants to be a princess and there were a lot of them but this year Ainsley was unique, she was a monster and that's not too far off from the truth (just kidding but only a little).

MacGregor and Chase were soldiers since they recieved the whole get-up last year for Christmas. They asked if they could be something else and I said yeah if you can find all the stuff in the house. Soliders it was (I know I sound mean, but I am not going to go buy something new when we have workable costumes at home. I did buy them each a new candy sack cuz the boys had outgrown their plastic pumpkins and Ainsley wanted the "princess" pumpkin and since she couldn't have the gown, at least she got the pumpkin).

MacGregor insisted that he have some blood or a grusome scar on his face. We tried to remind him that he wasn't a boxer but I guess he wanted to be a battled soldier.

Chase decided that he would go uninjured.

If you haven't already guessed, the boys friend Vic spends alot of time at our house. So the boys asked if he could go trick or treating with us. He hadn't planned on going out and didn't have a costume so we improvised and found some of Daniels hockey gear in the basement. I think all involved were happy with the evening. I was happy Halloween 2007 was over, maybe now I can get a nap. But I am already wondering, what about next year .......

The Carving Experience

The kids were really excited to do pumpkins with their Dad this year since he was conspicuously absent last year. Ainsley began talking about going to the pumpkin patch at least a week before we had it scheduled. She talked about it every day. We decided to go Monday the 22nd for family home evening. The kids were so excited to carve their pumpkins that night but Daniel said they would rot by Halloween so we only carved 2 then. We did Piper's and an extra one we bought. We decided to use alliteration and carved Piper a Piggy Pumpkin. MacGregor gave us the cyclops idea and I think both of these turned out cute. Piggy Pumkin made it til Halloween night but Cyclops rotted. I think it's because cyclops was a white pumpkin and I think white and green pumpkins are much softer and rot much quicker.

We carved the rest of the pumpkins on the following Monday, Oct 29th. Ainsley's favorite thing is to squeeze the guts. She sat there squeezing and squeezing until she had orange guts and seeds up past her elbows. Each person drew their own design on a piece of paper first, even Ainsley. And then Daniel carved each pumpkin according to their design. (I carved my own but he wasn't thrilled with that - he doesn't trust any of us with sharp knives) We bought a pumpkin for Chase and Gregor's friend Vic too. He joined us for carving and we sang some family night songs for him. Chase was really disappointed that we didn't dry and bake the seeds this year but Halloween wears me out. There is so much involved. We did a trunk or treat at the church the night before. We did our pumpkin carving. We do make up and costumes and candy and crafts etc... And it didn't help that 4 out of the 5 nights before Halloween Daniel and I were up til 1 AM watching the first season of LOST. We only get it for one week from the Library and it is really hard to watch 24 episodes in one week. I think we'll just pay late fees for season two so we don't have to be so sleep deprived.

Here the kids are each sitting under their own pumpkin.

Here's the whole clan with lights on, on the porch, and with lights out. Dan carved the batman and I did the "cool" guy with sunglasses.

Masquerade

About 10 days ago MacGregor came home from school and saw Ainsley painting. She was painting big wooden letters pink that we have of Piper's name (for her wall). She was almost done the last letter when MacGregor asked if he could finish painting it. I answered "NO" that it was Ainsley's project but that since I know he likes to paint I would look for something at the craft store for him to paint. The next day I went to AC Moore to find paint and cement for Chase's model car that we are trying to work on as a family. While I was there I saw these wooden masquerade masks, but I thought since they were mounted on a stick that we could paint them and put them in our front garden.

So when the boys came home from school, Ainsley, MacGregor, Chase and their friend Vic all painted a mask. They all had a lot of fun and really enjoyed being creative. I felt good too because I am not usually the crafty mom. I'll have to look for more opportunities!

They look really pretty in the garden, especially Chase's pumpkin. He used an orange glitter paint on his and it really catches the sun and sparkles. Ainsley did the bat, MacGregor the witch and Vic the ghost.

Side Smile

So this poor baby has NOT gotten that other front tooth yet. She still only has her central and lateral incisor on her left side, and yet she finds a way to grind these off center teeth. And when she does it gives me shivers all over. I hate that sound. Here are a few pictures.

Then last Wednesday, we were eating dinner and I happened to get a glimpse insider her mouth and it looked like she had something gray. So I grabbed her cheeks and squeezed to get a good look and her gum where the other central incisor is coming in was all gray - like a rotten tooth. My stomach dropped out and I thought she was cutting a rotten tooth or that her gum was necrotic somehow. I was thinking how did this happen? Daniel was witnessing my somewhat stressful reaction and laughing. I said, this isn't funny - what do you think it is? He said it is called an eruption cyst. He said it is similar to a blood blister, in that it is a collection of blood in the area where a tooth is ready to erupt. I asked if she would be dripping blood as she cut that tooth. He didn't seem to think so. Well now we are almost another week down and she has NOT cut the tooth, but it is no longer gray/purple. She was NOT very cooperative but I tried to get a picture of the gray gum - seen here:

Curious Cutouts

Some of you know that I keep little spiral notebooks for all the girls in my Miamaid class. I take quotes and scriptures from the lesson and copy them to Word and shrink them down to fit in their notebooks. Then they can follow along with the lessson, help read, have a place to write thoughts, goals, answers etc... And when they move on to Laurels, I'll give them their book. On Sunday I was cutting out the material and had scraps left over from the 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper. I save the left over scraps for Ainsley to color on.

That night after dinner, Chase says, "What is this Oklahoma cut out for?"

I said, "That's just a scrap piece of paper"

Chase - "Well, it looks like Oklahoma"

Me - "Oh my gosh, yes it does!!"

He then gets the other piece and says, "And this one looks like Pennsylvania.!"

Me - "Oh my gosh, yes it does!!" Isn't that wierd? What are the odds?

What do you guys think?"

I Was Tagged

Five things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Clipping Coupons
2. Doing Laundry at my Moms house
3. Getting used to being a mom - nursing, changing diapers, cleaning lots of spit up, rocking in the rocking chair, never sleeping in - Chase was only 3 months old.
4. Working part-time.
5. Living on the 3rd floor.

Five things on my to do list today:
1. Laundry
2. Balance the checkbook
3. Quilting with the missionaries
4. Pick up boys from school
5. Drive to and from piano lessons and while I'm waiting - sew on patches and numbers to MacGregor's cub scout uniform.

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Take my kids on international vacations.
2. Pay off all our debt.
3. Help other people.
4. Get an inground pool.
5. Shop at Talbots when things are NOT on sale.

Five things I'll never wear again:
1. A side pony tail.
2. Cuffed and rolled up pants.
3. Big fat neon shoe laces.
4. Leg warmers
5. My wedding dress

My favorite toys:
1. Digital camera
2. Computer
3. Sewing Machine
4. Rotary cutter, cutting table and mat
5. Calculator

Five people to tag:
1. Lara
2. Bethany
3. Sarah
4. Catherine
5. Emily
(*Wow that was easy)

Sparkly Shoes

Last Tuesday we went to the shoe store to buy Ainsley a bigger pair of tap shoes. Her shoes from last year were getting too tight. We went to Payless where they sell ballet and tap shoes and I realized they were having their BOGO sale. (Buy one get one half off) I also realized that it was October and the only pair of church shoes that Ainsley had was her white sandals. I thought this would be a great time to get a pair of winter church shoes (half off). So I picked out several black pair. The first two slipped on her heel. The last pair looked like it fit pretty well. BUT then she saw these. And they are Disney princess shoes and they SPARKLE. So I humored her and let her try them on. She walked proudly down the aisle exclaiming, "These don't slip, they don't slip" Then I tried to use logic - "Ainsley these won't match very many of your dresses." And then some divine intervention - ok maybe marketing intervention - but none the less, a worker was shelving shoes nearby. She told me that kid's shoes was her department. She used to LOVE it but now she HATED it. She said she has seen way too many little girls leave the store crying. She said she just wants to remind all those moms out there about when they were little girls - what kind of shoes would they have picked out? Sparkly ones probably. And you know what? - She's right! And then I got to thinking - If someone picked out everything I wore each day or whenever we went to the store, would I like that? And what if I liked something else? And I've seen a lot of moms that have to have their kids dressed just so. But what if their kid would feel so much prettier or so much more confident if they wore sparkly shoes instead of perfectly stylish adult looking stuff? If Ainsley feels beautiful in her sparkly shoes, then so what if she wears them with a blue dress or a peach one (the color dresses we have right now)? Maybe I need to buy dresses to match her much loved shoes instead of shoes to match the dresses. I'm not going to let what I think other people might think about me and how I dress my daughter affect how she feels about herself and what she feels beautiful in.

I will continue to try to teach my kids about matching. My boys love to dress mono chromatically especially in unmatching reds. I will insist they wear collared shirts for picture day at school and I WILL choose their clothes for family pictures. But that's where it stops. I will advise but they will choose. And so Ainsley chose these hot pink sparkly shoes and she has proudly worn them to school and church. (Incidentally, her sneakers she picked for school this year are also bright pink and glittery) She feels beautiful and her spirit is bright.

Love Wrestling

Of course I didn't have my camera when this all started. Anytime someone is laying on the floor, Piper likes to crawl over to them and then she crawls on them, pulls their hair, slaps them, laughing all the while. A basic attack. So that is how it started. Poor Ainsley was just trying to lay there and watch TV.

I ran and got my camera and when I came back the little attacker came over again, this time Ainsley grabbed her and hugged her tight and wouldn't let go. Both were laughing on and off but Piper did start getting upset that her movement had been restricted.

Multitasking

Here I am doing what I do best -

1. Talking on the phone

2. Taking pictures (even if I am taking them of myself)

3. Holding my baby

Storytime

It's alway fun to enjoy a good book together.

Some people have trouble paying attention. That same person also has some hair issues.

I Don't Want Braids On My Teeth

I was braiding Ainsley's hair today. It was only the second or third time I've ever braided it. Her hair has always been short we haven't done much with braids. But yesterday in church I began braiding little braids throughout her hair and it looked cute. So today I put a few tiny braids in her hair for school.

As I'm braiding she says"I don't want braids in my mouth."

I say, "Sure - I won't put them in your mouth." Her hair is so short that we'd never be able to get the braid in her mouth anyway.

Then she says, " I don't want braids on my TEETH!"

I say " What are you talking about? You put braids in your hair, not your teeth."

She says, " Well you had them on your teeth when you were growing up."

I say, " AHHH, no those are called braces and maybe you'll get your daddy's straight teeth and never have to wear them" (I hope so)

Braids? Braces? Doesn't matter to Ainsley - she still doesn't want them on her teeth!

Lovin It Loaner

Recently the power locks in our van quit working. Daniel had the van in twice to fix it and each time they'd tell us it was fixed and within 24 hours the locks didn't work again. So on Friday, Daniel called me around 8:30 am to tell me he called the service center and they could get it back in if I would drop it off. This was NOT in my plan for the day because I had to host playgroup at 10am but Daniel said if I didn't get it in early they probably wouldn't be able to get it back to us before the end of the day and it was Friday etc.... So I grabbed the girls and headed to the service place. I left the girls in the car right outside the door to the service place and walked inside to give him the key to the van. I didn't want to have to move carseats more than once and the place is all windows and I parked right next to the door so I just left them inside the car for a minute. Meanwhile the guy gives me the paperwork to sign and hands me a key. He said that bright blue car across the parking lot is my loaner, and he'll call me when it's done. OBVIOUSLY, he didn't know I had TWO children in carseats no less, when he gave me the TWO door sports car as the loaner. Daniel had received a FOUR door car each time he got the loaner - a Ford Contour and a Ford Taurus. But I get the Mitsubishi Eclipse with a spoiler so big you couldn't see anything else out your rear view mirror.

It was nearly impossible to get Piper's carseat back there. I had to move the front seat all the way forward then fold the handles all the way back on the carseat and tilt it at a sharp angle to fit into the back seat. Luckily once I got Ainsley's seat buckled in, she could snap herself the rest of the way. Of course Piper fell asleep on the way home and I couldn't exactly just grab the whole carseat in one clean swoop and carry her inside to finish her nap in the carseat like I would have in the van. No I had to try to maneuver her out of the seat without taking the seat out of the back and transfer her to her crib. Nope - that nap didn't last!

So it was an interesting day driving that tiny car that could accelerate really fast and hug curves so tight you never had to slow down. It was nice pulling out in front of cars, I never would have with the van, and zooming on ahead so they never had to touch their brakes. It was interesting unloading Ainsley at her pre-school drop off where the teachers open the car doors and help the children out.

It is CERTAINLY not a family car - just look at how the kids are packed in that backseat like sausages - but for a brief moment I thought to myself ..... perhaps when the kids are all grown ...... just maybe. Vrrrroommm Vrrrroommmm!

Horny

Piper is HORNY!! The question is ....


One?






















Two?

























Three?




Or Light socket?



Which do you prefer?

Daniel prefers 3.