Halloween

"What a fool I was! Tricks and Treats comes once a year and I missed it by sitting in a pumpkin patch with a blockhead!" - sally brown

Autumn Sunset

I was just so fortunate to look out the window and see this sunset in front of my house tonight. I don't know how well the picture captures it, but it was beautiful.

Let the leaves fall

Ben @ 10 weeks

(poor kid, I found this knit outfit in a bag of clothes that my friend gave me and I fell in love with the sweetness of it. hehe)

Autumn is escaping too quickly. Im not ready for frost on my car windows and frozen grass. time change this weekend - fall back. Isabelle doesnt want to be a chicken for halloween anymore, she wants to be a super hero. She wants to be a chicken when she grows up though. Ive been making a lot of crock pot meals lately. I love the crock pot. Throw the stuff in, walk away come back later and bam it's ready. So, Noah has been on the home computer alot because his work computer crashed. I dont like to share. I attended a wonderful MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) meeting this week. The speaker was very inspirational and funny. Ive been super tired lately, I dont know if its the weather or that Im getting up with Ben more then I realize.... but I could take a nap every day now if I could (the chance of that happening doesnt usually work in my favor though!). The Office was a rerun this week. Last night I watched this 20/20 show in which they introduced a story of people having "animal sanctuarys" and exhibits of big cats such as lions and tigers...and the public can enter the cages and pet them and people have been totally mauled by these big cats and even serious injury (women with boyscout troop just next to the cage, arm ripped off) or died (teenage girl posing for school picture with tiger and attacked). Just sad sick and scary. I cant believe these people are allowed to run these type of establishments and that people actually think its safe to go in with a wild animal. I get scared around crazy regular sized cats every once in awhile. I asked noah if he would rather be in a cage with a tiger or bear? well, he took this opportunity to tell me yes, he would defintely choose to be with a BEER in a cage (since thats how I say the word bear and he found it hilarious that I said it wrong proposing the question). I myself , I think I would go with the tiger. Only because they seem to be trained more then bears and hopefully the one I was in the cage with would be one that was trained well and was having a good peaceful day and that he was feed, so chance of attack would be at low. It's 5:30 am, I think I'll go back to bed. Or maybe I'll just make some coffee...

Houses for Our Souls

"Make yourselves nests of pleasant thoughts. None of us yet know, for none of us have been taught in early youth, what fairy palaces we may build of beautiful thought - proof against all adversity. Bright fancies, satisfied memories, noble histories, faithful sayings, treasure houses of precious and restful thoughts, which care cannot disturb, nor pain make gloomy, nor poverty take away from us - houses built without hands, for our souls to live in." - john ruskin

It's 2 a.m. and that is the quote on the back of my celestial seasonings chamomile tea box. I can't sleep. I hear the slight rains and the brutal winds whipping around outside and I am glad that I am inside. I just got done feeding Benjamin and got him back to sleep, but my mind was wandering and I couldn't find peace enough to properly rest...so I made a cup of tea and here I am. quiet time. alone. a few minutes by myself.

Im thinking about many things. Things that I want to get done on a daily basis that I never have time to acomplish, these endless lists in my head. I think about friends that I want to contact because I miss them, bills that need to be paid somehow, laundry thats piled up because I have skipped it for one day, Lance needs more dog food, he's almost out. I think about the pumpkin that I just got for Isabelle and how when she saw it she said with such excitement "for me? oh wank you mom, wank you!" I think about what fun (and what mess) it will be to carve it with her tonight.

I think about how sweet my little Ben is. I love that when he stretches his arms that they can't reach over his head yet and that his legs are still curled in the fetal position. I love that he looks at me at 2 a.m. and smiles so softly. I love that his pajama's smell like freshness (dreft laundry detergant) and that his head smells of lavendar when I kiss it. His little fingers wrap around my finger and I know that's all I need and that is all that he needs at that very moment.

Motherhood. wow. What a gift. Being a parent is not at all a walk in the park...it's more like a chase and a drag and spin and a carry and trip and fall and a get back up again in the park.. but at the end of the day, at 2.a.m. with a smile just for me...I'd say it's worth entering the park and taking on the challenges that await me...even if I stumble into some dog poo along the way because I get to see the sun brighter and feel it's warmth more than I ever have before.

Fishy Candle

The Taxidermist (noun. person who stuffs dead animals so they look lifelike) ran away with the Fish! OMG! So, some of you may recall through photos (photo on left for example - Isabelle, Noah and Big Fish - Early Fall 2005) or through story telling, that Noah caught a ginormous fish in minnesota last fallish...well, this thing was def. a record braker so he decided to have it Stuffed. Stuffing is a long process, so we left the fish behind when we highTAILED it home, knowing that some day in the future our paths would meet again (well I wasnt thrilled about this because hey, big ugly fish, no where to put it, not in my house anyway. But, whatever). So anyway, weve checked on the fish progress occassionally since and it has not been ready. Well, our friends are coming to Illinois from Minnesota and they offered to pick up the fish and cargo it home for us since we dont have any immediate plans to return to the northwoods. But when I called the taxidermist office to make the final payment arrangements there was a disconnection, with no new number. No where to be found. My friend Sally spent days tracking down this guy (had to deal with his disgruntled estranged wife, with the chamber...found out he closed up shop and left, etc) and finally she got a hold of him and spoke with him directly and guess what? He was on the road (in a big semi truck) with the FISH! They (meaning taxidermist and fish) are currently in Alabama. The guy asked for our address and said he would send the fish. The thing is it just makes me think...if this guy, just decided one day: hey I'm packing up and taking this dead fish with me, I am going to sit him beside me on the seat of the truck so it can keep me company on the road, Ill give it a hat to wear and we can take turns talking on the cb radio and sharing beef jerky... It just makes me wonder...what other "animals" the guy had taken along for his journey as well?..Maybe a moose head? or a few deer... a bear foot... (I'll report if we ever get the fish and then we'll discuss where to put it for proper display... (I say the trunk of noah's car would be a grand spot).

It's around 5am and I am up with Ben and think I will stay up for the day. Unfortuantly, my whole family is coming down with the flu or something. It's just this sinking feeling that were all sick and it's only going to get worse. Isabelle threw up in her bed the night before last. She never throws up. (She is not sick enough to stop talking 24/7 yet though.) We actually had chicken soup for lunch and dinner. There's something about chicken soup that really does do something for the soul...like the books say. Noah's got it the worst so far..but I just know the rest of us are on our way of following. I can't live in denial about it. Not to be negative, it's just that it's the truth...with cheese on it. JOY, there is nothing more fun then taking care a bunch of sick needy whining people when you are quite ill yourself. Should be fun... So, I am glad that I have some halloween decor up at my home, because the cobwebs look like they fit right in now. Seriously, it amazes me how fast cobwebs are formed. Spiders are quite the little miracle workers. Isabelle keeps asking for bananas and then not eating them. So then I make banana bread. I am no baker, but I do know how to make banana bread. I dont put nuts in mine. The recipe I use does not call for it. I think people either really like nuts or they dont. I do on occassion, but not on the occassion of my bananna bread. It's fine just the way it is. I used to hate anything that was banana flavored related. I dont I feel that way anymore...... SO Noah and I were watching everyone loves raymond last night and Debra was pointing out to Ray that he says certain words wrong, asterik, cinnamon, ask. Well anyway, this gave noah perfect opportunity to make fun of certain words that I say. I dont hear it but people tell me that I say: bear/beer and button wrong among other things. Well that's when I shared an embarrassing little word tidbit with Noah and now with you. I just recently realized that my whole life I have been saying and spelling a word wrong that I had no clue was not right. In my brain, it's always been: oulfit. But, the word is OUTFIT people! outfit with a t not an l. Wow, what an eye opener. I went through my whole life not knowing. I recently took note of the word and discovered my wrongness as I came across it alot when I was researching on line, Benjamin's Baptism ouTfit. (they dont call them gowns for boys. Note: he was supposed to wear Isabelle's gown but I tried it on him and it doesnt fit! Plus I noticed her gown was super girly not just neutral or semi girly, but lacey, flowery, pearly. So the non fitting thing kind of cinched the deal, that he needed his own)....Want to know a long time dream of mine? It's a simple dream, but just has never happened yet.... I would love to have one of those nostogila sepia type photos taken..in old fashioned clothing. Like at a saloon with a gun or somehting along those lines. How cool would that be? A family photo of the four of us would be the neatest thing. Someday maybe ill acomplish that goal....Speaking of goals, I keep forgetting to collect leaves so I can press them in a book for weeks.... I just noticed that it rained last night, which wouldnt be a big deal, but I had clothes on the line. A few days ago at dinner , Noah and I asked Isabelle what she did in school earlier that day, she told us that she made a candle. Were like o.k. kid you made a candle in school. Sure you did. Did you color a candle or paint a candle? No I made a candle! Anyway, thursday she brought home a little book she made in school that was titled: rub a dub dub. There was a page with a butcher that had tinfoil on it (for the cleaver), a page with the baker and it had oats glued to it and on the final page ther was the candlestickmaker, and there glued to it was a little birthday cake candle. So, she did "make" a candle after all.

Listening Ears

"My Listening Ears"

Backpack Surprises...Whenver Isabelle gets home from school, we open her backpack together, talk about what she did that day and review her wonderful creations. Well, when I opened her bag and found this hat with the ginormous ears, I couldn't stop laughing. I don't know if it was more the dumbo size of the ears or the concept of the hat altogether. Now if only Isabelle's "listening" ears were really that big and powerful... Ya know, now that I think of it, Noah could use a hat like this too.

It's funny when Isabelle pretend plays. She doesnt just close doors, she slams them..and if she doesnt "think" they are shut , she will slam it again! It's just so funny when she is imaginary playing, because she gets deeply involved. Lately in the bath she magically turns into a mermaid (ariel the little mermaid to be exact). She swims and sings the whole time. Quite entertaining I must say.

I listen to a variety of music in the car, when im cooking, cleaning etc..and whenever I play U2, Isabelle says to me: Mommy, I like your Susick (music). She only says it for U2, nothing else. It's like she knows. Girl after my own heart!

There's this really cool halloween costume on an m&m's commerical that I wish I could find. It's just an ax going through this guys front and sticking out his back. I wish I could find that costume. It's simple. Easy. And just would be kind of fun. SO anyway, im starting to get depressed that I am not getting dressed up this year. The last couple years, these have been my costumes: 2003, Snow white (with a bloody head injury), 2004 Ghostbuster, 2005 Cool Witch, 2006 nothing. Yep, you heard me right, nothing. HOw sad is that? I dont plan to dress up this year. Oh well, maybe next year we can make a big deal out of halloween. This year we just have to skip..to much going on. Besides, the kids are dressing up and they are going to be so darn adorable! Living in the country, I dont have to buy trick or treat candy...but I bought some just in case. yeah, just in case you never know.

Since noah wasnt home for supper last night isabelle and i had a simple dinner of chicken and stars soup with goldfish crackers. It was the best. Speaking of noah..why must this man leave wet towels on the bed? hello? Do you not get that it is never a good or productive thing to leave a wet towel on the place you sleep? Well...at least he always leaves it on his side of the bed! Speaking of towels and noah...Whenever he cooks he leaves the biggest mess, anyway..he always mangages to use my decorative for display only towels. This time I found my nice fall hand towel (clearly "decorative only" in my opinion)..I found this towel with a very greasy spatucla laying on it. thats super. Thanks.

I love that Isabelle still loves footy pajamas. I collect Elvis T-shirts. Ben was two months old on tuesday. Navy blue sweaters collect just as much dog hair and lint as black sweaters do. I went to MOPS today. I wonder why I buy wonder bread. What is with the new teas being in a triangle shaped bag? It looks cool, but does it really make a difference in the brewing process? I can't remember if I have ever attend the circus...I think once. I can't wait to watch the office tonight. My current phone ring tone is: Ring of Fire, johnny cash. In the words of dr.evil : It's fricken freezing in here. Brutal winter has already stolen some of my autumn. Not fair! I had a bird (parrotkeet) named feathers once. He was green and yellow. I never really fed him. He died. Isabelle brought a musical wooden fish for show and tell today. It's like whenever its showing tell I think, am I going to be judged as a parent regarding what my kid brings for show & tell? Usually I let her decide but i must admitt i influence the final decision. The best pen in the world is a Zebra F301 ball point. fine point. black ink. I havent written any stories or poems or anything in ages. Rehab is for quitters.

Pick your own Pumpkin

Pick your own Pumpkin!


Isabelle's first PONY ride. (notice short haircut!)

We will be friends until forever, just you wait and see. - Pooh Bear

Halloween - Isabelle will be a Chicken and Ben will be a Chili Pepper. Both costumes were purchased at one of my favorite stores: Target. They are adorable, I can't wait! Recently we enjoyed a nice fall day at a local apple orchard. They have the best apple cider donuts on the entire planet. Well, I dont really know that, I mean I cant verify it... but they are pretty darn good. So Lance is outside howling right now which is super annoying. I want to throw a basketball at his head. But I wont. Isabelle is crawling on me like Im a jungle gym and Ben is laying on my lap and he just smiled at me. So I just learned recently from the news that many left handed people are injured or die from equipment and such that are made for right handers. All my life I have been living a more risky life then the average joe and I didnt even realize it! It's not like I wrestle alligators, but hey being left handed is not always a picnic in the park on a sun shiny day. Also, I must say lefthanders are discriminated against because their stuff cost more. Example: notebooks. lefthander notebooks are outrageously priced! So, Ive never been a person to wear sunglasses or chew gum on a regular basis and I dont really know why. So recently my kitchen sink was not draining properly (like washing a million dishes by hand is not a pain in the butt enough) so I had to decide between liquid plumber and draino, not knowing which the better product would be...well Liquid plumber was my choice...and I was disappointed in the final outcome. A plunger is what really got the job done. It never fails, I trip on someone's shoes every single day. I desinate shoes for under the bench in the dining room, except neither the husband or girl child can seem to keep thier shoes out of pathways. So, Isabelle had a ginormous fit this a.m. because I put rubberbands in her hair instead of barretts. You would think it was the worst punishment on earth. I need water...I just keep coughing. I cant get rid of this cough. I had a cough for a year once. I hope that doesnt happen again.