A spooktacular day.

Since becoming an adult (a few years ago), I've been a little annoyed by Halloween. It's always so much work to figure out just the right costume... one that nobody has thought of, is clever, and doesn't cost a fortune in time or money to put together. I can't remember the last time I dressed up in costume- clearly I don't get invited out to Halloween parties anymore. And about the only memorable Halloween costume I can remember is when I went as static cling to my aunt's wedding many many years ago...

But. There's always a but.

Having kids changes things.

For better or worse, I am learning to love celebrating silly holidays like Halloween. Who even knows why we celebrate it? I sure don't. Neither do my kids.

But they love it just the same.

When I asked Jaxon what he wanted to be this year, I was silently hoping it wouldn't be something too difficult... something I'd have to piece some fabric together or glue on emblems, find swords or other props to finish it off. Because while I am occasionally crafty, I just didn't have it in me this year.

So I was pleasantly surprised when he said, 'I'm gonna be a cheeseburger.' He doesn't know yet that people don't usually wear the same thing two years in a row. Just like women don't wear the same dress to more than one wedding. And so, I delighted in the fact that he doesn't know these things yet. He's not tainted with the need to have more and more and more.

Well, that was until the Sunday ads started coming wtih 'Toy books' for the holidays... but that's another post.

And so in the spirit of using what we already have, Jaxon was a cheeseburger. And perhaps you'll recognize Kiley's costume... our little kangaroo. She doesn't quite fill it out the way Jaxon did when he first wore it, but she adds a little grace to the outfit. Especially with the pink ribbon in her ear (had to let people know she was a girl somehow!.

And inching myself a little clsoer to a costume, I wore an orange turtleneck and black pants to work today... for whatever it is we celebrate, we sure had a fun night carving our pumpkin, having a pizza party, trick-or treating, and handing out candy.

Hope you had a Spooktacular day too!

An apple a day... or two, or three...

Hopefully the old saying is true for us this winter.

I have dreaded the winter for as long as I can remember, but I dread it moreso now with kids. With the cold weather comes the inevitable colds, flu, ER trips, and endless calls to the Nurseline.

So, here's hoping our stock of freshly picked Honeycrisp can get us at least a few weeks into the season without too much vacation time used up for frivolous fevers and runny noses. 

I look forward to our apple orchard visits each fall. It's always such a fun time to spend with family and something I didn't necessarily grow up doing. Not too many orchards out on the prarire. 

So I love to pack everyone up, venture into the country, and breathe the freh crisp air, the smell of apples and cinnamon, and just walk through the orchards, taking photos and enjoying each other. This year was especially fun because it was a gorgeous fall day, the sun was shining most of the time, and everyone was in a good mood.

And, everyone was old enough to eat  apples! Kiley has taken a special liking to them, although she sometimes bites off more than she can chew and almost choking herself. I think she just gets so excited to be doing it herself. She is becoming more and more independent, which is a little crazy and scary. She's definately moved right into toddlerhood.

I just had to dig up this picture of Jaxon from his first orchard trip. Any similarities?

Swiper, no swiping!

Jaxon has taken a liking to going to bed and then coming out of his room "to tell us something". Usually several times.

Some of the better nightime excuses of late...

"Mom, I have to tell you something. My pecker is goofy." (Yes, he calls his penis a pecker. and yes, apparently these things start this young??)

"Mom, I have to tell you something. I found a feather in my bed."

"Mom, I have to tell you something. I had a dream. And it was about a dinasaur and my baby sister. The dinosaur ate my baby sister."

Me: Go to sleep Jaxon.
Jaxon: "I don't know how."

"Mom, I have to tell you something. My finger is goofy. I have a hangnail."

Jaxon: "Dad, I have to tell mom something. Mom, I can't find my pillow and blanket."
Me: "You mean the one that is in your bed. You can't find it?"
Jaxon: "Yeah. I couldn't find it."

And the very best... was the other night, Jaxon came running into our room in the middle of the night- "Daddy, daddy. I'm scared. Swiper the Fox was in my room and was swiping stuff."

And now... almost every night, Jaxon is concerned about Swiper coming in and swiping stuff. Though I think we have him convinced that I e-mailed Swiper and he is in South America so it is too far away for him to get to Minnesota to swipe anything. Whew!

the good, the bad and the ugly

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly... I experienced them all this weekend...

The Good:

My niece, Zoe, spent the night with us on Saturday. I don't get to see her very much, so when I do, it's always a treat. To hear what's new in the 9-year old world (how to make an electic circuit from a battery), and what never changes (still likes cheese pizza and cookies).

On Sunday morning (today), we went to the Minnesota Zoo. I had gotten the free pass at the library again for the second time this summer (so lucky!).

  

We had a ton of fun even though it was quite hot for mid-October and the bees were swarming our sticky stroller like they knew it was thier last feeding of the year.

The Bad:

Scott 'forgot' he had a fishing trip this weekend. We really missed him. And we didn't get to do some of the things I had wanted to do this weekend, like Harvest Fest and Apple Picking.

Also bad- the movie titled 'Adventuers of a Teenage Dragonslayer.' Next time Jaxon wants to pick, I think I'll need to exercise a little more oversight.

The Ugly:

Saturday night.

I had a baby shower to attend on Saturday afternoon, so my brother watched the kids with Zoe. Jaxon easily convinced Cory that he did not need a nap and apparently Kiley followed suit. Needless to say, I had some crabby kids on my hands.

A few slices of pizza, a fun dip full of sugar, and 18,000 germs from the most disgustingly crowded Chuck E Cheeses later... and we were on borrowed time. The kids were falling apart and so I quickly tried to move us along on the bedtime routine.

What ensued was not pretty. It was downright awful.

My niece on the couch watching her shows on TV. Jaxon screaming at me and hitting me. Kiley shreeking rather loudly. It was all too much for this tired, slightly emotional, somewhat selfish (?) mom. Was it so difficult to just go to bed?  Couldn't they see I needed 'my time'? Didn't they know I just wanted to sit down for a minute and maybe eat a snack or drink a cold beverage in silence? And why does this always happen to me? Scott never has a problem putting these kids to bed.

After it was over (and kids were soundly asleep), I laid on thier floor and cried...

I hope I never lose my temper like that again. Though I know I might. (Don't worry, I didn't do anything too crazy!)

I hope I can always try to see the world through my kids' eyes, instead of making them see through mine. Though I know this will be tough.

I hope my children know, that no matter what they do, how mad they make me, and how much they push my buttons; I will love them unconditionally. Though I know they won't always understand.

I hope I can always take a step back from my 'madness' and say, 'I'm sorry.' and 'I love you.', even when it's hard because I might still be mad.

I really, really hope that we can get back on a good sleep schedule. Though I know I am probably doomed for a good decade or two.

lovies

When I think about lovies, I think about the sterling silver jump rings from ViaMurano. They're the ones that are not quite perfect...they nestle around each other, connected.

When most people buy their jump rings, they are individual, separated from one another.

But I buy Lovies.

I like to think about them hugging one another, like they just can't let go... can't go anywhere without one another.

Babies and kids have Lovies too.

Last week, Kiley brought her white blanket, her lovie, to daycare. We left it there on accident.

Oh my.

She needed her lovey.

Here, I thought, I could simply replace it with a different blanket at night and she'd go right to sleep.

She did not.

When you have a lovie, no other will do.

After pointing out all of this new brown blanket's faults, screeching, and waking up every hour or so because she did not recognize this new piece of fabric in her bed...I finally replaced it with one of Jaxon's blankets since he was already sound asleep.

Know what? His lovey worked just a little bit better. Turns out she has a soft spot for Jaxon. That or she was just really tired and didn't know I was tricking her. 

Either way. We will be looking for a backup lovey to keep on hand in the event we ever do such a thing again.

Which we will not!