Not Sure Why.

I let Calan write.

On my leg.

With a pen today.

But I did.

Stop. Look. & Listen.

 Calan is so funny when he hears a noise outside. 

He stops everything & tries to figure out where and what it is.

He always points to his ear when he's listening.

Halloween 2011

This is how 5pm started out last night.

We were out of the car, faces painted, dog on leash, diaper bag packed with ALL essentials including a change of clothes for everyone & water bottles, stroller set up and baby secured, healthy snacks had been had in the car & growls & Roars had been practiced, we were ready for the LONG walk.

 Cody showed the two big kids the ropes while I walked Lola & pushed Case in the stroller. First house was a breeze. The kids are fast learners but then Camille freezes up & decides not to walk. 

ONE house down. 

No double stroller tonight. 

Why won't she walk? 

She's even wearing comfortable shoes that don't really match but won't hurt her feet. 

 We even give her the only 2 pieces of candy that we've collected so far. Nothing works and she then starts screaming and is rolling in the road.

 Cody decides to carry her.

 Calan hits the next couple of houses by himself while we figure out how this is all going to play out.

 Back on track. Calan can walk & Camille is carried from house to house for the next 2 hours.

 This guy is so amazing. I do hate when he smiles like this. It's so fake & I know that he would really like to be doing anything but this. I offer to just take her to the car but Codes doesn't want us not to be together for Cit's first "real" trick-or-treating. Calan's been before but hasn't understood or even been able to walk. So we continue.

 Calan LOVES this. 

Not only is he outside but people are telling him how cute he is & they are giving him candy. 

 After we loop through the subdivision Cody went to get the car & I sat with the kids in someone's yard. Camille wanted marshmallows out of her bag (she eats them before I can get a picture) & Calan chose 2 suckers. He wanted them both & didn't finish either. 

 Case was, of course, there too.  Dressed in his Pumpkin sweat suit. Happy. Quiet. And as usual just a Joy to have around.

The fruits of our labor now fill our fruit bowls.

& this is all that remains from last night. 

Just memories & animal body shells on the floor.

Just another mess that I will need to take care of.

ReDirection.

The chalk has made it's way back to the Chalk Board.

Breakfast?!?

The kids don't get a whole lot of greasy, overly processed or sugary junk. We try not to make too big of deal out of it when we are out & about or doing something different (camping, golfing, at the grandparents).  But look what I gave them for breakfast this morning.

 OK, they aren't as bad as you might think. They are MorningStar Veggie Corn Dogs. No meat & hardly any fat. 

 Camille couldn't figure out the stick part & Calan stopped eating his when he hit the stick. So much to learn.

And so It Begins.

Thank You sweet for choosing chalk.

We have had ZERO run-ins with writing on the walls. I am OVERLY careful about where pens, pencils, markers & crayons are at all times. 

So, I guess a little chalk on the floor isn't going to hurt anyone.

WELCOME TO MY WORLD.

(100% unstaged.)

The Weather

We have been outside as much as possible the last few days.

I have a feeling that this warm weather is fading fast and we are going to take advantage.

 After church on Sunday, we went to one of our favorite parks.  There is a baseball diamond there & we were able to find 5 baseballs (and one softball) that had been left behind. We walked to the lake to throw rocks into it.

Cody would put a rock in Case's hand then chuck-it into the lake for him.

This went on for over an hour.

 Cody had to impress us all with his rock skipping skills.

 We walked back through the woods so that we could go home and rake leaves.

Last Weekend

 My little younger brother & his sweet, wonderful, crafty, girlfriend Courtney came and stayed a couple of nights.  Ben used to make stuffed mushrooms that Cody & I loved but he had an improvement to the mushroom recipe...

"Mushroom Things."

Cody, Calan & I stayed up late just to sample the new & improved Mushroom Things. Calan was able to learn the method so that he can make them for us now.

 He first consulted his sous chef.

 Then started in on the massive pile.

 Calan, the ladies man that he is, acted like he need a little help.

(I think he was making a move on my brother's girl.)

 The classic knife cheers.

 A little cooking.

 A little mixing.

 A LOT of tasting.

And there you have it.

Mushroom Things.

Delicious with a little Chinese sweet pepper sauce.