Halloween - the Classroom

The project.
Remember I mentioned all the spider activities we were going to do in Max's classroom? Well, here was the best one. Yummy. It was two cookies with licorice legs held in the middle with frosting and skittles eyes. It was a big and universal hit with all amature arachnologists. Here was me having just waaaaaay too much fun doing the activities. The headband I am wearing had spiders on the top (of course!).

My guy modeling his spider headband and spider cookie. The spider graph and song sheet are also on his desk. His class this year is really sweet and we had a fun time.
A few neighbors are getting together in Meredith's driveway for pizza, salad, and adult beverages (and kiddie ones too) before trick or treating. Should be fun. Then we will go around in a clump. It is gorgeous weather here - over 60 degrees. Blue sunny sky and light out almost until 7. I think it will be a good night. I will likely not get other pictures up until tomorrow though because somehow I also have to squeeze in a workout after tricking and treating around the neighborhood. Abbie is going with a group of friends this year and not us! Man, she is getting big so fast (sniff, sniff). Still will all this fun stuff I miss our traditions from CT (and the people involved) very much.

I hope you have a Happy Halloween - tell us what your kids were okay? Or what you were! Or how you managed to resist the candy... or if you didn't.

Off to make the salad ~

J

Random Musings

Hello.

Very grumpy day today.

I suppose that happens. Still, I somehow feel apologetic about it every time. Like I have to be sweet Mary roses and sunshine all day every day with flowers bloomin out my butt or something. Today was not a bloomy day. No reason in particular, just everything seemed like a struggle. Did you ever have one of "those" days? Man I am exhausted.

So.

Rather then struggle and grump through an entry - I thought I'd do this little fun quiz just to shake things up a bit - here goes:

outside my window....

It is finally dark. I am looking forward to daylight savings as crazy as that is. Around here sunup isn't fully done until almost 8am! Dark mornings are strange, seems hard to get the day moving.

i am thankful for....

Many things. Today I am thankful that I managed to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.

from the kitchen...

is the smell of fresh baked sugar cookies that I am not allowing myself to indulge in. Torture to bake them. Need them for a spider project I am doing with Max's class tomorrow. I get to "take over" his class for a whole hour of spooky spider fun. Right now Kristin is likely chuckling.

i am wearing....

the smallest size I have worn since before Max was conceived.

i am creating....

{with humble apologies in advance to Heather for whom all this spider talk will give the heebedy jeebedies... sorry} spider headbands (stop laughing K) spider handouts, spider graphs, and spider facts

i am going....

to fall asleep soon

i am running....

every day - although not always just jogging, I count some of my more vigorous aerobics classes as running too. Same basic idea, less hard on the knees.

i am hoping....

1. to live through spider day

2. to be able to enjoy Halloween

3. to have lost enough weight

4. to get some decent rest (notice that theme do ya?)

5. to see some long lost relatives soon (hint, hint)

and lots of other stuff too

i am hearing....

Max playing with his sister's hairdryer - hang on, I'd better check on that one

Okay, all's good.

around the house.......

are more messes then i feel like dealing with in the near future. Hope to have them cleaned up by Thanksgiving.

one of my favorite things.......

trying on clothes that no longer fit, or old ones that now do

i just saw.....

High School Musical 3 - really last Friday - opening day of course. It was good, I enjoyed it. Not Oscar material, but there are some TALENTED kids in that movie. Really I think they are done now though, how much of this plot line can we take???

a few plans for the weekend.....

trick or treat!

soccer!

Is there anything else in life besides soccer????

Oh, and MAYBE sushi, that would be nice.

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

My Favorite Season

Hi again!
Are all of you ready for Halloween?
While my house is decorated, to some extent, I cannot say we are really ready. Still finishing up costume stuff. Max and Ethan decided to make their costumes this year. They are looking very cute. Miss Abdab is still fluctuating on her choice. Yes, this is not like me to be this late and yes, it is stressing me out a bit - but we'll make it.
So, here are some deco pics - this is my favorite "new" decoration this year. The mantle. Still need a frame for a picture of Ethan - it's on my "to-do" list.

The sun is down for now and the autumn sign takes it's place.
My flowers turned seasonal.And finally - this is really an update picture. Remember I've been saying we're going to turn the dining room into more of a desk/reading area? Well here is the furniture we got for the space. I love it! HUGE improvement over the dining room table. AND it's all decked out for the season of course. Still not totally done, I don't think I'm using the space behind the glass well... but all in time. It is nice to have the laptop down here so when the kids are on the internet they are right in the main area where I can see them. Handy.Sorry to be brief, but I have to run get Ethan from school. Then I have to head to the gym for step class, zumba and yoga to end it off. You should see me doing yoga - comical. But hey, at least I try my best right?!

Miss you all - happy Autumn!!!

I Can Hear the Bells....

Hello!
I've missed you!
Hey, if you recognized the title of this from something out of "Hairspray" the movie, give yourself a pat on the back for me!!
As you well know it's been awhile. Life has been incredibly busy. So I will update ya'll in parts, starting from this... which has been keeping us busy for the past few weeks.
My little brother and his wife Heather. Aren't they beautiful?! Heather looked amazing and hers was the most beautiful dress ever. Their wedding went off without a hitch! Gorgeous weather, wonderful guests, the perfect day. Ahhh.... A few days before the wedding my other brother Jeff and his wife Leonora and my nephew Anthony arrived. It has been 7 years since I last saw Jeff (I've seen LeeLee and Anthony about 3 years ago) and it was FANTASTIC to spend the week with he and his family.

Here's Ethan looking like such a big boy in his wedding duds. Abbie and I were in the wedding and Jeff was a reader. The boys were very happy to be fond observers.Almost all of my parents grandchildren. You see my three of course, and then there is Anthony there too. We're just missing Parker (who was power snoozing at the time of this) and the new one on the way "cooking in the oven". (FYI - YOU KNOW I AM REFERRING TO MY SISTER IN LAW! No, I am not pregnant.) (Becky I'm talking to you!! - lol!)
Handsome brothers....My dress still didn't fit quite right... you could have hosted a slumber party in the bust. Yep. Roomy. I wish it was more tightly fitted to me... but am thrilled that my weight loss (versus gains which incidently have bit me in my largish as* while in other weddings) was the cause of the ill fit. So it was all good. We didn't have any wardrobe malfunctions at all. ;)

BIG wedding party (not even all in the picture). Lots of wonderful people.

I loved seeing everyone. Family. Friends. Former lovers. (just kidding!!!... seeing whose still reading at this point - have I lost you yet???)

That's been my life lately.

I hope to keep up better now that the UBER crazy soccer season is almost over (for outdoor anyway...). Two kids with two teams each... what was I thinking?!

Oh, and if you check out the other blog I updated that one too.

So, how've YOU been?