2008 Rice Krispy Treat Pumpkins!

Last year, our friend Todd got us (meaning Allison) a pumpkin-shaped cooking pan. He then got the fantastic idea to make pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispie Treats and decorate them. We did, and it was a blast! Here are some pictures from last year's event.

This year, we made it a tradition. Tonight, Todd prepped the treats while Allison and I put the girls to bed. Afterwards, we started decorating the pumpkins. The two hardest parts of this thing is 1) figuring out what to decorate it as, and 2) actually being artistic enough to pull it off! This year, the line up included:

• A Princess (Allison), complete with crown
• Hiro Nakamura (Todd), from NBC's "Heroes".
• Tony the Tiger (John), as I work for Kellogg, who also makes RKTs.
• Mike Wazowski (John), from Monsters, Inc.
• A regular Jack-O-Lantern (Todd)

It's always a blast making them, but it's better eating them! Here are the pictures!

Happies

I LOVE footie pj's. Brooklyn was very excited about putting these on, but she wanted them off at bedtime. She really is not a fan of her feet being trapped in there. Unfortunately, my days with babies in footie pj's are coming to an end. When Emma saw B's, she asked for some. I spent $6 at Walmart to get her some, so we'll see if she will wear them. She doesn't like wearing socks, so I'm not sure she is going to keep them on either.

We have had a "happy" morning. I feel like we are constantly rushing out the door in the mornings. Today, I just decided we were going to skip everything and stay home. It was well worth it. Brooklyn got to sleep in, instead of getting whisked out of her bed, into clothes with breakfast in the car. Sometimes it is nice just being at home.

I hope everyone is having a "happy" morning. We have a lot going on this week with Halloween festivities. It is going to be really fun and even more fun now that we have had a day of "down time."

Proud Little Girl

Is this the face of a proud little girl or what?

While I was at cell group last night, John decided to make B's bed into a toddler bed. It was probably better that he just did it without talking to me about it. I'm not sure I would have ever taken the crib apart just so I could pretend she wasn't growing up. She loves it and she slept great last night. I just hope it continues!

My Baby is Getting Big

The other night, Brooklyn wanted to sleep in Emma's bed and Emma wanted to sleep in B's crib, so we let them give it a try. As soon as we left the room, Brooklyn got out of the bed. We had told her that if she got out, she would have to get back in her crib. She was not happy about it.

Today, when I went to lay B down for her nap, she got in Em's bed. I told her that she could try again, but she only had one chance to stay in the bed. I went back to check on her a few minutes later and she was in the bed playing with animals. I tucked her back in and never heard a peep. I had to wake her up from her nap, so I was able to sneak a few pictures before she woke up. She was completely turned around from the position I left her in earlier.

We have a few options if this thing sticks. B's crib makes into a toddler bed, but it is still a little high off the ground and has no rail. Just this past weekend, we took advantage of a sale going on at the place where we bought Emma's bed and bought a matching bed and a trundle. We are thinking about storing the twin bed for a while and just having B sleep on the trundle. This will allow more space in their room since we can roll the bed in and out. If we have 2 twin beds in there, they will take up the whole room.

I am not sure that I like seeing my baby girl in a big bed (as cute as she might be in there). It makes it to much of a reality that she really is growing up.

A "Happy" Weekend with my Family

This weekend was so fun and full of time with just the 4 of us. Here is what all we did:

Friday Night:
Emma has been wanting to camp outside in the backyard, but we could never figure out a good time to do it this summer. At this point, our nights around here are pretty chilly and we don't have the right gear to camp outside. We decided that on Friday night we would grill hot dogs, jump on the trampoline in the dark, look at stars (Emma's idea) and then set up camp in the living room and watch a movie. We all had so much fun together! The actual sleeping situation wasn't quite camping. Brooklyn couldn't calm down in the tent with Emma, so she had to go to her crib around 9:30. John's body was hurting, so he went to the bed. I took the couch, Emma slept in the tent and Belle slept on her bed that we moved to the living room. Emma woke me up around 2 AM wanting to get in her bed. I headed to my cozy bed too. We woke up and had yummy powdered donuts and headed off to our next outdoor adventure!














Saturday:
The new addition to the Skull Creek Trail had a Grand Opening this weekend so we piled in the bikes and headed down there. The new trail is awesome and now connects to Mud Creek Trail with a REALLY long bike tunnel going under I540. (3 cheers for City of Fayetteville Parks and Recreation!!!) We spent about 3 hours out there riding, playing at the park, eating the provided lunch and then feeding the ducks at the hospital pond. I must add that only Fayetteville would have a free lunch and serve hot dogs and veggie burgers. It was very funny to me, but I was glad. I love veggie burgers.
Last time we tried to feed the ducks, none of them wanted any bread. The girls were very excited (and us too) this time when a Mommy and her 11 little ducklings came swimming toward us. Precious!
We invited ourselves over to the Hannon's house for dinner on Saturday night. My parents had given us some fillets and we asked Sam to grill them for us. In return, I made his favorite cheese grits and a dessert. We all had a very yummy dinner and had fun visiting. We see each other often, but it is usually for a short drop by.













Sunday:
We went to church on Sunday and then were supposed to go to Community Group that night. The people hosting were sick and we were already missing a couple, so we canceled for the night.
It worked out great because we had been wanting to go to the Pumpkin Patch in Pea Ridge. We headed out there and had a blast. The pumpkins are actually on the vine, but there were not many left. We found 2 that we cut off and brought home with us. We also enjoyed a fun hayride. It was a really fun place and John got some great pictures of the girls. It was hard for me to choose what to put on here. Next year, we will go earlier in the season so we have a better selection of pumpkins to choose from. We ate dinner at Wing Stop on the way home. We had 2 very tired girls!
It was a great weekend full of time with just the 4 of us!

The Stache

A while back, my friend Josh (the farmer) did an experiment / poll on his blog concerning facial hair. While most of his options were just disconcerting (and fairly creepy), it did make me want to grow a mustache. The idea lingered for a while...

A couple of weeks ago, I had a full goatee (well, as full as MINE gets, anyway). I decided to shave it off (itchy) on a Sunday night. While lathering up, I made the quick decision to leave the 'stache and see how fantastically terrible it would be. I wasn't disappointed! When Allison came in and reacted to it (what IS that???), I knew it had to stay! As we laid in bed watching TV, she kept looking over at me and making the "your wife is seriously grossed out" sound. Fodder for the flame!!

I knew most of my co-workers (the ones who lambaste me the most) were out of town, so I wore it to work on Monday. My boss noticed it immediately and almost fell over laughing at me. Fodder, fodder...

After 1 day of stroking my 'stache and joining with the laughers (and haters), I shaved it off. It was fun while it lasted, but good riddance.

I was giving my best Inspector Jacques Clouseau facial expression, as one must do when sporting a 'stache.

WiiFit For Sale

We bought a WiiFit last weekend and I posted about it on Monday. Then this week, John get an offer from a co-worker about buying hers. It is cheaper and has barely been used. We are going to do that and save $50.

WiiFit is hard to find, so before we return it to GameStop, we thought we might see if anyone in Blogger land is looking for one and wants to buy ours. It has not been opened and we bought it for $89.99 + tax. Leave a comment if you are interested in buying it from us!

Lunch with B

Emma goes to preschool on Tuesday mornings while Brooklyn and I go to a Bible study. Emma usually stays for extended care and the Cramer's bring her home so I don't have to mess with B's nap. It is a blessing and Emma loves being able to stay with her friends for a little longer.

Brooklyn and I have been coming home after Bible study on Tuesdays and having lunch together at the girls' table in the playroom. Yes, the chairs are small for me, but it is worth it. B and I don't get much one on one time together (that will all change next year), so it is fun for us. Belle joins us in the playroom and sits there waiting for a crumb to drop. You would think we didn't feed the dog.

After lunch today, I offered B a cookie. She has had an Oreo before, but today she realized that they come apart and you can lick the icing from the middle. It was messy and fun! I had a great video of her eating the Oreo, but it won't load for some reason. My tech support is out of town, so I have no one to help me. :(

Happies

I feel a little bad about my "happies" this week b/c many of them are materialistic things. BUT, they did make me so happy. (for our CG members who are doing FPU with Dave Ramsey-all was paid for in cash or was a gift!)

The girls and I went to a nursery to get some plants for our front flower beds. They discovered this butterfly bush. When we were there, we watched 4 butterflies make this their home. I couldn't resist so I bought it. It does get pretty big, so we will either plant it in a HUGE pot for the backyard or use it to hide the gas meter in the back. We have already had butterflies and they have made the girls and I so happy!



My very own bike! (yes, I know the wheel is not on the front) I have been borrowing a friend's bike for all of our bike excursions and now I have my own. My parents let me get it as an early Christmas present, so that I can enjoy riding in this beautiful weather! Thanks Mom and Dad!




Cute, girly rain boots! My sister got the butterfly ones for B for her bday and Emma has had the kitty ones. They make me smile when I pass them in the garage!
Did I mention how cute they are on their feet?



John and I typically do not buy Christmas presents for each other, but this year we agreed on getting the family a Wii. They are a little hard to find, but I got the last one at Target a few weeks ago. It is in hiding right now b/c we agreed to wait until closer to Christmas.
Friday night, we went out on a date and ran a few errands too. We went to Game Stop to just look around and found a WiiFit. I have never played this, but it was one of the reasons I wanted a Wii. It is REALLY hard to find and random that we went to Game Stop on the day they got one in stock. John bought it for me and I bought him Mario Cart. The waiting until Christmas thing is getting harder and harder. Especially when I think how useful the WiiFit would be to help me keep off those holiday pounds! :)

Krispy Kreme Treat

Brooklyn had her 2 year check up today + flu shot. Emma also got the Flu Mist while we were there. Emma opted for the Flu Mist and it was much less dramatic than last year's shot.

Brooklyn weighed in at 26 pounds and 34 3/4" tall. In 6 months, she has grown 4 inches and gained 2 pounds. I thought she was looking taller! She is now in the 25% for her height and b/t 25-50% for weight.

I love comparing my girls growth, so when we got home I got out Emma's stats from this age. What is interesting is that B has always been just slightly bigger than Em in all areas. This time was different. B is 1 1/4" taller, but 2 pounds lighter than what Emma was at age 2.

Dr. Jason said that Brooklyn looked great and was doing well. I think she should be talking more, but she understands SOOO much that he is not concerned and thinks she will start soon. I do have to remember that she has a very talkative older sister to compete with and who often likes to talk for her!

I told the girls we would go for a treat after our appointment. We are never near Krispy Kreme, but since we were today, we went for a Halloween donut! They were so cute and the girls loved them. I did too!! I figured a few extra calories for my hard work at the doctor was ok. :)

Excuse our blog! It is under construction and I made the mistake of deleting our old format. (John to the rescue!) I hate that there is not a hyperlink from our header to see all the posts. The HOME button below each post will get you there for now.

Brooklyn's Birthday Party

Here are a few of the pictures from Brooklyn's birthday party on Friday night. We had cake at Old Main Lawn and then headed over to the Pep Rally at the Greek Theater. The weather could not have been more perfect for being outside and running around!

We put Razorback tattoos on all the kiddos and the favors were red pom poms to take to the Pep Rally. The big girls cheered/danced their little hearts out!

Brooklyn LOVED the bobble head Razorback and the rest of the Hog mascots at the Pep Rally. She loved hearing the band play the Fight Song and getting to cheer to Woo Pig Sooie!

It was a great way to celebrate a very special little girl!

Tagged

I have been tagged, but my most creative friend, Brooke!

I didn't know if I could come up with 7 interesting/random/weird facts, but once I mentioned it to John, he assured me he could help.

1. I like ketchup on my scrambled eggs

2. I can touch my tongue to my nose. Emma shares this talent too. I guess it is hereditary or maybe just that we both have a small space b/t our mouth and nose. Or just a long tongue. I am not sure.

3. I have major ear issues. I hate for my ears to be touched and my gag reflex kicks in when the doctor has to look in my ears. My gag reflex kicks in even more when I hear "ear stories". This happened on Sunday when John told me about Wyatt Williams sticking a popcorn kernel in his ear. John updated me last night that he will be having anesthesia to get it out. AHHH! Honestly, my stomach was churning and I held back gagging.

4. I used to always win the "headstand" contests in gymnastics. Not sure I could do it now.

5. I really like things to have a place and for them to be in that place. I never thought I was like this until I had kids with toys everywhere.

6. For my 13th birthday, I joined my Dad on a business trip to Chicago. He scored us tickets to a Bulls/Celtics game. This was when Jordan and Bird were still playing and they were our 2 favorites. In my program, I had an invitation to join in the free throw contest at half time. I hated the spotlight then as much as I do now, but for some reason my Dad was able to talk me into it. Thousands of people were cheering for me and I made the shot! It was crazy considering I was the smallest person out there. I won a trip to Detroit to see the Pistons play the Bulls, but we couldn't go. My Dad sold it to a guy working the concession stand. It was my day of fame.

7. John says that this could be a post all its own, but I have a really crazy family tree. I could go on and on, but I will just mention a few funny family facts. My Dad will be 78 years old next week and is the greatest Dad in the world. He was always the oldest Dad, but acted the youngest. My oldest half sister (my Dad had 3 children from a previous marriage) is 58 years old and she was pregnant with my nephew (her 3rd child) when my Mom was pregnant with me. My middle half sister is around 55 and was also pregnant at the same time with my niece. I have 13 neices and nephews right now that are b/t the ages of 40years old and 9 months. Out of these 13, 4 are older than me. Wrap your head around all that! I could go on, but I will spare you!

I think everyone I know has been tagged, but I am going to tag a few of my old CG friends. I have been thinking about all of you a lot lately. We are all spread out now and I miss you guys! We need to have a reunion soon.
Sarah, Whitney, Erica, and Georgia

"Happy" 2nd Birthday Brooklyn!

Happy Birthday B!! You are my "happy" today and everyday. It is so hard for me to believe that you are 2 years old. This time last year, we thought you were our laid back child, but oh how a year can change things! :) You have learned to speak/or scream for yourself and you make sure you are heard over the other voices in our house. Your little giggle is contagious and your smile melts me. You made our family complete and we all love you very much!! Lots of love on this special day!
Love you-
Mommy

I also want to give Birthday wishes to 2 other special people that share a birthday with B:
Happy Birthday Amy and Happy Birthday Ben! I love you both and love that Brooklyn gets to share a birthday with you two!

We had a very fun birthday weekend with family and friends. Brooklyn loves the Hogs, so her birthday was all HOG. We had cake on the Old Main lawn and then headed over to the pep rally at the Greek Theater. It was a perfect night outside and we all had a really great time! As soon as I can go through all the pictures, I will post them.