Sweet

Over the weekend, GG celebrated her 10th birthday. I still don't think it's hit me that my child is a decade old. How the hell did that happen?! I had considered dedicating a blog post to this milestone birthday of hers, but time got away from me. Between birthdays and holidays, this time of year is nothing short of hectic and out of control.

But I don't really think GG will hold it against me that I didn't write some sweet post for her. Her cupcakes alone made up for the lack of sweetness on this blog.

Cute, right?!


Along with not writing a post for her, I also fell short on supplying a kick ass party. In my defense, I blame all the other parents in the area who also had their children around the same time as mine.

I told GG I would take her and a few friends for a few rounds of bowling and some pizza. Little did I know the bowling alley we planned to go was having 10-15 parties on the exact same day. A lane for the 5 of us would not be a guarantee. I have to give one of the employees some credit because she did try and secure us a lane, but it was a no go.

Again, I really don't think GG will hold it against me due to her awesome presents. Harry Potter Legos, board games, video games, a ton of clothes for her American Girl dolls, and this rockin' lamp...

Orbeez mood lamp
It's pretty awesome!

But the best present of all is one I don't think has taken off, other than to sleep, since Saturday night.

My fashionista!

Happy 10th birthday, GG!!!

Until next time...

Rhyme Time

I am so incredibly proud of my kids. They brought home their report cards last week. All A's and B's!! I am especially proud of Little Dude because honestly, I was a little worried.

Every day I ask what they did in school. GG will give me examples of math problems or a science project. Little Dude will tell me what he ate for lunch or what he played at recess. However, when we least expect it, or at night when he's supposed to be in bed trying to sleep, he will tell us all about a lesson from the day.

Over the past few days, Little Dude has been learning that you can change the beginning or end sound of a word to create another word. Sometimes the words rhyme while other times they make a whole new word. For example, "man" can be changed into "map". At the end of last week, he was learning what can happen when the end sound of a word is changed. This week they are working on changing the beginning sound. How do I know this? Well, let me explain...


The other night I took the kids with me to Target, which could be an entire post in itself as I left with much more than I originally planned for. As usual! During the short car ride home, GG was talking about her upcoming birthday. Little Dude began to ramble on about words that can be changed. I was nodding and "uh-huh"-ing so he knew I was paying attention, even though I was more worried about driving down a dark, twisty hill in the rain. And then I heard it.... Duck. Oh, this can't end well.

Luck

Puck

Muck

Buck


And finally he came to the mother of all curse words.


Thank goodness we were in the car away from the general public and thankfully he had no idea what he had just said.

Proud Mommy Moment
hosted by Kmama and Emmy Mom
Do you have a proud (or "proud") moment
from the week?

Until next time...

I need a mystery machine

I seem to have a bit of a mystery.

It is no surprise that things are constantly going missing in this house. We may not have a lot of room, but things seem to magically find their way into the deep, dark abyss. Never to be seen again.

Occasionally a Lego guy or that one, long Lincoln Log will turn up under the couch. But to this day, there are still puzzle pieces that have been missing since GG was a toddler, almost 8 years ago.

Most of those little toys, especially the Legos, I don't mind when they go missing. One less little toy to put away at the end of the day. But one thing that is guaranteed to go missing in this house is a glue stick. I have learned over the years to buy multiple packs at a time. I give the kids 2 each and stash the rest away for future use. Despite my valiant efforts, glue sticks continue to disappear left and right.

As annoying, and as costly, as missing glue sticks can be, they are like those little toys. A loss I can deal with. But this latest mystery really has me worried. I am missing a bottle of Elmer's Glue. A full bottle none the less. My lovely son taught me a few years ago that Elmer's Glue spilled on a carpet does not come up, no matter how much or how long you scrub.

I worry the day will come when we can finally move out of this house. On my last sweep through the house to make sure we didn't miss anything, I will find that bottle of Elmer's lying in a corner somewhere surrounded by a stiff, dry puddle of clear glue.

This is a mystery I really need to solve. Our landlord is pretty easy going, but I don't think even he would appreciate dried glue on the carpets.

So, if you were a bottle of glue, where would you hide?



Until next time...

Happy Halloween

Looking at the outside of our house, you would never know that I am a Halloween junkie. Except for my Boo door hanger, there is not an ounce of Halloween in our yard. First of all, it has been cold and I hate decorating in the cold. Second, very few, if any kids trick-or-treat on our street.

But that doesn't mean I am lacking on the decorations on the inside of our house.

Witch and monster sign, courtesy of my MIL.
Boo ghosts that I just finished making.
A pumpkin whose batteries might actually survive
through Halloween this year.

As much as I hate spiders, I have to put this guy out every year.
Last year, I actually forgot to put him away.
Yes, it freaked me out on more than one occasion.



web made by me

Not only do I enjoy watching my kids enjoy this holiday, but I also enjoy being someone else for a change. Can you guess what I was this year?

The husband was NOT a fan of my all to real black eye!

And by the way, why does my hair never cooperate
until I actually want it to be messy?! So frustrating!


In case you're still not sure of my costume,
would dirty, beat up wings give you a clue?

Because I have been so busy making Halloween decorations and starting on Christmas stuff, I decided to forgo making homemade costumes for the kids. The first costume GG chose was not available in a size that would fit her. Big is good as we have to work a costume over layers of clothes in this city, but 4 sizes too big is pushing it. She instantly fell in love once she saw a picture of something else.

I bought Little Dude's costume at a consignment shop back in July and up until October, he was so psyched to wear it. Then he decided to be a werewolf. Having already purchased a costume, I said no. Once I explained I could paint his face, his original costume was a go.

Without further adu, I introduce my Polar Princess and a soldier to protect her.

Or maybe a soldier to chase the polar princess with the gun I caved a bought him.

I wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween full of good candy for moms and dads to dip into!


PS. In case you're still not sure of what my costume was, I was a Fallen Angel.


Until next time...

Red Ribbon

This week at the kids' school, along with many others I think, they are participating in Red Ribbon week. The point of Red Ribbon week is to teach kids about saying no to drugs. In our school, the kids wear something different each day.

Forgive me as I seemed to have thrown the actual paper from the school away. I don't remember what each day symbolizes.


Monday - Black and white day. Students are encouraged to wear these colors. Possibly because it's a black and white decision to either do drugs or don't and we strongly encourage you to say no.

Tuesday - Wear your favorite boots so together we can stomp out drugs.

Wednesday - Hat day. I don't know why, but the kids were happy to wear hats, which are usually a no-no. There were some funky hats!

Thursday - Wear your team colors. As a team we can stand up against drugs. Boy am I glad I bought those school shirts a few weeks ago

Friday - Wear your Halloween costume to scare drugs away.


GG and Little Dude have been quite excited to pick out the special item before bedtime for the following day. GG was over the moon when she found out it was boot day. I will post pictures next week of her too cute boots when I do a Halloween post.

All day Tuesday Little Dude was thinking about which hat he would wear for Wednesday. Tuesday night he finally found a bright yellow Steeler hat (that's my boy!). He came downstairs to show me his find and I told him to put it in a safe place so we didn't forget it in the morning. As he carefully laid his hat by his jacket and book bag, he asked me a question.....


"Mom, what are drugs?"


Red Ribbon week fail!





I am so proud of my boy for happily participating in Red Ribbon week without knowing why. Of course this is only true if proud is the new word for disappointed.


Do you have a proud, or not so proud, parenting moment? Link up with Kmama and Emmy Mom.





Until next time...