Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Carving out good times.......

We are in full Halloween mode over here - spent the night carving out the 'kins (it always ends up being a bigger mess than anticipated doesn't it?) But the kids liked it and the best part is salting up those seeds for some good eats. I have Brooke's Y5 Halloween party tomorrow, so I have just finished cleaning her costume, peeling the skin off of grapes to represent "spooky eyeballs", then the next day Parade/party at their daycare, all in time to get home and flail to a neighbors for a pizza party and trick o' treating with friends......Then we tuck the little ones and away in a sugar induced la la land and take a deep breath and be thankful that we don't have one thing planned this entire weekend.......

Extracting the seeds......there is something about the feeling of the goop just running in between your fingers that never gets old!
Brady was content with some stickers and a Sharpie.....

The finished product - apparently our pumpkin had a little too much candy......Ahh now onto the good stuff.........Seeds washed, dried and SALTED!!
Brady in full on instructional mode "this is hot" "seeds hot" "cook" "no touch"


We have also realized that we bought candy a week too early - that stuff is dangerous to have around - Brooke found some wrappers in the trash today and there was no way she was believing that a ghost or a witch ate it.....She just looked right at dad with that "we are going to have none left" look........
Okay that's all folks - have a great Halloween!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Getting Wiggy wit it.........

What a fun present Brooke got for her B-day a big tub full of dress up wigs.....Here is Brooke modeling off a few of the princesses........Let's just say this kid doesn't hate the camera....

I think this is Belle from Beauty.......

Cinderella with her Updo....at the ball....
Snow White....
And finally Sleeping Beauty....That's a lot of wigs for one sassy poser......

Sunday, October 26, 2008

The trilogy comes to a close......

So Brooke and her friends witnessed the last of the HSM trilogy this weekend as she celebrated her 5th birthday with some tots at the theatre.... We were all waiting on bated breath to see what would come about with Gabriella and Troy's future.... (Disney you really threw us for a loop when WOW Troy picked BOTH basketball and theatre AGAIN! I am just saying its a good morale to the story but the adults are getting kinda bored......) She was very excited for this event - and dressed up to represent her favorite character, Gabriella.....
Here is Brooke posing with her cronies, Sharpay and Ryan and Chad and Taylor.......

The show was great, the kids did great, we had eight 3-5 year olds and only had to make a run for two bathroom breaks.... Thanks to the few grown ups who volunteered to stay and lend a helping hand!
The kids sat wide eyed and attentive to take in all the new lyrics and dance moves that will most likely re-enacted for the many months to come....They gorged themselves on corn, lemonade and sour sticks, cookies & fruit snacks (ha as I type this no wonder no one moved they had goodies galore......)
I have to add this one, cuz bless the little guy's heart....he was the only guy in the group so I was paying a watchful eye on him to make sure he was enjoying himself.......the first hour and a half he was jamming out bopping his head to the music, and then the poor little guy couldn't take it during the reprise finale of all the songs.....eyes roll back and out he went.....it was so sweet...Way to hang in there boy!
And no better way to polish off the afternoon with some gifties in the lobby......Is it possible that they make this much HSM paraphernalia? :)
Happy Birthday Brooklyn.......

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

If you build it, they will come......

This was just an adorable scene to watch from a far....the other day at Brooke's soccer practice Brady dragged Chris over to the baseball diamond (dragged is a little harsh - you don't have to twist Chris' arm too hard to venture over to the field o' dreams...) Any rate I watched the two men play a pretend game of baseball for a good 40 minutes - Chris would fake pitch a fake ball to Brady, Brady would then make a fake "crack" sound as he swings the fake bat and then immediately take off to run the bases. I thought awh that is cute, and kept waiting for him to come back over requesting a ball or a bat or something tangible, but nothing it seriously continued her entire practice completely happy with the pretend images..... it was odd that neither one of them thought okay this is getting old or boring - they were both in their glory just living the dream as father and son........

Enjoy they are right side up! :)






Saturday, October 18, 2008

Happy 5th Birthday Brookie!


Well our lil' girl turned five this week and what a whirlwind it has been....having a birthday in the middle of the week with all that goes on, anyway makes for some crazy nights! Anyway the princess woke up on Thursday morning to a present on her pillow to this moment still is one of the favorites....she has been PATIENTLY waiting to turn five because that was the magic age that she could then have GUM......So at 7:01 she unwraps three packages of gum, that unfortunately came attached with
#1 you can't have it in the morning,
#2 you can't chew it at school,
#3 you can't tease your brother with it or show off
okay then have fun with that.......She understood, but at 4:01 when she arrived home from the bus stop it was immediately gum in mouth and snapping it every two minutes...... Then on to soccer practice and her choice of restaurant...if you remember she is allowed to pick her b-day dinner....(last year it was Pickles and cottage cheese) this year she choose Brann's I mean I know it isn't creme de la creme, but it ain't pickles and cheese.....Then home for cake and presents. Thanks to all the family members for sending their goodies she LOVES everything! And thank you Mom for buying out Kohl's High School Musical inventory!
Seriously still sideways....If anyone has suggestions I am all ears....
This is Brooke dawning her new cheerleader costume - please pardon the loud mother CACKLE that accompanies this..... She apparently didn't eat enough at Branns!



Also a new revelation in the turning 5 week - she is now unassisted on her bike - LOOK MA NO TRAINING WHEELS! She had some stiff competition as some neighbors also learned very quickly so she I think felt the need to hang with her peeps.




So my little Brooklyn you have had another great year - as always some ups and downs. Two downs that I can specifically remember very clearly....umm you moving out of our house and the second when you had your entire room removed from you.....but the rest were mostly ups - you have grown and matured more than I could have imagined keeping us laughing the entire time. You have started the public schooling system and it couldn't be a more perfect fit. My little bookworm I hope you continue to learn and explore and try new things! But it is weird in the week prior to your b-day as I was thinking WOW I HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD these were some random conversations we had and I remember going - YEP she really is 5 and learning and understanding more every day......

1. Umm Mom Benjamin Taylor is always kissing me out on the playground.
2. Mom, who is the first kid in the worlds mom? Well maybe it was God?, No way mom he isn't a girl, well maybe god is a girl. Mom do you have God's phone number we need to call and find out.
3. (when describing a situation at school) then soso did this..... Brooke who is soso......."mom you know when you don't know their name and you just say soso....." oh you mean so and so......
4. (when talking about a friend) "Mom she didn't really think that through first....."
5. (telling the lady that is cutting her hair) "Don't cut it too short we need to be able to see the bugs" (after we received a letter from the first week of school of a lice case) oh vey...
6. "mom what are you thinking?"
7. Mom can I ask you a silly question? How am I ever going to decide what to name my babies....
Don't worry Brooke you have about 100 years to decide..... Mom how are babies made? Really? you turn five and immediately have to ask this? I quickly reverted to oh look "Higgley Town Heroes is on!"

At any rate we have had another fun year with you little one and look forward to the many more adventures that years six will bring!
Happy Birthday sweetie.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

My lil' Pumpkins......

We have been enjoying the unseasonably warm October weather while visiting a local orchard....... Nothing says fall like a hayride, cinnamon doughnuts and a pecks of apples......


I know I know the outfits....Just imagine if they were twins how ridiculous they would look then!

Having Fun with our "mini" pumpkins - seriously mom can we go get a "real" pumpkin now?
Don't worry sista...... I will protect you from these ginormous pumpkins that might crush us....mom we didn't mean this big.......
The colors are starting to change.....which makes fall one of the best season's here!
Okay on the count of three make the most awkward smile that you can think of.......

Monday, October 13, 2008

Big man on Campus.....

Brady bugs spent his first night in a BIG BOY bed last night! We forgot the toddler bed and went straight for the twin mattress... He was so excited to be a big kid like his sister. He spent 10 minutes just jumping up and down with Brooke like they were in some bounce house. Brooke was the big sister extraordinaire saying things like "WOW Brady is this your new BIG BOY bed, I am so proud of you" "Are you going to sleep in your big boy bed like sissy, I love you so much..." He did great Chris adjusted him before we went to bed since he was nearing the edge, but didn't budge after that, and then this morning I had to go and wake him up! Who knows what will ensue when he wakes up on his own he might go wondering around aimlessly, but I hope his regular routine of yelling "mom, dad" until we come get him will stay the norm. No telling what this will do to his nap schedule, but so be it the new milestones are too exciting oh and also I can't wait to rid our road trips of the pack and play and create that much more space to haul stuff along.....
Tonight he has said "me, bed" since 6:45 p.m. I am not sure if it is because he is excited about his new bed or if he really does take after his mom and has no problem turning in at am absurdly early bedtime! I held him off until 7:45 and not one peep......hasta la vista cribby.....
Congrats Brady - We are so proud of our big man on campus.......


Brady bouncing off the walls excited to venture into toddlerville.......

Check me out fools no bars to keep me in......
I took the risk of waking him up by snapping a photo at 11pm.....but how couldn't I?
The little man looked so dang cute with a moose ready to pounce on him......
Off in never never land......

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Just calling to check in......

So after 6 hours of being away I phone my family to see how they are doing and let them know my plane landed and I am settled into my hotel......What I hear on the other end.......
"There has been sort of an accident" (as I hear blood curdling screams from both of the kids...) "Let me call you back our neighbor is about to SNAP Brooke's tooth back in...." Click.........
Really? I have been gone 6-7 hours and there is complete mayhem happening in the house and I am stuck in beautiful Kansas City for the next 5 days........ahhhh good times. So I anxiously await for the return phone call, I pace the hotel room, flip through the 10 stations about 400 times, organize my clothes, pace, try to have a conversation with my co-worker and act 1/2 way interested in what she is telling me.......
Then the call.....
"Okay here is what happened. The kids had friends over they were playing an intense game of "monster" Brady darted around the corner and Brooke darted around the other corner they connect head to jaw. Let me interject by saying we all know Brady has a large cranium, but now apparently it is made out of the same stuff bowling balls are made of....oh vey it is like a brick.... So Brooke hit with such force it actually knocked her front tooth backwards and it was hanging in back of her tooth line..... Luckily our neighbor is a dentist he came over after all the blood had been wiped up, Brady had been calmed down and examined her and literally SNAPPED her tooth back into place...... (my stomach is turning as I type this and somehow at the time I am thanking GOD for being in KC and not having to witness it!)" Chris then was the lucky recipient to take her to get Xrays the dentist said it will either tighten up or start to discolor and fall out. But he did confirm that she is YEARS away from her adult teeth coming down so oh sweet lord let this tooth adhere and stabilize.... did I mention if it gets infected they have to put her under to pull it out....Please Lord don't make me do it to both my kids one was ENOUGH! So anyway we have been eating a lot of SOFT foods & cutting up pieces as if she were an infant again.....but anything to avoid the following......
Thanks Hubbie for being Super Dad while I was gone - and dealing with this whole mess!

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Foreshadowing......

I was driving in the car the other day thinking about what else ....my kids... but what struck me was how different the two of them are and I can already predict how their personalities are going to play such a big part in how the rest of their lives play out....This is how I envision it happening at this point in the game.....

My little Brooklyn I will not see that much of as she will be off running some game of tag and organizing some sort of club in high school.....She has already started to ask about college since we just visited ours, "you mean you get to LIVE at school" This one I see packing her bags and heading far away for college someday and then not returning home, she will be miss independent living in a big city and experiencing EVERYTHING! I love her zest for wanting to try and do EVERYTHING. My only hope is that she come back to visit us often or she will be threatened with us uprooting and moving in next door to her :)

Our little Brady man - appears to be the polar opposite he is a homebody. He loves to be involved with stuff when he is, but has no problem just hanging back at home reading a book or doing a puzzle. I sometimes take him somewhere and after about 10 minutes he just looks at me and says "Home." He on the other hand will go to college within five miles of home, he will have his mother/father do his laundry for the rest of his life and probably pay his parents rent for the remainder of his adulthood...... Sorry buddy the cooking will get no better so please venture off and experience all that life has to bring you when that time comes - but of course I will be waiting back home with a sippy cup of beer and I will pet your head as we snuggle and watch the nightly news together. That totally won't be weird when you are 21 - at least not in my eyes!

No big shakes, just a quick update.......

I was on the phone with a friend today and she asked, "Man I haven't seen or talked to you in forever - what has been going on with you?" and sadly enough I didn't have much to report other than work, kids, dinner, bedtime.......but really that's it. We got no great stories to share - we are just coasting through enjoying the nuggets, embracing the change of season, and living life. So I have no grande post, just thought I would update everyone on a few items....

Chris got to go back to the "zoo" this past weekend and live like a bachelor with all his old croonies for his Alumni baseball game/golf tourney/bachelor party. I am not going to lie when the kids and I met him at the game on Sunday, single life is not that becoming on these old men. This group of young whippersnappers they are no more......I have never seen so many tired, dragging bodies trying to swing a bat. Staying out until all hours of the night, trying to relive memories....let's just say it is a little more apparent the next day. :) All in all he had a great time with the guys and the kids and I enjoyed watching the game and catching up with "the guys".

Brooke is loving life and school - she has deemed computer lab, gym & media center as some of her favorite classes (I know what ever happened to recess and kick the can?) But it suits her she is in her element and has already started to imitate her teachers little idiosyncrasies - I am just waiting for the southern drawl to come out (she is originally from North Carolina). She also has started soccer this season and she really seems to enjoy it. It is a nice class of skills v.s. just games scenarios so I think it will be a good stepping stone if she wants to continue with it in the future. She is also FULLY aware that today was October 1st and her B-day is in the near future!

Brady continues to make us laugh - he is getting quite the personality to him.

He is enjoying his new room at school and is starting to do some big boy things that are pretty cool! Oh and mom remember when you gave Brady a bike for his FIRST birthday.......and I was "seriously I am going to have to store that for 3 years before we pull it out" well bite my tongue Brady has been trying with persistence every day to ride it and the other day he just started pedaling.....big dude must do what he has to do to keep up with sister. We were pleasantly surprised at his new gig but just in time for it to feel practically like winter out today and it will have to be packed up until the spring anyway soon..... here is a video to capture the moment.....