Success!

Honey has been working her top tooth for ages now, when she remembers! It's been loose for a long time though and 2 nights ago while we were tucking her in, she got me to try and pull it out but it didn't work. A few minutes later she came running down the hall "I got it!!!" holding the tooth in her hand. She's the first one to lose a top tooth so she was pretty stoked about that.

In the Woods!

 While Karen was here for a visit, we took the opportunity to hit the trail in the woods! We hadn't gone for a walk in there for ages, mostly because it's so much of a fight to get the kids to go. As usual, once we forced them in there, they were off and running, happy as clams! They climbed on rocks, played in puddles, checked out a dragonfly I found and had a blast in there!. Why do they make us work so hard? Don't they know that we know best already???

Boo to YOU!

Happy Halloween! As usual this was a MUCH anticipated, MUCH discussed event at our house! Costumes were planned weeks and weeks in advance. They were sure of what they wanted much sooner than I was sure I could put it together! Luckily everything necessary was found in time for today. They actually had a party at a friend's on the weekend and got to do a trial run of their outfits. 

Lovey had violin after school today but no one had homework thank goodness! We got home from the lesson and started cleaning up and getting supper ready. Luckily Murray gets home earlier now and could be put to work as well!

Monday is always busy but I had an eye appointment squeezed in on top of grocery run, strength class, lunch, put away groceries, baking, pick up girls, get to lesson, get home from lesson and start supper and finalize/mend costumes!

Mum & Dad came to dinner so they wouldn't this tradition! Sweetie ate in record time which worked out well as her makeup took the longest to do. Honey' costume was the easiest which also worked out perfectly as it took her the longest to choke down her supper! (and gag it back up.... but that's another story!!!)

Lovey got most of her costume on herself and just needed help hiding her hair under the hat brim and putting freckles on.

Murray took them on the first leg and they did the bottom part of the street while I had my supper and got the pictures downloaded. When they got back, Tulip had joined them and they were anxious to go! 

It was much chillier than last year but Lovey couldn't be convinced to wear a coat! I tucked some extra mitts in my pocket just in case though. We'd been going for an hour or so before I convinced her and her chapped, red hands to put them though! Finally I'd convinced her! Me: there! how do your hands feel now Lovey? She responded "Good!" and I started to relish my triumph until she added "SAME AS BEFORE!"

and ran off to join the others. (but left the mitts on!) She was mostly concerned that her "Anne" look would be ruined by the uncharacteristic attire!

Around 7:30 we started heading for home but Sweetie didn't have a coat either and Lovey had run through some puddles in the dark and her feet were wet. We had to phone for emergency pick up! Grammie & Grandad were just coming back from a run to the store and scooped up Tulip, Lovey & Sweetie and took them home. Shortly after, the rest of us got picked up by Murray and were glad to warm up.

When we got home they dove into their candy bags and had quite a little treat fest! So much excitement in one night!!! It was late by the time they got settled down in bed so I'm letting them sleep in a bit tomorrow & driving them to school. The extra early bus run is not our friend after nights like these!!!

Sweetie made Bunny her own costume for greeting the trick or treaters at out door! The mask is handmade with looseleaf, Crayola markers and old ribbon . The cape is a headscarf. Lovey said it was a "Super Bunny" costume. Sweetie couldn't have been happier with that title!

Pumpkins & Pizza

Party time at church! Families came for some pumpkin carving this afternoon and got all slimed up. The kids didn't mind & Sweetie was in up to her elbows, digging out the pumpkin guts. The parents did the actual carving after the kids sketched on their designs. While we finished up the knife work, they moved on to a game of chase & scream. If noise volume is any indication of success level, this was one rockin' event!

Once the pumpkins were finished up, the pizza fixins came out and the kids (with freshly washed hands!) decked out the pizza dough with all their favourites. (lots of cheese, token pepperoni slices, NO vegetables!). While those baked in the ovens, they played freeze dance to some appropriately spooky music.

Pizza was followed by cookies and candy and capped off a perfect event! Tulip has been coming to church with us for the last several weeks and made sure to get in on this party too :)))

Buyer's Regret

Honey's class has a monkey theme this year. They can earn "monkey money" for doing good deeds etc in the classroom. Honey had over 100 monkey bucks saved up when her teacher "opened" the store the other day. She was so excited to tell me about her purchase when I picked them up on Monday. When she got in the car she finally had time to check out the puppy she had spent her money on. To her dismay, there wasn't really a puppy in there at all! The package said "pet in a bag" and sure enough you could see a mini canvas sack and sticking out of the sides were two furry ears and a tail coming out the back. If you squeeze the sack, you can hear a puppy barking. Honey tried and tried to open the bag but couldn't get it open and it didn't feel like a puppy in there at all! She handed it to me and I could tell right away it was one of those joke products and she wasn't ever getting a stuffed animal out of there!

She was so upset and the tears started right away. "but I saved and saved and spent almost all my money!!! 100 DOLLARS and it's not a REAL animal????? my teacher said there was a puppy in it!!!". Since it's an extra activity the teacher is doing, most likely out of her own pocket, I wasn't sure what to say to Honey. I didn't want her carrying on like that at school and there will be other "store" days for  her to get something else. In the end I told her she could talk to her teacher the next day and explain how she'd been mistaken when she picked it but she decided it would be too hard to keep from crying and she didn't know how to explain herself without getting upset. Instead she's using it as a backpack decoration and saving up more monkey bucks for next time. Lesson learned, make sure you know what you're buying BEFORE you hand over all your hard earned monkey bucks!

Going Strong!

Murphy has recovered nicely and seems to have most of his energy back.  Now that he's not on the arthritis medication, he's a bit stiffer and slower moving but the main thing is that he's still moving! For a few weeks he'd only go for small walks, one or maybe two houses down the road and back. By the time he'd get home his back legs would be shaking from exhaustion and he'd go to sleep right away.

On the weekend we went for a walk in our old stomping grounds and he saw us leaving and immediately  made it known that we were NOT going on any walk without him! Busted! We had to go back & get him & Murray was prepared to turn around with him when he got too tired. He never did! With the numerous stops that the girls make to play and explore (high speed hikers they are not!) he got lots of breaks and chances to catch his breath. He really slowed down for the last bit of the way home but he did last for an hour or so out there with us!

We're so happy that he's still hanging in there and enjoying it while it lasts!

My Party!

We had a party last night to celebrate my big milestone birthday. My sister in law made a trip just to attend! Teena, Dale & Boo came for supper and we had deep fried turkey!!!!!!!!!! Teena has talked about this meal for ages and I've been dying to try it out and she made it happen for my big birthday:))) Dale was the one who had to slave over a hot vat but everyone greatly enjoyed the fruits of his labour. Even all the kids ate supper willingly! and Honey asked for 2nd and 3rd helpings. The seasonings made the meat so tasty & juicy and it was surprisingly not greasy at all. I had to tear myself away from the table to stop eating it. Mmmmm mmmm good! Colonel Sanders has nothing on Chef Dale!

 

Look, he's got a timer and everything! 

After supper it was time to get things ready for stage 2, bonfire birthday party!!! with cake, s'mores, chips, cheesies, glow in the dark bracelets & sparklers! I'd invited my close friends & their families and they all arrived around 6:30. One guest was a wonderful surprise and I shrieked with delight when I realized who had walked in the door! (some people's ears may never recover) Nicolle had brought along Babycakes who used to go to our church and used to come hang out with me here with some of the other teens from youth group. Now that she's at another church, I rarely see her but miss her ALOT!

Murray got the buffet table set up and started bringing out the food and beverages and got the fire started with a little gasoline assistance! The sun had set by the time we had everything ready so we started with some sparklers and glow in the dark bracelets to keep the kids entertained while the rest of the food was being brought out.

The kids were beyond "wild with excitement". If a party could be judged solely by noise level, this thing was a raging success! We had trampoline action, haunted playhouse mischief, the pyrotechnics and lots of racing and tearing around AND caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!!! mmmmmmm cake!!! I ordered it earlier in the week and had been looking forward to it ever since. oh cake, how do I love thee???

It was a great night & everybody went home full but tired! I enjoyed my party immensely and was so glad that people came! (I'm 40 but still worry that no one will show up if I invite them, shouldn't I be over this by now??? LOL)