PROJECT 365 - Day 304 - HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!!

PROJECT 365 - Day 304 - HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!

I love that my kids love Halloween.  I love that they have creative ideas for costumes and start planning on November 1st for the following year.  I love that they let me make the costumes and be creative.  This year, there was much discussion about costumes that really started getting serious over the summer.  There were some other ideas thrown around but finally The Princess decided to be her favorite Lallaloopsy doll "Mittens Fluff and Stuff" and The Boy decided to be his favorite character Kick Buttowski - Suburban Daredevil.  I was all over it - I started formulating the plan for these costumes months ago.  Then there was The Bear.  He takes this more seriously than I do.... and he wanted a good costume.  He had another idea for while but it wasn't really working for him.  He finally decided on a Mad Scientist and I think in the end it came out even better than I thought it would.  I would like to send out a thank you to my friend "S" who gave me the idea last week when we talked to use baby powder to make his hair white.  :-)))  I think all three of these characters look great and it was a fun Halloween!!  HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!

PROJECT 365 - Day 303 - Jack-o-lanterns

PROJECT 365 - Day 303 - Jack-o-lanterns

After a day playing in the snow (that still sounds crazy) - we carved pumpkins and made jack - o -lanterns.  It seems there was a theme going on - The Bear's is a mean vampire, The Princess' is a vampire cat, and The Boy's is a vampire bat!  After they were done, I set them on the porch ready to go sledding down our snowy hill. ;-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 302- Pumpkins and Sleds

PROJECT 365 - Day 302 - Pumpkins and Sleds

A major snow storm on October 29th - tons of heavy wet snow, messy roads, hours without power - SNOWDICULOUS!  Before the kids headed down our hill sledding with friends I needed to get a picture of the pumpkins and sleds because that is something you don't see all the time!  The kids thought this early snow storm was pretty SNOWTASTIC!  Hopefully those pumpkins thaw out so we can carve them tomorrow......Maybe we shouldn't carve the pumpkins but instead dress them in hats and scarves....haha!

PROJECT 365 - Day 301 - Check!

PROJECT 365 - Day 301 - Check!

Summer grilling food - check!


Fall beer - check!


Winter storm on it's way tomorrow - check!


Weekend plans foiled due to crazy winter storm in October - check!


Making the best of it - check!

PROJECT 365 - Day 300 - Enough said.

PROJECT 365  - Day 300 -  Enough said.

This is what I encountered tonight at the bottom of the stairs leading to the playroom.  Enough said. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 299 - The last stamp on my passport....

PROJECT 365 - Day 299 - The last stamp on my passport.....

The last stamp on my passport this week was for Pakistan.  The Boy's class learned about Pakistan and I was able to help the kids construct this pretty little scarecrow.  What a week I have had...three countries in three days and a ton of fun working with all three classes.  :-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 298 - Another day, another scarecrow...

PROJECT 365 - Day 298 - Another day, another scarecrow...

Another day, another scarecrow.....  as promised - the second installment of the scarecrow series....  This is the scarecrow that The Bear's class constructed to represent Italy.  I had so much fun helping out today and I think this came out fantastic!    

PROJECT 365 - Day 297 - Some explanation....

PROJECT 365 - Day 297 - Some explanation....

So I feel that this picture requires some explanation.....  :-)  The kids are participating in a multicultural project at school.  Each class is learning about a different country and then they are making a scarecrow to represent that country.  Today I was able to help out in the first of the kids' three classes and this is the scarecrow that The Princess' class made to represent France.   I think it came out great!  Other classes have also started their scarecrows and it was really cool to see all of the creative ideas that the classes came up with.  Since this was the first of three classes that I get to help out with - this will be a three day scarecrow series.

PROJECT 365 - Day 296 - Hershey Park

PROJECT 365 - Day 296 - Hershey Park

We spent the day at Hershey Park today with the kids and some friends.  It was a spooktacular day full of rides and treats:-) 

PROJECT 365 - Day 295 - Don't let his size fool you...

PROJECT 365 - Day 295 - Don't let his size fool you...

Today was the last games of the fall soccer season for The Boy, The Bear and The Princess' teams.   They all had an awesome season!!  The Princess scored her second goal of  the season today hammering the ball into the goal again!  The Bear made some beautiful goals and assists bringing his season total goals to 14!  The Boy ended his season with 34 goals!  Don't let his size fool you - he might be a little guy but he is a powerhouse on the soccer field!  I managed to get a shot of one of his goals today - right in the corner of the net.  I am just so proud of our soccer kids!!!

PROJECT 365 - Day 294 - Friday Night Movie

PROJECT 365 - Day 294 - Friday Night Movie

After playing with their friend this afternoon after school, the kids and I had dinner and decided to watch a movie.  They all got in their jammies and we looked for a movie everyone could agree on.  We found a live action version of Jack and The Beanstalk on demand and all decided that it looked good.  It turned out to be a pretty good movie with lots of laughs for the kids.  I love that they picked that over Open Season 2 which was also on demand.   It was a fun Friday night movie with my gang. :-)

 

PROJECT 365 - Day 293 - Cleaning day

PROJECT 365 - Day 293 - Cleaning day

Today was a cleaning day and along with cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, laundry, and floors I also tackled the refrigerator.  Ignore the fact that it is somewhat bare.... but notice the gleaming clean shelves.. ooohhh... ahhhh....  I have been meaning to do it for the past week - I can not stand a dirty fridge and it was definitely in need.  It was a long day of cleaning and I didn't have any time to work out, but everything is clean and smells fresh and I just feel better. :-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 292 - for now...;-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 292 - for now...;-)

I am back to being a brunette... for now...;-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 291 - This lunchbox

PROJECT 365 - Day 291 - This lunchbox

This lunchbox was the source of about a half hour of my life that I will never get back.  After picking the kids up at the end of the day, as I was just about to leave the parking lot, a voice from the back of the van says "Mommy....?  I think I lost my lunchbox."  Me being the ever logical asked "You don't know if you lost it or not?" Not helpful, I know....  "Ok, ok, we haven't left school yet, I will just turn around and you can go and look for it. Where did do you think you left it?"  "I don't know..." is the answer that my first born gives me.  So I make an executive decision to go into the office and check the lost and found.  He tells me that he thinks he left it outside after lunch.  The Princess, ever helpful, says she thinks she saw someone bring a lunchbox inside... So we look and no lunchbox in the lost and found.  We go and check the two classrooms that he is in to no avail.  We check a few other classes to see if someone brought it inside.  Nope.  Ok....I drive through the parking lot one last time and look outside again and then determine that the lunchbox is no where to be found and decide that we need to head home.  At this point, I am losing my patience.  I still have chicken to cut and dinner to make, I left a Kick Buttowski costume half done on the counter when I left to get the kids, my head hurts, and I am admittedly annoyed that The Bear has lost his lunchbox....  So as I begin the lecture of how he needs to keep track of his things....I hear a sniffly voice from the back of the van say...are you ready for this????..... "I just realized that it is in my backpack."  "WHAT? Are you kidding me?  It's in your backpack and has been this whole time?"  "Yes" said the first born.  "So you are telling me that we just spent a half hour looking for a lunchbox that was in your backpack and therefore in the car the.whole.time?"  "yeeessss...." sniffle sniffle, sob, sob....  At this point, I started laughing so hard I was afraid I would not be able to drive home.  I am fairly certain that my lovely children were concerned that I had finally gone completely crazy.  That may not have been completely off the mark either.  I decided that at that moment, if I didn't laugh, I would just cry.  It was just too ridiculous not to laugh. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 290 -Books

PROJECT 365 - Day 290 - Books

Bedtime books have been a part of the kids' lives since before they were even born....  When I was pregnant with the twins, My Wonderful Husband and I would read to the babies at night.  Then when I was pregnant with The Boy we were always reading at night to The Bear and The Princess.  Reading time at night was special time - part of the bedtime routine.  Reading time at night has evolved over the past few years with three readers in the house.  I remember the days of the kids each picking a book and we would all sit together and read.  Sometime we read the same book over and over - there are some books in our collection that I can read verbatim still today without even looking at the book.  There were some books that they liked me to read and some that were just way more fun when Daddy read them.  We were still reading to The Boy as of last year, but things slowly started to change and lately we have three readers who read to us or even now read on their own sometimes at bedtime.  It is very strange to me sometimes but at the same time very cool.  I miss some of those books...Kiss Goodnight, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Bear Snores On, Sleepyhead, Goodnight Moon, Psst, and the list goes on and on....  But I love the books we read together now too and the worlds the kids get to enter through those books.  But tonight when all three of the kids were worn out from a night of soccer practice and I suggested that I read to them instead of the other way around, they all jumped at the idea.  I am not going to lie, that made me really happy.  They even let me pick the books!  (they must have been tired)  So I picked an old favorite, Go Back to Bed! (if you haven't read this - you should!!) and then I picked a very cool one that I thought they would like - Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm.  We all sat together and read and this mommy was happy:-) 

PROJECT 365 - Day 289 - Pumpkin Farm

PROJECT 365 - Day 289- Pumpkin Farm

We went to the pumpkin farm today and took our yearly pictures in front of the measuring stick.  I can not believe how big our pumpkins have gotten!

PROJECT 365 - Day 288 - She scored!!

PROJECT 365 - Day 288 - She scored!!

The Princess has been waiting through 5 games this season...  She has been working hard and fighting for the ball.  Today she got the opportunity - saw the opening, hammered the ball into the goal and she scored!!  She was thrilled!  He teammates cheered for her and came over to high five her.  Her brother was on the sideline when she scored and declared it a "beautiful goal".  And it sure was. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 287 - Lunch with my third graders

PROJECT 365 - Day 287 - Lunch with the third graders

Today I was able to go in and have lunch with my third graders and then hit the book fair.  :-)

Thanks to my friend for taking a great picture of the three of us! :-)  Check me out getting in a picture! 

PROJECT 365 - Day 286 - Being silly

PROJECT 365 - Day 286 - Being silly

These friends spent the rainy afternoon playing inside and being silly. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 285 -Long talk

PROJECT 365 - Day 285 - Long talk

The Princess had a long talk with her Daddy tonight about what she is learning in social studies.  They talked about everything from Ben Franklin and Pennsylvania to Pearl Harbor and the presidents she has learned about.  I know that her political science daddy was thrilled to be having this conversation and even more thrilled to hear such excitement in his daughter's voice while she talked about what she is learning. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 284 - Lunch with our first grader

PROJECT 365 - Day 284 - Lunch with our first grader

Today My Wonderful Husband and I were able to go into school and have lunch with our first grader.  It's always fun to see our kids in their school environment and he was just thrilled that we were both able to be there today.  After lunch together, we went over to the book fair where The Boy got a new Bad Kitty book. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 283 - Playroom clean up

PROJECT 365  - Day 283 - Playroom clean up

The kids had off from school today and I declared this morning - playroom clean up!  We spent just under two hours taking apart the closet and putting it back together neatly and organized.  I am certain it will not last, so this picture will remind me that it was once clean and remind the kids that they are capable of putting things away. :-)  

PROJECT 365 - Day 282 - Dinner Experiment

PROJECT 365 - Day 282 - Dinner Experiment

At dinner tonight, the kids were asking how to make the eggs and pancakes that we had for dinner.  This is a Daddy dinner - he makes some yummy eggs and delicious pancakes.  He shared some trade secrets with the kids which led to a dinner experiment to show them the difference between milk, half and half, and buttermilk. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 281 - a confession.....

PROJECT 365 - Day 281 - a confession.....

I have a confession to make.  I am very competitive.  very. competitive.  I used to tell people that I wasn't.  I didn't grow up playing sports, so I'm not competitive right? Uh, sure....  not so much.  I like to win.  I like my kids to win.  I am not going to lie, I like it a lot when my kids win.  Especially when they play a team that plays a bit dirty in order to win and we beat them anyway.  Is that wrong?  Too bad.  The Boy's team had another great game today, dominating the field and scoring goals.  But the heart thumper today was The Bear and The Princess' game.  The other team was playing a bit rough - pushing, throwing arms, kicking, tripping.  My Wonderful Husband tells me that some of that is to be expected and the ref called some of it, but the mama bear on the sidelines DOES NOT LIKE IT.  So when one of the kids on the other team kicked and tripped The Bear and he went down, I was uh...not happy.  Thankfully he was ok and not really hurt and he took it in stride.  But when he got the ball and turned up the field and booted that ball into the goal, I was beyond happy. YEAH!!!  You kick my kid?  He scores on you!!!  I may have enjoyed this moment more than I should - but as I confessed here tonight - I am competitive. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 280 - Go figure

PROJECT 365 - Day 280 - Go figure

One minute they are arguing and fighting over who gets to sit in the chair.  The next, they are all sitting on the couch together.  Go figure. :-)

PROJECT 365 - Day 279 - Music Lessons

PROJECT 365 - Day 279 - Music Lessons

In an effort to "educate" the children, My Wonderful Husband has started Tuesday/Thursday music lessons on the way to school.  Since he is able to drive the kids to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays (making them his captive audience...I mean passengers and students... ;-)) he is using that time to introduce them to a different band/singer/song in each ride.  This week he held the first lessons.  He began with "the number one rock and roll song of all time" and I readily admit that I had no clue what that was......I should probably be joining the children on these rides but alas a quiet cup of coffee is more important to me than increasing my small music knowledge.  But I digress..... Tuesday's selection was Stairway to Heaven to which The Bear said, "This is rock and roll?"  Ah Danielson...you have much to learn. ;-)  Today, My Wonderful Husband showed his Jersey roots and shared The Boss with the children.  I asked them this evening how the lesson went and they told me that they heard "some guy named Bruce Springsteen", they listened to Born to Run and saw a picture of him "when he was young...but now he is old!"  The message of these lessons may be getting lost in translation.  But the kids did tell me that they liked Born to Run.  The kids are really excited for these lessons and can not wait until next Tuesday to find out what the next music lesson will be.  I think that My Wonderful Husband has some selfish motives...while he does truly want the kids to broaden their musical taste to include more than Lady Gaga, Kesha, Katy Perry, and other assorted pop stars, these lessons give him an opportunity to listen to his own music in the car on the way to school without any complaints from the peanut gallery.  I admit that seems genius. 

PROJECT 365 - Day 278 - It's just not easy being 6

PROJECT 365 - Day 278 - It's just not easy be 6

Some days you just need a break.  Some days losing a game to your big brother just makes you so mad!  Some days you need a good cry.  Some days you need a cuddle.  Some days it's not so bad to get a day off of soccer practice even if you are sad about it at first.  Some days it's nice to go run an errand with Mommy while your brother and sister have soccer practice with Daddy.  Some days it's nice to come home, have some teddy grahams while dinner is being prepared, then sit down and read with Mommy.  Some days it's just not easy being 6....

PROJECT 365 - Day 277 - A sneak peek.....

PROJECT 365 - Day 277 - A sneak peek....

I have finally started assembling the Halloween costumes tonight and I am pretty proud of these bad boys!  So since I simply can not wait to share them, I am giving you a sneak peek!!  :-)  Boots for Kick Buttowski and Mittens Fluff and Stuff (a Lalaloopsy doll) check!!!  I have now added duct tape to the list of things you can use to make any costume.  I don't sew - maybe a bit but not really....  But I do wield a mean hot glue gun and I can make anything out of sweatpants, felt, and now duct tape!  That has to count as a talent right? :-)  

PROJECT 365 - Day 276 - Just three friends

PROJECT 365 - Day 276 - Just three friends

After cleaning up dinner, I went down to the playroom to see what the kids were up to.... it was fairly quiet except for some giggling and chatting.  I thought I should investigate further....  When I went down there, they were all just at the table drawing, coloring, chatting, and giggling about whatever they were chatting about. Just three friends.

PROJECT 365 - Day 275 - Two televisions

PROJECT 365 - Day 275 -Two televisions

These boys monopolized not one, but two televisions in the house today.   There were soccer games and football games...who knows there may have even been golf.  One television had the Steelers game and one had the Redskins game.  Then they would meet at one television for a while to commiserate or gloat...  All I know is -  I am glad I had a book today.

PROJECT 365 - Day 274 - We aren't afraid of rain!

PROJECT 365 - Day 274 - We aren't afraid of rain!

It rained today for the kids' games.  During The Boy's game it drizzled on and off, nothing too terrible.... but no matter.  Those kindergarten and first graders ran hard, scored big, and played with all their heart!  Three for three for the Cosmos!  During The Bear and The Princess' game it started out raining a bit and then the heavens really opened up.... but again no worries!  Those second and third graders laughed in the face of the rain!  They continue to not only be undefeated but they shut out their third team this season!  United are three for three and a force to be reckoned with!  These two teams said RAIN SCHMAIN!!! - We aren't afraid of rain!  Can you tell I am super proud of these guys?  My three and the rest of the teams.