a skank-tastic Hallow*tween*

I have been looking for Halloween costumes for the kids for awhile now, and each time I go to a different place having found nothing I liked and feeling a little more trashy for some of the things that I have seen listed for the Tweens.

Here is one for starters, not sure what it is supposed to really be, but I know that I would have never been able to purchase, borrow, or leave my room in this when I was a trick-or-treater.
Next Tween sensation, the Harajuku approach. I don't really get it, but yet again unless I was wearing an over sized bathrobe, I never would have made it out of the house.
Now I know that things have changed a whole lot since I was dressing up and in that age group, but I NEVER looked like these girls, well I still don't I mean I will never have long legs like this girl, but if your daughter told you that she wanted to be a red punk rock princess, with goth glam (seriously the description of the costume) Is this what you would let her parade about in?

I can't find two little costumes for a 3 and 2 year old, but have no fear I have a long list of things that they are NOT going to be for Halloween.

Perks of the job

There are some jobs that offer a great paycheck, or an annual bonus for their employees. Other jobs give stock options or really great free stuff, maybe some that just have good insurance or better yet yummy food to eat all the time. Well my job is limited in its offerings as far as monetary means, and well there are not really sick days or half days to be taken, but I will say that there have been a few things lately that have made me really happy and glad for the little job that I do.

One of them is this little face. Oh my he is growing up so fast I can hardly believe it. Oh Harry you don't speak too much but the things that you do say are really funny and well said when they do appear.
Staying in our jammies way to long each day.

Snacks in our Sunday bag...the ones that I get to pick.

Gwen's ability to play pretend, and by herself, giving me time to catch up on random things
while Harry takes a nap (like he is right now).

Hugs and kisses whenever I ask for them from two little kids that give the best hugs.

An open schedule...and I mean way open. Besides the random dr. appointment for the kids or the dentist (more often than I would like to admit) we pretty much run on our own time frame around here, and I have to say it is pretty great.

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches never seem to get old around here.

Kids in bed by 8pm ( brilliant). Leaving time for reading, movies, friends, games, whatever I want. I could put exercising in here as well, but lets be honest I really dread that.

Story time with the kids. Lately we have been giving them a choice of what they want to do at bed time. We read a story and/or they can take a book of their choice to bed with them. Over all I would say that this has been really fun. The kids love books so it is exciting for them to choose one they like and read it in bed. Which leads us to our next pictures.

Harrison fell asleep reading his book of choice, practically mid page.
I guess that the dentist book is not a real exciting book to read.

Sleeping kids. Yep that is a great perk too.

simple math

+

=

How far we have come in the last eight years. Happy Anniversary James! I can honestly say that eight years ago I would not have said that I would be doing any of the things that I am currently doing, or that I would have a dog. But times change, and so do people. So here we are two kids and a dog, living a long ways away from where we started, and happy to be celebrating another year in the process of life and love. Now it is time for me to go give the dog a bath, everyday life waits for no one, not even for special days.

Why I am losing my sanity

So it is still full on Summer around here, even though it may look a little overcast it gets really hot and sweaty and muggy, so we bust out the ol' yellow kiddie pools to cool down a bit, but the other day I have to say I was not so amused. I ran in the house as the kids were winding down so that I could grab some towels, and when I got back to the sliding door Gwen and Harrison were jumping in mud puddles, and flinging mud all over.

First of all I don't know how many times a day I tell them that we don't dig holes in the yard, ( I swear that talking to the kids and the dog are pretty much the same thing sometimes) and second of all we are in a major drought so the killing the grass and yard thing not such a happy topic around here.

Second of all I was bugged about the mud...everywhere. Their hands and feet, and the water in the pools was sick. Then I saw Gwen itch her nose, now I am not sure why, I was really upset, but I ran to grab the camera thinking that maybe this could be funny later when I wasn't so mad...and here we are two days later.
With mud boogers.

Then today after lunch time Gwen said that she was finally hungry, Harrison and I had already eaten earlier. So we had this conversation.

Gwen: My tummy is growling, I think that I am hungry.

Me: Great what would you like to eat? I could make you a sandwich or noodles, do you want some corn on the cob?

Gwen: I would like some square cereal with milk and a green spoon, with blueberries in a red bowl.

Me: Huh.


Do you think that she could have been a little more specific?
That makes one happy camper.
So she goes for the first bite, and in rolls (actually rolls) Harrison, the kid who could eat all day long and never get full.
He gets close and goes for the reach...
Gwen uses some great shielding techniques, and then
He is shut out! Game over Harrison. So much for sharing. Actually just after I put the camera away and was getting Harrison something else to eat Gwen handed him some of her blueberries. That is what I am talking about. Now as for my lack of sanity...I just wonder if I am ever going to be able to stop using the phrases "we don't hit", "no pushing", "stop jumping on the bed", and "we don't scream in the house". I feel like I say those things so much I am like a broken record.

So if you see me sometime and ask how we are doing and I respond with one of these phrases, just know that apparently the kids have not gotten the hang of not hitting, pushing, screaming in the house, or jumping on the beds yet. And then just walk away.

catch up for a week...

Well believe it or not another week has just flown by and all I have to show for it are a hand full of photos, and a semi clean floor. Oh well at least it has been a little cooler around here.

We got these little stools for Gwen and Harrison's new play table but it turns out that they just like to carry them around from place to place and stand on them...one of these days I am sure that we are going to have a broken arm to show for it.

We had the chance to go to a little water park by our house with some new friends from our ward, they have a little girl, Lexie, that is Gwen's age. Alright everyone get your sunscreen on...
head for the little fountains, that is Lexie walking in the back of Gwen.
These seemed to be a big hit as we were trying to leave.
A little lunch break...Harrison ate an apple and some cheetos, and then started pushing the rest of his cheetos through the holes in the picnic table, nice Harry.
Lexie was trying to call Harry on the phone, Harry thought it was pretty funny.
We found these headbands in a box in the kids room and they wore them all afternoon...even while staring totally fixed on the Princess and the Frog trailer. (um we watch that one a whole lot around here)
I love it when we play nice...even if it is just for a 58 second movie clip. That is pretty much what we have been doing all week...kind of, well not really, but a little bit.