Where The Wild Things Are

We took the kids to see this movie tonight. The little boy was cute, the animals were entertaining, the story, we didn't get it. Maybe we will have to review the book or get the cliffnotes?

Building the Ark

We have had so much rain this year, several times I have joked about building an Ark (as in boat). Remember this post back in May.

It rained a lot in October too. In fact October was the all time wettest on record. Little Rock received 16.56" of rain. Making it the 3rd wettest month ever!! I wonder what the total rainfall this year is, and if that is a record?

Randomness

Fall--this week we have seen the first signs of Fall. The leaves are starting to change color, the nights are crisp and cool. We can open the windows, and see a little frost on the grass in the morning. I love FALL!

Walking--Danielle has decided that walking is the preferred mode of transportation. Now if she falls down, she gets back up and starts walking again, where as before she would just start crawling. She looks so cute toddling around.

Fun with food--I have been trying for years to get the kids to eat a healthy variety of food. One tip I have learned is to make it fun and creative; bite size, shapes, colors, dips, funny names, etc. Today Brian made a man with his lunch, it was so cute, and he ate it, success.

Single Parenting

This weekend Eddie went to the Juice Plus conference by himself. We had all planned to go, but at the last minute decided that it would be best if Eddie just went. We were not able to get a room at the conference center, and so it would be too much of a hassle with the kids. Plus we could save money.

So while Eddie was away for two days, I attempted to win the best mother of the weekend award...how do you think I did? I did make dinner on Thursday night, and tried to get the kids to bed at a reasonable time, which was not very successful.

Friday we had a lazy morning and the kids actually slept in, yeah! We finally made it out of the house to go get lunch at

Then we went to the indoor play tubes at the Rock Creek Church. We played there for a couple hours and then decided on take out for dinner at


I decided to try to avoid bedtime all together tonight, by putting in a movie and then they would fall asleep, and all would be well. Too bad that plan failed. I just turned off the lights and went to bed, I figured they would eventually get tired and go to sleep.

Saturday we had a busy day planned. First I had to pick up my milk downtown and drop it off at home. I had a coupon for a free brunch entree at

So that was the next stop. The kids did really well. Right across the street is the Barnes & Noble.



I had a coupon for a free cookie and hot chocolate, yummy!

Then it was time for a little racing. We walked next store to

First the kids build their own race car.

Then they got to race them down the ramp.

Ready, set, GO!

They were having a build and race your own lego car. They kids had a great time designing and then racing their car down the ramp. Then making modifications to make the car sturdier, more stable or faster down the ramp.

A little while later we met Jenna and her kids at the McMath Library for a Halloween story time, and games. The kids had fun time.

Bean Bag Toss

Make a face on a pumpkin

Ghost on a plate race


Pumpkin Bowling

The Haunted Hotel

Next, off to the playground, at the Fellowship Bible Church. They have a really nice playground and the kids really like climbing the tall ladders and the slides.

We ended our really fun day with a trip to



Two adults and six kids. Plenty of pizza, salads, soda, fun and games for everyone.

My Cute Kids

Red Ribbon Week

This week at school was drug awareness week, and each day had a theme. We didn't go into the specifics of why they got to dress up, we just made it a fun week.

Crazy Hair Day

Inside Out Day

Hat Day

Pajama Day

It was a fun week, and I took some cute pictures. Not very many kids in his class participated, but after forgetting pajama day last year, I made sure that my kids were properly dressed and had what they needed for school each day

Sugar Cookies and a Funeral

For my second KitchenAid project I choose sugar cookies so the kids could help and we could decorate them with fun Halloween shapes and sprinkles. It is really easier making things with my new mixer. I think I will enjoy baking more now.

Grammie oversaw the rolling, cookie cutting and sprinkle part of the project.

Emily's unnamed turtle passed away last Saturday on her birthday. I didn't want to make a big deal about it and upset her, so we quietly put it in a box for a funeral later. Then last week happened! The turtle sat in our bathroom. Then it started to smell. It was definitely time for that funeral. After church I sent Eddie with the kids outside for the burial. Eddie came back in to tell us that we missed good funeral. Emily sang the Primary song "He Died, That
We Might Live Again." Brian fondly remembered the turtle with a picture on the trunk of the tree underneath where she was buried. The grave was marked with a piece of bark.

For Family Home Evening this week we talked about death and where the body goes and where the spirit goes, and when we get our bodies back.

The Last Hurrah

Birthday season officially closes today. We celebrated my birthday on Thursday since I was too sick on Wednesday. Grammie brought the kids their birthday presents.

Emily got a princess pillow, lots of pretty new clothes, and pajamas. She got several new accessories for her dollhouse including a garden and camping tent.

Both of the girls got these cute ballerina dolls. Danielle also got a cute new walker/ride-on, and a pink truck.

Brian got some great clothes and pajamas, a camo pillow for his bed and two new Star Wars lego sets.

I got my very cool new 90th Anniversary KitchenAid Mixer with a glass bowl, a joint venture from Eddie and mom, and also my own box of See's Candy, which I am not sharing.

Today is Grammie's birthday. I planned a special birthday dinner. Beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, asparagus with hollandaise, and mushrooms. I made birthday cupcakes in my new KitchenAid mixer, with chocolate buttercream frosting.

I was excited about making tenderloin, but a little nervous about potentially ruining an expensive piece of meat. My mom had never made tenderloin either. Armed with our meat thermometer and instructions from Pioneer Woman, we set out on our mission. The twice baked potatoes turned into once baked, but that was OK. The hollandaise was a flop, more practice required, the mushrooms and asparagus were yummy, and aside from a small oven temperature mishap the tenderloin was perfectly cooked.

Brian described the meat as "fluffy" I told him it was very tender, it almost melted in his mouth. He decided that it was so tender you didn't really need that many teeth and perhaps Danielle could have some.

Planting Flowers

When school first started, Mrs. Halter sent home a sign up sheet for volunteer opportunities in Brian's class this year. One of those was helping the kids plant flowers. I immediately volunteered Grammie for that duty. I told Mrs. Halter that if they planned to do that activity when my mom was in town she would love to help. It worked out great.

One of things that my mom loves to do is work in the yard planting flowers, pulling weeds, and making the landscape beautiful. She was able to help plant pansies in the pot near Brian's back door to his classroom as well as get all of the things done around the house. She pulled weeds,cleaned up the flowerbeds and planted Spring bulbs. We also started the next project for Spring. The rock path and the second hill, with a Rocky Mountain theme.

Here are the pictures of Brian's classmates planting flowers with Grammie...

Joylyn

Kennedy

Lauryn S.

Lauryn N.

Townley

Al

Nash

Veronica

Calvin

Charleston

Jamarieo

Nora

Madeline

Meadow

Javion

Brian

Conner

The pots turned out really cute, the kids had a fun time, and I am glad the Grammie got to help at Brian's school.

Our new North side rock planter, it really grew since Spring.

The front of the house

The front with the azaleas, hydrangea, and pansies in the pot.

Another shot of the front, here is the rose bush and the tree that we staked up.

The mailbox, with a little Fall color

The front rock garden

The South side, Eddie trimmed up the monster bush

The hill in the backyard

The start of the new project, the rock path and the Rocky Mountain Hill.