A goulish good time

I know it is the day to rotate to a new banner and rework the colors of the blog but I thought I would give the fall theme one last day to shine along with the halloween photos.
So here we go. I have not forgotten the stories and pictures I have promised from previous posts, I will get to them, soon. Lets just get today behind us first. First thing we did today was head to the costume store (more about that later) and on the way there I explained to the kids that we could trick or treat in the mall and got them all excited. So we took in the pails, Ethan dragging his along the pavement while hanging over the side of his stroller and Kaitlyn skipping happily along with the prospects of candy, candy, candy filling her bucket on her mind. After doing our shopping we went to trick or treat and were so disappointed to find that this mall didn't participate, what is up with that?!
So on the way to the door I tried to explain to a sullen Kaitlyn that they had no candy, when all of a sudden she brightened. "Mommy, candy" she said excitedly---pointing to those candy vending machines by the door. "money peas mommy" she then exclaimed. So I dug out a quarter and bought her first treat of the day.

We then stopped by my parents place on the way home for lunch and of course to really break the kids in on the whole door to door thing. Above is my littlest sister Emily Victoria, isn't she regal?
Tonight they(my parents and youngest siblings) went water sliding with other homeschoolers, somewhat of a tradition among their group. Fun, fun, fun!

"Mommy, more tape?" Kaitlyn LOVES to tape things.
Early this afternoon we finally got the halloween decor put up, ya I was sooooo not on the ball this year, nothing like last minute!

Candles on the front step.

This was my sister "tt's" first time going trick or treating and she went as a prego chick. Actually she was just bloated. Just kidding! Her jacket is actually massively full of mini bags of chips since there was no room in the kids treat buckets. Next time we will take a bag for the chips.
She did have a great time and also wishes we could have gone as kids. My first time out trick or treating was when I was 19 and had moved out on my own. I had a friend who said I just hadn't lived till I went so we dressed up and she dragged me out. It was a blast! So much fun, and you get to meet all your neighbors. Speaking of neighbors, the ones kinda kitty corner and down a house to us have great decorations, above is a pic of one of their props.


Our frond porch.


Costumes.....well, you wonder what happened here? Wasn't Ethan supposed to be a bee? Yes he was, but I wasn't thinking when I bought his outfit and got a sleeper with wings, how the heck do you fit that under a winter coat and look cute or be comfortable?! Think, think, I need to think!!
So Kaitlyn was a lady bug as planned and Ethan ended up being a.....hmmm....bear? Gopher? Chip monk? We are not sure exactly what the costume is supposed to be but all I cared is that it fit over his coat. He got comments from candy-hander-outer-people on what it might be so I just went with it, "yup, that is what he is, you got it!"
Now for my costume, sad I know, but this is what you get when you don't think about a costume till halloween day and you go to the store and it is picked over. I ended up with a way too small striped shirt and then found some random wings that didn't attach to anything.
So I ripped seams like crazy, resewed new ones and sewed on the random wings thinking I would just be a blue bee or a butterfly. Well once out and about everyone thought I was a fairy, so I guess I have a costume for when my kids loose their teeth. Only I will wear a crown rather than some crazy spiky toque I found in a box in the basement.
I did learn a few valuable lessons about wearing a costume with flowy wings:

1. Do not cook sausage or go anywhere near a stove while wearing one. I came within two inches of burning myself down.
2. Do not go to the washroom with the costume on.
3. Do not walk too close to trees
4. Do not try to pass someone in a doorway
5. Do not drive a vehicle

You get the idea, I could go on, but seriously, just wear it to trick or treat then get out of it!

Spooktacular fun

Boo?
Tonight was pumpkin carving night. What fun, or so I used to think. Back in the pre-kids days when I only carved one or two pumpkins a year, and it only took an hour at the most. This was an all evening affair! Dave did the spider one, well half, we shared the work load on that one, taking turns juggling bored kids. But once they were lit(the pumpkins of course, what kind of mom do you think I am?!) it was so worth it, the little ooo's and aaawww's, so cute. The one above is Ethan's....

and the troll was Kaitlyn's. She loves trolls thanks to Dora and we sing the grumpy old troll song a few times a day and draw trolls and try to find her little baby troll, which is forever lost in one corner or another. The next one is mine and is not the design I had planned at all, but it came down to me not wanting to carve all night long and my wrist getting tired of the sawing, sawing, sawing, whew!

Dave's spider---hey I just realized that there is a moon behind it, ha, I am tired! The next is their reflection in the dining room table. Kaitlyn kept looking for them in and under the table and couldn't figure out why there were 8. It was so funny, up, down,"mom, two....more"



Wish I had a scary story to tell but truth be told I am totally freaked out about this time of year. The show on tv and all teh movies scare the living daylights out of me....as I type this I can see out the corner of my eye the orange flicker of the porthc light and it is enough to give me goose bumps....I hate closets in teh dark too. Eeeeek!

I have so much to post about our day, but you are probably bored to tears of the daily craft regime, we did have a playdate, a very interesting one, am still trying to get my mind around the whole situation, don't know if you all are interested in those kind of stories....so if you have any questions about me/us or ideas for a post -shoot away, I will see what I can come up with, if not I shall go on with the day to day journal and get that story sorted out.
Have a fun halloween!

Photo diary

If pictures could talk ... then I wouldn't have to. Today was another finger clickety day. I have developed a love for photography. Not that I am any good, but I cannot stop. Kaitlyn got fed up about a week ago and said "mom, no mo pic's!" While wagging her little index finger at me.

I stopped using the flash so it wouldn't bother them and she actually poses sometimes now.
The photos above are from gymnastics this morning. (with the flash) Aunt 'tt' thank you so much for coming and giving me a hand with Ethan, it is just so much easier to have help!

The rest of the photo's are from my flash-less day. I shall let them speak for themselves because I have been on here now way too long sorting and choosing pictures and still have other things to tend too.
Enjoy!


I know it kinda looks like a kitty, but it is suppoed to be a troll. Not wiskers, trolly hair. Don't ask me, it was all her!

p.s. It was an insanely gorgeous tee-shirt day today, yippee-keye-aye! don't know about the spelling on that, but I am happy about this weather!

Thank you beachmama for sending it my way as per requested, you are far more talented than I gave you credit for!








And that is a wrap!

Olive rings

Black olive rings. For some strange reason my kids love black olives and think it is a grand treat to have them served as a side in their lunch. Though maybe it is just the edible play jewelry factor.

This afternoon was not going smoothly so I summoned for reinforcements. Naps were not together and I was tired. The house was a dive and the remnants of our big blanket fort was still in piles on the living room floor. Don't know why I was tired though since I had plenty of sleep--I think. Maybe I over slept or something.
You might think I am crazy but... sometimes I wish I had 4 kids, two older to help with the younger. Then I realize the amount of laundry that would entail and then am grateful for my 2.

A few of my younger siblings came over for the afternoon and greatly relieved my burden. First off I crashed for a great 40 min nap, had a bath, blow dried my hair, moisturized, and felt normal! It was great! The rest of the day was smooth sailing, crafts to distract and entertain the kids and I got a ton of cleaning and tidying done.

Ethan is such a musical kid and a soulful and one at that. (left over halloween kit kat chocolate being saved on his face for later)

Yay, finally a proper craft corner! Kaitlyn's supplies were taking up precious storage space in my dining room cupboard so I dragged out a book case and loaded it up. Now she can see readily all her stuff and help herself to what she wants. It is not esthetically pleasing, but I am learning about function and how important it is. So much for my perfectly placed pieces of furniture and that show room quality I used to strive for. Now I just want it to work!

Crafty weekend start

When Dave works the weekend we try to keep ourselves busy, and out of trouble. Even though it should really feel like any other day of the week for me it doesn't. In my mind I know it is the weekend and therefore I must do something weekendy.


So I took the kids over to my mom and dads for the day to let them play with their auntie and uncles, and so I could make cards with my mom and aunt Deb without a little monkey hanging offa me.

Poor Ethan was nearly out of diapers, he only had two to last him the day so I intended to get to a store and buy some, sometime. If all else failed he could always wear Kaitlyn's but there are little pictures of Dora on hers. However he did make them last, or maybe I should say I made them last. When it says good for 22-28 lbs they aren't kidding! That last diaper was at least 28lbs when I took it off, it hung down below his knees, no wonder he doesn't walk! Anyway I did manage to run and pick up a package of diapers for him before heading home.

Erika and Emily even got in on the crafting and made a few cards for a few special people in their lives. My mom and aunt Deb are also in the photo above.
Of course if Emily could do it then Kaitlyn could too, so up she climbed and stamped and glued and made me a pretty and messy, but totally unique and I will always cherish it kind of Christmas-y card.

Once Dave came home little Ethan went crazy with delight and ran-crawled to him full speed. Now a run-crawl is what he is doing these days. It is a combination of a run and a crawl. He gets up on his feet and runs but his hands are still on the ground, I guess it could also be a gorilla trot. It is so funny to watch because it looks like he should go head over heals at any second, but he motors as if he was upright.

I got back at painting last night. I have started a series of four 8x8 paintings of fruit. I have always wanted to paint fruit but never gotten around to it. In my basement these 8 canvases have been kicking around for months and I have been so indecisive as to what to paint on them. I have at least 4 ideas for great sets but deciding on one idea is tough. So there will be two sets of 4 paintings. The first set fruits. Of course they can be broken up and purchased separately, but they will be a much better deal as a set. The second set will be one of the other three ideas mulling in my head. So far I am still undecided. Check the finished painting out here.