Pumpkin Procrastinators...

It's no secret in my family that we tend to procrastinate, but seriously, who doesn't?  We're working on this problem everyday, but this year, procratination paid off a little!

Bug pronounced earlier this week, in her own very frank way, "Sure would be nice if would could go ahead and get our pumpkins, huh?"

So, after a 10 minute kindergartener lecture on the finer points of how to carve a pumpkin, and a sincere promise from said kindergartener the she would absolutely clean all of the slimey guts out of her own pumpkin, we made a pumpkin patch date for Thursday before dance.

this is ACE's pumpkin

(Bug's didn't get a before shot from some reason)

She ended up being mostly good on her promise...

I did end up getting a little slimy.

ACE, however wasn't too sure about the whole pumpking guts thing...

He tried to refuse...

But in the end, he did his fair share...

After we were all gutted out, we hit the google for some super cool pumpkin stencils, because ordinary pumpkins just weren't going to cut it this year, we wanted "Cool Pumpkins" (according to Bug).

Once Hubs arrived, just in time for the carving part, he scrapped Ace's stencil and went old school with a bunch of triangles.  Bug picked out a pig stencil, we figured with all of the swine flu hype, it would be appropriate!

Here's the finished project...

And all aglow...

In the end we were all happy and eating toasted seeds.

And just to prove that sometimes procrastination does pay,

the pumpkin patch was having a 1/2 price sale, we saved 8.50!

Happy family...

The kids were at the table tonight with gourmet grilled cheese and homemade Dora soup ;) as I gathered up my hugs and bye kisses, grabed my bags, and headed for the door when Ace blurted out...
"Why you not stay home with you happy fambily?!?"

While I was pretty sure the dynamics of utility bills, mortgages, impending Christmas, etc would be a little in depth for a 3 yr old, I came up with the more understandable/realistic answer...which, of course, is what makes working full time doable for me on the days it's tough to leave the house...

"Because all those new mommies need someone to help them with their new babies!"
His response..."OK, YUB YOU! Bye!"

Very glad to have a job I love, and an understanding family tonight!

Zoo day!

Bug had the day off of school Monday. The calendar said "Fair Day", but, the Fair ended on Sunday...hmm. So, we decided to declare the random day off "Fun, Family Day" instead!

The kids and I got up and met Hubs at the Fire station and headed off for a day of family fun and adventures! Starting with a trip to Cabelas to feed the trout! They have the biggest trout you can imagine in the pools there, and the kids always enjoy feeding them...and if there mother was a better blogger, she would insert picture proof of the large fish feeding...but, alas, she was off to the side blowing her nose, coughing, and trying to unclog her ear for the 100th time...sorry kids.

Then it was off to the zoo...

The kids did great! I was one proud mama!

The added excitement was we had no whining, crying, strollers, waggons, or...diaper bags to deal with!

Check it out!

Yes, as a matter of fact, those are batman "unnerwears" sticking out the top of big boy pants...not pullups!!!

I hesitate to say too much, but I feel like we're turning a potty training corner!

After our fun at the zoo, Hubs let us have a short nap on the way to Bass Pro Shop, where we finally tracked down the right patterned camo bib thingies he'd been looking for...on sale! Now if only we'd have been so lucky on the new pair of boots Ace has been asking for since he got bday $$ our day would have been super complete!

Our Big Chicken Is Getting Brave!

It is no secret to those who know us that Bug can be...

Cautious
Dramatic
Afraid
Prone to Panic...

In short, A Big Chicken!

Well, as I have mentioned before, with a big thanks from VBS teaching us to "Fear Not" mixed in with a little Kindergarten, she is improving on her Chicken status!

Here she is with a real live bear! Note, no panic, shaking, screaming!

And here, she's advanced to being just a stick away from a wild bird! I'm pretty sure she looks as shocked as we do!

And the grand finale...

Prepare yourselves...





Yes, be as shocked as we were, that's Bug holding a real-live, dirt covered, wiggling wild worm!
(Sorry for the fuzziness, but we work hard everyday to teach Gram how to work her fancy digital camera, we're super proud she can turn it on!) (You know we love you Gram!)

She ran in with the beast and pronounced to me and Gram..."Look how brave I am! I caught a wiggle worm!" followed by "Lets hurry and take him to our house!"


I am so proud! (and glad she didn't ask me to hold it for her :)

Baby Shower!

Our family has been super excited since Easter when JJ and Christel announced that they were preggers! Even more excited when we found out they were having a girl!

So, since Miss Brady Jordyn is set to arrive early December, we celebrated this weekend with their first Baby Shower!





Cousin Heather, Granny Lin, Gram and I all spent Saturday morning making these super cute cupcakes for the shower!



Bug even got in on the decorating with some special cupcakes Granny Lin set aside!

Here's the happy Parents-to-Be!




The table turned out super cute! And yes, as a matter of fact, that is HOT PINK chocolate in the fountain! Heather hand carried it on the plane from WTX special, just for our Christel! It was very fun!

The shower was great! JJ and Christel got a ton of cute, practical and fun stuff for Brady...and probably for the first time ever at a shower, didn't get a single duplicate gift. A miracle!

Finally, by popular demand...



This is the cute sweater and hat I made for Brady! The ever-so-patient girls at work have been observing this project from mere balls of designer yarn...and, because of my genetic procrastination disorder, mixed in with a little help from my Kindle, never got to see completed.


I was very proud of how it turned out, and I can't wait to see her wear it! You can't tell by the picture, but it's really tiny! Hubs kept reminding me about our family talent of growing big babies,but I'm sure she'll get to wear it more than once!


Can't wait to meet you sweet girl!

He's 3...

Feels like it's gone by in a flash! Happy bday big boy!

We love you!

Oh man...

After reflecting a little yesterday I realized something amusing. In less than 2 wks I went through approx. 6-8 lbs of butter and at least 10 lbs of powdered sugar...
but geeze, those are some good wks...

(cake for a wedding shower at church)

(Ace's bday cake)

(aftermath of PW's sinful cinnamon rolls!)

Not pictured are the apple dumplings, Chicken Scallopine and the super cool Halloween cookies that BFF and I made as party favors Fri. night!

Wowzers!

The countdown is starting...

The past couple of years I try my best to ignore the approach of October...especially the 11th.

See, the owner of these feet...

These sweety, dirty, stinky, chubby feet...will be another year older this year.

And, while I love him to pieces, I just want my baby to stay a baby.

To prove that the sweet boy is growing by leaps and bounds...I'll share him leaping and bounding!

I know that mothers of boys everywhere will be shaking their heads along with me!

Seven Years...

Alternately titled...
The Day The Kindle Died

I was going to write a super cute post about how much I love Hubs and how great the last 7 years of marriage has been(our aniversary was 9-28)...and they have been great, I love the guy, glad he married me, and is still willing to put up with me and my quirks and goofs...

Like this one...I killed my beloved Kindle.

The one that my loving, dedicated husband of 7 years presented to me to shut me up because he loves me, and wanted me to have the best bday ever this year.  He's even been patiently putting up with the fact that I've read around 20 books since July 24th (an interesting fact I didn't realize until I was tinkering with my Amazon account trying to figure out my warranty info).

There were tears involved, followed by a frantic call to the warranty company.  But, in my own defense, I did have it in it's case...when it fell face first on the back porch.

Thankfully my new Kindle will arrived on my doorstep Wednesday, but it worries me that I'm using my 1 OOPS replacement 1.5 months after purchasing the warranty.

Yes, sometimes I even amaze myself with my ability to do stupid things with little to no effort at all.  A rare talent, I'm sure a few of you have caught on to.

Anywhoo, Happy Anniversary Hubs...I look forward to the next 7 years!
(and promise to do my best not to break the new Kindle...very, very sorry honey...thankyou for loving me anyways)