playgroup on parade

Today was our playgroup and we had a costume parade at the park. We got there a little early so after we got the costumes on Gwen decided that she wanted to go on the swings...uhhh how is that going to work exactly while wearing a big puffy dinosaur costume you may ask, well she is balanced on there some how, and from the look on her face she is concentrating pretty hard on doing that.


So naturally Harrison wanted to swing too, what does a swinging panda look like, well here you go.
It must be kind of strange to be in the seat swing with all of that cushioning too, maybe it makes it more comfy, like you are wrapped in a blanket?
When everyone arrived we started the parade. There were athletes, and whinnie the pooh, magical fairies, buzz lightyear, turtles, Madeline, Indiana Jones, a skeleton, an alligator, and two crazy Barlow kids that couldn't stay in the line.
Here is Harrison marching "out of line".
And where is that silly dinosaur? Ah yes I think she is behind the wodden beam.
After the parade, and tracking Gwen down on the playground. We were able to frost and decorate cookies that Paige made. Mmmmm they were yummy, and Gwen seemed to like the frosting the best, I don't actually know if that knife she is sticking in her mouth was double dipped. Sorry everyone. Sometimes she is so rude like that.
We had lots of fun today. And it was so nice to get outside and have it still be really warm. One more day of the kids and the costumes. I wonder how much more candy we can give to the kids this year. Happy Halloween everyone.

a what to wear moment

While taking the kids (my own kids) to different events, playgroups, lunches, or even just to the store I have been asked if I was their nanny, a lot. Actually it happens almost every time I am out with someone else and their kids as well. Like I am the tag along help.

Today was no exception. We were at the playscape and a woman was out with her dog, in passing she said how cute the kids were, and so blonde. I said yeah they are pretty fun to have around. Then she gave me a funny look and said, "are you their mother?" I said yeah.
And she then said "you don't dress like a mom." What the devil is that supposed to mean?

In that perfect moment where I wanted to interrogate her and say what does a mom dress like, I ended up running to stop Harrison from stomping through dog poop that Gwen just pointed out. When the poop situation was under control her dog must have been finished with his business because she had already walked away.

I may have been in super causal wear, fitted T-shirt, jeans, and a hoodie that I love, with a pair of diesel sneeks, but people we were at the park, and it is chilly in the morning here. I was showered, I happened to have makeup on, and my hair was done! So I don't feel like I was grubby, I have had so many worse days in public, oh so much worse.

Anyway the rest of the day I have been plagued by this womans comment. What is a mom "supposed" to look like? And why am I bugged by that? Should I dress up more to take my kids outside?

let the candy games begin

Our ward trunk or treat festivities were last night, and we started and ended at this outside fishing pond...naturally out of costumes due to the fact that they don't fit in the car seat straps. Here is Gwen testing out the fishing water.
Harrison the giant panda. Sorry Becky, but he was not a panda due to kung fu panda, we didn't even see that movie. ( I don't think the kids would sit through a movie if the world was riding on it, and there were non stop treats.)
Panda's and dinosaurs like fishing, especially because there is water, and candy involved.
Here is Harry at the inside fishing pond, he is not quite sure what to do with a note pad shaped like a truck. ( you can tell by the stunned hands)
We made the inside rounds and ended up back outside at the watering hole, and Harrison decided that it was time for a swim, and in mere seconds he was doing a face plant into the kiddie pool, so now he is just a boy in tights while the panda drys off in the car.
Gwen was fishing, and it looks like she has lost her excitement for the whole idea of the party...nope she just strategically placed herself next to the candy, no need to really fish when you have the jackpot at your fingertips. Clever Gwen, very clever. Did your dad teach you that?

After a little dinner it was time to make the trunk rounds. And I think that Gwen got enough candy to last her until next year. I might need to help her eat it, just so she won't get sick of it of course.

what can your husband do for you?

Introducing the new and improved and totally amazing looking Austin Barlow's blog. I told James that I was thinking about switching it up a little, and he asked me what I was thinking, and here it is!

So welcome and I hope that you enjoy it as much as we do. Who would have thought that the 9-5 job would be so handy for my personal use.

a little of this a little of that

Since the new site is not ready yet I thought that I would add just a few of the random things that we have been doing. We have a little park/playscape around our place and we spend a bit of time there. So here are a few pictures of what goes on around there.

Gwen says that she wants to go on the slides all the time, but usually she is too busy playing in the plants and dirt.
Harrison just wants to run around, anywhere.
Yeah here is Gwen in the plants, she is all about the nature, and the dirt for sure.

We also went to a pumpkin patch with our playgroup. In these pictures you can see how rare it is that Gwen actually looks at the camera, and the strange faces that she makes all the time.
It was a cold morning and I realized that we were kind of unprepared for the dropping temps.
Lucky for us the sun was out, but it was still on the chilly side. Thank goodness we had jackets.
Gwen took this hat from a little girl in our ward, and hopped around saying that she was a cowboy. I don't know where she got that from. It was funny so maybe I need to get her a hat. I mean this is Texas after all.
Classic example of a crusty face.
Not looking at the camera, or anywhere close to it.
Thanks for trying to give a smile Harrison.
Looking at someone else and their camera, not me. Thanks kids. Nice to know that you care. I love pictures from the Autumn months, I think that I am going to have to stick to random chance shots until the kids learn that it is "fun" to get their picture taken. Until then, this is what we will have to look at.

roll call

So I was really hoping that by today I would be able to showcase my newly redesigned blog, but it is not quite completed, so I realized that I in the new changes I added a blog roll, but I didn't know if everyone was comfortable with that. I am excited to make a few new changes and the blog roll just fell into that, so if I check your blog and you would not like to be listed please let me know.

Otherwise I am going to line up all the fun blogs that I like to check, and even the ones that I just peek in on. I do realize that this will expose me in my blog stocking, but its probably time that I owned up to it.

costume on the run

Is it a bird? Is it a really round cow? No its a...

PANDA ON THE MOVE.

trick or treat.....

Gwen is going to be a dinosaur for this Halloween, but not just any dino, she is the...

TRICK OR TREAT TYRANNOSAURUS

Sooo last year, and the year before

The other day we busted out Gwen's costumes from the last two years and decided to see if they fit anyone. Well Harrison fits them both, and he was running around like crazy in the fish costume.

fishy fishy...


Gwen got a kick out of chasing him around, but he didn't like that too much.
Then Gwen was begging me to put the fish costume on her....its a little small, but she didn't seem to mind. Why didn't she love it this much last year?
Then I put the chicken costume on Harrison, and I think that he liked it.
Now that is one cute, fat chicken. Don't worry within a few minutes he decided that he was finished with it, maybe it was too hot in there. Hmmm I hope that he likes his new costume,
I wonder if he will keep the hat on? Crazy kids.

So the new costumes arrived last night just before James got home from work. So we will have to see how it goes to get some pictures of them in the 2008 costumes. Peek in later to see what the kids will be this year.

irritated sound off

With less than three weeks left until the presidential election I find myself growing more and more irritated with things that I hear going on around me. I may not be the most publicly political person, in fact I am most likely to shy away from the political conversations just because they tend to get ugly no matter what.

Today I was flipping through the channels during the kids nap time, and I came across a channel that was reporting that Madonna has taken it upon herself to sing rude songs and bash Palin at each of her concerts during her tour. And while I was just running to the store to grab some milk the other day I was cornered and told terrible things that Obama has done during his life, by a stranger, for twenty minutes!

Seriously people!! We as a nation have some issues, we know that, but I do find it crazy how it seems we are pulled into the dirty political tactics going on by being swayed by our favorite celebrities. Now don't get me wrong I love my Hollywood drama as much as the next girl, but I am growing tired of the back and forth voting banter quite rapidly.

a little moment

This morning I was getting ready to clean up the breakfast mess, that was everywhere, so I got Harrison down from the booster seat and the second his feet hit the ground I heard Gwen say...

" Hey Harrison *clap**clap* (like she was turning on the lights with "the clapper") lets go play with the toys."

She is a really good sister sometimes, and she actually enjoys playing games and pretending with him. Most of the time it ends up in a wrestling match, or with Harrison's toys getting ripped out of his hands, but today I rounded the corner to find this...


Gwen with a bike helmet on, I don't know why. And Harrison lounging on the "baby couch".
Harrison with the toy knife to cut the Velcro food, and Gwen pretending to eat it.

Mmmm I bet that lemon tastes pretty good. Why do they need to put some of the random play food into the packages? I really don't know, but it sure is fun to cut up and stick in your mouth, just ask Gwen. Well I think that the day is rapidly approaching where Gwen and Harrison will play together nicely, and I won't have to come rushing in when it sounds like someone has been stabbed...Or maybe not.

check!

Well I finally found some Halloween costumes that I liked, and Gwen approved, so they are in the mail. Halloween costumes for the Barlow's, Check! Seeing if the kids will wear them the entire time, well that I am not so sure about.

we're #1

Tuesday was day #366 (extra day for leap year included) of Harrison being in our home. We celebrated in the morning with a trip to the doctor for some shots and blood work. (that meant five pricks, or stabs of a needle.) That deserved lunch at whole foods in my book.
When James got home we had some really yummy pizza...
And cake and ice cream. I did baths before we had cake, what was I thinking?
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday little Harrison...

Nothing quite like frosting and melted ice cream before bed.
Even though Gwen has a bowl of cake, she prefers to take her bites right from the actual cake.
Time for some gifts. Gwen is more than willing to help Harrison out.
And the winner of the night is...
This little "talking" dog. Gwen named him Atticus, and she was giving him kisses, and calling it to come, just like you would for a real dog. It was really funny.
Harrison agreed, and even though he was a little more cautious, he was still curious enough play with it too. I have no idea what the next year will bring, especially because Harrison is so different than Gwen was, so time will only tell. As for the next few days we will be eating a lot of cake, and playing with some fun new toys. Yee Haw!