Halloween planning

Just thought I'd share what the kids have been up to. K & her brother have been talking about Halloween, even before the decorations hit the stores. Before the Halloween Spirit stores popped up around our house. Bubs keeps asking "how many more days." He wants to put up the decorations already. I wonder how long I can put him off. Its been easy so far since we've been so busy on the weekends. Soccer practice & games, Baseball games, visit to Aunt Bean's farm. We've been going non stop since school started.

K did have time though to stop, and plan her Halloween Costume, with plenty of details, right down to the jewelry.

I told her that we could go shopping to find something similar and she told me no! She wants me to make her costume, so that it would be "Original." I had to laugh. That was why I went through all the trouble last year to make her Dorothy costume. I wanted it to stand out from all the store bought ones. She's right. I better get to work. My mom will be here in a couple weeks - I've got a project for us!!

P.S. Bubs wants to be everything out the Halloween catalogs that just keep coming to the house. He treasures all of them! He started out wanting to be the Green Goblin. We'll see what he ends up with!

Three Word Thursday

Walking. To. School.

Remember when you were growing up, and had to walk to school, both ways, uphill, in the snow…etc. Today is a little different day. Not many kids walk to school anymore. In our household, with both parents working, it seems almost impossible. But this week, Daddy is on vacation. And Mommy decided to take Monday off to join him - and relax after Super Bowl weekend! I was determined though on Sunday, that on Monday morning, I would attempt to walk the kids to school. I got the question from other people - Why, is it "walk-to-school day?" No, I just thought it would be nice, and good exercise.

When Monday morning came, the kids were actually excited. Bubs asked if he got to wear his headphones & listen to his Ipod. I said - sure. Now the elementary school is a couple blocks away, so I wasn't sure how long it would take. I had gave us plenty of time. And to our surprise, Daddy got up & joined us too! The whole family walked to school. The kids loved it. Daddy & Mommy got to talk on the way and smile while we watched the kids listen to their ipods. And occasionally sing us their songs! We were one of the first to get to the school and walk around back to the playground. The kids ran around for about 15 minutes. Burned a lot of energy before sitting down in their classrooms. Bubs & K loved having us walk them to their classroom & wave goodbye to them as they went in. Oh, how I wish I could do that every day!

Daddy & I walked the 15 minute walk back home & then vegged out at home all day watching movies. It was a very nice relaxing day! I definitely need to plan more of those.

That Monday morning started the routine for the week. Bubs begged Daddy to walk him to school on Tuesday. The rain started Monday night and he couldn't make any promises. BUT, Tuesday morning the blue sky popped throught the clouds and the 3 of them walked to school. Mommy was back at work :( On Wednesday they did the same thing, but K got mad because they didn't get to school early enough this time to play on the playground!

Last night I talked to Bubs about this routine coming to an end. Daddy goes back to work next week. I was trying to work out how I could possibly still walk them to school. If we left earlier - I could walk them to EDCC, walk back home & then drive myself to work. For all of us to get that exercise, I could make some sacrafices! That wasn't enough for him, he didn't want to go to EDCC, he wanted to go straight to the playground and Mrs. Peterson's class. So, then its back to driving to EDCC. Its their choice. He said "You're making me have a bad day!" And he was upset with me as he went to bed.

He remembered our conversation this morning and was just happy that Daddy was walking him to school again. "How many more days?" he asked. Just today & tomorrow. "Then its stay home day?" Yes, then its the weekend.

We'll see how this morning's walk to school went when I talk to them later this evening.

(I have to thank my playgroup mom/friend Kim for giving me the idea to walk the kids to school. She walks her kids a mile every morning!)

Great Xmas Gift!

My mom & I weren't sure what to get the kids for xmas. They have EVERYTHING. They definitely didn't need more stuff in the house that they don't play with. We agreed that maybe they could use a little Ipod Shuffle. Hey, they don't take up much space, right. But really, what do a 5 & 7 year old need with an ipod? I wasn't sure, but seemed like a good idea. And then, I wasn't sure they were very thrilled with the little Apple box when they got it. Maybe more excited about the treasure hunt having to find the gifts. It took me an entire month to get them out of their box. UNTIL last Saturday!

Saturday night, I created one playlist each for the kids. Plugged in the Ipods, and downloaded their specific music onto them. When done with both I laid them at their seat at the dining room table. They were so excited to see them the next morning that they plugged them into their ears right away. I had to pull them away so we could go to church. As soon as we got home though, they were back rocking to their music! And for me, the home was silent. I felt like the angels were singing. No bickering back and forth. Of course, there was the occasional singing from K when she knew the song playing. But that just brought a smile to my face.

And then, while I was making breakfast, P was heading out for a quick walk. Bubs saw daddy leaving with his Itouch in his ears and asked to join him. Just like Daddy, they both went walking around the track down the street. And when they came back. All were listening to their own music & there was a little bit of peace and quiet. I loved it!!! Why didn't I get those out earlier. Thank you Mom & Dad!

Snuggle time with mommy.

I don't know how I'm going to get the kids up next week when they go back to school! Today I woke them up at 7:15 - later than a usual school day. Just to take them in their PJ's over to Grandma & Grandpa's house. They had a lazy morning, not wanting to get up and out of bed. I grabbed Bubs and asked to hold him in my arms. Snuggled him like a little baby. He can be so sweet in the morning! And then K wanted in on the action. She came over to cuddle with us. We were sitting Bubs bed and I looked across the room into the mirrored closet at the 3 of us. Then K said the following:

Mom, you can't hold us with you like you did when we were little. We are big now.

I agreed with her. Squeezed her tighter.
And then in her little "mommy" voice...

We are just growing up tooooo faaaassssst.

She's got that right!

Girl Scouts

K is a big Brownie Girl Scout now & she wears her new Brownie vest proudly! She's been to 2 events now and chose to wear an entire "Brownie" outfit both times. She picked out brown pants and a hand-me-down (got to love them!) Brownie t-shirt and her vest. I haven't even had time to put her troop number or any other patches on her vest, but she doesn't care. It sets her apart from the rest of the troop, the younger 1st grade Daisy's (in blue).

Yesterday we helped the Juniors (in green) from her school collect canned goods for their food drive. The food collected is all going to the local food banks. Here's a picture of all the girls at that event.

Bubs was there too, but wasn't allowed in the picture. He had fun running from house to house with K and her new friends to ask for food donations.

I think his favorite part though, was walking around a new neighborhood looking at all the halloween decorations. Every time he saw anything - "Momma! Looooook, a pumpkin!" or "Mommm-mmmaa! A spooooookeeey skeleton..." All the other moms thought he was just sooo cute. Of course, he was on his best behavior!! I guess I just need to keep him outside with the spooky stuff, right?

Three Word Thursday

Growing. Too. Fast.

I got an email with photo today of the birth of a baby boy born yesterday. It got me to thinking about my children's birth and how it almost seems like yesterday that I held them in my arms as newborns. In actuality its been 5 and 7 years! How hard that is to believe.

On Tuesday, Bubs let me hold him in my lap like a baby while he cuddled with me. He was heavy and his body extended in both directions way past the width of my lap. But his warmth felt good in my arms as he looked up at me with the same big brown eyes as he did as an infant.

Yesterday, K came running out of her room to me - "I've grown mom, I've grown!" I came quickly, wondering how she could be so sure that she had grown. To me, yes, she's bigger than she was when she was an infant, but seeing her day to day, she seems just about the same size. She jumped into her closet and showed me. We have been marking her wall in pencil with dates and lines since 2003 when we moved into the house. To my surprise - she was almost 2 inches since the last measurement. That measurement was in MAY! Wow. I looked down at her beautiful blue excited eyes and said that she must have been going through a growth spurt. She was so proud of herself.

And of course, its not pants season yet, so we'll see how hers fit as we move into fall (next week)!