Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! We are super excited to spend the day home, the kids and I! Brandon still had to go to work. We are going to hit the grocery store and clean up a little for Aunt Betsy and Uncle Mark tonight.
Emma had a great conference yesterday. Academically she is A-OK! She is exhibiting some of her "Emma-isms" at school but her teacher said she is just like all the other kids. So neurotic mom won't worry about it anymore! I am so thankful she loves school!
We got the pumpkin carved the other night. I just realized we never took a picture of the final product. I guess you will have to use your imagination!

"our little jailbird"

This outfit looks like he should be in lock-up! He is all ready to carve the pumpkin with his front-row seat!

Eeeewwww! Madie didn't really like the slime. We even roasted the seeds for the first time. I actually did try one...I think I burnt them!

Dad and Emma intently carving. Emma makes a great foreman for any activity!
"First you do this...."

Goodies from Aunt Shel...Emma was a party pooper and didn't want her picture taken. The girls got candy and Matthew got an adorable blue elephant. That Aunt Shel is the best...she always remembers the kids with a little treat! I have to say I Love my big sis...she is one of the strongest people I know. I am very proud of her!

Look what I did...

Breaking news...Matthew has learned something new! He rolled over for the first time all by himself this morning. That means it is the beginning of the end for the girls. They think he is so sweet right now, wonder what they will think when he is in their stuff??

Almost there...just a little more!

Look what I did mom!

In other news...we are getting excited for Halloween this week. Looking forward to trick or treating with Cousin Jacob! The big pumpkin carve will occur tonight...look for breaking news on that !

Emma has her first boy's birthday party after school tonight. We will see how she likes it. The last one she was invited to she didn't want to go to. It was a boy she didn't know very well but they have to invite everyone in their class if they take invites to school. Don't want to hurt anyone's feelings! Brandon helped pick out the gifts (the boy's are twins!), wonder what their mom will think of WWE action figures? I thought it was too violent but then you look at all the toys and they have a gun or something with it. Hmmm, guns or wrestling? Something to look forward to in 5 years!

Well, I am off for another exciting day in the schools!

Signing off...

Chunky Monkey...

Our little chunky monkey (AKA Matthew) is now tipping the scales at 15 pounds 15 ounces. That is 7 pounds in 3 months!!! I don't think he is going hungry! I had to run him to the doctor this morning. He just can't seem to shake this pesky cold. The doctor said his one ear is cloudy but not considered an ear infection quite yet so we are just going to watch him closely. Hopefully we will be on the mend soon! Poor little guy is miserable but will still flash that toothless grin.

Snapshots...

Saturday morning snapshots...we got the house picked up and were hanging out. Matthew is trying his hardest to roll over. If he could just get his head up he would have it! He turned three months this week! It is parent-teacher conferences next week for Emma and Madie. All should go well. Since I am in the school I would hope they would have let me know if there was a major problem! Although I was in the room Thursday during center time in Kindergarten. Emma decided to make a rubber band gun with the rubber band she was to be using for a math center. Mrs. D. looked at me and said, "we'll have to talk about that". I have to say thanks to Grandma and Grandpa G. for that one! I believe they were the instructors for that lesson! All in good fun, just don't do it at school!

Miss Emma...she had her letter friends parade at school yesterday. She was Ms E...for exercise energy~she told us it went well but she got "nervouser and nervouser when we went to second, third, fourth, fifth grade"

Miss Madelyn~we had to do a little reverse psychology to get this pic.
"Don't smile at me!"

Matthew~ I think we are finally about over our cold...knock on wood. His little buddy at daycare (only 3 weeks older) ended up with pneumonia from the same cold!

Too many ads...

Ok...you know there are too many ads about the election when you hear a conversation like this at the supper table!
Emma: There's gonna be an election. (They have been talking about it at school) It's between McCain and Obama
Madie: Yeah, and I'm voting for John McCain and I approved this message!

Way too many ads people, way too many ads! Madie is going to know the next President as McCain and I approved this message or Obama and I approved this message! Gotta love the mind of a 3 year old!

Lazy Sunday...

Big puppy dog brown eyes = bad news for me!!! Yep...you guessed it, I got suckered by the big brown eyes...and not from Madie...from my 30 year old kid! He has talked about how much fun a Wii would be for the kids to play with for a long time now. Well, last night we stopped at Wal-Mart for pumpkin paint and we came out with a Wii. Usually, they aren't in stock so I can safely escape the video game isle...last night, my luck ran out. I am a complete sucker for the big browns... All I have to say is Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, not to mention Happy Father's Day!

(I must admit, it is fun...sshhh...don't tell!)

Em's got her game face on...first game boxing!

Good jab Em!

Madie has a great combo going on!

This is what we really went to the store for...pumpkin paint!

So much fun...

They're at it again...

The girls have been at it again with the camera. Here is life from their point of view...

Emma: Matthew after his bath

Emma: The girls have discovered cresent rolls...they love 'em

Emma: Jerome La Phantom - our friendly ghost

Emma: Our pumpkins from the Kindergarten field trip to the pumpkin patch. I surprised her and went along as a chaperone.

Madie: Matthew...I don't know why he has such a concerned look on his face

A side note: The other day Madie and Emma were fighting over some random toy. Emma had taken it away and Madie was crying and squealing and pointing. We always try to get the girls to use words to solve these issues...not always very successfully but we try. Anyway, her dad told her to use her words, expecting her to say something to Emma like "Can I have my toy back". Instead we get a very loud, emphatic "IT'S MINE!" I guess she used her words...point taken! What's left to say?

Who's heard of metatarsus adductus???

We just got back from the orthopedist. Matthew has metatarsus adductus. In other words, his little feet curve in 45 degrees. The doctor gave us some stretches that we are supposed to do many times a day. Matthew didn't like it when the Dr. stretched out his foot. He cried! I guess it is better than having to wear casts! So we will work on it and see how it goes. The doctor thought he should grow out of it by between 6-9 months. I guess there was no more room at the inn before he was born! Got a little to tight in there!

The next Mia Hamm??

She kicks....

She shoots...



She scores!

The glory!

Love it...

I love this picture of Matthew that my brother-in-law, Brett, took at church yesterday! Matthew loves to hang out on my shoulder and look around. Tonight we got some good giggles out of him...I think we could say this was his first!

Congratulations Matthew!

Matthew had a big day today! He was baptised this morning. After church, we had a great lunch and then were able to catch one of Emma's soccer games. Emma had a rather large cheering section! Emma even scored a goal! Although her team lost, a fun time was had by all! We then came home and celebrated with cake and ice cream. What a blessing to be surrounded by family on such a special day for Matthew! He doesn' know it yet but he has a great family who loves him dearly!

Grandpa G. with Matthew and Ryan

Brandon's side of the family
Brett, Heather, Me, Matthew, Brandon

Dylan Grandpa R., Emma, Grandma R., Madelyn

Our family...

Grandma and Grandpa G. with the grandkids

Emma, Ryan, Matthew, Jacob and Madelyn

10 questions...

The guilty party....(although Emma comes in a close 2nd!)

Here are the top ten questions heard in my house on a daily basis. I swear I can answer some of them in my sleep.

10. Do I have school today?

9. Where are my shoes?

8. Have you seen my baby?

7. Do I go to Kelly's today?

6. What's for dinner?

5. When is quiet time?

4. When does dad get home?

3. Can I hold Matthew?

2. Can I have a snack?

and the number 1 question heard at my house....drumroll please....

1. But why??? This question comes in all forms from why standing alone to Why does Emma get to... or Why are you doing that....to Why do you have to go to work? I am thankful for her natural curiousity...but we can stop with the questions...especially when she already knows the answer 99% of the time!

1 week down...

Dad and Matthew hanging out after a day of daycare...

Well, the first week of daycare is over and I would say we survived. Matthew is having a little trouble adjusting to sleeping at daycare but hopefully that will get better with time. Madie loves going to Kelly's, she has been doing all sorts of activities and doesn't really care when I walk through the door at night. I am still the one having the most trouble adjusting to our new schedule. Work is crazy...I just may need to be committed soon!

Need...more...chocolate!

I was doing really well with my post-baby weight until it came time to go back to work...I could eat more food right now than Michael Phelps before a race! This is my craving...Hershey's Cookies 'n Cream bars. Can we say delish??? I never thought of myself as a stress eater but have since realized I was delusional. Between leaving my brand new baby at daycare and the stress of being a full-time SLP in the schools (I was gone at the busiest time of the year so all the teachers saved their best kids for me - Oh Happiness ~ Joy ~ Bliss).

This is what my craving looks like after, oh, say 30 seconds! Add the Mountain Dew and can we say Big Momma!

Hot guy???

Emma ( #2 in neon yellow) following the ball...

Warming up

Emma is playing soccer this fall. She is loving it and even scored the winning goal for her team (even though they don't officially keep track, the kids know who won!) Her team is called the Hawkeyes. Today we were waiting for the game to start when Madie says "Look, Emma is playing with the hot guys!". Brandon and I look around to see what "hot guys" she is talking about wondering where in the world she learned that phrase...took us a bit but she was saying Emma was playing with the other hawkeyes!! Much better...had me worried for a minute there... I'm a speech therapist but still didn't catch that one!

Say Cheese!

My cousin Alli took some great photos of the kids for me. I tried to upload more, however I kept encountering technical difficulties! I love computers but nothing frustrates me more than when they don't work! I highly recommend a trip to Photos by Alli if you ever want pictures taken. She did a fantastic job! Thanks Alli!

Do as I say, not as I do...

Emma had to have her picture taken upside down!

Don't you hate it when your kids are smarter than you? Emma doesn't miss a beat. Here was the conversation in the kitchen tonight:
Dad spilled on the kitchen counter...mumbles oh shoot under his breath
Emma: Dad you usually say damn it!
Brandon: Emma, don't say that it's a bad word!
A clear-cut case of Do as I say...Busted!

Do I have to???

Well, today is the day that I have been dreading for 10 weeks now, the day I have to go back to work and leave my two little munchkins at daycare. Madie and Matthew are starting a new daycare today. We went and visited yesterday and all of Madie's apprehension disappearred. Matthew should be fine...it is me...I am the one who wants to stomp my feet, scream and cry "do I have to!?" But I guess that wouldn't be appropriate for a 31 year old woman huh???
Maybe I should take a lesson from my daughter and say "this is going to be fun mom!" *sigh*
Matthew has decided he likes bath time! He is 10 weeks old here. How in the world can I leave this face?