Halloween

Halloween started with a parade at Crofton Children's Centre. It was so cute seeing all of their classmates dressed up. They were all so proud of their costumes. I'm so thankfull that Eric and I are able to be a part of school events like this, I can't imagine missing it.

Halloween was so much fun. Michael was a cowboy riding a pony and David was a pirate. For a few days we talked about how to say "Trick or Treat" and then "Thank you and Happy Halloween". Well, on the 31st they came home from school with the saying "Trick or Treat, smell my feet"! Oh, the things they pick up--at least they forgot about it by the time we started trick or treating.

They could barely wait until it was dark to start. Johanna came to our house and I let the boys go to a few houses with her, then back to our house where the stage was set for Johanna to trick or treat our house. The boys told her to wait so that they could go inside because she had to knock on the door and say trick or treat--that's just how you do it! It was so funny, they took their jobs handing out candy very serious.

After that Tori was also ready to start trick or treating. We have gone with Tori, Slade and Wendy for the last 2 years. Slade and Wendy were really into the Halloween spirit, Wendy was Batwoman, Slade was Batman and Tori was Batgirl. They looked great (although I had to joke with Wendy saying she looked too sexy to trick or treat our neighborhood!) Great costumes!

This year we could not get away with just going around our cul de sac--it was a mad dash going from one house to the other. Usually with Tori leading the way with David hot on here heels, Michael brought up the rear--he was having a little trouble with his cowboy boots and horse legs. About halfway through we met up with Brandon (Spiderman), Bill and Tammie. It was a blast watching the kids have so much fun.

After we came home and the boys each had a few pieces of candy, the first thing David asked was "When is Christmas!?" My gosh, can't we just make it through Halloween?

Pumpkin Carving

This year my goal was to do 4 pumpkins. Great idea since I'm still having problems from my car accident, but oh well, Halloween is only once a year. I picked a pirate ship, Michael picked a flying ghost, and David picked Goofy on a jack o lantern. By the time I was finished with these 3, it was getting dark and I could barely move, poor Eric didn't get a pumpkin carved for him.

Dog Trainers

Both of the boys love to play as if they are training the dogs. It doesn't matter which dog, they just like to give them commands. Poor Blanca when I'm trying to work with her at finding mold or bed bugs its always a little noisy. She has to contend with 2 kids telling her to "seek" or David spinning the training wheel after she has found a hide. I figure if she can locate mold or bed bugs under these conditions we should be in really good shape.
The boys enjoyed seeing Chris and I on the news. Now instead of just being dog trainers, Michael has also turned into a news reporter. I had to crack up while I was working Blanca, from behind me I can hear Michael saying "here is Blanca, she's a rescue dog from Florida that can find mold and bed bugs". Of course the more I laughed, the more commentary I got, it was hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0W9rmBBllM

Crazy Week

This has been a pretty crazy week. I feel like I just need to post something just to get caught up. Eric and T have been working like crazy on the house. The outside of the house is so close to being done! They even worked in the rain! We are still not decided on the next step--to start the rest of the project by breaking through to the new house or wait until spring. I keep going back and forth on what to do, guess we will have to figure it out sometime soon otherwise the weather will make the decision for us, it will be to cold to break through.
The boys had their pumpkin patch field trip on Wednesday. Of course we haven't had rain in forever, but it rained for their trip. They were able to go and had a great time. I think the highlight of the trip was getting to ride on the school bus.
I had a MRI on Thursday. The orthopedic doctor said that I show signs of "clonus" in my foot and said I needed an MRI right away. Of course I did my own research on clonus, I should not have done that. Just when I though I was really getting better my neck has been killing me this week.
With me working this week, Eric and T working on the house and then my neck hurting, the boys have been pretty much left to fend for themselves. (Well not really) They have watched so much TV this week. I think that today we are paying for it, the boys are so stir crazy. Hopefully we will get a lot of outside time on Sunday, we are hoping to go to homestead gardens for their fall festival activities.

Kids Birthday's

The boys were invited to Sean and Jack's birthday parties today. They were so excited, its really the first birthday parties that they have been invited to outside of our circle of family and friends. I guess this is the beginning of school friends birthday parties. They had a blast at both parties. Between bobbing for apples at Sean's party and playing at Rolly Polies for Jack's party it was a fun filled and exhausting day.

Girls Scrapbooking Weekend

This weekend, Rich took the triplets to his sisters house and Sharon, Claudia and I had the house to ourselves for a girls scrapbooking weekend. We had such a good time and really got a lot done. I can't wait to do it again sometime!

My Birthday

Well, today I'm 38, yes I said it--38. Wow, where does time go? Seems like yesterday that I was 21, enjoying many a drink at the Fells Point Festival with Eric and Lisa. Today was most definitely not like my 21st birthday. Instead of getting crazy and drinking I don't know how many beers today was a little more relaxed. We all went out to lunch a my new favorite Mexican restaurant Mi Casita, they have great shrimp quesadillas. After lunch we went to Kinderfest at Watkins Park. I had no idea that Kinderfest was such a big deal. There were hundreds of people there. We all had a good time. The boys were able to play on moon bounces and then try their hand at carnival games where everyone won a prized (and the game only cost 50 cents!). Michael especially liked the pig races. I can't believe how hot it was at Kinderfest, there was not a lot of shade.
After Kinderfest, Eric was able to move our new playground to the backyard. Sounds easy right? Well it took 4 guys to carry the one main piece to the backyard. Its still not assembled, hopefully sometime this week.
The boys were able to play on the dune buggy that Alyssa gave them. Its pretty cool. They had to show great patience seeing how we got the dune buggy yesterday but the battery had to charge for 18 hours. They had so much fun riding on that so it doesn't seem to bother them that the playground is not set up yet.
Taras came over this morning and gave me a birthday card with a gift certificate to Benny Hanas. Wow! We talked about the house and the state we are in now. If we move forward with the addition, its going to be a rough couple of months. In order for the electrical, hvac, and plumbing to be done, we have to break through to the new house. It seems like such a mess, but I think we should just keep plugging along.
I don't know if Michael was joking when today he said that he and David were my birthday presents. I laughed at him and said of course you are, but reflecting on my life I know that even though times can be rough and the boys can be trying, they truly are gifts.

Girls Night Out

Tonight I was leaving the house for a "girls night out". Well, my wild and crazy nights out usually consists of a glass of wine and some scrapbooking. I was meeting Sharon at Claudia's house for dinner. David was not too happy that I was going out--it didn't matter that we had spent the day with Sharon and the kids picking apples, broccoli, and spinach and then having a picnic lunch and playing at Sharon's! I told David that it was a girls night out for dinner and scrapbooking. He said it wasn't fair and that he needed dinner also. Michael on the other hand came over and gave me a huge hug, he said "mom, have a great girls night scrapbooking"
Dinner at Claudia's was great, she is an awesome cook. She made cannalonies (I'm sure I butchered that spelling) from scratch--yumm. I don't know how she does it, she's 5 months pregnant with twins and her son Cameron is 4. Cameron, David and Michael share a birthday. It was a really nice night, lots of food, wine and great very candid :) conversation. We are all looking forward to our weekend away together next weekend. Rich is taking the kids out of town so we will have Sharon's house to our selves for a scrapbooking slumber party weekend---I'm so excited. I think the highlight of the night for me was when Sharon and Claudia put candles in the brownies and sang happy birthday to me. I'm fortunate to have great friends.
Saturday morning I had to be up early because Eric and Taras were going to pick up a swing set that I had bought out of the Pennysaver for $100. I think I am as excited as the kids are. The first thing Michael says to me is "Mom how was your scrapbooking dinner work girls night out". How sweet is that! The next thing was, "when is dad going to get home with our swing set".

Oct. 4th Michael is the helping hand

Today Michael was the helping hand. He was so proud of himself, and from what I hear he did a great job.
As a treat for the boys after school we took lunch and went to Sandy Point State Park. I was worried it might be chilly being right on the water--boy was I wrong. The boys were really excited to go to the "beach". When we got to the park, there were only maybe 4 other people on the beach. We took towels and sat down by the water. I figured the boys would just dig in the sand and maybe stick their toes in the water. I thought the water was pretty chilly, but that did not stop the boys. They were in up to their knees and loving it. Mind you we did not have bathing suits, just shorts and t-shirts.
A lady and her 4 year old daughter showed up and the boys immediately ran to the little girl and asked her to play. I was so proud of them, they played so well together. Well next thing you know, David has fallen in the water and is sitting down. He doesn't seem to care that we don't have a change of clothes. I end up just taking the shorts off hoping they will dry a little by the time we go home and letting him play in his underwear. Of course did I have my camera with me today--NO.

Oct. 3th David is the "Helping Hand"

Today when I picked the boys up from school, Mrs. McClellan said she had some news for me. She told me that when the boys got to school in the morning, Michael noticed that David's name was written on the board to be the helping hand for that day. Michael was so excited, he told Mrs. McClellan that it must mean that on Tuesday it would be Michael's turn to be the helping hand!
Helping hand is a big deal to all of the kids. The helping hand gets to hold the flag for the pledge, they get to update the calendar and get to be the line leader. David was really proud of himself.