Tom's New Obsession

I always figured we'd have pretty smart kids, based on nothing other than knowing my own intelligence level (OK- that wasn't modest but deal with it) and my husbands. Travis has proven himself lately to be the master of comic timing, story telling and dramatics. Thomas is freaking me out with his new found love of academics...

A while back we got these "Kindergarten Workbooks" that just have puzzles, word association games, letter review, number review, etc. in them. They sat for months and months with no interest from either boy. I honestly thought we'd thrown them away I hadn't seen them in so long!

However, Tom unearthed one on Sunday and has spent every spare moment working in it. On Monday night, he spent well over an hour working through various pages. Sometimes he'd ask for help like "what gets done here, mommy?" but no specific answers could be given (heaven forbid - kindergarten tongue lashings would ensue!). Tonight, as soon as he had on his gi for karate, he was at it again, almost fighting us about having to leave his book! As soon as we go back and he had on his PJs, he was at it again. Both nights he even tried to forgo cuddle time for an extra 15 minutes with his book instead of us!

The way he's going through this book, I'm going to have to go look for some new ones. He's more than 3/4 of the way through this one and I think tomorrow might end it!

I wonder if this counts for his 50 minutes a week of reading? =)

(In case you're wondering, Travis is the only one allowed to work with him on the pages. But, he tends to lose interest after about 10 minutes. Then he goes on CSI-like missions through the house looking for "pumpkin blood" with his new mini-flashlight or he makes crazy 'pinball games' out of blocks and balls to try and lure Tom from the book. Doesn't work, but he doesn't seem to care! Crazy kids!!)

Couple receives wedding photos after 27 years

Photographer finds album, tracks down bride who couldn’t pay for it in 1980

A couple won't mark their 27th anniversary until Thursday, but they've already received the perfect gift: the wedding pictures they couldn't afford when they married as teenagers.

Their photographer showed up last week at the diner where Karen Cline works and surprised her with a photo album from her big day in 1980.

All these years, the Clines have had just one wedding picture that someone else took, of her walking down the aisle.

I found this an interesting blurb, as I have a tradition with my wedding album. Every year, I take our white album with all the proofs in it and show it to someone who hasn't seen it. I'm not sure how it came about and I'm sure people think I'm nuts for having such a strange ritual. But it always gets a lot of comments and opens some interesting conversations. Beware if you're in my path the day before Thanksgiving; that's when I'll probably have it at work! =)

Be Careful What You Say, Part Two

So – Travis came out with another good one tonight. The boys were telling us about how the Halloween party at school was going to work (parade with costumes, etc.). We told them the teacher had told us they couldn’t wear their masks, as they might trip during the parade and also that Travis couldn’t bring his “gun” with him [he’s a Transformer and has a plastic canon-thingy that straps onto one arm] and his response was dead-on…

“That sucks!”

So – we all know he got that from mommy. It’s hard to be mad when it uses it so well, but we did have to tell him this wasn’t ok to say. Which was hard while laughing. Cuz he’s right – it does suck! =)

Be Careful What You Say...

...as a Kindergartener just might be listening. (and repeating!)

In the past week, my kids have just floored me with the things they've been saying. Specifically:

While we were working with Travis on his "Y" prononciation (like in Yellow), Thomas kept trying to say it too. Which just kept confusing the issue. We told him to be quiet so many times and it just wasnt penetrating. Finally, Travis leaned over and told him "You are not required in this." We just busted up!

Tonight, I was having trouble getting off the couch (I told you I was still sore from HillOween dancing!) and Travis came over to help me up. After I got about halfway up I fell back down and said "crud". Travis responded with "Crud-sicles and puppy snot? Is it that bad?" TOO FUNNY! (if you don't know, these 'words' are my version of kid-friendly swearing)

Travis has just been on sch a roll lately - sometimes I just start weird converstations with him just to see where it will take us! =)

HILLOWEEN 2007

HillOween was a rousing success! everyone who went from our office (I think there were about a dozen of us) had a great time. Technically, my costume was a goth chick, but I ended up being dubbed the AC/DC groupie by the bartenders and the DJ. Works for me! I'm still sore from the dancing though. =)

Enjoy the photos...

The Gang's (mostly) All Here! Front: Kimmy Cub as a "sexy army girl" Back: Sky as (well, I'm not sure), Chad as a monk, Ramsey as the guy from Revenge of the Nerds, Neal as a "Cowboy Indian", Me (behind Ramsey & Neal), Thad as a Richard Simmons workout woman (his finacee was dressed as Richard Simmons!), Amanda D. as a lunch lady and Jason as the iPod Dancer.

From HillOween 2007

The body-painting Centerfold model. Nope, not 100% nude, but darn close!
Amazing that she stood that still for HOURS and the detail of the work he did.


Cara as little Bo Peep and Kevin enjoying one of her sheep.
Personally, I thought this was the best DEG costume and should have won a "Couple costume"!


Yes, this is my boss. He went as a "Cowboy Indian". Get it?
It was his big joke of the evening. LOL


Bethany did our mutal Harry Potter "obsession" a good one.
She looked the part of Hermione pretty well -
and this was an 11th hour setup. Whoo hoo!

Results of the Pumpkin Patch

Here are photos of the pumpkins we carved from the trip to the pumpkin patch the week before. I cut off the tops and the boys did most of the goop removal (we made Emily do her own though!) All three kids actually did their own carving! I had to do just a little cleanup to get the pieces out, but they did the brunt of the work. I think they look really amazing for their first pumpkins!

All four pumpkins. I have one more to do, but it's pretty small, so I don't know what I'll use yet!


Thomas' Ghost


Travis' Bat (daddy thought this was a regular jack-o-lantern and that he did it upside-down. Pretty funny!


Emily's Cat - she had a skinny piece break off between the cat and it's tail, but pretty good!


My spider. The design was called "Web Designer" which I found oddly appropriate! =)

Elton John @ the Sprint Center!

This was the BEST Elton concert I have attended so far! And after seven, that's saying a lot!

I can't believe the ENERGY this man has at his age (which is 60 for you non-fans). The concert started with an unbelievable rendition of "Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding" and just rocked out from there.

Some of the highlights from his 2 .5 hour main set included songs from Madman and Yellow Brick Road, a 20-minute version of Rocket Man, Crocodile Rock, and a killer version of Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting.

His 15-minute encore included signing autographs for the people who had rushed the stage, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me and (of course) Your Song. (Every one of his concerts that I've seen has ended with Your Song, so I knew we shouldn't leave until he played that.)

I did get to impress my friend with my vast Elton John knowledge, including predicting how he would play Bennie and the Jets (just that single starting chord and then waiting for the noise to die down), and just knowing all the songs except one. He playing a song called "The Bridge" off his The Captain and the Kid album which I have not yet obtained for my vast collection *gasp*. (I shall have to get this, if only for this song - it was WONDERFUL!).

I didn't get some of the best pictures (technically only disposable cameras were allowed, ha!), but here's a few I did get. If I can get some from Ramsey (friend who went with me) I'll post those in the album as well.

From Elton John Co...

My friend's video from the night:

Children of the Corn

From Halloween 2007...

OK - so they aren't really the blood-thirsty children of that long-ago horror movie. But, they do look pretty darn cute in the corn husks!


We took the kids toa pumpkin patch today. We got three HUGE pumpkins (the kids would accept nothing less than that!) and two smaller pumpkins (mom's picks). I'll probably carve them next weekend and take pictures of the finished products then.


We got to play on haystacks & half-buried tractor tires, work our way through (or in the boys' case, over!) a haystack maze and go on a hayride.


Here are some other photos from the day. Feel free to check out the full album by clicking the "Halloween" link.

From Halloween 2007...