Halloween attempts to be the best Mom in the World

The past two nights I have spent my time baking and cooking. I made the usual Halloween cupcakes, but I also wanted to try to make those sugar cookies that look like candy corn candies to hand out in goodie bags in Audrey's class today.

Unfortunately, there is no picture of those as I completely burnt them last night.

But! I did attempt to make jello-filled oranges for the girls breakfast this morning that look like these sorbet filled ones from Martha Stewart.

I also stopped by the Krispy Kreme yesterday by my office and picked up the Pumpkin shaped doughnuts.So I left the sugar-high kids with Ray this morning to get to work early so I could leave early for Audrey's party this afternoon. The girls had Halloween purses on their breakfast chairs this morning - both with light up rings and Ashley with crazy socks for her to wear to school today (it is spirit day, she is not allowed to dress up) and tattoos for Audrey.

Maybe for Thanksgiving my baking skills will improve?

Ashley will be Sharpay from High School Musical tonight (I know, SHOCKER) and Audrey will be a "pink princess" which is actually Ashley's old Halloween costume from a few years ago. Thankfully it is supposed to be a little warmer today, because the past few days? Cold. At least to me.

Field Trip

Ashley had her first field trip yesterday on the coldest day yet in our area. Not only was it supposed to be cold, but there were wind gusts that made it seem even colder. And of course the field trip was to a pumpkin farm complete with hayrides, corn mazes, and lots and lots of pumpkins.


Ashley got to ride in style to the pumpkin patch. I was not allowed to ride with her on the bus, but instead I carpooled with a few other Moms who were going as well. This seemed great and the kids loved the fact that they could watch a movie on the way to and from.

Until it was time to leave and the stupid bus wouldn't start and we had to wait out in the cold for another bus to come and take the kids back to school. Luckily, the kids were fine with playing Duck, Duck, Goose to pass the 20 minutes or so we had to wait for the new bus.
Yes, Hallelujah I got my child to wear jeans. This is a first as she flat out refused to wear them. The only way she would was if I let her wear the boots I purchased for her to wear with her Halloween costume - some God awful blue Tinkerbell boots I picked up at Walmart to match the blue Sharpay dress. And she actually enjoyed wearing them so I just might have to buy her some more.

Since there were 12 chaperones and 23 kids in Ashley's class, each chaperone was responsible for 2 kids. The other kid I had was not too good at staying with me and stressed me out for most of the day. And the cold. It was actually fine when we were walking around, but when we sat on the hayride and when we ate snack and lunch, the wind was pretty brutal.

Ashley had fun, but was extremely tired at the end of the day and she still had cheerleading practice last night. I had to stop by Starbucks on the way home from picking up Audrey since I too was pretty wiped. Thankfully she doesn't have another field trip until the spring...

Sponge Bob, Square Pants

There is a sort of long back story to this, but the bottom line is that for YEARS, Ray has requested a SpongeBob Cake. One of our friends back in Virginia always promised him one, but they never made it.

So I decided to actually get him one this year. There is an amazing woman who makes cakes out of her home in my town, so I contacted her to see if she could do it. She was more than happy too and everything was a go. Then a few weeks ago she emailed me asking if she could be creative. She wanted to replicate the Krusty Krab. I said go for it. As long as it was cake and it was related to SpongeBob, I was all for it.

So for Ray's 33rd birthday, this is what he got:

I need a weekend from my weekend

Friday I took the girls to see High School Musical 3. Yes, Ashley and I had already seen it, but Adurey had not and Ashley and Audrey were invited to see it with a friend from Ashley's class. Audrey did great during the entire movie, her only problem was a cough.

A cough that got worse and worse and made it difficult for her to breath during the night on Friday as her asthma kicked in. A couple shots of Albuterol, and we finally made it to Saturday morning without much sleep. Luckily our pediatrician has Saturday hours, so I took her in. He confirmed her lungs sounded "crunchy" and prescribed steriods.

And today? She's fine. She has a little bit of a cough, but nothing like it was on Friday night.

The weekend ended last night with game night with friends. We played a game they called Celebrity - basically everyone wrote down names of celebrities and dropped them in the bowl. The first round, you get people to guess the celebrity by saying anything except sounds like or rhymes with. The second round you use the same names, but can only say three words. The last round? You can't say anything.

Let's just say I kind of suck at this game, but it was fun. I now know who Dwight Schrute is (I have never watched The Office...) and my husband is a jerk for putting John Lithgow in the bowl so that I pull his name in the last round.

The Middle Finger

The other morning at breakfast, Ashley started telling me a story about something that happened in school. As she always does when she is unsure of herself or worried something will get her in trouble, she was talking really quietly. She went on to tell me a friend in her class told her about using her middle finger at someone, and Ashley wanted to know what it meant.

"What do you think it means?" I asked.

"That you don't like God." Huh. That was interesting.

I went on to inform her it meant something mean towards the person it was aimed at, kind of like calling another person a name. A really, really bad name. She knew it was a bad thing, she just didn't understand it.

And seriously, if these are the questions I am getting in KINDERGARTEN, what in the hell is she going to ask me in middle school?

Oh, and go here if you want to read my review of HSM3!!

Happy Birthday Ray

Except Ray really isn't his first name, but I am betting he would not be happy with me if I shared his first name.


Happy Birthday to the one person in the entire world who is willing to put up with me and my indecisiveness and stubborness and who knows what else.


Happy Birthday to the guy who STILL GETS CARDED because he looks that young.


It was actually 12 years ago this week that Ray and I started dating...the week we both turned 21 at college.


Happy Birthday and I love you.

No Allergies

Audrey shows signs throughout the spring and the fall of seasonal allergies. Runny nose, itching eyes, the whole ball of wax. When she was one, her pediatrician put her on Zyrtec and Flovent to circumvent her asthma relating to the allergies. The other signs of allergies she has shown have been the random hives that have appeared on her face. It was particularly bad when we were in Disney in September. She had a bite of banana, and her whole face broke out in hives. We gave her Benadryl, and they went away.

So I thought I would have her allergy tested to see exactly what was going on. Ray is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and other random fruits (including bananas).

Yea, she's allergic to nothing.

They did four environmental boards on her back, none of them showed any signs of allergies. They also did peanuts and bananas, and those were negative as well. It was explained to me that she can still have seasonal allergies and pollen and ragweed and such can still irritate her and cause those allergy symptoms. So we are keeping her on Zyrtec for now with a suggestion by the doctor to try a nasal spray.

As far as the hives, since it has been kind of random when she has gotten them, the doctor seemed to think she might be allergic to a preservative or additive in a food. She prescribed an epi-pen just as a precaution (and I hope I never have to use it - have you seen the needle on that thing???!!!).

So we really didn't get any specific answers, but Audrey was great throughout the whole testing ordeal.

Birthdays

Yesterday was my birthday, and it ended up being a really good day. Actually, I had a really good weekend. My Mom and Stepdad came into town, and Friday we went to the fair. Saturday was spent running around at the kids' events, but we managed to have dinner at Cheesecake Factory. We also got Audrey's bed ordered (thanks Mom and Ed!) and it will be delivered on Thursday.

Yesterday morning, I taught Sunday School, then met the best neighbors/girlfriends that a girl could have for brunch for my birthday. Not only did they take me out for brunch, but I got a giftcard for a spa and a cute "Girl's Night Out" money jar. Back home I went to help Ray switch the girls' rooms. In the middle of that, another friend/former teacher of Audrey's stopped by with a cookie cake and balloons for me.

So another year down, another year started. Thirty-three is such a forgettable number that this birthday didn't seem like much to me. But with my good friends and family, I had a really good birthday this year.

And I did talk to my twin brother yesterday for our birthday. It sounded like he had a pretty good birthday as well.

And now this morning I get to take Audrey to be allergy tested. Good fun for me.

I thought I just had a lot of wax...

So my ear has been "clogged" for a few weeks. Just enough to be annoying. About two years ago, I had the same thing and went to the doctor and they pretty much washed my ear out and I was good to go. I thought it was the same this time, so I went to the doctor this morning.

Nope, I am almost 33 years old, and I have my first ear infection. What fun for me.

On a much happier note, I have been offered to see High School Musical 3 next Wednesday night and write a review about it. I am so freaking excited, you have no idea. I told Ashley about it last night, and at first she was upset because she wants to see it with her friends, and then I told her she can still see it with her friends, she was pretty excited too.

I am hoping Zac Efron takes his shirt off at some point in the movie...

NC State Fair

This will be the third year in a row we will be going to the NC State Fair on the first Friday it is open. And of course, the weather this week has been beautiful - highs in the 80s - but Friday? High of 69 and possible showers. Of course. But my Mom and Stepdad are coming, and they are excited, Ashley is excited, Audrey, well, who knows what she thinks. I am sure she doesn't remember last year.

Ashley's teacher actually encourages students to miss for the fair, so we are taking her up on it. I don't like Ashley missing Friday since that is the day she comes home with all the papers for the week, but I just sent an email to her teacher letting her know about Friday, so hopefully I can get the stuff tomorrow.

And every year at the fair, there is a new fried item. Fried oreos, fried snicker bars, fried cheeseburgers. This year? Fried pecan pie. Not sure what I think about that one. We have yet to try any of the fried items, but Ray is SUPER excited about the NC State Ice Cream we had last year. Seriously, the best ice cream he says he has ever tasted.

Audrey Updates

Audrey really, really likes being an only child. On nights Ashley has cheerleading and she stays home with one of us, her personality really shines. And I don't necessarily think it doesn't on other days, its just when it is a one-to-one ratio, it stands out more. Saturday night when it was just her and I after we left Ashley with my friend to spend the night, I treated her to some "pink" ice cream at Cold Stone. She was flirting with the ice cream scooper person and giggling the whole time. Next we headed to Old Navy to get jeans for her.

Let me remind everyone she will be 3 in January. The size jeans that fit her? 18-24 months. This child is small.

Since the new schedule from July where I am dropping her off at daycare, I have only had a handful of days where she was clingy and crying when I left. Most mornings she uses the bathroom (how she doesn't go when she gets up is BEYOND me...), washes hands, and immediately tells me by and starts playing.

Audrey is one of two kids in her class of fourteen kids who does NOT have ringworm.

One morning last week, Audrey told me to "zip my lips". Not something I would say at all to my kids. Hush up or be quiet, but not zip your lips. I talk pretty frequently during drop offs and at playdates with two other Moms of kids in Audrey's class (one of the Mom's also has a daughter in Ashley's class in kindergarten). I discussed this with both of them, and they were having issues with one particular teacher in the class. About a month ago, one of my favorite teachers at Audrey's school left. She was replaced with a woman with great credentials, but obviously lacking something. Along with telling two year olds to zip their lips (not necessarily bad, but just not what I want my kid learning), she told one other girl she couldn't pee at nap time. These kids are TWO, not 10. The little girl had an accident, and had been having issues since.

Well, thanks to a great director at the school who listens to parents concerns, the teacher is no longer in Audrey's class. She has been given the chance to try out other classes to see if she is a better fit with a different age group. She was a nice person, I just think she didn't do well with Audrey's class and as they learn there, made bad choices.

Highlights from this weekend

About two weeks ago, I asked some neighbors and looked on Craigslist for tickets for Ray for the UNC/Notre Dame game. Not that we are fans of either, Ray just really wanted to go to at least one college football this year, and I thought that would be a good game (and it was). His birthday is four days after mine, so that was going to be his birthday present. I had given up looking for tickets as no one had any. A few of our neighbors have season tickets, and my one neighbor ended up being sick, so Ray got to go. And yes, we pulled for UNC. After all, Virginia Tech has already beat them this season...

I spent the day driving all over Raleigh. Ashley had an away football game to cheer at on the other side of Raleigh from where we live, then we met our friends who lives that way as well for dinner. This is my best friend from college and her daughter who is nine months older than Ashley. Ashley wanted to spend the night, so she did, although I did get a call at 9:30pm from her saying she wanted to come home. Between my friend and I, we calmed her down and she was fine. Actually, my friend calmed her down and then her daughter started crying (her husband was out of town and her daughter got sad...). Drama with girls, all drama.

Sunday I taught Sunday school, and then we went looking for a bed at Rooms to Go kids for Audrey. I think part of her problem with going to sleep at night is she hates her toddler bed. So we found this bed:

And of course Audrey loved it, I loved it. The price is right (I am forfeiting any birthday money to go towards the purchase - hint - parents, money is okay by me for my birthday).

There is just one problem with it. It won't fit in Audrey's room. Audrey has the smallest bedroom out of the three bedrooms. Ashley's is the biggest, then the guest room, then Audrey's. It would work perfect in Ashley's room. Plus, the walls in Ashley's room are already pink. We asked Ashley if she cared about switching rooms, and she doesn't. I told her she would get new curtains and a bedspread if she switched rooms. Has anyone else had their kids switch rooms? Our only other problem with the switcheroo is Ashley's bed. It is a daybed we got at Ikea a few years ago. We don't know if it would make it being taken apart to get out of the room and into the new room (it barely made the move from Virginia to North Carolina). I am willing to try and just keep my fingers crossed it works.

Crafty, I am not...

But I am a damn good copier. Give me an idea and some instructions, I can do it. As long as I have a picture to follow.

Stole this idea right out of FamilyFun.com. Love that sight, and I loved this easy project. Plus, I can take these off and add stuff for Thanksgiving and Halloween. White pillowcases and black felt? Super easy. This is a Creative Memories frame thingy. Official name. I forget what it is called, but I change it each month (there are magnets that hold the paper on the frame). Ray just tonight noticed that it does actually change each month. This thing sits on the counter in our kitchen. He is obviously very, very observant. These are some Martha Stewart decorations I picked up at Michaels on sale the other day. Simple, yet I like it.

Wish I could wow you with a little more, but that's all I got. Come back at Christmas, I am sure I will try and spruce it up some more then.

Twitterific...

I admit it, I like Twitter. I get a ton of information from it. For example, I follow a few Virginia Tech folks who often posts links to news stories and cool VT websites. I follow Starbucks, Wholefoods, Google News. All post links to interesting stories.

Last night during the debate, it was very entertaining to read the updates on the debate.

And tonight I got a request from Santa Claus. His updates?

"Noticed this morning an increase of 216 names on the Naughty List.This is usually time of year that children start to be on best behavior."

"Up early this morning. Need to figure out how to dress the elves properly for school. Countdown timer shows only 78 days to go. Busy busy...."

I think it is hilarious. Yes, obviously silly things make me laugh these days. So if you want to follow me, go here...

GAH!

Ever since coming home from vacation ALMOST TWO WEEKS ago, my children have decided that 5:45am (or even earlier...) is a perfectly good time to get up. I am not joking. Every morning for almost two weeks.

We haven't changed any bedtime routines, they are going to bed at the same time. No new night lights, no new blankets. Same old, same old.

When they get up as early as they did this morning (and actually Audrey was up around 5:15), they are cranky, uncooperative, and they don't listen. Makes getting everyone ready for school and work a ton of fun. I deserve an award for not losing my cool this morning and staying patient through the endless whining and crying. I refuse to raise my voice to the whining, I even stayed calm through Ashley's battle to make up her bed. Audrey cried for fruit snacks; Ashley whined about how cold it was outside.

Ray wants to put a clock in Ashley's room and tell her she can't get out of her bed until at least 6:30. Not sure if this will work or not, but I am willing to try anything.

Disney Pictures...

I missed my usual Friday pictures, and I finally got off my butt and downloaded the Disney pics. Here are my favorites:

The first night there....

Breakfast at Chef Mickey's

Audrey and me on the Backlot Tour at Hollywood Studios

Audrey did this a few times...

Ashley getting her face painted...

Shopping is taking on a whole new meaning...

The weather has suddenly turned cold (well, cold to me anyway). It was 53 degrees at the bus stop this morning. 53!!! That's enough to make me break out the winter gloves (which is exactly what Ashley asked for when she walked outside).

In preparation of this, I knew last weekend that the kids needed some clothes. Audrey is making due with the last batch of Ashely hand-me downs (the rest above size 2T have been given to Ray's brother's wife/ex-wife's daughter). Ashley has outgrown everything from last winter. Pants are too short, shirts/long sleeve dresses are too short in the arms. Damn, that kid is growing fast.

My Mom purchase a ton (and I mean A TON as I had a coupon and their prices are right) from Crazy8's. For those of you not familiar (and I wasn't until my neighbor clued me in), it is the "cheaper" line of clothing from Gymboree. Yea, I totally love Gymboree, but totally can't afford those clothes. Then I took Ashely out last weekend to Old Navy and Kohl's (sale time) to try and find a few more items.

Here is my problem: Ashley refuses to wear any pants other than yoga-material type pants (aka no cute jeans for her) and she is back in her "I want to wear only pink" phase. Grrr. I did buy her a pair of jeans at Old Navy and I am thinking that after this morning with the chillier weather she will understand and appreciate jeans. I also scored a cheap pair of pink yoga pants at Old Navy.

My problem was Kohl's. I wanted some basic stuff...pants, shirts, skirts, leggings. Ashley is a tall child, so she is starting to be able to wear size 6 (and WHAT in the HELL is the difference between 6 and 6x??) in some stuff, still size 5 in others. So Kohl's is kind of broken down into sizes 4-6x and size 7-12. The stuff in 4-6x? Kind of too little kid-ish. The stuff in size 7-12? Um, yea, not so sure. This shouldn't be that hard. I did get a few solid colored tunics, but not really what I was looking for.

I may try and hit Children's Place this weekend. I heard they have some good stuff right now. Oh, and Ashley needs shoes as I am pretty sure that her Crocs are not going to keep her feet warm.

One other thing to note? I love Ugg shoes, I think they are cute. Ashley wore a pair of imitation Ugg boots last year my Stepmom bought her at Target (pink of course). Well, there was an older girl (I know where she lives, but don't know her since Ashley doesn't know her) at the bus stop this morning in a pair of Uggs. I went on the site, they retail for $90. The day my kids comes to me asking for a pair of $90 shoes, is the day she needs to get a job. I remember wanting a pair of Doc Martens in high school. I purchased them with my own money.

I love October, and I really, really need to have a good month.

Don't get me wrong, September was great with vacation and such. But I had to make a tough choice about something, and I didn't get what I wanted. Not blaming anyone, but it sucked. I am over whining about it and am ready to move on. And I love October. Halloween, fall weather, football, baseball playoffs, and of course my birthday. And well, Ray's birthday too. And my twin brother's if I have to name everyone in the family with a birthday.

And darnit, I want a good birthday this year. And I don't mean gifts or anything, I just mean time spent with family and friends. It is not a big birthday year, in fact it's one of those years I can't really remember how old I am (32? 33? who knows...).

October, here I come...