Happy Huly Wing

The weekend Abby got her costume for this year's haunted festivities was a busy one.  Our cousins were here visiting from Minnesota and we were all over the place showing them the highlights of western Ohio.  But when Abby returned to school on Monday to write about her weekend she was focused on one thing: getting her Rupsla costume for Huly Wing.

Of course Lauren had to be Scooby.  Together they make an odd little pair, but out they went into our Scareborn neighborhood awkwardly dispensing the traditional "Trick-or-Treat" long after their bags received the deposit and throwing in the "Thank you" chaser somewhere between the door and the driveway.... how this concept became so difficult to figure out is beyond me.

 {Scooby Doo & Rupsla}

Our Trick-or-Treating adventure was filled with characters, laughs and a nice evening greeting the neighborhood.  And lucky for us, we capped off our night in the cul de sac with our neighbors and our annual bonfire.

{Brooke & Abby's Jack-o-Lantern, Geoff's Jack-o-Lantern & Lauren's Jack-o-Lantern}

Happy Huly Wing!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Who knew? GEICO stands for Government Employee Insurance Co. Thanks for the offer, GEICO, but I'm not a gov't employee.

2. Geoff bailed on me. Left me alone to endure the cortisone shot in my knee solo. I don't blame him, he hates needles. Apparently they bother me more than I thought. I turned white as a ghost and I nearly passed out. But if it means no more meds and no more pain.... totally worth it.

3. Abby is quite the reader. Every night she brings home a short beginner book to read. Already I've seen an improvement in her reading. Tonight she was reading with inflection. She fills my heart with pride.

4. Lauren.... still cuddly. Still sweet. Still spunky. Still Lauren.

5. Sometimes I think I learn more from the girls than they learn from me.

6. I'm in need of a little Minnesota nice. I'll take it with a side of Minnesota common sense.

7. Of all the parts of Ohio our travels have taken us to, the Dayton & Columbus areas are my favorite. I'm not ashamed to admit it is because it is the most like home.

8. Thing That Annoys Me No. 387: People who walk or run, and especially with a dog or a child in tow, on the street when there is a perfectly viable sidewalk a footstep away. Sorry, but I'd really rather not have to dodge you as I go about my business in my car.

9. I want an Apple computer. I'm used to a PC, and frankly I find using Apples frustrating at times. But let's be honest, they don't run slow because of misc. viruses. Total crap.

10. I am taking great comfort in our recent purchase of a cool mist humidifier. Winters are typically filled with a bounty of sleepless nights because the girls are up coughing and using their nebulizer in the middle of the night. It's a little hairy right now because the girls are getting over colds, but overall it's been a Godsend. Why didn't I listen to our doctor's advice years ago I don't know.

Little Twinkling Star

We have a rising star in our midst....

This little lady loves to sing.  I love the way she missteps with her words.

Lauren's version Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Ten on Tuesday

I'm back....

1. Wet Ones has changed their Fresh Scent wipes. I'm not a fan of the new odor. I'm also not sure I'm thrilled about the idea of the girls not needing them so much anymore. I actually used one to wipe my sticky hands & glass at a martini bar. I have them in my purse for the girls. How long can that excuse be viable?!

2. The girls have finally figured out how to put the ponies on their hair. Lauren prefers the pig tail look. She wore hers to & from school yesterday, but not at school because, "That's embarrassing".

3. It bothers me when kids lean on furniture. It bothers me more that parents let it slide; parents let a lot slide. I often wonder what my great grandparents' generation would say about that.

4. While I'm on my soap box, I also have a beef with parents pushing their kids off on the grandparents. I'm not talking about the occasional hangin' out with granny. I'm talking carpools & kiddie care. It used to make me a little envious that they have the help, but now it just makes me sad for them all.


5. My two new guilty pleasures this season: Pan Am & The Playboy Club. Both cleverly written, intriguing & entertaining dramas.

6. For the entire hour of Desperate Housewives on Sunday my heart pounded with guilt as if I was the only covering up the murder! The sign of another well-written show. It may be time for it to end, but I'm really going to miss it.


7. Today=Super Dooper Check List Day! Oh does it feel good to cross things off!!!


8. Abby is obsessed with having her own room. Is there something I can inject her with to at least slow down this whole growing up too fast thing?!


9. I sneak into the girls' room at night and kiss them & talk to them while they sleep. I miss them when I'm not with them, but I'm grateful they have each other.


10. Tonight Abby confessed she doesn't like black people because she isn't fond of that color. Of all the reasons not to like people Abby would pick that one. In all honesty, I'm glad this conversation is coming up now over a trivial reason than because she is being told not to like a group of people by her peers. I figured we'd have this conversation sooner or later, I just thought it would be later than sooner.

I'm a Little Teapot

My little songstress is at it again.

I apologize the video is not rotatable {if you know how, please pass suggestions my way!}  But I had to get in her tootsies.  They make the jammies.

Lauren, starring in "I'm a Little Teapot".

My American Girl Doll

This morning my little dollie walked out of her room dressed in her Old Navy Old Glory shirt.  She said she was wearing it because of a song she's learning in school: "I Pledge Unallegiance".

I'm happy to report that by this afternoon it sounded a little more like she was pledging an allegiance.  I'm also glad I got it on a digital recording before she learns how to say it like the rest of America.

[Don't forget to pause the play list in the right column to hear the video's audio.]

Ten on Tuesday

1. My grocery list on the fridge reads tampons, then peanuts.  An odd pairing.

2. I am learning that doing less is doing everyone a favor.  It only took me ten years of marriage & six and a half years of motherhood to figure this one out.  But truly, the less I do, the more others do.  We're all much happier for it.

3. Lauren has two friends from school she can name: José & Nathan.  Leave it to my tom boy to befriend the boys.

4. I'm annoyed.  Apparently I've maxed out on pictures Blogger will allow me to have on file.  I have two choices: go back and delete some or stop posting pictures.  This mama is conflicted.

5. The talk of the neighborhood is the pack of coyotes that were ever so close to the house last night.  One would have thought with all of the construction going on in the no-longer-vacant-field the coyotes would have vacated.  Not so much.

6. Abby has yet to go head-to-head with her first grade teacher, and last night she was in top form for her new gymnastics coach.  I'm holding my breath this is the new norm.

7. Happy Crocking!  I liked the Crock Pot Girls on Facebook.  Please tell me this makes me cool.

8. I don't know what I did to deserve the fabulous staff that I work with and the great group of kids in my class this year.  I don't ever remember loving a job this much.

9. It amazes me how far we've come.  For the first few years here in Ohio we were quite happy keeping to ourselves.  Maybe it's because I didn't want to get attached.  Maybe it's because I didn't care about anything much outside of our home.  But now that the girls and in school we're all making friends.  What a great 'hood we live in!

10. Confession Alert: I think Tucker Carlson is my new conservative crush.... it certainly wasn't his debut on Dancing with the Stars that wooed me.