The Thank-You Card

Two Sundays ago, Ethan made a thank-you card for his father during his Primary class. He finally remembered to give it to Michael yesterday. It is a picture to thank Michael for scooping the poop - something for which I am also grateful.

Thank you, Michael, for scooping the poop and may this thank-you masterpiece be forever etched into our memory.

Random Happenin's

Ethan and Libby were working on an art project at the table so all the crayons and markers were out. Grace investigated what they were doing and found a brown marker. I was working on a knitting project so was just watching her out of the corner of my eye. Sam was sitting in his bouncy chair watching all the action. Grace uncapped the marker and looked it over. She looked over and spied Sam. She very purposely climbed down from her chair and headed in Sam's direction. She got to him, pulled up his shirt and very calmly and precisely commenced to color in his belly button. Such a funny, strange little girl.

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Today the kids and I ran errands. I put everyone down for rest. The phone rang and I went to answer it. The caller ID said it was the cell phone, which I have today. The kids love to call the home phone from the cell phone and vice versa. They think it is the greatest game ever invented. So I answer the phone in my firm Mommy voice and say, "Quit playing with the phone." I hear a mumbled "Excuse me?" so I say again, "Quit playing with the phone!" The caller on the other end then says, "Um...I think I found your phone." Don't you love when you berate perfect strangers for trying to do a good deed? Good times.

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A little background. Sam still sleeps in the bassinet part of his playpen. When he has a hard time going to sleep we shake the sides of the play pen and this rocks him to sleep. So I was giving Ethan a spelling test while Sam was sleeping in his bed. Halfway through the test I heard Sam wake up and start to cry. Ethan was halfway through his test so I decided to go ahead and finish up before I went to get Sam. Grace went into my room (where Sam sleeps) and I kept giving the test. Sam quit crying so we finished up quickly and I went to check on him. He was laying wide eyed in his bed while Grace was hanging off the side furiously shaking it. It was very sweet in a slightly disturbing sort of way. She doesn't talk much, she doesn't even say "Daddy," but she says Sam. She loves her Sam.

Happy Halloween Happiness!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. And my favorite part about it is pumpkins. They are just so bright and orange and cheerful. So these are the pumpkins we harvested off my surprise pumpkin plant. All of the orange pumpkins (and the one green one) we grew and the white ones were gifted to us.

We only carved two. The plan was to let the kids carve them. We helped design them and Michael couldn't bear to let them get messed up so he "helped" the kids carve their pumpkins, meaning they stood there watching their father carve their chosen designs. Speaking of chosen designs, I tried to talk Libby out of a flower but that is what she really wanted. So she got a flower pumpkin. Ethan decided to stick with a spooky bat.

Two mummies and a lady bug at our homeschool Halloween party. Ethan wanted to be a mummy and then at the last minute Libby decided she wanted to be a mummy. I had about ten minutes to get them in their costumes. Sam was screaming and Grace was exhausted. Thankfully one of the other moms scooped up Sam and trotted off but good grief! Mummies are hard and time consuming and messy and make me want to run screaming into the night even more than I normally do. So we did a haphazard job and I sent them on their way. They didn't seem to mind. Grace on the other hand HATED her costume. You would think I had put her in a straight jacket and a diaper made of cactus needles for the fuss she made. And then she realized that there was candy involved. Everyone she went up to gave her candy! Life was great, and the costume was nothing but a distant memory.

That evening we went to the trunk-or-treat at the church and once again I had to wrap up both kids (shoot me now) in their mummy gear. Grace tolerated her costume now because she suspected it might have something to do with free candy. They got tons of treats and we came home and promptly fell into sugar-induced comas.

Saturday morning we packed up and went to Boo at the Zoo. At this point Ethan and Libby were forbidden from even mentioning the word mummy. Libby dressed as a witch, her original choice, and Ethan donned a fire fighter costume from years gone by. Grace practically dove into her costume this time. That ladybug thing was a candy magnet. We biked to the Zoo for some good wholesome fun. We met a couple of friends and started on our adventure. One word: madness. If I was allowed two I would add torturous. The zoo was beyond packed. At one point Ethan looked up at me and said, "Mom, if I want to go to Boo and Zoo next year remind me not to." My sentiments exactly. If you are tempted to go only go if you love crowds and crowds (and more crowds) of people.

After much hemming, hawing and such, we decided trick-or-treating around our neighborhood as a family (Grandma Hobson included!) would not land us beyond about the Third Circle of Hell (Gluttony). See how much happier Grace looks now than she did up there at the top?

Thus the trek began. Ethan peed in the bushes, Libby biffed it on someone's step, Grace soiled her diaper, Sam fell asleep and all the kids (especially Gracie 'cause everyone thought she was the cutest of them all) scored some high-quality Halloween goodness. Everyone had a good time, and we're so thankful we don't have to do it for a whole 'nother year.

The Clubhouse

It's taken me a lot longer to write this post than I planned. Actually the clubhouse is now out in recycling. Even though it was under the gazebo it was no match for the recent rain we had. Also, the Alfa Dog has moved away. You may understand that last sentence better shortly, but only if you keep reading.

This is the outside of the clubhouse covered with ancient hieroglyphics. Note the dog-looking creatures. They symbolize the mighty wolf. This is evident by the writing above the pictures that say "Property of Wolf Pack." This was the name of the clan of small and mighty warriors who inhabited this clubhouse. The pictures include Alfa Dog who was the eight year old neighbor girl. I think she got to be alpha as she had the best spelling and was the oldest. Also I think it helped that no one else knew what "alpha dog" meant. Ethan was Speedy and Libby was Rose Dog. Proud warrior names if ever I've heard them.This is where the pomp and ceremony take place. Notice the W and P made of masking tape. Yet more evidence that this is the meeting place of the Wolf Pack. For those who are concerned by the wet spots rest assured it is rain water and not evidence of the wolves marking their territory (and Michael says it looks like a homeless guy's house). The girl wolves would have tattled if the boy wolves tried anything like that.

Only those whose names appear here are granted admittance to the proud den. The rules clearly state that you have to be at least five to enter. This effectively barred admittance a certain neighbor's little brother who likes to hit people.

Madsen Joy

I would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our family. Her name is Madsen and she is beautiful.



This is her still in the box. See!? Even the heavens shine down on her. She arrived on our doorstep on the 6th. She wasn't due to arrive until the 7th, but my father-in-law who loves me and more importantly owns a big truck picked her up from the shipping company so I wouldn't have to wait a whole 'nother day. Bless you, Con.

I managed to still my shaking hands enough to rip my beautiful bike out of the box and unwrap it. Then I got on it and rode around the neighborhood, even though I had just put dinner on the table. Dinner could wait - my beautiful bike couldn't. It is also apparent from the picture that doing my hair was also low on my priority list. I just couldn't wait to ride my bike. My beautiful beautiful bike.

Here we are all loaded up to go for a ride after dinner. See how great everyone fits? Thankfully Ethan is big enough to ride his own bike as Sam takes up two seats by himself, the big ol' fatty!

Since my bike's arrival she has gone to the library, church, my in-laws, Barber Park (that was Michael's doing), St. Luke's, the park, and various other places. Oh how lovely is my life (and my bike).


You can't see her in these pictures but rest assured she is watching from the sidelines.


Stay tuned for pictures of my children's joy. The bike is cool but the box it came in? Best thing ever. It is their new club house. Both of my children and two of their friends will fit in it comfortably. As soon as I get some pictures I will post more.