Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The pumpkin lighting

 We decided to take things slow this year...carve one night and light the next. The kids enjoyed it...and it made stretching the pumpkin activities to 2 nights easier. 
When it came time to find some tea lights for the pumpkins, I realized we were out! So, the 2nd best option.....Birthday candles!!! They worked perfectly. I lit a candle, dripped some hot wax in the bottom of the pumpkins and then stuck the birthday candle in the hot wax and SUCCESS!! 
I was surprised at how much they illuminated.

Leia climbs into the chairs on the front porch at any chance she can get. She's my little daredevil. She was a bit hasty a few days ago, and toppled out of the chair :( But she's learning.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Pumpkin carving

 Leia touching the pumpkin insides

 Check out Kota's face...apparently, he doesn't care for the smell of pumpkin

 Leia really enjoyed using that spoon

 Kota and his pumpkin

 Lily (excuse the messy face) and her pumpkin

 Leia and her pumpkin

 The pumpkin kiddos ;)

 Full moon for carving pumpkins

Leia and Mommy ♥

Monday, October 29, 2012

Motivation, where are you?

I must get motivated. Why? you ask.
Because in just over 3 weeks, I'll be picking up my neat and orderly sister from the airport. I would really love to have my house in tip top shape. I can see some "spring-but really fall cleaning" in my future. Is it crazy that the motivation comes when I the baby is sleeping in the main room that I need to clean?!?!
If I could just get the motivation to arrive at the same time that the baby isn't sleeping, I just might accomplish something. My reward to getting this done is the hope of selling the extra stuff...money in my pocket :)

So, we'll see. I still have a teeny bit of motivation left and I hear Leia waking up from her morning nap.

MUST. MAKE. THIS. HAPPEN!!!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Mommy post

It's been one of those weeks were I question my sanity.
I don't know whether it's the soon-to-be full moon, the earlier in the week warm humid weather, the constant mood swings of my children, or just the craziness that comes every so many weeks.

My kids....AHHHHHHHHH!!! I live for the evenings when the kids are in bed and actually sleeping. My oldest has been great. Such a help this week. The middle child...I could write a book about her this week...coloring on EVERYTHING, constantly where she's not supposed to be, and the whining OMG!!!  The youngest is great as long  as I am holding her and the other kids aren't bothering her.

My husband gave me these yesterday. This was his solution to whining, screaming kids ;)
I think this mommy just needs a little me time with NO KIDS!!

Monday, October 22, 2012

I really WAS a good child

Yes! I really was a good child. It was the teenage years that I plead the 5th on. So...Today, when I called my mother to apologize for all the grief I created, I figured it would make amends. And miraculously I know wishful thinking my children would be perfect little angels. NOT!

I woke up to a cranky 4 almost 5 year old whining because she couldn't find any shorts. She was intent on having a pair of shorts to wear today. So when I offered up a short, oh me! oh my!! that started almost World War III. 

Finally, we get everyone dressed and the oldest dropped off at school. All is going well. The girls have some breakfast. Lily dumps her orange juice all over the floor in her room..WHY! it was in there, I have no idea. We get that cleaned up. Then the girls play some. The tunnel is pulled out, all blocks and stuffed animals are out and all over the house. It looks like the toy box threw up in the living room. Suddenly all is quiet. I call for Leia. She comes toddling in. And she has black spots all over her head. WHAT?!??!?!  It has been done with a marker. I call Lily in and she comes from the bathroom with a dripping washcloth saying "I got it ALL off my legs, Mom!" I try to be proud but I'm very close to losing it. I follow her to her room to finish wiping off the marker marks off her legs. Then I start wiping the marks off Leia's head...I'm sitting on Kota's bed, I turn. There's writing all over his sheets, all over the wooden bunk bed, and on my kindle that a certain someone sneaked into their room. AHHHHHHHHHH!!!
We break out the Clorox wipes and use some elbow grease. Most comes off but not all. I haven't even tried to get it out of the sheets yet. 

So....as you can tell from the title, I really WAS a good child. I guess I'm earning rewards in Heaven for days like today ;)

Yamboree Pictures

 It's the morning of the Yamboree Parade...I think they're excited!!

 at the parade with Daddy

 Lily and Katie

 Carousal time!
 Leia's 1st on the Carousal




Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Nature baby

 Today, I'm doing the crayon hustle with Leia...it's funny to watch her bust open the pencil box, crayons scattering everywhere. And then she grabs a handful and makes a run for it...all the while eating the tops off every crayon in her chubby fist ♥
Your colors of the day are: silver, white, and orange :) At least, she selected some falls colors to break up the monotony.  
The above picture is just to show that Leia explores things with her mouth. Above, she was enjoying a stick...a gloriously yummy stick.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Photo post

 The oldest kiddo....Big Brother

 The youngest kiddo...Little Sister

 The middle kiddo...♥ heart baby ♥

all the kiddos

We took a lazy Saturday afternoon/evening and decided to do a walk. We ventured to a shaded walking path around a nearby lake. This is usually where I take holiday pictures of the kiddos. And after much urging from me, they cooperated. enJoy♥

Friday, October 12, 2012

Eventful Amazing Day

As of today, all 3 children have had some sort of procedure that has included anesthesia. Dakota had tubes and dental work done. Lily had open heart surgery and dental work done. And Miss Leia joined the ranks today with having tubes put in. 
She did fantastic overall. I really thought when she woke up at 3am that it was gonna be a super exhausting day. It was for a bit. Leia just didn't understand why I wouldn't give her a cup of milk. She cried and then played, and then cried some more. We left the house around 5am and headed to the hospital. We were checked in and they started doing her stats and such. After that, I popped in a Baby Einstein DVD and Leia drifted off to sleep. We cuddled for a bit til it was time to move to holding and then on to surgery area. 
The Dr went over everything that would happen, asked if I had questions, and then asked if he could pray with us. Yes! I was a bit shocked about this..never EVER had this happen between myself and a doctor. But I was impressed nonetheless. It kinda put me at peace about this all procedure.
20 minutes later and I was called back to recovery to cuddle with Leia. And within an hour after that, we were headed out the door.
Leia is doing superb, though has a few cranky moments.

 Dozing for a bit before procedure

 Guzzling down that juice...she was a thirsty baby

Overall, she did great!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Grammar Nazi?!

See the note above...well, my wonderful sisters send them periodically to my kids.  The kids LOVE getting something in the mail. And this time, they got postcards. Well, Dakota is in 1st grade now and he's learning ALOT.
Here is a quick run down of how Dakota read his postcard:

  "Kota: (I'm gonna pause right here) Just a note to say Hi and that I miss you. (hmm...that should have an "I" there before the word "hope", so I'm gonna put that in there for Aunt Tammie.) "I" hope school is going well. "I" see you soon. Love, Aunt Tammie."

Needless to say after he read his postcard to me, I called Aunt Tammie and we talked about his grammar corrections...Hahaha!! I didn't know whether to be proud or to be embarrassed. Whichever..His teacher is doing something right!!

Friday, October 5, 2012

It's official...I have a toddler

 It's Sleepy Leia's birthday!!!

 Gotta love it! Her Aunt Marg taught her this just the day before.

 Park day to celebrate turning 1!!

 tasting the cupcake batter...Mmmm! pink lemonade cupcakes :)

 Leia's officially 1!! where did the time go?

Whatever this stuff is....It's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Growing up

After throwing a 1st Birthday party this weekend and then watching my middle child on the swings at school, it's hitting me that my children are growing up. 

Dakota can decipher our spelling language...so no more "If we can get the k-i-d-s in b-e-d, then we can have i-c-e c-r-e-a-m." oh! you get the picture.
Lily is in Pre-K and really handling all that comes with it. It's crazy to see my once tiny little girl now getting out of the van and racing indoors to be with her friends.

 Party decor...Princess Leia party

 Party favors

 The Birthday Girl

 Princess Leia cupcakes


And Leia...she's walking more, talking more, and growing ALOT more :)