Friends, Paint and Pottery

This afternoon my friends and I got together to have a little creative fun - we went to a local pottery painting place and went a little crazy. We each picked a piece, selected our paints and got busy. There were moments of deliberate silence as we worked and moments of silly laughter - the perfect combination! I made a snowman platter, Jeri made a cupcake birthday plate and Mel made a birthday plate and two little name plates for her boys. It was a really fun afternoon hanging out with amazing friends.

Fa-La-La-La

The holiday season has arrived at our house!

We started off the weekend with our usual Friday "Movie and Pizza Night" with the movie choice being Santa Claus 3, The Escape Clause. Saturday Dakota went up into the attic and brought down the Christmas decoration boxes and, while she studied, the kids and I decked the halls. After opening the boxes and spilling their contents onto the floor, Kelton lost interest and moved on to other things but Kaylen and I spent the next 2.5 hours taking down the fall decorations and putting up all things Christmas. Well - not the tree. We usually decorate the house before Thanksgiving and save the tree for a little bit later. I think we'll put it up next weekend though as the kids are chomping at the bit to have it up.

So we went from this:





To this:





All brought to you by:





Once Dakota was done studying for the day, she climbed up on the roof and got to work hanging the lights. Kaylen and I constructed the outside Christmas Tree (a spiral tree with lights) and placed our lighted polar bear in the yard. (Where was Kelton, you ask? He opted to go across the street and help a neighbor rake leaves.)

Soon it will be time for all the Christmas goodies baking and eating and after that.....diet pills! :)

Introducing........

.....Jack!





Jack comes to us from the Magic Tree House series (one of Kelton's favorite series). Jack and his younger sister, Annie (played by Kaylen in the photos), find a magic tree house that takes them back in time for adventures as they try to complete tasks set for them by Morgan, the keeper of the tree house secrets. If you haven't yet experienced the Magic Tree House series with your kids, you should. They are chapter books which make excellent bedtime stories.

Jack wears glasses, t-shirts, jeans and tennis shoes. He carries a backpack that holds his beloved notebook, pen and book about where ever they have been sent.

As for as costumes goes, it was a piece of cake...which is good because Kelton decided a full 7 minutes before the bus arrived that he did indeed want to go as Jack. Thank goodness I had a pair of sunglasses I didn't mind sacrificing for the greater good. :)

The ironic and funny part of this? Jack is the name I had originally wanted to name Kelton. So I had a great time saying "Goodbye Jack! Have a good day!" as he climbed on the bus. :)

It's Raining, It's Pouring...and more

Oh my gosh. I wish you could hear the rain outside right now (well...for those of you living in my town, you *are* hearing the rain). Wow. It's loud. It's a lot. And it's been raining ALL day long. Seriously. All day.

There is one great thing about listening to it pour - this year, as opposed to last, I am not worried about the siding on the house. I am not concerned the the gutter is overflowing and the water is splashing up on the house as it hit the patio. For the first time in a couple years, it doesn't concern me because, as you know, we had the house resided in vinyl siding in February. So bring on the rain - wood rot isn't happening here. :)

The downside to the rain right now is the gutters need to be cleaned. The leaves, I'm sure, are causing trouble which makes the gutters overflow during downpours. We usually do the fall gutter clean when we hang Christmas lights and we haven't yet gotten to that chore though, with the rain we've had for days on end, I'm not even sure when it will happen. I know that the first dry day will be the winner but who knows when that will be - we had hoped this past Sunday but nope. It was raining then, too. :) (Now don't think we are too weird. We have to get the lights up when it's A) dry and B) Dakota is home. It's not as easy as it seems. We don't turn then on until Thanksgiving weekend though.)

I cleaned the carpets today. Boy oh boy did they need it. Truthfully, it's time they were professionally cleaned but that isn't in the budget so I pulled out the Bissell and got down to business. It's hard to know from the filthy nasty mud water I pulled out that I actually *do* clean the carpets every 6-8 weeks. Kids and dogs are so hard on carpeting. It looks (and feels) tons better now. I just love how soft the carpet is on bare feet right after it's been cleaned.

OH! And this is cute; Kaylen has decided on a nickname she would like us to call her. Squirrel. Yes, that's right - she wants us to call her squirrel because they are cute and furry and she would like to hold one. I tell you - there is nothing better than a conversation with a three year old. So now I just have to remember to call her by her beloved nickname.

And speaking of Kaylen...her sensory issues were at full tilt today but especially in regards to her car seat. It was, you guessed it, "too tight". I suggested we give her a new way of looking at things when her body is giving her signals that she isn't ok....I said "How about if we call that weird feeling she gets "feeling squirrely". She loved that idea and used it several times. It was so much nicer to hear her say that than to scream "My seat belt is too tight! You have to fix it NOW!" *sigh* I do feel for her - she has so many issues with clothes, shoes, socks, seat belts...and lately, smells. It seems as soon as we make progress in one area, something new pops us.

In the past month or two smells really get her. She has complained of bad smells for a long time but as of late, if it is something she finds particularly offensive, she pukes. Yesterday the kids were eating breakfast at the breakfast bar when Kelton, after eating his lightly garlic salted bread (don't' ask - he loves it and insists on it with scrambled eggs), got too close to Kaylen and she complained. Instead of backing off he choose to breathe right in her face. Not even 3 seconds later, there was thrown up scrambled eggs all over. She just can't help it. It's the oddest thing. I am chalking it up to yet one more sensory issue in her long, long list.

To end on a happy note though Kelton enjoyed his Read-In Day. Tomorrow is "dress like your favorite book character" day though when I tried talking with him about it he seemed less than thrilled. I think he may be "booked out" for now. Who knows what tomorrow will bring - I'm sure to be scrambling in the morning to throw something together. It would be great if there were Indiana Jones books that he was reading - we already have *that* costume. :)

And in case you are wondering....the rain is still coming down. :)

Read-In Day

Kelton went to school in his pajamas this morning. He took a pillow, a blanket and his bean bag chair. You might be thinking "Huh?"

Today is Read-In Day!!

All over the school there will be clusters of pj clad kids curled up with pillows, sleeping bags, bean bag chairs, stuffed animals and blankets reading books...all day long. There is no math or science today. No PE or Music. It's reading, reading, reading all day long. And you know what? I'm a bit jealous. A pajama day curled up with a good book sounds like heaven.

Kelton as *very* excited this morning. I hope he has a fabulous day!

Ho Ho Ho

A little early, you say? Well yes, that may very well be however that did not stop me from scheduling an appointment for the kids to visit Santa. Now that Kelton is in school, the only time to get them in for Santa pictures would be with the throngs of people also only available when school is not in session...and I don't so much enjoy standing in line, or waiting an hour past an appointment time, with rowdy, Christmas-crazed children. Not to mention that I had no idea how Kaylen would react.

Let's wander back through her Santa experiences, shall we?

Her first year, she was 9 months old. The look on her face is "what the heck?" from when Dakota plopped her on Santa's lap and bolted from the photo. Seconds later she erupted into screams so loud that people stopped their shopping to stare. They took a second photo but clearly it wasn't the one they sent. :)

Her second year, she was 21 months old. This pictures says it all. Not a fan of the guy in red.

Her third year, she was two and a half. We were filling out the forms and the kids were coloring with their cousins while we waited. Suddenly, Santa walked into the room. Kaylen let out a scream and started crying hysterically. The team was great and worked Santa into the photo without Kaylen even knowing he was there. You should have seen her face when they handed us the photo. Priceless.

So - this year I wasn't sure what to expect. When I mentioned it a few weeks ago she bit her lip, her eyes filled up and she said she didn't want to see him. I was calm and acted like it didn't matter to me but told her that this year she was older and she probably would be much more brave than ever before. We dropped it and never spoke of it again until yesterday when I made the appointment for today. She was completely fine with it.

This morning she came up with her gift request: a pink and purple scooter.

This afternoon we went to the Picture People and here is what we walked out with:

(Look closely at Kelton's top teeth. That one is so loose!!)

Love this one! Are they good actors or what? :)

Awwww! Sweet!!

Under the Watchful Eye

Just moments ago Kaylen came in and asked me for something that I have already said no to a couple times in the past hour. I, of course, said "no" again. She puts on her three year old attitude, places her hands on her hips, glares at me and says "You know what? Santa is watching you!"

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Can you tell I've been using that little gem on them the past few days? She is just too, too much.

Veterans Day

It's Veterans Day. Have you given thoughts of thanks to the men and women who have fought to protect all the freedoms we have?

I hope you will. This is an important day, a chance to say thank you.

Thank you, Veterans!

History of Veterans Day

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those

who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

Help Protect Marriage from Divorce

This rocks. Thanks to Caroline for for the link.

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Painting Sucks

It took me 4+ hours to prep and paint the hallway. I so hate painting.

It's done though. I'm sure Dakota will say it looks good but I'm not sure just yet. I love the color - it just makes the hallway seem dark now.

I guess that's what happens when you go from white to "BonaFide Beige".

And did I get the running the carpet cleaner? Ummm...no. I'll do it tomorrow....maybe. :)

The Christmas Card I Would Love to Send

I so totally love this and if I didn't go the whole "family photo" card, I would seriously consider buying these. You can get yours at Cafe Press.

Plans, Plans and More Plans

The plan is to paint the hallway today and then, hopefully, clean the carpets. We'll see how far I really get with it all.

This morning started out with controlled chaos when, after watching Sid the Science Kid, both kids wanted to play estimation games and compare and contrast things. Easy enough to keep them happy and busy. Then the cushions came off the couch for jumping.....and shortly thereafter, Kelton's face smashed into the frame of the cushion-less couch. He bit the inside of his cheek/lip and loosened up his already loose front tooth. The blood was impressive for such a small injury but I kept my cool, cleaned him up, settled him down and eventually shipped him off to school.

I came back from the bus thinking I would start painting but oh no - it apparently is playdoh time for Kaylen. And we all know what a mess playdoh can make. So - painting is in a holding pattern.

I'm hoping she tires of playdoh soon and retreats to the living room where Sesame Street and quiet play awaits her.

I really want to get the hall painted. Not because I love painting (because I really, really don't) but because I know it will look better and I will feel better having it done.

Wish me luck.

Autumn Rain Walk

It was a rainy afternoon so what else were we do to? :) All I had to do was say "Does anyone want to go on a rainwalk?" and I had two eager children and two tail-waggin' dogs. The puddles were amazing so as you can imagine, much fun was had.











I know that the rainy days make most people was to book flights to places like Southern California, Hawaii or even vegas but not me and definitely not the kids. We love the rain!

Reading

The other night I took the kids to a bookstore in the hopes of finding a paper announcing our new president. I am sad to say, I could not find. I went to many places over the course of the day and everyone was sold out of the paper. Bummer for me - I really wanted one to put in our keepsake box for the kids.

While we were at the bookstore, the kids and I wandered back to the kids section to look at books. I told them they could each get one book. While I stood with Kaylen while she chose her Dora book (Dora Goes to the Doctor) Kelton was off around a corner. Suddenly I hear the most amazing thing; his little voice reading.

He had found a book that interested him (Happy Birthday, Sponge Bob) and he was reading it to himself!!!!!! It was just the sweetest thing. I stood as quietly as I could just so I could hear him read for as long as possible. Absolutely adorable.

He's been reading for a long time now but this was the first time he went someplace like a store or a library, picked out a book that caught his attention and read it - by himself - without prompting.

My book loving heart swelled three times its size. :)

Doesn't It Just Figure

A few months back our utility company sent a notice that it was discontinuing its "Guaranteed Hot Water Program" for which we paid a monthly fee. Basically, the hot water tank was purchased through their program and for a very low fee we were on a program where if anything happened, they would be out within 8 hours to fix it or replace it for free.

A couple years ago one of the heating elements went out. One quick call later a service man was working on it and we were good to go in less than an hour. At no cost. And we all know how much a plumber costs to just walk in the front door so this was really great!

Fast forward to a few months ago when the stopped the program. And now fast forward to this week.

I think one of the elements is out again because we seem to run out of hot water after two showers and washing dishes. Lovely.

This time though it won't be as easy nor as cost-free to get it fixed. In truth, it may be cheaper to buy a new hot water heater than pay a plumber to work on it. I hate the thought of that for two reasons; money and the fact that I hate living in a disposable society where it is cheaper to throw stuff into the landfill than to repair it. When did it become cheaper to replace rather than repair? Something is just not right in that equation.

So anyway - in the next while (or when we can no longer just make it work out that we have hot water when we need it (because trust me, we'll do that for as long as possible) I will need to look into cost of repairing vs cost to replace. Maybe I'll even look into one of those fancy tankless water heater things.

*sigh*

Wish List Mania

Kaylen has been working on her Christmas Wish List for a couple months now. She started seeing a million commercials for toys that she wanted so I explained Wish Lists. We add things to the (mental) list I have going for her many, many times a day.

The other day I said that her list was quite long now.

So what has she done? She's decided that things are now going on her birthday Wish List.

Now, instead of hearing "Come see this! I want to add it to my Wish List!" I hear "Come see this! I have something to add to my birthday Wish List!"

Oy.

Studing her catalogs. I toss all that arrive in a basket and the kids are free to go through them as they wish. I love the memories I have from when I was little of going page by page through the Sears Wish Book. I hope they will have the same fond memories.

Circling her wishes.

(ps...keep reading to learn about Kaylen's first day in gymnastics!)

Good Bye Ballet...Hello Gymnastics!

Last week Kaylen and I said our farewell to ballet class and today we said hello to gymnastics! She liked her ballet class well enough (well you know - after that first day)but today? Today she seems to have fallen head over heels in love!

I watched from across the gym and oh what I would have given to have been closer! She was so freakin' adorable! She did what was asked of her and did it well. I was quite impressed with what must be some sort of natural talent. (This is the same place where I took Kelton for gymnastic classes from age 2.5 to age 4.)

After class she started begging me to let her go every day so I'm thinking she had a great time! :)









OMG! The weirdest thing just happened as I was uploading photos from the card. I pulled the card from the camera and plugged it into the CPU to download. I glanced back at the camera which was on (kinda weird in itself since I don't remember turning it on) and there, in the display was a picture of three year old Kelton in the bathtub. I looked at it for a few minutes soaking up this moment in time that has been frozen somewhere in the internal memory of the camera and then I hit the button to see if there were any others showing up. Yep - there was. The other one was of the same night in the tub but it had a 9 or 10 month old Kaylen in it as well as Kelton. Wow. So strange and so very cool. My babies. Oh how they have grown!

Keeping Busy as My Mind Settles

I am completely wiped out. It's been a long few months around here and emotions have been running high. Last night was the icing on the cake and I expected to be riding the high for days. However, as it turns out, I think I have "election let-down". It's like that feeling you have on your birthday or Christmas was the excitement is high but then - suddenly, it's over. And you are left standing there amidst all the wrapping with this amazing gift and yet - also this sadness that it's over. Election day has come and gone and I could not be happier with the results for the country and for my state but still - it's such an odd feeling to be done with that part of it.

I'm left standing here saying "Now what? Now what do I blog about? Where is the new data on the poll sites that I've been checking many times a day?" Oh there will be more in the days, weeks, months and years ahead but for now - I feel a little hung over. :)

So what's a girl to do? Get together with her BFF's for some girl-talk and scrapping. I put together three pages though I do want to go back to the one of Kelton in his goggles to add some journaling. He was so cute last Saturday when we went out to rake leaves. It was a very windy day so both he and Kaylen wore their swimming goggles to keep "nature" from flying in their eyes. So, so cute! :)

I think the pages turned out pretty cute. But then, we all know I'm biased. :)

Credit: Stuffed by Shawna Clingerman, Libby Weifenbach & Melissa Bennett

Credit: Sometimes Called Falling In Love by Shawna Clingerman

Credit: Pink Elephants and All That by Shawna Clingerman

The State of the Union

Oh Yes We Did! :)

I am so proud of all of us for standing up and saying "Enough!" So, so proud. And this just makes it even sweeter:

"It was the first time since Jimmy Carter in 1976 that a Democrat won the White House with more than 50 percent of the popular vote."

link

The majority of this country wants change. So now is the time to come together and work together to make this country stronger than ever. We can do it - and it will take all of us. I can not wait!

We Won!!

The 44th President of

The United States of America!

And that is how it's done! :)

Congratulations President Elect Obama!

November 4th 2008

I participated. Did you? But more important than that - HAVE YOU VOTED????????? It all comes down to this day. Do we stand up and say "ENOUGH!" or do we change nothing? It's up to us. Stand up and be counted.

Election Day is Upon Us

If you haven't already.......

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!

GO VOTE!

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!

Seriously.

That's all for now.