Happy Halloween!!

Well, the cold bug has hit me, but with the  help of a little alka seltzer I plan on still getting out with the kids for a bit tonight.


I thought I would share some pics of Halloween pasts.

First Pumpkin Patch trip

My cute little tiger on his first Halloween!He was about 7 months here.

Jaxson and I the next year at the same Pumpkin Patch. 

Kendra as a giraffe on her first Halloween

Angry Giraffe

Jax as a fireman! Not digging it too much. :)

be still my heart.....love this photo!

Jax at the apple orchard last year.

Kendra at the patch last year. Look at how short her hair is!

My little ladybug last year.

Here is Jaxson as Woody last year!

I just love reminiscing. I can't wait to get the kids all dressed up tonight. We don't plan on making too many stops..... just the fire and police stations, a few relatives and our neighbors'. My favorite part about Halloween is handing out candy and seeing all of the kids. :)

A Sentence I thought I would Never Say and Some Randoms

Hubby has been working A LOT lately and I am so grateful that he works as hard as he does to provide for us and even has the opportunity to pick up side work so we can stash away some money.
Especially since we had to put some new tires on my car this past weekend! ugh almost $900.00  that I didn't want to spend but I knew that it was a necessity. Darn those necessities!

Anyhow, last night we left the kids at my mom's house and headed out for an impromptu date night where we gorged ourselves on pasta at Olive Garden! I love love love their Raviolli de Portabello. If you love mushrooms, you must try this!

Of course, as it always does, the topic turns instantly to the kids since we just aren't capable of not thinking about them every second. ;) We decided to go back to the Toys R Us Outlet alone and walk the aisles getting ideas for Christmas.....and of course we couldn't leave empty handed. We picked up a pretend make-up set for Kendra who has been asking for one and a micro animal safari kingdom for Jaxson. It was so much fun to see the delight and excitement on their faces to receive some "just because" presents.  Which leads me right into the sentence I though I would never say...........


This morning while Kendra was putting some makeup on me, or rather in my ear, I realized it was a bit wet.  I grabbed it from her for closer examination and I found POOP! Seriously, child?! She had stuck it in her diaper ( I assume) and then was rubbing it on my eyelids and in my ears!! I almost puked right then and there. So, after a lot of scrubbing, disinfecting and throwing away her eyeshadow brush (which looks like a q-tip, so that might explain the ears) I had to try to explain why that wasn't okay. I mean, she has never done anything remotely like that so why oh why, would she choose to do that? Anyways, never thought I would have poop for eyeshadow. Sorry...it's a bit TMI but if you can't laugh at these things what else can you do?


Oh, and why didn't I smell it? I am a bit stuffed up. :(

7 Questions link up- Halloween Edition

Here's Jaxson on his first Halloween!

1. Do you believe in ghosts?

Yes....not sure why, but I do.

2. Do you prefer the cute or the scary Halloween?
Cute when it comes to my kiddos but I love a good scary movie or haunted house!

3. How old were you when you stopped trick or treating?
Middle school, probably. The benefit of having little ones now is that I can raid their candy stashes. ;)

4. Do you have any fun Halloween traditions?
No traditions per say but hubby and I always try to visit a haunted house or corn maze and I have a girlfriend I get together with to have scary movie marathons.

5. Share a scary local urban legend.
We have an old mental institute located on the outskirts of town that once had a fire years ago and legend was people escaped. It was actually featured on one of those paranormal activity reality shows and supposedly was a hot spot for activity. A lot of the old buildings are still there and totally dilapidated. There are actually walking trails around them and I have snuck a peak or two in there and even in daytime it feels and looks creepy! They actually did a haunted house there years ago but it didn't go over well and I don't know why.

6. Would you rather be haunted or haunting?
Hmm...? Would I rather scare the crap out of people all in good fun or be scared? Seems like an easy one to me. I would be the haunter!
7. What's your favorite Halloween character/ creature? (dracula, witch, ghost, etc) Too hard to choose just one! Seriously guys, I love Halloween! I am a tad bit sad we have no Halloween parties to go to this year. :(

Weekend Update

This weekend was one of those weekends I wish could have lasted awhile longer. The hubby has been working 70 hour work weeks and we haven't seen a whole lot of one another, so it was nice to spend time together as a family all weekend.


Friday evening my mom and I headed to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner and we each ordered a margarita............and we had no idea what we were getting into. ;)

We thought we were ordering a standard margarita..... nope. I drank half and was already feeling it. Way to waste a good drink. 

Saturday my brother and his girlfriend and her father, who was visiting from Michigan, made the drove up for a local apple orchard's harvest festival. Last year was our first year going and Brandon was unable to make it. I was excited for him to be with us this time.

We filled a bag full of different varieties and he promises to make an apple pie, because we all know I would somehow screw it up so I will just leave it to him. He bakes it, I eat it. Win win!

I adore this photo.

Our grumpy little photobomber. :)

Teeter totter time

There was a haunted room in the barn, and after making a quick check of it, I decided the kids could handle it. Jaxson would have nothing to do with it and Kendra went in at least 5 times. She kept saying, "ooh... I love spooky houses" and laughing. If you know me and my love for all things scary then you know where she gets it from. Jaxson, is a bit more cautious about that stuff, like his daddy. :)

I promise you all, it was very PG and not scary.

We finished off the afternoon with pizza, snacks, drinks and some football watching.

Brandon and I took the kids into town for some toy shopping (looking, really) and a treat of frozen yogurt.

I slept in Sunday and woke to homemade french toast and a hot cup of coffee. Yummy! We settled in to watch more football, shocker, I know!

That afternoon we went my mother in laws for an annual pumpkin carving party! Basically I ate snacks, drank cocoa, played with kids and let Brandon do his thing with the pumpkins. :)

Thoughts on Perfection

Perfection. This is by no means a new subject to touch upon when it pertains to motherhood. In fact, I have talked about it a bit before on here.

I overheard a conversation the other day about how people didn't like to read blogs because it gave them an unrealistic expectation on what motherhood is or should be. It made them feel bad about themselves.

When I first started blogging there were definitely a few blogs that I stumbled upon that made everything look so easy. They seemed to have it all. Perfect house, perfect kids, they could whip up a gourmet meal on the spot and were always coming up with neat crafts to do. I am not going to lie and say that it didn't make me feel inadequate or self conscious. It did. Sometimes I still do.


I hope, though, that I am not perceived as a blogger who is looking to "appear" perfect. Because, lets face it, perfection isn't real and ones' idea of perfect can be very far from my version of perfect.

I am not perfect........my life is not perfect. I stumble and I fall a lot. I feel like half the time I do not know what I am doing.

You see snippets of my life here on the blog, not the whole picture. I don't like to dwell on the negative  so I highlight the positive, most of the time. This blog is touchstone for me and a way to keep track of my families' life and milestones. It is also a place to sometimes vent my hardships and a place to look for support. I want to focus on the positive events and record those, because, honestly, those are what I want to come back and read one day, years from now. I don't need to post about how much my husband and I bicker, how finances are tight on one income, how I seem to struggle with anxiety and self esteem issues and how I have had a hard time losing my own identity in this whole mothering process.  I don't want to remember the days where I am still in pjs at 6:00 pm and have had no shower with toys strewn all over the floor and frozen pizza for dinner, again. Sure, that is part of my life, a big part, if I am being honest. Highlighting mostly the positive things in my life isn't a way to create the illusion of perfection but more of a way for me to really remember and be grateful for all the good that I do have in my life. :)

That's What She Said (and he said too)........

Here is another edition of the funny things my kids have said.

Isn't funny how you can be so mad one second and then laughing hysterically because of the things that come out of their "unfiltered" mouths.


Kendra and Jaxson have been asking questions about their different body parts lately and we don't shy away from telling them the correct terminology. I just feel like kids should know proper names of their body parts. Anyhow, while we were all gathered around the dinner table the other evening Kendra started to talk about her "gina" I am guessing you know what she is referring too.
I explained that while that is her body part it is private and not something we talk about, especially at the table. She looked at me quizzically and then said "argh! Pirate part. I have a pirate part!"

Brandon and I started laughing so loudly. I couldn't help it, and now she calls it her pirate part.......


The other evening I was hormonal and whiny (big shock there) and telling Brandon how I needed some new makeup and good moisturizer because my face looked horrible. Jaxson turned to me in alarm and almost crying said, "Mommy, you don't need a new face. I like the face you have!". Ahh...how sweet. That snapped me out of my pity party.

Kendra was throwing yet another tantrum last night at Applebees and I told her she needed to change her attitude. So, mid tantrum, while still kicking and stomping she was yelling please, over and over at the top of her lungs. I guess she thought that counted as changing her attitude.


I dropped a glass by accident earlier and Jaxson turned to me with a stern look on his face and said "mom, you really need to be more careful and pay attention to what you are doing". Hmm...wonder where he gets that from.


Kendra, while driving in the car with my stepdad, said from the backseat"woah, woah, woah, slow down Grandpa". While driving with me she always tells me to hurry up and go faster like a roller coaster. Why this child is obsessed with roller coasters having never been on one or even seen one, I am not sure.

I guess that's it, even though I know there are probably more filed away in the recesses of my mind, but, hey it's the weekend and I can hardly remember what I did even yesterday. :)

My Secret Love Affair.......with my t.v

So I love t.v.... a little too much. No, I don't sit around and watch it all day and I try to keep the kids' times to a minimum but at soon as they fall fast asleep I get caught up on all my shows.

While perusing through my DVR the other night I realized I watch so many shows! Seriously, how did I get so attached to so many.  So, let me break it down for you....day by day......cause I know you all are just dying to know what I like to watch. ;)


Monday:

It took me a few seasons to jump on the bandwagon, but I just love to watch people dance and this is the only show I watch that Jaxson likes to watch with me.

I was intrigued by the premise of Revolution and am excited for the season.

Not gonna lie.... I pretty much watch the voice for two reasons; Blake and Adam. Enough said.



Tuesday:

Don't have a whole lot of shows on Tuesdays but I have started watching Go On with Matthew Perry. I am still a little on the fence with this one but I really like Matthew Perry so I will give it a chance.


Wednesday:

I have been a fan of this show since season 1 and was sad to see Stabler go but I really like the new castmembers who have joined the last two seasons. Always keeps me interested.

I love the characters on this show.

Modern Family

Modern Family is probably my favorite comedy on the air right now. I laugh out loud every single episode. If you aren't watching it then you are missing out.


Thursday:

I have loved Grey's Anatomy for years, but I can say it has started to ever so slightly lose it's appeal. I am tired of them killing off characters and having some sort of major disaster every other episode in the main characters' lives. But, like any soap opera (and call it what you want, it basically is one) I will continue to watch, because I am invested. :)


I love The Office and Parks and Recreation, as well. The office used to be my favorite, hands down, but after the exit of Steve Carrell it has gone down hill a bit, in my opinion.





Does anyone watch Up All Night? I love Christina Applegate and hope she finally gets a show that has staying power.

I LOVE this show! Damon or Stefan? Gotta love the eye candy. ;)


Friday:

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team

Shameless reality TV and I love it!


Saturday:

Nothing (except trying to get caught up on all my recorded shows)

Sunday:

I absolutely love this show and am in awe if the things that people will do for money.  I know, without a doubt, that I would be terrible at this show, especially with Brandon on my team. We would be that couple that constantly snaps at each other when the stress got the best of us. I am content to watch other people run the race. It would be pretty cool to get an opportunity to do all of that traveling, though.

The Walking Dead premiers this Sunday and I am beyond excited. I love scary movies and this is like one big long scary movie. It has definitely had some twists and turns and you can expect the unexpected, which I like.


So, there you have it. By now you are thinking to yourself, wow, this girl has a problem. ;)

My "me" time is at night when the kiddos are in bed and I get to have a few hours of zoning out and watching t.v.


What do you watch?!

Weekend Recap

Although it is officially Fall here it sure doesn't feel like it. Maybe I have said this before but these temps are throwing me off. Up here in the Pacific Northwest it rains...quite a bit. With that said we have not had rain in so long!! Like, record breaking long streaks. Also, the temps have been in the 70s which is pretty much unheard of around here for this time of year. I have to keep reminding myself that it is October. With that said, it has been so much fun going to the pumpkin patches and corn mazes and not having to completely bundle up. :)


We checked a few things off of our bucket list this past weekend and had so much fun doing so!

Our county (which is lovingly referred to as "the Valley", since we are nestled among the foothills of the Cascade Mountains) hosts an annual Festival Of Family Farms. Basically family owned and operated farms open up to the public and put on lots of fun events. It runs two days and there are around 20 types of farms that participate. Some are dairy farms, shellfish farms, Llama farms, pony farms, pumpkin patches, apple orchards, wineries and berry farms. Since the kids are so young and Kendra still naps we have to plan our trips according to her schedule. We only made it to two farms, but it was so fun!

Jaxson led us in and out of the corn maze. He was running so fast I could hardly keep up!

Boo!

Checking out the Koi

The  only place she wanted to be. :)

Of course she wouldn't look at the camera

visiting some chickens

One of the farms had a cool playground called recycle junction. All the toys were made from old recycled materials.

Kendra was pretty possessive of "her" boat.

Slide time!

I climbed the tire tower....in boots with heels.

Hayride time

Why won't my children ever look at the camera?!

We got to go on a hayride, pick some apples, visit a haunted room, run through the corn maze and visit lots of animals. It was a wonderful family day and much needed.

What did you go?

Life Lately (in photos)

This weekend was the annual Pumpkin Pitch/Harvest Festival. Our community just started putting this event in the last five years and it is so much fun! There are tons of free children's activities and a pumpkin pitching contest. What is that?  Well, basically teams prepare all year and have huge tre buchets(catapults) that are pretty impressive and high tech. Not just anyone can enter this....you have to have the money, the time and the resources for one of these babies.

Basically they just pitch the pumpkins and see who's goes the furthest. The first year the calculations were a bit off and let's just say that people's houses were hit....quite a ways away.

This year when some pumpkins splattered, pieces flew into the crowd and hit people. :(

But, all in all, it is fun to see them fly!

Who needs a stroller when Grandpa is around?!

We took a hay ride

We made Zucchini/pumpkin cars....

and then we raced them. Too bad we broke an axle!

I just love this picture because she let me do her hair!

Saturday was a warm, sunny day and didn't feel like Fall one bit! It is still hard to believe that it is October!

Here are a few more things we have been up to:

We made a trip to a local feeding station for the herds of elk. Since it is mating season we figured we would see some. We saw close to 40! The kids LOVED it!

I did a little bit of Halloween decorating. Thank you Dollar Tree! I plan on making a spider web wreath today. Pics to come soon (if it turns out, of course).

I felt especially crafty the other day when Jaxson and I made a felt board. This is something I had been wanting to do for some time. I think I ended up making close to 20 pieces for the board, so far. It is slow going...especially if you lack in the drawing dept! I can't wait to add more pieces to our collection. The best part was that it was .99 for the board and all the felt was on sale at JoAnnes so the project cost under $5.00 total!


What have you all been up to?