Halloween

My little 'bat' girls. Carly was a scary vampire.

Note the scary finger clench and mean face.

Leighton was a bat sweetie.

I think she was more enamored with the name than the actual costume.
The Crew
Carly and Skyler have been trick-or-treating together since they were about two.
We wouldn't have it any other way.
I know you can't tell, but Jensyn is a dragon.

Carving Pumpkins

We got our pumpkins from a local farmer, brought them home and got set up.

Leighton then wanted to know if it was time to start 'digging guts.'

Here she is 'digging guts.' Carly wanted to know if she could have gloves. She said it was ooey-gooey gross.
Carly is posing like her pumpkin.

Ditto for Leighton.

The finished product.

I Love My Girl Scouts.......and A LIttle Random

This is the girls' first year in Girl Scouts. Carly is a Brownie and Leighton is a Daisy.
These are pictures of their Investiture Ceremony. Thanks, Amanda. I forgot my camera.

So, if you are in need of cookies next spring, let us know. We can hook you up.

And the Random..................................................

Jensyn loves her Mamana. Amanda came over to craft and went upstairs to get Jensyn after she woke up. She was so happy to see Amanda she just hugged and hugged her. It was adorable. I don't think Amanda minded the distraction too much.

I turned 35 today. The dreaded 35. I am that much closer to 40.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. It is very nice to have such wonderful friends and family. A girl couldn't ask for more. (Except maybe a job for her very discouraged husband)

Spirit Week Continued

Today was 'Crazy Hair' day for spirit week. The girls opted for colored hair.

Best picture I could get at 7:30 a.m.Carly wanted polka dots.
Leighton wanted stripes.

Fall Festival

This week is Spirit Week at the girls' school. Tuesday was 'Tacky Tuesday', the students were supposed to wear their tackiest outfit. This is what the girls put together.The Fall Festival was Tuesday night.

Carly's grade was responsible for the cake walk. This was my donation.

I don't think they were half bad, considering that I have no idea how to decorate a cake.

Then again, maybe they make some of the stuff on Cake Wrecks look good.

These were my homemade cake toppers.
This was my cake. I piped white chocolate icing into webs on parchment paper and then transferred them to the cake after they hardened.
****Brag Alert****
My cake was the first one to go at the cake walk.
I'm sure it was a little boy, but I can tell myself otherwise. Disclaimer: Dee did the actual frosting on the cake.
I was busy organizing volunteers and food, so Dee took the big girls.
(I had Jensyn on my back, she loves her backpack.)

The girls had a blast on all the inflatables.
Leighton is all smiles as she hits the bottom of this slide.
Carly, always the rule breaker, coming down face first.
Carly getting ready to go down the GIANT slide.

Carly going down the slide.....

yeah-too fast
Dee missed her.

(she is behind the yellow tube at the bottom)
Carly as a pirate.

Leighton with her princess mask.

(the line for the butterfly was too long, so I sold the 'mask' as a 'princess mask' and viola no line, happy girl and new trend)

My favorite teacher, jokingly asked to paint Jensyn.

(not too many requests for pirates-her job)

Is she not the cutest pirate, ever!

Thanks, Megan

While Mom's Away, the Kids Will Play

Ok, so I really wasn't physically away, but mentally only half there.

I was completing these fun projects.

A 'Trick or Treat sign, Halloween treat jar and framed B-O-O for my friend Michelle's birthday.
Hand Sanitizers spruced up for Halloween. I wanted to send my kids back to school with these last week, but just didn't get them done. The hardest part was getting the labels off, so I could put on the 'A little BOO! to scare away the germs.'
I would like to send in a new decorated pump every other month.
Anything I can do to keep the yucky school germs at bay I came around the corner to put some things away and was greeted by this:

Yes, Leighton is making a trail of Apple Jacks for Jensyn....out of a shoe box!!!

I have no clue where she gets these ideas. But apparently, it runs in the family. Click here to see a similar post by my sister-in-law, Megan.

Hiding with Butter

I know I have posted before about my children's love for butter.

Carly's first day back was Thursday. She got up and as usual was deciding on breakfast by standing at the open fridge door. She shut the door and stated, "I will have butter for breakfast."

'On what?' I replied.

'Just butter.'

'I know, but on what? English muffin, toast, bread, biscuits, what?'

'Just butter, nothing else.'

'Ummm. No.'

She opened the fridge and stood there just short of the time needed for the penguins to actually reach our home from the South Pole. Apparently, not satisfied with anything else, she shut the fridge and went upstairs to finish getting ready for school.

I took her to school and Carly's teacher was out sick. She had a substitute. Not just any substitute, but a man, who she had never seen before. She was not happy. I let him know that she had been out for a week. If she felt bad to send her to the office. They would call me and I would come get her. BIG MISTAKE!

Less than thirty minutes later, the school nurse called. She also happens to be a friend of mine. Jessica said that Carly said her stomach hurt and she couldn't do her work. She took Carly's temperature; normal. She looked in her throat; big tonsils, not really red.

I opted to error on the side of caution and go get her. I brought her home and fed her, no, not just butter. She perked right up and asked to play Nintendo DS or watch T.V. So, I put her back in the car and took her right back to school.

She was very unhappy and said that the substitute was going to mark her conduct and she was going to hide from him, etc. I assured her that he was nice and she was NOT to hide from the teacher. When we got to school she wanted me to walk her to class, I said no. She slowly started walking down the hall. I went behind her and took a shortcut through the library. I waited for nearly ten minutes and still no Carly. As I was about to go find her I saw the librarian gently take her by the shoulder and guide her to class. Ms. Valentine saw me in the library and told me she saw Carly moping down the hall looking very suspicious. She thought Carly had said something about going outside, but I'm sure it was 'I'm going to hide.'

The rest of the day was fine and just like I told her, he didn't mark her conduct and was nice. Her teacher was happy that Carly missed her. Ms. Alford was, thankfully, back the next day.

I love that kid, but seriously she kills me sometimes.

Just Butter, really!?!?!?!?!

Things I've Learned in the Flu Crisis.....

This week, in this order: Me, Leighton, Jensyn and Carly, all got the flu. We are all on the road to recovery. During this journey through Hell, these are some of the things I have learned...

1. I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS
My friend picked up my child from school and safely deposited her on my doorstep (Thanks Amanda). All the rest were so quick to offer help. I knew that they meant it and would do anything-short of physical contact with the infected (do you blame them?)

2. FLU INFECTED PEOPLE ARE EVERYWHERE
They are at the doctor's office, the drug store, the drive-through at McD, the gas station, and Target. How do I know this? because, while sick, I went to all these places. I didn't go with wanton disregard for others' health, I went because I needed; to take my sick baby, to pick up prescriptions and Motrin, dinner, gas, and Jensyn's prescriptions and Tylenol, respectively. Why did I have to do all those things, when my (at home) husband was not sick? see #3 below. Note: I am not going anywhere, once I get well.

3. MY HUSBAND IS USELESS
When I asked him to take Jensyn to the pediatrician, he went into a panic. 'I don't know how to get there. What am I supposed to do when I get there? Where do I go? I don't know how much she weighs. Ummm.....I have the chills. I am getting the flu. Can't you just take her?'
AARRRGGGGHHHHH! Oh I almost forgot-he threw my bag of medicine in the outside trash. It was an accident, but had the bag actually held trash, it would have sat there until I asked, 'Are you going to take this trash out?'

4. A BAD DECISION ISN'T ALWAYS BAD
I took Leighton and myself to the local Minute Clinic (Doc in a Box, according to my MIL). The very thorough nurse practitioner prescribed Tamiflu for Leighton and Relenza for me. I was feeling very bad about my mommy decision. I am not a big fan of the Minute Clinic, but was physically unable to drive all the way to the pediatrician in Raleigh. (Why didn't Dee drive us? See above.) We waited FOREVER for the pharmacist to fill our prescription and then came home.

The next day was Jensyn's turn and by now I felt good enough to drive to the pediatrician. We saw a new doctor in the practice who told me that had I taken Leighton to see them, she would have been sent home with instructions to keep well hydrated and well rested. No Tamiflu. She didn't fit into the CDC's high risk group. Since by this time, Leighton was back to running and jumping all over the house, I was happy with my bad mommy decision.

5. WE STILL NEED THE FLU SHOT
The pediatrician told me that as soon as everyone is well and off Tamiflu, we need to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the swine flu vaccine. She said there is no way to know which actual strain we had so the girls could potentially get the flu again. To that I say: Not on my watch. Flu vaccine here we come.

This is the first year that my kids haven't gotten the flu shot and also the first year they have gotten the flu. I kind of blame the pediatrician's office. They usually send us a card stating that the vaccine is in for high risk groups (Carly got put on that list and was not removed when she didn't fall into that category anymore. I think it has to do with the fact that all the nurses love her and her doctor is quite fond of her too). We didn't get our card. I kept seeing signs at the drug stores offering the flu shot, but still no card. I know I could have called, but didn't. That is why I only kind of blame them.

6. I AM GREAT IN A CRISIS, MY MIND...NOT SO MUCH
I had everything together, sick people sequestered, medication flowing, etc. I put Jensyn in bed, then did some laundry. When I went back to check on her, her breathing was a little shallow and fairly quick. My brain immediately jumps into crazy, anxiety mode. I scooped her up and spent the night evaluating her breathing.....and crying, thinking about losing my baby in the night. It was an unpleasant and moist night for her and a sleepless and headache inducing one for me.

7. CARLY IS TOUGH
Leighton and Jensyn were both crying constantly and hanging on me for dear life when they didn't feel well. Carly just asked for a blanket and Qubo. That is tough.

8. I AM MEAN
Because Carly didn't act sick (see above #7) I forgot that she was sick. She asked for some milk, took one sip and then said she was full. I yelled at her, 'If you only wanted one sip, why did you even ask for any? Don't you know I don't feel good and don't want to get up over and over again just to get you a sip. Can't you just have water and get it yourself? You make me so mad sometimes.' She looked at me and tears welled up and then she started crying. I remembered she felt just as bad as I did and then I felt about one inch tall. I apologized and asked her forgiveness, which, of course, she gave me. She gave me a big hug and tried to apologize back. I am going to be so lost when she grows up and leaves our house to be an adult. She teaches me so much and yet, I have so much to learn.

9. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A CESSPOOL OF GERMS
I realize that kids will get sick and spread germs. What I don't get is why, when said children are sick, are they still sent to school? I called teachers to let them know that my kids would be out for a week. They were shocked. They told me that nearly all parents sent them back as soon as they had no fever-not even the requested 24 hours after the fever. I explained that the doctor had said seven days from the onset of symptoms and that was what we would be doing. They were appreciative. One explained that she had a child just the day before sent home with a 102 degree fever, back the next day. Hello, that is NOT 24 hours.
I get it that you don't want to deal with your kid, but neither does the teacher, or the school nurse. We keep getting memos, emails and reminder announcements to keep our sick kids home and I kept thinking 'Why are they inundating us with this stuff?' Now I know, people don't get it! That, my friends, is why my kids have the flu. I hope those jerky parents appreciate that I am keeping my sick kids home.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things I learned, but right now #3 is coughing and waking up #2, so I must intervene. I am hoping you all stay healthy and
GET YOUR FLU SHOT.

Leighton's First Field Trip

Leighton's first Field Trip was Friday. They went to the local touristy farm.

This is what I was greeted with shortly after I woke up. I only caught this 6:05 a.m. picture because I was replacing batteries in my camera. I did it before my shower, so I wouldn't forget. I turned around and there she was dressed and ready to go.

These were the girls in my charge for the day. They were very excited and

had a hard time waiting for their turn.

They are learning all about cows.

This is L.G. (large goat), he loves attention. The kids got a kick out of him climbing the fence to get a better look at things.

This is Gilbert. He is about four weeks old, and very cute.

This is Leighton trying her hand at 'milking' a cow.

The exciting 'hayride'.

There is no hay.

The class, ready to learn about making butter. They divided themselves into a boy table and a girl table.

I hope Leighton stays not liking boys for a long time.

They passed the jar of cream and bolts (for friction) around to each child. They chanted each child's name as they shook the jar, Leighton's by the garden gate, waiting on a butter cake. Churn, butter, churn.
I wasn't thinking and didn't get a picture of Leighton churning.

The butter they made.

Leighton enjoying the fruits of her labor.

A quick photo op.

Jumping on the pumpkin pillow.

Leighton catching some serious air. Not, surprisingly, she wanted to be done after that.

That is what I get for not letting my children jump on trampolines. They are terrified when they catch a little air.

Leighton in the corn bin.

My girlfriend told me later, one year when she went it was closed due to a snake in the corn.

Off to pick the perfect pumpkin.

Here it is.

Leighton's favorite part of the field trip.......riding the bus!