Happy Halloween

I think. It doesn't even seem like Halloween. Our jack o' lanterns are rotted, the costumes are all put away and I'm ready to tear down the decorations. With trick or treat and the party on Saturday it feels like Halloween is already over and getting ready to move on to the next thing.

Logan's dentist appointment on Monday went well. He has to go back this coming Wednesday to have some work done on the other side. Not much going on this week, thankfully. I have been busy outside trying to get my flowers cut off now that it frosted and they are starting to die. I hate seeing the old rotting flowers laying throughout the bed. Tomorrow I'm going to have to work indoors though, my in-laws are supposed to come out for a weekend visit. They call and tell us frequently they are coming though, but rarely do, so I'll be quite surprised if they actually show up. Oh well, gives me an excuse to clean my house, not that I don't constantly, but you know how it is with company.

Laiken is being quite the little stinker lately. She is teething and so not in the best of moods anyway and she has discovered she really. Loves. Smarties. She will do anything for them, including climbing on the table, biting knees, throwing herself down and if need be, eating them right through the wrapper. She has also discovered the fine art of hair pulling. We're not talking the casual grab and run, we're talking dig those chubby little fingers right to the roots and yank until subject falls to the floor screaming for mercy and more often than not it is a two hander! At the same time though she can be soooo sweet it melts your heart. Tonight Morgan ran into the side of the tractor (don't ask) and put a nice bruise on her hip. Well, needless to say she came in the house near hysterical and Laiken right away was trying to soothe her saying sissy okay, sissy okay and rubbing her arm. She actually has a pretty good vocabulary for being 16 months old. She says: Jake, Gizzy, Mommy, dada, ball, baby, bear, drink, eat, more, night-night, hi, bye, bus, outside, go, eyes, nose, thank you, here, all gone, and a few others I can't really think of right now.

Well, I am getting really sleeping and I still have work to do so for now, goodnight.

And the winner is.......

Laiken for most original costume and Austin for scariest costume. The kids had a good time trick or treating and at the halloween party. It rained, but not real hard and we were okay with umbrellas. We didn't stay real long at the party though, once judging was over we headed home for hot chocolate and to sit by the fire. Today I got up sick so Mike took the kids down to the church for the pumpkin party there. they had games with tickets and then you could use your tickets to buy prizes. My wonderful kids all put their tickets together and "bought" Laiken two stuffed animals. Then the kids wanted to go see Mr. D, a friend of my husband's. He is in his 70s and lives on a big farm and my children just adore this man. He has had some hard times lately losing his wife to illness and a son-in-law to a terrible accident. I'm helping him with some things and Mike had to go pick up some paperwork from him so he took the kids with him. From there they went to see another friend of my husband's, Mr. M and he had a nice surprise for them for Halloween.... not so sure if it is nice for me or not, but he gave them a puppy. He is a cutie, but still............ He is a full blooded beagle pup and he is white and tan. My daughter, the vet, is just beside herself.

We have another trip to the dentist tomorrow so I really should try to get some work done tonight and will close with some pictures of my goblins.

I can see the finish line

Today marks the end of Morgan's special week at school. She has to take her treats in today, which I remembered at a decent hour last night. Logan goes on his much anticipated field trip today. The Playhouse is putting on a Max and Ruby presentation for the schools and Logan's grade is going today. His lunch is packed and ready to go.

All the costumes are finished except for Austin's, which cause me some grief last night, but I think we figured out a way to do it now. Logan wanted to be a spy (like the ones you see hiding in the bushes covered with leaves!!). Oooooooookay, so I need to sit and sew leaves all over your clothes, which will need to be done at the last minute so they don't crumble all over the place. Well, needless to say I didn't think of artificial leaves soon enough. I know I am wierd, but I don't like to go anywhere the days the kids go on a field trip. I'm afraid my cell phone won't work or something. So with twirling tonight I just didn't see a trip to the store in my immediate plans. So Austin and I did some digging yesterday and we came up with a Darth Vader outfit for Logan. The boys got talking Darth Vader helmets last year for Christmas from my two nieces. They even change your voice. We didn't think he would actually go for it, but we had fun making it. He actually liked it!! Of course in his 8-year-old brain he needed someone else to be Darth Vader too so they could fight, the light saber didn't actually light up so he thought we could attach a laser to it (uuummm yeah just as soon as I pull the one out of my ear that i have been keeping for just this occasion) and the light saber (made from an old witch's broom from years gone by) really should be a couple of inches longer!! By this time I was ready to make the light saber disappear, if you know what I mean!! This all from a costume he loved! Can you imagine if he only liked the costume. So now Austin's mummy will only require another 36 hours and at least that many drinks.

I have so much work to do, still one costume to make and my house looks like we have been burglarized and they thought the good stuff must be well hidden and oooohhhh yeah, my FIL called to say he and my MIL (whose house is spotless at the worst of times) are coming out this weekend, probably tonight. They say this frequently, but usually don't end up coming. Would it make me a horrible person to hope this is one of those times?!? Oh well if it does, that is my wish!! With that I must go, just in case.

Spongebob goes to the dentist

Logan had his dental appointment yesterday. They confirmed his teeth are bad because of all the problems with reflux and feeding issues as a baby. Thankfully his permanent teeth are coming in nicely and so far seem healthy. She is going to put a sealer over those teeth, fill the ones that have little cavities in them and he has one tooth that has to come out. He cut his gums while eating a potato chip and it got infected. She said the infection is gone, but still irritated and since the new tooth is ready to come in, they are going to go ahead and pull it so it doesn't get infected again. She had spongebob playing while she was cleaning his teeth doing some of the beginning work so Logan has not a clue what she even did. He goes back next week to have the tooth pulled and depending on how that goes she will do the fillings that day or another day.

We are going to the church for a Harvest meal tonight once Mike gets home. Then I need to finish costumes. Laiken's just needs some finishing touches, Austin's need painted and tacked to his outfit, Morgan's needs put together and we haven't even started Logan's yet, but have to wait until the day before and that day to do his as some if it will die if we start too early. Why do I feel the need to be the mom that makes all the costumes? Trust me, it isn't the need to be Mommy of the year as much as it is I am cheap and just hate paying all that money for something they are going to wear one night and probably ruin so we can't even pass it down! Although each year as I'm sitting up the entire night before trying to finish up the costumes, I swear the next year I will buy each of them the most expensive costume I can find if it means I don't have to make them.... Here we are again!!

Okay, off to shower now that Laiken is in bed, Austin is watching a movie and the other two are in school.

Here I am

I survived the weekend with no major snags. Logan's party was nice. The kids seemed to have a good time. My parents made it for the party, my in-laws were late. Logan had a blast on his haunted hayride. I wish I could have gone with him. The boys are all still talking about it. The reverse raffle was fun, but none of us won a thing. Guess I should have gone on the hayride. Logan's scout meeting/party on Sunday was a lot of fun. The parents did a real nice job decorating and the scout master had lots of fun games for the kids. They got a nice little treat bag and lots of food to eat at the party. Back to normal today. We managed to squeeze Morgan's poster out and her information sheet last night for her Student of the Week presentation today. All that is left now is her snacks on Friday and two more Halloween costumes to make. Laiken looks so cute in her potato head. She has some trouble walking in it though, so thankfully she will spend most of the night in the wagon. She fell on the kitchen floor yesterday and couldn't get back up. She was rolling and rolling on the floor and I was laughing so hard I couldn't pick her up. Nice mommy that I am. Austin's costume is about half-way done. Same with Morgan's. We will get started on Logan's tomorrow night. Well I will close with some pictures from this past weekend.

Birthday treats

My mommy points have been redeemed. I totally forgot to make rice krispie treats for Logan's birthday treat at school, almost. I was lying in bed last night, finally at almost midnight, just settled down in and then suddenly remembered. Had the usual battle in my head "You can just run to the store and buy cupcakes, he won't care. Isn't that secretly why you told him not to tell anyone what he was taking anyway??" "But I told HIM that is what I was making and I know he'll be disappointed". Nothing like laying a guilt trip on yourself. So I climbed back out of bed to make his treats. Thankfully it was something fairly easy anyway.

We are still working on halloween costumes. Still on the back burner. We have to get through a birthday at school today, birthday party tomorrow, hayride tomorrow night, reverse raffle tomorrow night, pack meeting and Harvest party Sunday and make Morgan's poster for her Student of the Week next week, treats for that, visit to the school with the dog and two more halloween costumes. Laiken is going to be Mr. Potato Head (Thanks Mom!!), mine didn't turn out too well so she is stepping up and helping with that one. Austin wants to be a mummy. I have the strips ripped, but need to tack them to his outfit so they don't keep falling. Morgan either wants to be a pirate or Marge Simpson. Logan has said anything from a dead waiter to a zombie to the grip reaper to an invisible man to I'm afraid to ask him this morning. Whatever he decides we will have so much fun. We go through our little town first and then our fire department has a party for the kids at the station. We provide apple cider, hot chocolate, popcorn and donuts and games for the kids. There is a costume contest and just a whole lot of fun. Mike and I really enjoy seeing all the kids having so much fun. Even the older ones fall asleep on the big 2 mile trip home. Maybe then things will settle down a little bit. Oh, who am I kidding. With the parades, parties, holidays, school pagents, etc. we won't catch our breath now until mid January, just in time for pancake breakfasts as the fire hall!!

I'm going to give up two of my accounts on Monday. I'm just not getting it done. The days that they all send in are just too stressful. I talked it over with them and we decided it would be best to reassign those accounts and then on my lighter days I can request more work. I started those two because my one big account was slowing down; however, they added two new dictators so are much, much bigger now. It's just hard for me to admit I can't do it all.

I'll have some pictures to share soon!

Slept in

Well this day is going to be rough. Mike didn't go to work today. He is sick now so obviously I didn't get up to work at 4:00, which means I am now super behind. Logan is also sick, but determined he is going to school because he is afraid to miss this close to his birthday. Tomorrow we have to take treats in. I have to make rice krispie treats for his scout meeting on Sunday so he decided he wants to take those for his treat at school as well. I also have to practice his cake tonight. We are making a bleeding cake of Frankenstein's head. It sounds pretty neat, but I've never done anything like that before so I want to do a practice round. Bronchitis is hitting pretty hard right now so I really don't know how many kids are actually going to make it. Out of the seven he invited three have been out sick so I'm really not looking for them.

I took this picture two weeks ago of the kids. As you can see, this was an impromtu visit. Had no intentions of going into the water. Don't think the kids seemed to mind though.

Well~~ back to upper GIs and colonoscopies now so I can get paid.

I am sooooo tired

Well, here it is again.. 4:00 AM. I swear it just keeps getting earlier and earlier. I am so far behind in my work. I must say they are wonderful to work for and don't get upset, I just hate having that much work on my site. I also have so much to do to get ready for this weekend. We are so busy I don't know if I'm going to make it through after hardly any sleep this week. Next week I'll be dragging for sure. Friday I have to take treats to school for Logan's birthday, Saturday at noon is his birthday party. Then in the afternoon we have a reverse raffle at the firehall, that should be fun. Logan also has a hayride with scouts that night so I'll have to run home and take him to his friend's house so he can go with them and then pick him up when it is over, take him back home to the babysitter and then back to the firehall. Sunday, Logan's actual birthday, he has his scout pack meeting and harvest party. Going to be a lot of fun, but not much in the rest department. Did I mention we will be working at the reverse raffle? I will be having my parents, my in-laws, my sister-in-law and her boyfriend at my house for the weekend!! So.... I guess I better start working now so I can clean the kids rooms today. Never know what you might find in there.

School Picture Day

Gotta love school picture day!! Morgan bought a pretty pink sweater for her picture, has her hair bow picked out. Everything is hanging on the door ready to put on. Logan, on the other hand, will wing it and make the final decision when he can see the flashing lights on the school bus.

Lakien is starting to feel a little better. She is still coughing a little bit and has a runny nose, but I think we are on the downside of the cold. Of course now I think she is teething. She keeps sticking everything in her mouth sideways trying to bite just in that spot where her tooth is missing.

~~birthday update~~
The list is now up to 9 boys! I don't know how this keeps happening. Although I'm sure they won't all show up, even three 8-year-olds along with my own kids is too much for anyone to be expected to handle! Now OF COURSE they are calling for rain. Guess Mike better be hosing out the garage. I'm kind of excited though because we are going to attempt to make a "bloody cake". Of course I'm going to practice tonight so we may be doing one of Logan's famous plan B at the last minute, but I sure hope it will work.

Well, I really didn't get up at 4:00 AM to blog so I better start typing what I actually get paid for before everyone starts crowing.