It's Almost Halloween!

Happy Almost Halloween!

Yesterday we carved pumpkins which is one of my favorite parts of Halloween. I really like the smell of pumpkin inards. Like, not all the time, but once a year? Yeah, okay! I am sure none of you will be shocked by my telling you that we made a Sorcerer Mickey pumpkin and a Minnie Pumpkin.

They look very cool lit up! We look forward to tomorrow night when they can shine all night, for no real reason since we never get any trick-or-treaters. But whatever. 

Today we had our friend's Halloween party. This was our 5th year going to their Halloween party and it's just so fun! The kids played games and ate treats and played. Childhood fun at it's core. Bingo was the hit game of the day and I think I am going to make a version for Thanksgiving because it was a great time and because it was pictures even M was doing a good job though she really wanted to eat her marshmallow markers. 

My little Minnie was tickled pink that her bestie was ALSO Minnie! Two Minnies running around the party was kind of a hoot. 

Here are my little Minnie Mouse and No. 2 Pencil in a not too shabby picture of them in costume. It's so hard to get a good picture!!

26 years ago the pencil costume was worn by ME! My grandma made me this costume for Halloween when I was 5! Now it's C's turn to be 5 and a pencil! I have no doubt in my mind that my grandma would LOVE that the pencil costume is still in good condition and that her great-grandson was wearing it. 

Tomorrow he will get to go out trick-or-treating wrapped in deep sentiment and I cannot wait! Today was our last day of Fall break and we are right back at school tomorrow! Pumpkin shirts for everyone! 

And Now Fall Break!

Hello friends! We made it to Fall Break!

C's Conference on Tuesday evening was just wonderful. A night and day difference from last year's. I always felt last year that they never really knew my kid. Does that make sense? They weren't unhelpful with their comments or his educational progress reports but they just never got C. 

But this year, they really see him for the unique and wonderful little boy that he is. As suspected academically he is kicking tush and taking names. Apparently he even read a book to his classmates during story time. (Things parents would love to hear from their kid instead of what they had for snack!) The very best part of the conference though was the way his teachers clearly delight in my child. They love him and it makes my heart so happy that he is in a class where he is seen and loved. That's what any parent wants from their child's teachers. 

Yesterday at school was the Pumpkin Patch. Which apparently parents were invited to? I missed that memo but C didn't seem to mind even though I felt terrible. But M wouldn't have handled it well since she would have wanted a pumpkin, so the story I am telling is that it was a totally conscious choice! He was excited to get a pumpkin. And then we we got home he made our own backyard patch. 

The chalk art is really hard to read because of the sun/shadows coming through the trees, but it says "Welcome to Are Patch!" I was only consulted on how to spell "welcome" so that's why the wrong use of are over our. 

Last night was also trunk-or-treat at school which was a wonderful kick off to the Halloween season! We got stuck behind a one-year-old and his parents would just not. pick. him. up. And it was frustrating because he didn't get it and was apparently crabby which I get, but he was slow and didn't want to trick-or-treat. But it was fun despite being kind of crazy and lots of people ran out of candy before we got to them. The only pictures I have that are good are ones from inside the fellowship hall before the pizza dinner. 

I kid you not that the pictures I took in my backyard all have my probably intoxicated neighbor in them. Luckily we have a few more opportunities for pictures in their costumes so we will try again! Hopefully sans my neighbor. 

And now we don't go back to school until Tuesday! Awesome! School is great but so is a break!

Fall Stuff

Today is the first real chill of the season. It's in the mid 40s. And dreary. It was rainy but I think that has passed for the day.

It called for a delicious crock pot meal of Mississippi Mud Roast. Which is a recipe I originally got from Beth. I fancy mine up just a little and add potatoes and carrots to the crock pot too. Because root veggies feel so very fall to me.

And if I was making a fall dinner, why not make a fall dessert? So I obviously have an apple pie in the oven.

So my house smells like Heaven right now, that is for darn sure!

Want to hear something kind of fun but really geeky? Well for our library and their ebook check out you can recommend books that they don't own. I recently started following Penguin Random House on Instagram and they have been posting about Turtles All the Way Down since it's a new release. Well I went to see if my library had a copy and they didn't.

So I recommended it and when you do that you are automatically added to the "hold" list so if they buy the book you have a spot in line. I recommended the book on October 20. Which was last Friday. Well YESTERDAY October 23 I got an email saying a book from my hold list was available. I was FLOORED when I logged in and saw that it was Turtles All the Way Down.

It is a pretty good YA book about a girl with severe anxiety as she copes with friendship and sort've kind of love. Not to spoil this book but it doesn't follow the usual teen relationship trope which was really refreshing. It was a very quick read as an adult but totally worth a read.

Tonight we also have C's conference, I am really excited about it. I am curious how he's doing and whether we made the right choice with the whole full day/half day/wait/go debate.

Celebrating A Third Birthday Minnie Style!

My girl turned THREE yesterday. Three. Golly that seems so darn big to me. We had a special weekend celebrating her! My parents came to town on Friday and that was greatly exciting. Because they brought her birthday balloons!

Saturday she woke up to her much anticipated Minnie decorations!

Mid morning we went with my parents to Shnucks which is the little tradition they have with my kids. After filling the kid carts with an all manner of things we didn't need but the kids wanted, we headed back for her birthday party!

The weather on Saturday was gorgeous and we had a Minnie Picnic! M just loves loves loves hot dogs. Which is apparently pretty common for kids but C doesn't care for them at all. Anyway, it was a very easy party, we had Minnie fruit bows, Mickey's Veggie Chips, potato chips and party punch to accompany the hot dogs/hamburgers.

After lunch we changed her into her party outfit. M loves ketchup but has a tendency to get it all over everything.

The Minnie leggings are Lularoe and the Happy Helpers embroidered shirt is from this wonderful Etsy shop!

Then we played the game we had planned, Put the Ring on Minnie. Thank you Party City! M took two turns, but she got the ring on the right spot on her first try. I don't know if somehow she could see or what?

Then we opened presents. After every. single. present. she said "I always wanted [insert item here.]" It was precious. My brother's Skyped in to join in the fun too! She has been saying for weeks how she just wanted a "Red Minnie" so she was pretty happy!

We had cake after presents and it was perfect. I kid you not, she picked this specific cake out in May and was anxiously awaiting it's presence in our house. It did not disappoint. She blew out her candles in one full swoop too so all that practicing on Thursday paid off.

And that was pretty much it for the "party." We spent the rest of the day just kind of hanging out and playing outside. 

Yesterday was a super gloomy day, a far cry from the near 80s the day before. We played with her new things, including at least four rounds of "Hi-Ho The Cherry-O." It slays me that she calls it that.

We had Happy Meals for lunch and incredibly liturgically correct Papa John's for dinner. Pope St. John Paul II was such a powerful intercessor for her birth and I love him so much!

I always feel like I am somehow letting JPII down by not celebrating him, but I know that he would absolutely support me celebrating a birthday with my family over focusing on him. I truly 100% believe that.

We ended the day snuggling together as a family and read "Happy Birthday Cupcake" and "On the Day You Were Born" and I only cried a little. All in all, the weekend was wonderful celebrating the best way we knew how.

Happy Birthday Miss M!

Little Girl,

Oh my little bonbon, you are just so important to me. My heart just aches that you are three already, you are my baby and three is just such a big girl age. But you are so excited for your day that I can't even ask for time to slow down, at least not until tomorrow. You deserve a day to shine and get exactly what you want. 

I have felt so much guilt as we've planned your party this year. Because of Daddy's food show your birthday hasn't been planned down to every last detail the way we have for your brother's. And yet, I am reminded that because all your decorations have Minnie Mouse and Daisy on them, you aren't going to care one bit. In fact, you are going to love every second of it. I don't ever want you to look back and think somehow that I love you less. Because nothing could be further from the truth.

I am so lucky to get to spend all my time with you. I am not at all looking forward to sharing you with the world next year but you are so independent and already ready for school. You cried so hard when we had to leave C on his first day and I can pretty much guarantee you I am going to be the one crying next August leaving you. Recently we've been making friends with kids your age and you just love playing with kids who are "your size." 

Our biggest struggle this year has been sleep. Oh little girl, you are such an early bird and I don't know how to reconcile myself to that. It doesn't matter what time you go to sleep, you will wake up between 5:45-6:30 anyway. It is such a struggle for your night owl mama! But I love you and I love how cheerful you are so it's all okay. You have always preferred to sleep in pitch dark but just recently you have requested a nightlight. But not too bright. So particular Little Miss. 

I often find myself sitting back and just watching you. You are so very different from your brother and that is such a good thing. You are strong and opinionated, sassy and funny. I hope you never lose that. Lately you go through phases of the day where you couldn't give two hoots where I am but then at some point you just need your mom and the hugs you give take my breath away with how much I adore you. I have no idea how you got to be so athletically minded and I solemnly swear to try my hardest to help you find your passion and not hold you back!

I love how you talk. I wish I could record you all the live long day because every single thing you say is my favorite. You have a sweet tooth my girl and I kind of love it because you are always up for sharing with me. You love outings and adventures except for the adventure of potty training. You don't care about that even one little bit and NOT for lack of trying. But gear up kid, because I am over diapers! 

And less I forget, ever, how much you love Minnie Mouse. Because it's a lot. Daisy and Cuckoo-Loca are pretty close seconds but you are OBSESSED with Minnie. If there was a product with her likeness on it, you want it. Truthfully and just between us girls, I am a-okay with that because it's so easy to find! You are never far from Minnie Mouse. Someone rides with us in the car every day, either Minnierella, Polka dot Minnie, Big Minnie, Blanket Minnie... etc. I love how they are each important in their own way for you.

You are just absolutely everything to me. I never knew how much I needed a daughter but golly I did and I am blessed by your very presence in my life. Happiest of happy birthdays to you my sweet girl! I love you entirely!

Love,

Mom

On to the Next Thing!

Today is the first day of back to normal. Well... as normal as normal get you know? The food show is over!

Once upon a time, Husband got a promotion that didn't include more money but did come with a lot more responsibility, namely, being in charge of the food show. As it approached Husband got more and more busy and a little bit more cranky. And finally it was Sunday and he left the house suitcase in tow and he returned last night!

Apparently it all went well. Want to see it? Turn your head sideways and get a peek!

Of course as with anything there are always little things that come up or things that could be improved for the future, but all the major details and such were pretty great. Apparently. He was excited to stop dreaming about the food show but alas, woke up this morning after more food show dreams. I am sure those will stop soon though right? 

I had 54 hours of soloing, which is nothing in the real world of business travel and deployments but man, I am a better mom when I am not the only one calling the shots at the end of the day. 

This was the only picture I took of my kids over the course of the few days. And they weren't even supposed to be playing with the window clings. But they have been and I pretty much just let it go because they were $3 and at least they're being entertained while they destroy them. 

Also in a funny story, we went out to dinner on Saturday and M was looking through the desert/drinks menu. 

She really wanted the ice cream brownie and when I told her no she asked for this Root Beer Old Fashioned. She told me "I want this drink. But with a lid. And no cherries." I am proud she asked for a lid so she wouldn't spill! It was really funny to me, and perhaps that won't translate to being funny to you but there it is. 

Anyway, now that it is Wednesday and the food show is all over it's just a steam roll to Christmas... M's birthday, Halloween, Elton John, Thanksgiving, Christmas. So, hang on to your hats (yes, like Herbert Nenninger and No-Noggin') because the rest of 2017 is coming up quick! 

7 Things: Shoes and Other Things

1. Well here we go again. It's the dress all over again. 

The kids and I think this shoe is definitely teal and gray but what say you? Do you see pink and white? I guess it actually is in fact pink and white which makes me 0/2. I definitely still think the dress is white and gold too even if I have since been proven wrong.

2. Yesterday was M's due date. A date I will never forget. And I'm not going to lie to you, I have just the tiniest bit of PTSD about these next few days. Not like actual PTSD but my heart races a little bit remembering the waiting and the feeling like one of the doctors wasn't listening to me. 10 days still seems like a long time to me even this three years later.

3. I am pretty excited about Scentsy right now. I try really hard to not spam my small blog audience about it. It for real is the smallest of side hustles just for my own discount but this past week I got a few orders from some new people which seriously like never happens. There's a special sale today and Monday and I just all around am excited about padding the Christmas budget up a bit.

4. This week was the first time in a long time that pants and shoes with socks were required. Only because it was a long time I had no idea that C's tennis shoes were not the right size. And it must be a fairly recent shoe spurt because I just bought him dress shoes at the end of August that now are not the right size either.

But I found him some great shoes on Zappos that both met all my requirements in a shoe and his requirement that they be a "good color." His favorite colors are green and blue so these fit the bill. They came today and he likes them but he is sad they aren't maroon because all of a sudden that is his most talked about color.

5. We've been playing sensory table a lot lately. Right now we have popcorn in it. A little mom hack for you is putting it inside a cheap swimming pool. The kernels that slosh over the edge are contained and not all over my basement floor.

It works super well! I like to play some classical music while they play and it becomes a really calm time. And we all like that!

6. M is going to be... what else but Minnie Mouse for Halloween. Not red Minnie but pink Minnie. Obviously. We have her costume and it's super cute. But my question is whether you think we should put black clothes under it. It seems kind of weird, but at the same time it looks too much like just a polka dot dress on a little blonde girl as is. 

Here are some examples. (All not the same costume or M.)

As is:

Just Tights:

Leggings and a shirt

It does tend to be chilly here on Halloween though who even knows? So I was leaning towards the shirt and a tights/leggings but now I just don't know. I feel like if I do the shirt, it needs gloves and then that's a whole extra little bit of $$ I wasn't planning on. 

7. It was a big week with lots to do and lots of places to be so I have't finished a book since Sunday. But I read Ms. Bixby's Last Day over the weekend and it is just so touching. It's YA but leaning toward middle school age. Oh my, this should be required reading for teaching students. I cried reading it. This book reminds me a lot of Wonder which should also be required reading for humanity. (I can't wait for the movie!) 

LWYMMD

This week has been busy everyone. Lots to do. Lots of appointments and scheduling and not a lot of much else.

So today after a long morning I was driving to pick up M from a friend's house. I was listening to the radio* and "Look What You Made Me Do" came on.

I can admit it. I'm a Taylor fan. Even if the actual video is a little creepy and we will only be watching the lyric video in our house thank you very much.

So anyway, I was driving. And singing. And I drove straight past my turn. Which was funny because I was singing the lyric... "Look what you just made me do..." So yeah, Taylor, look what you made me do! I missed my turn. But I drove around the block and whatever it was fine. But it was really funny in the moment.

*I say radio like there were other fancy options in my vehicle but... it's radio or sweet sweet silence due to an unfortunate CD jam situation. But it's all good, I like the radio!*

And tomorrow is Friday!

And that is the truth. See you tomorrow party people.

Red Night and Crafting

Saturday night unwittingly became our RED night. How could that be? Well we told our dear sweet children as they were getting ready for rest that if they took a good rest we could go someplace fun.

"Is it Red Robin?" M exclaimed in our room. She comes running into her room where I am sitting waiting for her. "Mommy, Daddy said we get to go to Red Robin!"

"I love Red Robin! I want to get a cheeseburger!" C starts yelling.

Husband and I look at each other. Red Robin was not what we discussed. In fact our entire discussion involved... the thought that maybe we could go out to dinner. But since they had it in their sweet little heads it was going to be Red Robin I guess that became the plan.

They took a good rest and quiet time. We went to Red Robin.

Afterwords, we continued our night out on the town at the Red Store. (Known to most people as Target because they use actual names of stores.) We went in for liquid starch and this floor lamp for C's room. (His bit the dust.)

They didn't have liquid starch. They did have the floor lamp. Hallelujah!

We spent a great deal of time browsing and looking at things we didn't buy. Including but not limited to every single thing that had Minnie Mouse on it. My kid likes Minnie Mouse. She did manage to get a bike helmet with Minnie on it, because she had outgrown her other helmet. They also had Minnie Pull-Ups and that she said would help her potty train. Mmmhmm, SURE it well. But into the cart they went because seriously at this point I am willing to try anything.

We also got glue for me and my craft. Because darn it all I was going to craft this weekend. Way way back when you could still have a straight up Halloween party with costumes, my mom liked to help with the holiday parties. Her specialty for the Halloween party was making cheesecloth ghosties. She would bring them in and each kid could put eyes on and then either a bow or a bow tie. They're cute. And festive. And I wanted to make them with our kids.

Last year I bought the cheesecloth and couldn't find liquid starch to save my life. Well again this year. So I found a new recipe with equal parts Elmer glue and water so I bought glue. Saturday night I created the ghosts and this afternoon we were able to decorate them. The set up.

And completed. We made six. Two we are mailing to the cousins because last weekend when we saw them we told them we would make them a craft. I keep my promises.

C wanted to do two bow ties because he likes blue AND green. That's logic.

Back to target, I needed felt for the bows. The regular square shaped felt was $12.99! But the pumpkin shaped felt was $5.99. So we obviously got the pumpkin. Only now I have a lot of felt pumpkins. I told the kids we can paint them sometime but they wanted to try them out during our crafting time, so we made these:

I think M's looks A LOT like Princess Poppy from Trolls

But I am told it is in fact... you guessed it. Minnie. Because of the bow. Obviously.

So that was our weekend. We painted the town red on Saturday and did some crafts today. And in the grown up craft world Husband and I also were able to make some apple butter and get it canned. So hooray for processing apples. We didn't make it to applesauce or pie filling yet but... we will soon.

What I've Been Watching (And What I Will Watch.)

1. This is Us

What can I say? This show is all around well done. Great writing, great acting. It's honest and well done. If you haven't hopped on the train you're probably not going to because of anything I write here but this is television at it's finest. I am definitely in the Randall/Beth camp if I have to choose but they're all pretty great!!

2. Fuller House

This show gets a bad rep but for real it has come into it's own with this new season and was actually really funny. I really enjoyed this little half of a season and I look forward to seeing the rest in December. I don't know if I am team Steve or Matt, but I think I am going to go Matt because there's a lot less broken hearts that way. (Which probably means the writers will go with Team Steve...) I truly think this show's niche audience is for those who enjoyed Full House as a kid and are now parents themselves. The thing I like is that the show doesn't take itself too seriously. It's not This Is Us and it's not trying to be.

3. American Housewife

Well this show is my life. I am Katie Otto. Minus the extra kid and their ages. But otherwise... spot on. We watched the whole first season on Hulu this summer and have so far watched the first two of this season. I am way not a sitcom person but for some reason this one works for me. This past week at the end? With the owl? We were laughing so hard I missed the last few lines of the show. I can assure you that doesn't happen often with me.

4. The Good Place

We just (like two weeks ago) finished the first season on Netflix. It reminds me of Pushing Daisies in that you don't really know where it's going. I liked it well enough to watch it next summer on Netflix but not enough to tune in when it's on. The fake swears are my favorite.

5. Grey's Anatomy

I am so so mad that we caught up over the summer, we were like three seasons behind.  Now I feel invested again in the characters and I want to know what happens. I have not succumbed to Shondaland but I may yet. 14 seasons is NOT shabby but I guess I hope they end the show on a higher note than Meredith getting early onset Alzheimer's and just breaking down. (But who even says this is the end?!)

6. The Marvelous Miss Masiel.

I LOVED the pilot and I am so stoked that Amazon ordered two seasons. My love for Amy Sherman-Palladino runs deep and I will literally follow her where she leads. (Or to the edge of the desert.) This show is witty, smart and fast. I am really excited to keep watching soon!

7. Vampirina

In kid show world we actually really like Vampirina on Disney Jr. It's super cute and not at all annoying to watch as a parent. I don't know what my kids dig about it exactly but I like that it's sweet and touching and has some real life applicable lessons mixed in. Some great actors voicing characters too.