Caramel Apples + Raspberry Rhubarb + A Magic Show

Oh the goodies, oh MY!

Friday night the boys and I settled down to make some Caramel Apples. As you can see from the pictures, they had a blast.

And the Raspberry Rhubarb was the $1 pint of Laura Ashley paint I scored off the miss-match table and Kreg and I spent Saturday morning sprucing up our kitchen.

Yesterday morning, I won tickets off the local radio station. I honestly had NO idea what I had won. Just that I was the right caller. Color me happy to discover they were armbands to Bryan College Station Children's Museum Fall Festival. We are going on Friday night for the kick-off Festivities of a Magic Show! I'm so excited.

Constantly learning.

I don't think I ever realized just how much fun it is to go to Austin to just spend the night & enjoy ourselves. NO appointments. NO running around. Just relaxing. And that what we did over the weekend. Of course, I forgot my camera (GASP) so I will just have to tell you about the fun we had.

And while I've always known Jayden is a creature of habit, I tend to forget it and all since we have such a routine down with school. But boy when that child is out of his element and out of routine, he enjoys testing me. And I will never know how I stayed at home for 5+ years.

Kreg's mom took the boys to a pumpkin patch at a local church and let the boys pick out their own pumpkins. (DAMN my forgetful mind with the camera.) Because who knew it would take the kids FOREVER and a day to take time to study each pumpkin and after looking over them time and time again, become SO attached to one. Hunter had to study each and every imperfection & Jay had to pick up each one. After an hour, we left with 2 perfect pumpkins. Now they are patiently waiting for dad to be home to help them carve them.

And after living in Leander for 6 years and almost never running into people I went to school with, why is it a year and a half after I leave and choose to run to Target in something very close to my pj's, with no make-up, I run into 2 of my classmates. It was nice to see them and catch up but darn I need to remember to leave home put together a little more.

And since our trip to Angelfire is vastly approaching, Monday was as good of a day as ever to get the kids some ski gear. You know, since I kept reminding Jay that his last trip to the snow was when he was in diapers. Bibs, jackets and boots here we came! I'll spare the details of trying on about 10 pairs of boots each, to say we got it all, for the BOYS! and we are closer to being ready. At least I won't have to hear the kids complain about being cold.

And I finally broke down and bought the kids a beta fish. I was bound and determined since we went through Bastrop on the way home and Bastrop Wal-Mart is the only place around here that I know sells beta's. I wasn't making a trip to Bastrop just for a fish. So even though I was dead tired from spending the day shopping with my 2 boys & Jayden was knocked out cold, I still managed to lug him through the store and get our beta and food. So we got the fish home and into his vase with rocks and water. About an hour later, I'm staring at the vase wondering just where that fish went when I realize the darn thing somehow got out of the vase and was lying on the table, not looking so hot. In my scrambling attempt, I pick up our beautiful blue beta and put him back in the vase, where he immediately starts swimming around. Phew! Breakdown avoided. I kept checking on him the rest of the night & he seems to be doing good. Yeah.....the next morning wasn't so good. But thank goodness for RONDA! She was making a trip to Bastrop & managed to snag us an even more beautiful beta. He's red & turquoise! One of my FAVORITE color combo's.

Too bad the rest of yesterday was met with devastating news from 2 different friends. One's moving away & the other lost her job. I love you guys and hope everything turns out for the best.

And our latest accomplishments, Hunter has reached 10 Accelerated Readers points & has his picture on the wall at school. Once he gets to 50, his new goal, he will get a trophy. I was a little worried about his behavior problems that were arising in school. For some strange reason, he was getting bored. He was finishing his work very quickly and things didn't seem to be enough of a challenge for him. But his teacher put him to the challenge of allowing him to take as many AR tests a day, which now amounts to about 3 a day. He's already read over 12,000 words this school year.

Jayden's class has been doing a little bit of quizzing on just some basic knowledge. Names, address', letters and numbers. His teacher was taken aback by the fact he could count to 100. She said it's been quite a while since she's had a 4 year old be able to do that. See, my time out antics do do some good.

I am SO proud of all of the boys accomplishments.

And here are a few pictures from our rain this afternoon. This is my FRONT yard looking out ACROSS the STREET to my neighbors.

And the new betta. isn't he GORGEOUS?!???

Wednesday chuckle.

200 and counting.

That's the number of candles I made in one night this week. All for one store. Fall orders are trickling in.

So that's where I've been.

'Tis Friday........

The boys had the annual blessing of the pets at school today. Jezabell was as hyper as usual & a big hit as always.




Hunter loved pulling her around or her pulling him around.





Jayden was much happier with his Webkinz fish.

And for those who missed the Junk-O-Rama Prom of Fall 2008. Here's a tiny glimpse. I didn't stay long but had a BLAST while I was there.

Installment #1

Something new here to talk about my accomplishments for the MOTY award. (Mother of the Year!)

As you can read below, I was a bit under the weather over the weekend. But that didn't stop me from pulling my rear out of bed on Saturday morning @ 7 AM to be at the soccer field by 7:45 AM. We arrived, tissues in hand, for a bright & early 8 AM game. Now on my schedules, both boys had 8 AM games. Great. Our morning was going to be short & sweet at the soccer field. Yea....not so much. Hunter was actually scheduled for 9:15.

So after spending 2 hours in the cool morning air that turned warm quickly & on a field with NO grass, just dust & dirt, my head really felt like it was going to explode. I went home to resort to the couch & some Nyquil Nightime formula since that's the only medicine in the cabinet we had the box for & it described all of my symptoms.

Now I'm sure somewhere on that box it said that drowsiness may occur yet excitability may occur but to be careful driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.

Not sure how I ended feeling grand enough to go outside and water the grass. Hunter followed suit to swing on our famous front yard swing. It's amazing how much use we get out of that $10 disk swing. Everyone loves it.

The boys and I have this new game where I push them as high as they can go. They get amount 2 minutes of excitability out of it before fighting over who's going next.

So on this lovely Saturday morning, I gave Hunter his normal push but then decide to give him an extra one. or maybe it was the excitability from the Nyquil.

Hunter squealed with delight until he reached about 5 feet in the air & then he decided to let go......with both hands......out over the cement curb & road.....

And so my darling 6 year old landed from 5 feet in the air onto the hard ground. I stood there shocked, not able to move. (Nyquil?)

Hunter actually held it together quite well. He was upset but ended up with nothing more than a cut on his wrist & a bruise on his knee. But I felt like the worst mom ever.