Devilishly Cute Chicks

On Facebook today, a friend posted a  photo of deviled eggs turned into angry chicks and I thought "That's not right for Easter! They need to be happy!" So, I made the following:

Isn't he CUTE?

 

Then I got to thinking...maybe you'd like to know how to do this too. So, come along with me while I teach you had to make devilishly cute chicks!

 

INGREDIENTS:

• Dozen Eggs - 13 or 14 if you want extra yolk
• Miracle Whip (or mayo if you prefer)
• Grape Cherry Tomatoes
• Black Olives 

(The bananas in the photo are NOT an ingredient...
that's just where they live on my counter.)

 

STEPS:

1. First, boil the eggs like you normally would for deviled eggs. I do mine about 13 minutes and they're darn near perfect. Peel them after they're cooled enough to handle
    
2. Next, lop off their hats. I cut mine about 1/3 of the way down, but you can make smaller hats if you desire.
    
3. If the yolk isn't visible or is hard to get out, use a very thin knife to cut around the inside of the shell until the yolk can escape.
    
4. Make the yolk mixture like you normally would for deviled eggs. I can't tell you measurements because it depends on how many eggs and how mushy you like it. I personally just squeeze in the MW then stir and repeat until the consistency desired.
    
5. Fill your eggs with the yolk mixture, adding some above the egg white for the chick head. Personally, I use a chef's icing bag for the yolk mixture. It makes deviled eggs so much easier, whether they're done this way or the normal way. (One of the best "for no reason" gifts my husband has ever bought me; although I think his reason was to keep me making deviled eggs.)
    
6. Cut the tomatoes in half then cut the halves in long quarters to get the beaks. I cleared off the gooey part of the tomato. Push the beaks gently into the bottom of the visible yolk on each chick. I used three tomatoes to get the right beaks for mine.
    
7. Cut the black olives into little pieces for the eyes. I only used 2 olives for a dozen chicks. Push the eyes into the yolk as well, above the eyes.
    
8. When the faces are in place, put the caps back on the eggs and smush down a little so they stick.
    
9. Voila! Devilishly Cute Chick Eggs! :) 



Spring Break: Clean or Consequences

My goal for Spring Break was to have a MUCH cleaner home - not just decluttered but really CLEAN. But, with two boys to entertain and to keep from grumbling while cleaning, I needed a plan! Thus was born the weeklong game of "Spring Break: Clean or Consequences!".
The idea WAS to have a gameboard and actual game-type cards, etc. but I planned too late and had a karate tournament to sit through the day before we started. So, we went with a modified version for this first year and just pulled the activity cards out of a paper back and we're tracking the rewards in our heads.

To start, I wrote down all the things I wanted to get done around the house. For reference I suggest breaking them up into 15 to 30 minute tasks (see below for why I suggest this...). Instead of "Clean bedrooms" you might have: 1) Pickup clothes & toys, 2) Vacuum/Sweep floor, 3) Dust furniture, and 4) Make beds. Repeat card-making for all rooms and tasks you think you can complete in one week. If certain tasks are dependent on others (you can't vacuum until all the clothes and toys are picked up, for instance) leave them out of the game until they can be done.

I also needed rewards and consequences to make this a "game" for my 10-yr-old boys (everything is a game at this age!). Mine tended to run towards money but use whatever works for your kids. If they can earn money in one reward, you should have an equal consequence of losing money...or break time, or an extra snack, etc. We also have "Remove one consequence" rewards - sort of like a "Get out of jail free card" in Monopoly.

To make it even more fun, we added some "race" activities - like clean bedrooms, pick up office/playroom, scrub tub/toilets (guess which one mom has to do...). The kids work as a team against mom. If they win, they get an extra reward. If mom wins, they have to do an activitiy without mom helping.

We set a daily deadline for getting clean cards completed - our deadline was 1 pm every day. So, we spend the morning cleaning and if we succeed then they have the afternoon for playing and "daily awards". They take turns pulling cards so there's fairness and mom can't stack the deck (dumb rule that *I* set). We set a time limit for the activity to be completed within and hit it hard. If they do it without complaining and within the limit THEY helped set, they get the reward and a 10 minute break. If we don't, no reward and only a 5 minute break. We try to get as many cards completed by the daily deadline as possible.

Overall, I promised them $20 for a week of good hard cleaning. They can lose money for consequences and possibly earn it back with rewards. They can't go over $20 or under $0.

My thought was this would make the cleaning go easier with time limits and deadlines, they would actually get rewards instead of nagging, just the threat of a consequence card makes them work harder, and I'm happy because the house would look better without (many) arguments. Here's how it turned out:

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DAY 1: LAUNDRY
So, because it's hard to get ANYTHING done with that mound of insanity piled up in bedrooms and the laundry room, this day was devoted to getting as much cleaned and put away as possible. Plus, I had to take Travis to the doctor, so the day was sort of off kilter anyway. AND it was nice to just have a down day overall - we all needed a mental health day. :) So, the game didn't really start today, but we got things ready and they got an understanding of the games. I also learned that NOT using the word "CHORE" but rather "ACTIVITY" helped their mental reaction to what we are doing.

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DAY 2: TWO TASKS
I didn't follow my own advice and had "Clean Bedrooms" as one all-encompassing task. Took us over 90 miunutes to get two bedrooms cleaned. UGH. But, SO much better now! It was also a race and they beat me pretty handily so they won a reward. But then they came in an helped me finish (without being asked!), earning them an extra reward. We also pulled the "Pack up books" card and got *6* boxes of books out to the garage. Then we reorganized the book case and it looks so much better!

Consquences: NONE
Rewards: Each boy pulled some money rewards and Son #1 got a "Take a 10-miute break" card - which he saved until day 3.
Daily Award: Cosmic Golf at the Great Mall of the Great Plains plus Topsy's popcorn.

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DAY 3: FIVE TASKS!
After the "clean bedrooms" craziness I redid a few cards to make the tasks smaller. We ended up completing these tasks:

• Declutter Living Room
• Declutter Dining Room
• Clean Figurines / Reorganize Art Supplies - RACE! (They won, again!)
• Vacuum Hallway
• Vacuum Bedrooms

Now, I've thrown the "Wash DR Walls", "Wash LR Walls", "Vacuum LR", and "Mop DR floor" into the deck for tomorrow. :)

Consequences: NONE! Although, we came close with the art supplies time until they remembered it was a race and mom was close to beating them.
Rewards: Again, money and snacks. Plus Son #2 pulled TWO break cards and has 15 minutes to take on Day 4.
Daily Award: Subway picnic lunch at the park with a photo shoot on the playset then a 2-mile (30 minute!) walk in the woods.

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DAY 4: AMAZING DAY!
Wow, this was a day for some CRAZY cleaning! We accomplished:

• Washed the walls in the dining room and the hallway (lots of little boy handprints to be removed)
• Revacuumed the hallway, bedrooms & living room - apparently the bag was full on Wednesday. :)
• Scrubbed the bathroom floor. This one was all mom. And it wasn't as bad as I  feared!
• Dusted the living room furtniture - this was hte boys while I did the bathroom.
• Swept the dining room and kitchen floors - again, the boys while I continued to tackle the bathroom floor.
• More laundry and dishes
• Started removing wallpaper in boys room in painting anticipation
• Moved boys furniture around from original layout we set up 7 years ago! And that stuff is HEAVY!

Consequences: NONE!
Rewards: Boys decided they really didn't need the rewards to keep doing good things. YAY!
Daily Award: Headed over to my friend's house for a few hours. Her husband volunteered to create a chess-based mural for the boys' walls. He and the boys discussed that while she and I discussed her newly painted walls and colors for my bathroom. Then her son and the boys played outside while we drank some wine.

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DAY 5: NOTHING DAY
Ok, I admit. I gave up long before the boys did. I was SO tired from everything all week and I just wanted a break. So we took the day off and did NOTHING. At least until 3pm when I started to feel guilty so I hit the boys room to finish stripping the border from their room. Boys chilled out on the Wii for (too many) hours. And they fought more today than any other day this week. Hmmm...lesson to be learned? Keep them busy with work and planned activities rather than let them handle things themselves!

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Conclusion: GREAT GAME!
The kids were really positive about this endeavor / experiment! They've told other people about  it and they keep telling me we should make it a real game. Guess that's my next "activity"... :)

4th Graders!

Boys have entered the high ranks of elementary school - 4th grade! With homework (they get REAL textbooks to carry this year I'm told!), football, karate and piano, this fall will be jam packed and full of fun. I'm hoping they have a reading club again and maybe a running club - need to get in touch with the PE teacher. They are ready to learn and spend time with friends they missed over the summer.

Here's to a new school year full of fun and learning!

Cash for a Better Life

Did my subject draw you into this post? I'm hoping it did, but it might have given you the wrong idea - purposefully I admit. :)

Many of you have read previous posts of mine about how I help with The Ugly Christmas Sweater Party that benefits Operation Breakthrough. In this post, I simply want to tell you about that organization and how even a $10 donation can help them.

Put most simply and in their own words:

The mission of Operation Breakthrough is to help children who are living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment.

Operation Breakthrough cares each weekday for more than 600 children, ages 6 weeks to 18 years. More than 98% of the enrolled families live below the federal poverty guidelines, most far below them.

About 25% of the children are homeless or near homeless, living in battered women's or homeless shelters or transitional living programs. Often they sleep on the sofas of friends or relatives, sometimes even living in cars, rundown hotels or abandoned buildings. About 25% of our children are in foster care or other placements due to abuse, neglect or other family crises. The average income of our families is $9,400.

You can read more on their website. It truly is a wonderful KANSAS CITY organization that helps KANSAS CITY children who are dealing with a situation that is NOT their fault.

Our Gifts Make a Difference! $10 will buy a book for their library. $20 will buy new shoes for a child. $50 will buy groceries for a family of 4. $85 will cover a complete physical for an uninsured child. $100 will buy a pair of eyeglasses. $150 will cover care for an infant for a week. $500 will cover a field trip for 50 children to a museum or theater performance. $1,000 will cover 80 hours of individual therapy for a child suffering from abuse or neglect.

Personally, my "Skipping Starbucks" savings will be going to Operation Breakthrough again this year. My donation will probably be around $100. That simple donation could provide a child with the eyeglasses needed to do better in school. Or it could give 5 children new shoes for winter when they may otherwise not have correct apparel.

YOU, too, can skip eating out a few times this month or skip the expensive coffee or just skip a date night. Will spending money on any of those items make as big an impact in your life as these items will make in theirs?

If ten of us could each give $100 that combined donation could provide a child with the therapy needed to overcome a tragic event in their life. The thought that we could help a child so profoundly with such a simple gift truly moves me to tears and I hope it affects you too.

Please consider making a donation to them this season or at any time during the year. It does a heart good! :)

Conversations with Kids

RETIREMENT PLAN FROM THOMAS
A recent car conversation went like this...

• Travis: Do artists make a lot of money?
• Mom: Sometimes. Depends on what they paint or make.
• Thomas: Really? That could be good. I like art.
• Mom: It's a lot of work. And sometimes you don't become famous and people don't buy the art until after you die.
• (long pause where you could hear the wheels turning in their heads)
• Thomas: ok, I have it. I'll do a regular job and then when I'm 99 I'll become an artist really fast, get famous cuz I'll die soon and then my grandkids will have lots of money! Everyone should do this!

---

ACRONYMS WITH TRAVIS
Travis wanted to figure out the meanings to some acronyms that he's heard recently. Here's some of the best 8-year-old answers he gave before we told him the real meanings:

• SWAT = Sweet Weapons and Tactics (he knows it's Special, but he prefers Sweet)
• CSI = Criminal Science Animals (yeah, he can't spell very well yet...)
• NCIS = National Crime In Science
• CIA = Crimes In America
• NASA = No Air in Space Association
• USPS = Daddy's Work!
• KSU = K-State University (but he couldn't tell us what the K was for...)

Once we explained the K in KSU was for Kansas, we of course asked, "If K is for Kansas, what is KU for?" And this garnered our absolute favorite answer...

KU is for Suckers!

I kid you not, no prep or coercion. He just KNOWS! :)

Best Example of Organized Chaos (aka Karate Tournament)

Imagine around 200 students from 20 different parts of KS & MO, in six different belt classes (24 classes if you count intermediate striped belts!) ranging in age from 4 to adults participating in eight different events over a five hour period.Karate Tournaments should definitely be listed as a perfect example of organized chaos in the dictionary.

Example of how the chaos was controlled.

This was the boys' fourth tournament and they each did three events. We keep telling the boys that one day they will lose and they'll have to get used to that but each tournament they do better than the last one! :)

After taking 1st & 2nd in Escape Drill.

This time, Travis won a 2nd place in Escape Drill, 3rd place in Sparring and a participation medal in Fastest Fist. There was some complications with the meter bag for Fastest Fist and he was really upset about this one (as were we) but we decided to set that aside and be really happy with the two trophies and the knowledge that if he were in a fight or needed to defend himself, he'd be fast!

Travis in sparring gear after winning his first round.

Thomas took home a participation trophy in Sparring, a 2nd place in Strongest Punch and a 1st place in Escape Drill - he edged out Travis by about a quarter of a second! (15:03 vs 14:47). This is the 3rd time he's done escape drill and won a trophy for it!

Thomas ready to hit the bag during Strongest Punch.

It was a really great day of fun and learning and a little drama. Can't wait for class on Tuesday where they get to show off their trophies to the other students and talk about how they won them. I am SO proud of them!

At home with their collection of trophies from THIS tourney!

I'll post some vids of their sparring as soon as I fix them up... :)

Feeling Old? Let me help...

The people who are starting college this fall were born in 1990-1991.

• They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
• Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
• The CD was introduced two years before they were born.
• They have always had an answering machine.
• They have always had cable…and satellite...and cell phones.
• Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
• Popcorn has always been made in a microwave.
• They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
• They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
• They’ve never heard: 'Where's the Beef?', 'I'd walk a mile for a Camel ', or 'de plane Boss, de plane'.
• McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
• They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Feeling old now? :-)

Overheard: In the Ladies' Room

...conversation apparently started outside the restroom...

Mom (in sugary sweet voice the WHOLE time): now, Ethan, don't be like that. I want you to be a nice boy. Can you do that?

Son: No. I just want a piece of candy

Mom: I said you could, but not until after we eat something good. I don't want you to get a tummy ache.

Son: but I can have another piece?

Mom: yes, that's what I said. but not until later because I don't want you to get a tummy ache. After we eat something else you can have a piece of candy. Or a cupcake. Or Mrs. Allen made really special cookies for you. Would you like a cookie?

Son: I'd like a cookie. Can I have it now?

Mom: well, ok, but that's the last thing until after we eat some dinner.

... out the door...

UM - hello? Mom? You totally just got schnookered by your kid!

little lassie

I have a friend, Allyson, who is an amazing photog. She was looking for "pint-sized models" for a photo shoot and I suggested my boss' daughter. She is the CUTEST thing in the world. Her momma's looks with dad's coloring. Plus, she's just so sweet and charming! Had to share the link from Allyson's blog with the pics for you to see the proof yourself!

I also "stole" one of the pics to post here myself, but it DOED have her copyright on it so no fair stealing it from mine!

Crazy full fun day with the kiddos

Today started off with Travis up at 6:30 - and for once I didn't get annoyed with him being the early bird! (Although Emily did, cuz he climbed up to her bed if she was still here...)

Once I got everyone roused and dressed, we started the day off with doughnuts and chocolate milk from Krispy Kreme. The boys each ate two doughnuts and Emily had a kreme filled and a chocolate cake - just ORDERING all the chocolate made me not want any, so I had a strawberry creme and saved the blueberry cake for later (in the box we brought home with the extras for daddy).

Then, we went to get the oil changed (not fun for today, but necessary to do the canoe trip next weekend!). They said it would be an hour before we'd be done, and at least 45 minutes before they'd be ready to talk to me about what to do on the van. So, we walked to Burlington (same strip mall/shopping centre) and browsed about (no purchases, just sussing out what's possible for back-to-school). we got back only 30 minutes later and they said "we're just about done..." - WTH? Oh well, no annoying "you really need to get this done on your van" convos this time! It always costs more than I want since it's a minivan (more oil) with high mileage (special oil). But, once a quarter isn't bad fr this.

We decided to kill the rest of the morning at the park, but it was PACKED with bikers and kids and possibly a family reunion. So, instead we dropped the van at the house and walked to the boys' school (about 1/2 mile - UPHILL). We played on the school equipment for about 20 minutes, after Travis gave me a full tour of the facilities ("these are the bars where people try to do flips or just climb on top", "this wheel makes a LOT of noise when you spin it", "these are the racer slides" - you get the idea). The favorite apparatus was either the curvy monkey bars (both boys can get all the way across unassisted, but Trav can do it with just one hand per bar!) or the parallel bars where they play "Fuzzy Taco". Yeah - don't ask on the name, we have NO IDEA. However, the boys taught me and Emily to play and it's FUN! And one heck of a workout! [Ask me and I'll try to explain it to you...]

After Em & I nearly got wrapped up trying to double jump in the single jump rope we found, we saw it was already 12:20. We all had to hurry back down the 1/2 mile to the house to grab the van and rush to get sissy to work on time; she works at the "kiddie pool" in the concession stand or front desk. We made it with about 5 minutes to spare (wipe sweat from forehead).

The boys and I then headed over to watch "Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince". I had to warn them several times that it was a much longer movie than they were used to and there were some slow parts, but they still couldn't talk or move around. Movie was pretty full, but not as bad as I expected for a first weekend Saturday afternoon. We had sodas and a large popcorn to help us through the time. :-) They really liked it but had a lot of questions - some expected since they are only 7, some because the move wasn't all that clear in places. I will post another page with my thoughts on the movie...

We decided it wasn't really that warm, but we'd still try swimming at "Sissy's Pool" anyway - mostly to harass sissy! So we grabbed our suits and towels back home and headed over to the kiddie pool. We harassed sissy a little and then got to swimming. This was my first time there and it' not a bad little pond! The boys go there once a week with camp. After about 90 minutes though, I'd had enough and I was REALLY hungry for some fairly real food after realizing that our lunch was the large popcorn and we hadn't eaten since the doughnuts!

We said bye to Emily and headed over to get dinner. McDonald's was out as an option, even though that would have made the day "perfect" in the boys' eyes. I decided the boys could use a few veggies after all the crap today and they really like Subway, so we headed there. Eating out simply meant I hadn't had to cook or clean ALL DAY - YAY ME!

After eating dinner we chilled for awhile watching the end of Shrek and part of a Pirates movie (Black Pearl I think). I shooed them to bed at 8:30, both of them whining that they weren't tired but both asleep before I turned off the light! I'm currently enjoying the REST of the Pirates movie while typing this happy list.

SO -

While it might not have been the HEALTHIEST or CHEAPEST day, it was a really FUN day with the kiddos. Limited fighting, nice weather, silly games and just reconnecting. They'll have to eat lots of fruit and veggies over the next few days, I'll have to attack the cleaning (dishes, laundry, yard, etc.) pretty hard tomorrow, and we all have to swear off extra expenditures until the next payday, but all in all I think it was worth it! :-)

1st Game - FINALLY

Boys had their first baseball game tonight - FINALLY! they got rained out three or four times and we finally got to see them play on one of the hottest/muggiest nights of the summer thus far. Joy!

They looked so much better than last year and the whole team actually got better as the game went on. They did end up winning, although they don't keep score (whatever). Joe and I decided the score was at least 12-7, but it might have been higher cuz we lost count somewhere in the third of four innings. :)

Travis & Thomas both got up 3 times. Travis went 2 for 3, eventually getting home both times. Thomas only went 1 for 3 (got hit home as well) but he did amazing in the field! The kid threw from their outfield almost to the pitcher - good arm!

I'll post pictures later, when I remember to bring the camera in to attach it to the computer! :)

All he wants for summer is his two front teeth

Travis just lost his TWO front teeth!

Both boys have had loose teeth for quite awhile and kept eating apples, carrots, etc. to get them to come out. Finally tonight Travis' came out! Then cuz we were then obsessed with teeth for the next hour, Thomas made his bleed trying to get them out and Travis' second one came out easily.

So, one half of me was celebrating with Travis, talking about the tooth fairy and how she was going to pay up. [Apparently I have to hold her down and threaten to pull off her wings if she doesn't pay enough.] The other half of me was consoling a very upset Thomas and telling him his would fall out soon and we'd celebrate just as much for him.

Ah, the joys for twins! :-)

Emily

Emily's 8th grade (spring) photo. We're in trouble when she hits high school next year, aren't we??

Crazy Boys

I haven't posted in awhile, mostly cuz life is just everyday normal right now. nothing good or bad going on, just existing and floating right now.

However, my boys decided they needed to be crazy one night. Travis was channeling Jason and Thomas was...well...just crazy.

Hope these bring a laugh to your day as they did to ours!

Travis as a future serial killer I think.
Either that, or this was supposed to be a SWAT mask -
he really DOES want to be a cop!

We honestly had NO idea was Tom was doing!
Travis came out in his mask and we laughed
so Tom had to "one up" I think.
Yes, that's his shirt on his legs and his pants on his head.
Crazy, no??

Wow.

My babies are going to be 7 years old on Saturday. How did that happen?

It really doesn't feel like that long ago that I was carrying two baby carriers into church (occasionally pushing the double stroller in, cuz I just couldn't handle both at one time alone) and watching them curl around each other in one crib. Now, we're breaking up fights over Bakugan and telling them they can't watch Sponge Bob anymore.

We've gone from painting their big toes to tell them apart to them automatically correcting us when we get the names wrong. (yes, I can't tell my own kids apart sometimes - they're a little too identical at times!)

They've gone from learning to walk to being told to quit running through the house.

They've gone from not being able to talk to singing their own made-up songs, yelling in celebration at sporting events and reading above current grade level.

I used to worry about making sure they were treated as "individuals" by teachers and even strangers and now I just wish they'd learn to share and not worry about what's "theirs".

They're such wonderful little boys and yet some days I wish I had my babies back. Wish that I could go back and fix some of the things I know I did wrong. Wish I could pick them both up at the same time and rock them to sleep. Heck, sometimes I'd just like to go back a couple years where I could pick ONE of them up!

I'm not really sure how we've gotten 7 years in the future already. It's just amazing to me. So, let's not mention how it is that I'll be 35 in a few weeks. I really don't want to know where all THOSE years have gone...

Basketball 2009

Travis


Thomas

MORE PICTURES
(check back throughout February as more might be added...)

1st Grade Barnyard Moosical

The 1st graders had their musical tonight and it was SO much fun! The boys were so excited about it and they did so well.

Travis as a Neatnik Pig.

Travis' Song - When Pigs Fly


Thomas, as a funky chicken.
We keep telling him looked like Elton John up on stage. :-)

Thomas' Song Funky Chicken Strut

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve Party with the boys. Nice things about celebrating with kids? Lots of energy, no stupid drunks and "midnight" comes around 9:30 or 10pm! Enjoy the pics...

The "balloon lake" out on the porch


Digging into another treat bag. I fill 4 or 5 lunch sacks with various noise makers, mess makers (Silly String!), glow lights, jewelry and other celebratory goodies. They get to open one bag each hour from about 6pm on - together. Breaks up the entertainment into small bouts of insanity, makes them work and play TOGETHER, and makes them interested in the holiday all night!


A look into the future? :-)

More Pictures...

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 in pictures. Enjoy!

Visiting Santa - on December 23.

Yeah, I forgot and they had to remind me. Oops!

Christmas Eve
they got to open jammies and presents from siblings only.

The "haul" for this year.

Seriously - didn't we say we were going to cut back??

Playing the guitars from Gigi and Jeep.

Look closely - they're BOTH holding them backward for their handedness!

Em with one of her favorite gifts.

She got several Twilight themed items and couldn't have been happier!

Playing with the Wii from Gram and Papa Smurf.

I think Tom is celebrating his first Bowling strike.

Nerf Dart wars. Exactly WHAT was I thinking?

I need to get me and Em our own guns for retaliation!

(Joe is on his own!)

Travis opening his new jammies and robe.

Who knew kids could get so excited about night clothes?!

Me, with the hippo Em found and purchased on her own.

I named him "Herbert" and he was welcomed into the Hippo Family.

More Pictures...

Halloween

Pictures for Halloween activities, cuz it's so much easier this way... : )

Just follow the links and enjoy the fun!

HillOween Costume Party

Pumpkin Patching and Carving

Beggars Night