Cabin Retreat 2

Our great friends invited us to their cabin again---this time there would be snow. Josie konked out on the drive up---and she really was OUT.

The next day Josanna was ready to play in the snow. She went out twice. After the first time I warmed her up in the bathtub and got her dressed, then she wanted to go again. So, I let her. We had plenty of hot chocolate and cider. Josh loved being out there in it, too.

Scary shot. I was goofing off and I didn't think Mike was going to capture the pose at the right moment, but he did.

Here is the cabin with snow and icicles.

Jaida and Aly together again.

Relaxing. Josie curled up with her dad.

Birthday girl

Crazy friends to celebrate with! All these girls are in Maddie's ALL class. Some of them have been together for 3 years now. Girlfriends are great!

This shot is putting me in mortal danger, since Maddie told me that she would kill me if I posted it, but it so captured the moment. She was just a wee bit excited about getting her Taylor Swift CD.

Porcupine meatballs, anyone? Madelyn loves these meatballs. Yes, they do cook up that way (I used basmati rice.)

At her party we played the "Penny in the Flour" game. The girls enjoyed themselves.

They also loved playing with the Borax goo. We ate homemade cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate---Yum! Happy Birthday.

Clear Creek Flashback

For any of you who may have attended Clear Creek overnighters growing up this picture above should remind you of those days. I took the opportunity to go overnight with Madelyn's class. Another mom and I "slept" in the cabin with this fun bunch of girls who stayed up until 3 am!

The next morning was Maddie's 12th birthday. I strung the crepe paper (some is already down) around her bunk after they finally went to sleep.

I also wrapped up some powdered donuts which she shared with the group.

Here Maddie is on the ropes course. She completed the whole course without hitting the ground. Only a couple girls did that!Here we are waiting for Mike to bring the van to take us home. It was fun spending time with my 12 year old!

On Being Mom

Being Mom truly keeps me on my toes. Never do my days completely go as planned, there is always a surprise in store. Whether it is something completely random that Josie says or an unexpected school assignment to help a child fulfill, there always seems to be something that amazes me. Here are a few choice moments that I have experienced in the last month or so with my children.

While I was doing my hair in the morning my Josanna Banana came in and told me that she had a scary dream about a giant pineapple---yep a giant pineapple! Apparently it came to our door and she jumped on the couch to get away from it. Wow. Didn't see that one coming. She, like all 3 year olds, says really cute things. The other day while we were out shopping a train came by on the tracks. She was so excited and said, "It will ride us to Salt Lake City or Ta-pan (Japan)!" Why Japan? I have no idea. Why a pineapple? No idea---I'm just along for this ride called Motherhood.

I didn't know that I would have a flute player in our home---especially one who loved it so much. Alyssa is in the band at school and really likes it. Here she is playing at an Activity Days talent show. I'm excited for her upcoming Christmas concert.

Madelyn received an honorable mention for Reflections for these photos she took of a peach on one of our trees. She used Picasa to add the effects. She called the entry "Beauty is. . . Golden Drops of Summer."

Just a few days ago while I was having a meeting, her friends from school knock on the door. I say hello. Maddie then takes our parakeets, Magic and Believe, downstairs with the friends. I finish my meeting and investigate. They are videotaping the birds pretending to interview them as Hermes and Artemis for a Greek gods assignment. Hmm, that wasn't on my planner.

Did you ever wake up thinking, "I really want to paint a Ken Barbie doll gold today?" Didn't think so---if you have, you might consider therapy. Well I really didn't anticipate this project idea when Maddie came up with it. She had to make a model of the Colossus of Rhodes. Turned out well. We did run out of sugar cubes and had to use Ice Cubes gum for the last row of blocks! Crazy stuff.

I didn't plan on having snowball soup for dinner, but after the snow started flying last month I knew I needed to start a new tradition. My friend Melanie told me about making snowball soup for her boys on the day of the first snowfall a year or two ago. This time I did it. I made her matzah balls (snowballs) and put them in her Creamy Chicken Chowder instead of her chicken soup broth---I think I will try the broth next time, I was just in the mood for creamy. At dinner we celebrated the first fall of the white stuff from the skies (whether we were ready for it or not.)
Here is my boy (needing a haircut, yes) missing his 2-front teeth. Hearing his voice as he tries to articulate without those teeth just makes me smile. By the way, we have added "two front teeth" to his Christmas Wish List.

So if your life involves giant pineapples, trains that can cross the ocean, flute-music, photos of peaches, videotaped parakeets, painted Kens, snowballs in your soup or frequent visits from the tooth-fairy most definitely you are a mom---isn't it cool? All of these are just moments, nothing out of the ordinary---but to me they are absolutely extraordinary examples of why being Mom is truly the best.

Halloween Dance Class

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pumpkin Time

We grew three pumpkins in our garden patch---two were huge!

Here is our finished carvings---a skeleton face (what Josh wanted) and an owl in a tree branch on a starry night. We used a melon baller on the small one. We ended up breaking the melon baller on the last circle! So a new melon baller (of better quality) is now on my wish list.

Getting Spooky in our House

Here's a few shots of my favorite decorations this year. I've got the Thanksgiving stuff up now and before I know it we will be trimming a tree!

Our Costumes 2009

The weather was wonderful. With long sleeves and hats the kids didn't need to wear coats while trick-or-treating.

Here we all are on the porch.













A lovely Greek goddess


A fierce female pirate and a stealth ninja

An enchanting flower fairy


And a "gangsta hubby" with his Charleston girl

Maddie attended an all girl friend party that night. The rest of us visited grandpa and grandma then went to Don and Jeri's annual party. We've been going for 12 years now. The chili and clam chowder are so good. It was fun to visit with friends. Here's a pic of Jeri and I together. Thanks for another great Halloween guys!