PHEEW - A Sigh of RELIEF!!!

Whenever I have Family pictures taken, I am always so nervous to see how they've turned out! We all have those days in which we just don't click and they usually end up being on a big day like picture day. How many of us look back at pictures of our childhood and wonder what our parents were thinking when they got us dressed in the morning?!?

Not only do I have to worry about what I am going to wear, but I also have to worry about what the kids are going to wear and if it all "matches"! It is always a day of frustration and anxiety even when I try so hard to have it be a pleasant day.

Hmmmmm Oh well though...at least I know what to expect.....

These are just a few of the pictures we got back and overall I am very happy!

PS- My kids are soooo cute!!! hehehe At least I think so!

wink wink

PSS - I promise that my "head tilt" is done without knowing that I am even doing it! I get so much crap for it at work! :(

What am I going to do when it SNOWS?!?

I asked the kids what they wanted to do for our FHE activity and this is what they came up with...Riding our Bikes! And yes...Kindra does not have a jacket on because it was not needed! Words can not describe how happy and excited I am that we can still do things like this. One more reason for me to move!

The kids were plowing into each other...into the bushes...and into any thing that they could just to be crazy and to keep themselves laughing. It was pretty funny and tiring for them which made it even better! :)
Finally...A true Kindra smile!

Primary Program of 2007

Can you tell that Kindra was obsessed with reading this book this morning?!?

We have been practicing their parts and I have been stressing out about it for weeks....the infamous Primary program!! You just never know what they are actually going to do until they get up there.

The kids said their parts and sang their songs though just like they were supposed to so I was very proud. I felt bad though...Trevor and his parents were there and Kindra was supposed to say what she was thankful for and she said "I am thankful for Carter and my Mommy". I was happy for my sake but felt bad for Trevor. I guess that is what happens when the big D is in the picture, huh?

The only thing that made me sad today was the weather! BOOOOOOO to the cold and wet when you don't get the benefits of it like I don't!

Oh yeah....and the fact that tomorrow I have to go to work!

Comfort Zones

I have found myself at a place that comes with parenthood. That place in which you must make your child do something that is very painful. Painful for her because it must change something that she has done since day one and painful for you as the parent because you must force her to do something that causes hurt but that in the long run will be better tackled now than in 5 years.

Kindra puts her thumb just into the top of her mouth...not thumb sucking but just the actual thumb being right there makes her feel comfortable. It also tells her mind that it's time for bed. I remember when she was a baby, this was a nightly event but the problem is that it could cause problem with her teeth and possibly with her jaw. I have been forced to put a sock on her hand and tape it on at night... :(
I have asked for advice from friends and family and have not received any advice that sends me one direction over the other. I look back on my life and what "comfort zones" I have had. I have a few times mentioned "the silky", a pillowcase that I have had my whole life. Now "the silky" is not a necessity that I must have to sleep but it makes me sleep more comfortably. Just knowing that it is there helps me even to this day. Some may think that this is an issue but whatever is all I can say. Whenever I am sitting on the couch or laying in bed I will place my hand just under my pant line. Not a true "Al Bundy" but close. Again, just a comfort thing. Don't have to but want to....

My sister has a stuffed animal that she has the same feelings about. My friend has to pull up his shirt closer and higher up on his neck to feel better. Other friends find comfort in staying at their current jobs, being afraid to make a change out of their "comfort zones". We all know people who have their own "comfort zones" and so I ask myself...Is it really wrong to have "comfort zones" if they do not cause harm or problems with ones life?
Of course I will say that there is nothing wrong because I have fallen victim to the "comfort zone" problem. I love my silky and it will be a terrible day when something happens to that silky piece of pillowcase. I have lent half of it out for safekeeping to a friend just for that very reason so when you read this, know how important this job is! But seriously... there is something wrong with it when it causes injury or some negative end result.

Will I continue to subject my daughter to this pain? Yes. Do I love doing it? No! Is this one of those things we must just painfully do? Yes, but that does not mean that we enjoy doing it so Kindra, I am sorry! I love you and want the best for you and I must continue to be strong and continue to tape that dang sock to your arm....... :(

Is it REALLY the 3rd of November?!?

Notice the untangled extension cord?!? he he he

Our version of "leaf angels"

Don't ya just love my outfit?!? Hot, I know!

I was so happy once we got out of bed this morning to find that it was SUNNY...COLD BUT SUNNY! As we ate breakfast, the plans in my mind were brewing. It was time to dis-assemble the Halloween creations, both inside and outside :(

We started inside so that it could warm up a bit and as hard as I tried to keep it maintainable and clean.....not so much and it is still not so done! Outside though is a different story! All cleaned up and put away until next year. Thank goodness for the weather! What a gorgeous and productive day. Anyway, just some fun pictures of us goofing around! :)

"Life's No Fun Without A Good Scare"

Halloween 2007 was a fun one! Carter decided to dress up as a skeleton to go along with the whole "The Nightmare Before Christmas" theme so we woke up and painted his face and sprayed his hair! He was so antsy to get to school to show it off! Kindra did not have pre-school so we did not have to get her ready until later and she was soo upset about that!
"I want to put my whiskers on", she kept saying over and over!
We finally got Carter on the bus and off to school and when he got home, he showed me the award that he had won....."THE SCARIEST COSTUME"! He was so excited and proud!

Trevor came and picked them up to go get some bread sticks and chili to have for dinner so while they were gone, I put on this mask.
Side note.....when I am playing around, teasing and chasing the kids, I do this funny face and funny noise with my mouth and have given myself the name "Martha".....
When they got home they rang the doorbell....Trick or Treat....and I opened the door with this "Martha Mask"! Carter laughed and told me to stop and Kindra burst into tears! "Don't be Martha...Please be Mommy". I took it off but we had to take a picture of the "Martha Mask"!

Here we are finally putting on Kindra's black cat whiskers....and I know that they look retarded! Also, I have had so many comments from my co-workers that, quote "You make way too much to have a house that looks like it is out of the '60's" and to that I will say that I put my money elsewhere and it works for what we need so shut it and be nice!! We had to spray Kindra's hair so that she felt included :)

Kindra playing the part of the black cat! SOOOOO dramatic!! It is cute though and such a Kindra thing! :)

Happy Halloween 2007
PS I hate the "Trunk or Treat" if it takes the place of real "Trick or Treating" which is what my neighborhood does so we have banned it forever and will always go over to Uncle Jake and Aunt Natalie's house! So boring and lame....do not even get me started!

So funny... all night long the kids could not wait to go to Uncle Jake's house because every year he has a spook alley in his garage and they love it. This year he extended it to the sidewalk and made it even scarier. Scarier for little kids that is....When we pulled up, there was a line to get in! He did such a great job and even had adults going through it just for fun. He does it for free just because he loves Halloween and he just loves doing it! Just like I love doing my Halloween Village! Anyway, so we get there and once the kids saw that it was a bit scarier, they would not leave my side. I had to put Kindra on my lap and hold Carter's hand but I finally got them in and then could not get them out!

BOOOOOOOO-GE-DY!!!!

"Jack and Sally" with Kindra and Aunt Jenny and once again she was ecstatic that they had come "over" to see her :)

Dramatic Kindra kept putting her bucket down, gasping that it was just too heavy. At first we just thought it was her being silly but when we picked it up....we found that it really was very heavy. We did not understand how she had more candy than Carter until we saw her literally grabbing candies, not one candy, but candies so we had to give her the talk.... :)

Aunt Jenny and Carter Colin and CarterYou can't really see all of Carter's legs but the costume is a bit big so the leg bones would bend in when he walks. He was jumping off a porch and the way the bones look, we thought he had fallen. When he would run, it looked like he needed to go to the bathroom, the way the costume bended and made his legs look. Another one of those things that makes more sense if you are there but we got a kick out of it! :)