~Halloween 2009~

How could I forget Halloween?!

Eric's crazy Mother-in-Law dressed as a Honey Bee, my Katelyne the perfect Tinkerbell and my Tyler a little puffy Mickey Mouse...

Katelyne and Grammie put the hurt on about 20 houses, then we were off to a Haunted House that only Eric and Grammie braved... Eric had gouges in his arm from Grammies "bravery" of attempting to protect HIM!!! After all was said and done, Katelyne, Tyler and Grammie all slept really good that night, regardless of sugar intake...

Thanks Grammie for being the "honey" in Katelyne and Tylers lives.... You "bee" wonderful....

haha I quack me up.... wow, that was bad.

~Attempting Holiday Pictures...~ TAKE 1

So, the kids and I ventured out into the great wide open that most would call.... "our backyard" to start the annual "holiday picture quest". This is our first year heading out on said quest, so , I hoped it didn't get too.... ummmmm, fuzzy?

To start, Katelyne just was not having her adorable outfit... her main focus was a juice box. When could she have it, what kind can she have, could she have more than one???... now?... now?... now?...

Mommy's internal monologue, "NO, NO, NO!!! DAMIT KATELYNE JUST SMILE A TAKE A GOOD PICTURE!!!! JEEZ." *protruding vein on forehead...*

Mommy's actual words, "Muffin, you can have a juice as soon as we take a few pictures, OK? Now smile pretty so we can be done sooner...." *flutter my eyelashes*

Well, I got some pretty good ones. There are some with her "guiding" Tyler's head toward the camera - I am sure because she was tired of me saying his name 100 times, there are some of her dancing around - impatiently and there are some that I just look at and smile... they are who they are. At least there was no nose picking..... on film anyhow.

And yes, for those of you with Child Protective Services on speed dial, she did get her juice...

~Little Boys Will Taste Anything~

Tyler sat so quietly on the bed one evening after a shower... playing and talking with Daddy.
Out of nowhere he burst into laughter... I believe the internal monolague was, " I'm gonna get you sucka!"...Grabbed Daddy's face and opened his teething mouth... Tyler: "mmmmm, is that Dove?"...Daddy put his head down and Tyler chomped Daddy's head!!!! Tyler: "Nope! It is Pantene..."...wounded, Daddy moved and over Tyler fell..... Such a sad, sad tale of 2 boys...

~Pumpkin Patch 2009~

October brings cooler temperatures, shorter days, cozier evenings, more work for Daddy and.... The Pumpkin Patch! About this time of year, Katelyne realizes that the holidays are starting. More importantly: Christmas is coming!!!

To distract her, and every other child I am sure, Halloween is strategically placed roughly 2 months prior to the opening of waaaayyyy too much stuff. To seize the given opportunity, we take her to said pumpkin patch to increase the excitement for candy from strangers, and lessen the excitement of gifts from family and friends! (?)

This is also exciting as it proved to be a very entertaining first pumpkin patch experience for Tyler. It started out innocently... I carried him in his Ergo carrier and he took in the sights and smells of a hay filled, musty pumpkin field. After about 15 minutes of the search for a wagon to haul Eric's pumpkin (yes, Eric's H.U.G.E. pumpkin) I decided to set my little man down for some pictures.

Then it happened.... I set him near a few nice looking pumpkins, took two steps back, squat ed low to be eye level and he leaned forward, grabbed two handfuls of hay and was a miserable, emotional mess after that! He had this look of, "It's. Touching. Me." for the rest of the afternoon...

Even with Katelyne sitting right next to him, he was sooooo upset. Katelyne thought it was funny for about 2 seconds... she then looked at him and very sternly stated, "TyTy, it only hay... move on..." (*insert* 13 year old eye roll)... amazing.

She, on the other hand was fine.... had a small melt down with a few rides, but Mom and Dad prevailed!!! Parents Unite! We won an argument with the 3 year old!!!! Whoo Hoo!

So, another conquering of pumpkins... in a few short days we will be attempting to tame the beast of the sugar rush.... I am off to rest now.

~Just a few smiles...~

Just a few recent pictures of my Babes..... They are just a growin'... *sigh*
Disclaimer: I cannot be sorry that my kids are cuter than any other in the world.... it was just meant to be...

~Lucy In The Sky...~

..With Diamonds!!!

I NEVER thought my kids would EVER have an interest in anything I loved growing up... Fraggle Rock, Strawberry Shorkcake, Boyz II Men, Vanilla Ice... you know, '90's Baby! And I am sure my parents thought the same about me - but growing up in my parents house you had no choice but to listen to, sing and dance with REO Speedwagon, Tom Petty and.... THE BEATLES (insert: *collective girl scream!!!*)

My brother recently purchase The Beatles: Rock Band. I am sooooooo past being a 12 year old girl and playing video games, but THIS. IS. AWESOME.

It includes a microphone, guitar and drums. You watch the screen and follow along to your part - ours went something like this:

Me: Guitar (No record scores made here, but I was tappin' my foot and bobbin' my head as you are supposed to - I forgot to check style points - I would have won.)

Grammie: Vocals (Yeah.... that is were all concentration is lost. It is a perpetual Flower Fest, complete with screeching cats...... )

Katelyne: Drums!!! She rocked it!! My baby was concentrating to the fullest. She is bound for MIT... because she is smart, not because she can play the drums, because she has focus!
Watch, and be amazed......Just for those of you trying to remember the words as you read this: *you're welcome*

Picture yourself in a boat on a river, With tangerine trees and marmalade skies Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, A girl with kaleidoscope eyes. Cellophane flowers of yellow and green, Towering over your head. Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes, And she's gone. Lucy in the sky with diamonds. Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain Where rocking horse people eat marshmellow pies, Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers, That grow so incredibly high. Newspaper taxis appear on the shore, Waiting to take you away. Climb in the back with your head in the clouds, And you're gone. Lucy in the sky with diamonds, Picture yourself on a train in a station, With plasticine porters with looking glass ties, Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle, The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.

~FEAR?! WHAT FEAR?!~

My daughter has NO fear.... zero, zilch, nada, none...

We were off to a friends 4th birthday party. Her Father, (lets call him Psycho for anonymity sake) purchased his little girl a Honda 50, which is a smaller version of an adult size dirt bike. Katelyne could not wait long enough for Psycho's daughter to finish so she could Diva-fye the helmet and have a ride herself.... with Dad. I was naturally against the whole thing... but I HAD to take pictures.

There are kitty ears on the top of the helmet and a kitty tail on the back... yes, she is wearing a dress. How do you ride a dirt bike?!