A Momentous Occasion

My baby lost his first tooth yesterday. It has been loose for a couple of weeks but being a wuss and also male he has been babying it and eating on the side. So yesterday it came out while he was drinking water. I know, strange but true. Anyway, the six year old was very excited because he was expecting a shiny new quarter. Imagine his delight when instead he received a dollar. See that's the key to true happiness, low expectations. HaHaHaHAa.

Vacation

The boys are officially on vacation as of today, which mean I am totally at their beck and call for the next two weeks. Wish me luck. Anywho...if my posts are few and far between, don't worry I'll be back. After the crazy last minute Christmas shopping because Santa has totally been a lazy bum and gotten next to nothing for the boys yet. I did buy one item which I found on sale early but was totally found out by the six year old who was snooping in my room so it has become a gift from Mom and Dad and now Santa has to start all over. Also I have quite a few holiday parties to attend cause I'm a popular girl like that.

SNOW

So Saturday it started snowing. Now, here in Jersey we don't shut everything down for a little snow as apparently DC does. (AT least that is what Amanda reported on MODG) However we got a significant amount of snow to please two young boys.

As I do not have a creative bone in my body, I kept my butt inside and left the snowman building/getting wet and cold to the hubby.

I don't know if you noticed the snowman holding the beach shovels but the boys assured me that Frosty is headed to the snow beach so he needed them.

He Shall Henceforth Be the Four Year Old

So Saturday was the big blowout party for the four year old. Have you ever thrown a party and no-one came? Well that was my 6th birthday party. Oh we weren't talking about me? Sorry, I got sidetracked. Anyway, we started with an RSVP list of 29 adults and eleven kids. Then the excuses started flying. They probably weren't all excuses, but still. One of my sisters-in-law was sick herself so couldn't come with her family, one sister-in-law said her two daughters were sick so she couldn't come, a cousin called cause her two sons were sick and my brother just didn't show up and later informed me his daughter was sick. (They were at an emergency clinic which is why they couldn't call.) At any rate, one hour into the party I had three kids and five adults. Now my son wasn't fazed by this but I was just a little bit upset.


















This is them completely unfazed as they are bouncing in the bouncy house and ball pits.





Eventually, another child and three of my sisters showed up in time for the food. This is also called over an hour late. (That was especially for them, in case they're reading this.)















After eating was the traditional busting of the pinata which three year olds are no good at. I eventually just pulled the strings and let them go crazy.













Then we did the cake. This was nearly ruined as a guest blew the candles out before my son could get to them but we lit them again and let him have another go.



Now after all that and the four year old's friends went home, three more sisters and a brother showed up to extend my party which was supposed to be 1-3pm until six o'clock. Don't worry I paid them back and used them as cheap manual labor during the clean-up.

Sick

I was going to post about the fabulous birthday party which was had by the three year old on Saturday but that will have to wait another day. My sons are both sick. Now my sons, when they get sick don't just get a sniffle like normal children. NO. They get huge swellings under their ears which was diagnosed by the salivary gland specialist at Columbia Presbyterian in NYC as recurrent juvenile parotitis. When the six year old was two and getting this every other month, I was concerned and sought out specialists and two MRI's, a cat scan, three specialists, several hundreds of dollars later I find out he has something for which there is no known cause or cure. Isn't that fabulous? Anyhow, their faces swell up like chipmunks (their pediatrician thought it looked like mumps the first time she saw it.), they develop fevers of approx 101 and since their faces hurt, they don't want to eat or be touched. Of course, I have discovered that it also coincidentally also occurs when they are having other illness like a cold or allergy attack so their are usually other symptoms to deal with as well. So tons of fun to be had here until everyone gets better.

Sorry, I Have an Excuse...Or Three

So sorry about not posting or commenting and otherwise generally ignoring the blogging world lately. Here is my list of excuses:

The husband has been obsessed with posting old pictures on facebook. When I say old, these pictures are over two decades old. Since he is not technologically savvy this requires yours truly to scan in and upload each and every photo for him. (Your welcome honey!) Check out the vintage couch in the background...I rest my case. P.S. I wasn't born yet cause I am not that old. (Just in case you were getting any ideas.)

Have you noticed that it is the Christmas season? Wednesday was the six year old's Christmas concert which is fine but his school runs from Pre-K to grade 8 and every class does a set of songs. I was there from 6 pm until 8:30. Have I mentioned that I dislike evening activities? They screw with bedtime, mealtime and most importantly T.V. time. Mind you, I would also complain if they put it on Saturday.....

I have also been working on the three year old's birthday. (soon to be four year old) I finally got the pinata. Since the party is tomorrow, I had a few worried moments. I found a backup car pinata at Party City but the three year was adamant that he wanted the Mach 5 from Speed Racer. Thank God it arrived today. So now in between dropping off the kids at their different schools, picking them up at their different schools, at different times, I have to stop at the Supermarket for the last minute stuff which I forgot while I was at the supermarket on Wednesday in the pouring rain. I also have to stuff the pinata and get the goody bags all set. (thank you kids for RSVPing yesterday! I guess some people don't understand what that P is supposed to stand for.) Anyway, the only thing I want to do tomorrow is pick up the cake and balloons and decorate. Somehow, this list will lengthen but I am still trying to be proactive.


By the way, I'm pregnant. That's pretty much going to be my excuse for everything for the next eight months. Get used to it.

Days Off Are A Blessing...and A Curse

So the boys had no school today which means that we get to sleep in, and by sleep in I mean maybe an extra hour max. Since it was a day off, there is no particular rush to eat breakfast and get out the door which pretty much means the boys are in slow motion this morning and don't want to do their chores. In addition, the boys are under the misapprehension that I sit around all day waiting for them to get home. Now that they're home, they want me to do crafts with them and otherwise entertain them. I printed out this Santa Claus Template in the hopes that it will keep them busy enough to post this blog and yet here it is two hours later and I'm still not done. I like not having to rush off at a particular time to pick them up and I like the change in routine, somewhat but it really plays havoc with anything I need to accomplish that day.

My Rant On Jim Farber

So I was innocently reading the Daily News yesterday...Okay I wasn't innocently reading, really I was reading it while mocking their complete lack of literary style as well as a lack of any intelligence at all in their opinion columns. But I digress... I was reading this article entitled Seasonal Songs Merry & Scary. Some nobody named Jim Farber crowned himself music critic of the day and listed 10 Christmas songs that are "heavenly" and 10 he called "annoying" and "humbug." So here is my problem, on the humbug list is my favorite, my husband's favorite and the six year old's favorite. So clearly someone has no taste. So first my husband's favorite, Santa Baby, which this excuse for a music critic calls "a joke that couldn't seem more forced." A joke?!? Really?!? I suppose the joke must be on the scores of artists who have remade this song including Shakira, Macy Gray, Natalie Merchant, Faith Evans, the Pussycat Dolls, Leann Rimes and Miss Piggy to name a few. Don't believe me, check it out for yourself on Wikipedia. If you haven't heard some version of this song over the years, you have been living in a box and you need to get out more. I know that you will be shocked to hear this but the six year old's favorite is Alvin and the Chipmunks, Christmas, Don't Be Late which the author says "wears thin fast...when played annually." May I respectfully suggest that the author is not the intended audience for Alvin and the Chipmunks. The six year old on the other hand can listen to this song all evening long and will ask me to play it again tomorrow. I admit it isn't the height of enjoyment for me but neither is Max and Ruby and Yo Gabba Gabba but I manage to sit through that without killing myself and I only have to hear the Chipmunks during the Christmas season. Finally on to my personal favorite which is Christmas Eve by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Of course this lame author didn't even bother to specifically name any particular song, no he blanketly (is that a word? well it is now) disparaged everything the Orchestra has ever performed by calling it "late period Meatloaf mixed with a road company version of Jesus Christ Superstar." I suppose all those hundreds of thousands of fans going to see them every year are just fans of annoying music. I suppose that all the people who bought the Christmas Eve album (enough to make it go double platinum) just don't know what they are listening to. Whatever his excuse, Jim Farber needs to stop subjecting his unsolicited, unprofessional and highly erroneous opinion on the unsuspecting public and get himself a blog.

Dear Santa, Giants & Library

Dear Santa,
This year, instead of getting a lot of little presents, how about one big one? You know those commercials where the woman opens up the box of keys and then there is a fancy car in her driveway with a big bow on top? Yeah, that would be nice. Set the elves to work.
I live in hope,
Cassie
P.S. I can make one big cookie instead of a lot of little ones, if that would help.



Dear NY Giants,
Remember when you were undefeated? Wasn't that nice? You beat the Cowboys before and you have to beat them again so that I still have a reason to watch the remaining games.
Thanks,
An undiscouraged fan



Dear Union Public Library,
When I take the three year old for story time, I kind of expect you to read him stories. Singing Hickory Dickory Dock and How Much Is That Doggie In The Window is all well in good but I don't really think it falls under the category of a story. You do have books in the library right? Just Checking.
A Patron


Check out ShortMama for some more letter fun.

A Note From the Six Year Old

So yesterday the six year old broke his Iron Man Action Figure. (Now when I say action figure this is a talking piece of electronics about 15 inches tall.) So while I was cooking dinner, he comes in to ask me to fix it. Unfortunately, this is a regular occurance with two boys, at least in my house. However, since I was cooking dinner, I obviously could not give him the immediate attention he craved. This resulted in a temper tantrum. (He tried to fix it himself with box tape but that didn't work.) So since both my husband and I were ignoring the temper tantrum, (I was cooking dinner!) my six year old wrote us the following note. I leave in the misspellings for your amusement. You don't lick me. You hat me. I am in visible. Of course my husband's response to this was of course I'll lick you and proceeded to chase the six year old around the house in an attempt to lick him. Good times.

My Computer Was Hijacked

Seriously my computer was hijacked. So you know that strange man who sleeps here and pays the bills and calls himself my husband? Yeah, he discovered facebook sometime this weekend and spent the entire holiday weekend staring at photos and waiting for people to update their statuses so that he could make cutting remarks in response. Everytime I got a free minute to read blogs or update my own, I come downstairs to find it already in use. Computer hog! He showed an utter lack of respect for my readers who I know were frantically awaiting updates on my incredibly interesting life.

Anyway so here is what has been going on since last we met. Thanksgiving parade, Thanksgiving cooking, entertaining, Black Friday shopping (for me and kids so made no progress at all on Christmas lists), Friday night cooking and entertaining, stayed up late to watch part one of the Monk finale (since aforementioned entertaining might have caused me to miss crucial pieces of dialogue) Saturday shopping (again no progress on that Christmas list but I got three new tops so yay me!), and visit with Santa (interesting how the six year old was too scared to speak with the old guy but the three year old had no problem getting right up there and demanding things) Saturday night turkey leftovers, Sunday church (which went amazingly well since the six year old was enthralled with advent decorations) and fight with children (who think that since they got to stay up late during the holidays that that will be an ordinary state of affairs even though they have school in the morning)

I am mostly glad to be back in the daily grind since it means I actually get blocks of time to myself, like when everyone is in school or sleeping. However, somehow my house is even more dirty than usual which means more work for me. *Sigh*

What the Hell Wednesday Blogging and TV

So today is What the Hell Wednesday which gives me free rein to spew my complaints all over the place.

Now I know that I have been a very neglectful blogger lately but what the hell, it's my blog right? I can't help it if even sitting upright at the computer is making me ill. You are lucky you get any posts at all with the way I am feeling. It is a diabolical punishment for something which I haven't figured out yet. With the six year old I would be nauseous in the morning but as long as I waited long enough before eating, nothing ever actually came up. With the three year old I had major aversions, for example to bacon. As long as bacon was not cooked in my home, I was fine. This time, it comes on night and day with no rhyme or reason before I eat, after I eat, when I don't eat....What the hell???? I am hoping that since this particular bout of morning sickness is so severe that it can't possibly last as long....right??? Agree with me, damn it!!
My husband sent the six year old to bed at 7 pm last night because he was being a nasty whiny brat. So essentially he got an extra hour of sleep. What the hell? Can I be punished too? And then since he got an extra hour of sleep, why did he still give me a hard time waking up this morning? Thank God for vacation...only I still have to get up early to start the pumpkin pie, stuffing, turkey etc. etc. etc.
Why is it that my index finger hurts from too much mouse exercise? You know that little scroll down wheel? That's the one that for some reason has sprained my index finger. What the hell? Now I can't even enjoy my daily blogger fix without bodily injury?
So why is it that a TV station will get you hooked on a series and then take it off the schedule? Lifetime had Medium on at 7pm for a while which was great for me. I got to catch up on earlier seasons until they moved it to 12:30 AT NIGHT!! What the hell? Now I have to stay up until it ends at 1:30AM? Don't they know I have kids and need to get up at the crack of dawn aka 5:45 and therefore can't stay up to watch it? TNT totally did the same thing to my Bones episodes which used to come on everyday instead of only once a week. Also I was not pleased yesterday to see an previously unseen episode in the guide only to be tuning into Law and Order. What the hell? I mean really, it wasn't even a good one with Benjamin Bratt or Jerry Orbach.

To check out other What the Hell Wednesday posts go see Blue Monkey Butt. Seriously, what are you still doing here? Go!

Planning a Birthday Party

So how strange is it that I am disappointed with the three year old's theme choice for his birthday party? One the one hand, he had so much fun last year that he apparently wants to do the same thing again but on the other hand, boring!! I had in mind a cool Toy Story party complete with puppet show but my three year old (who is obsessed with all things Toy Story - his Christmas list is dominated by different characters) said very emphatically he does not want a Toy Story birthday party. He wanted the same Car theme as last year with the bouncy house. Let it not be said that I don't give my kids what they want. So out went the invitations this morning, we went with a Speed Racer theme, which he was fine with and recycling the entertainment from last year. Meanwhile, the six year old has already picked out a theme and the gift he wants for next September. Yeah, cause he plans ahead like that.

News Flash

Okay morning sickness sucks. The worst part is I don't have it in the mornings or at least not only in the mornings. Really what I have is slightly sick mornings, not at all sick afternoons to be capped with dangerously ill evenings. Last night the husband brought home lobster for dinner on the spur of the moment. Seriously, we had surf and turf which I totally could not appreciate. Not to mention that dinner is usually my favorite meal. I mean I like eggs and bacon as much as the next girl but there is no substitute for the smorgasbord which is dinner. Anyway, my husband has been really good about making dinner himself lately mostly cause he doesn't want to hear me gagging all over his dinner. This still leaves the whole get the boys to bed disaster to be dealt with. Just to let you know, my stomach is not in favor of the whole going up and down the stairs thing after four o'clock. I don't know why I don't remember this from the last two pregnancies. It most be some kind of convenient memory designed to let my husband impregnate me without complaint. I wonder what else I forgot?

Go to Sleep Already!

So last night we go through our regular bedtime routine which is becoming a three ring circus. They brush their teeth and ask for water and use the bathroom and want stories and finally lay down. The boys go up and from downstairs I can hear them talking but I don't hear them walking and besides am majorly nauseous at night now so didn't get up to investigate. My husband goes up to take his shower and discovers that they have placed half their bookshelf in a great big pile in the middle of the room. At least fifty books in a giant pile. That's not all. As per his usual custom lately, the six year old, pulled all of his stuffed toys down under his covers which he untucked and rolled into a ball under which he is also huddled. In an unusual new twist, he pulled his sheet off and tied it to the headboard because "he liked the way it looked." Sometimes I just don't know what to do with them. I took the books out of the room, straighten and tucked the six year old's sheets and blankets again, removed the stuffed toys from the bed and then screamed just enough to scare them from ever doing that again or at least for last night.

So That's Why He Won't Eat Lunch!

So today I offered to make the six year old peanut butter and jelly for lunch which is normally one of his favorites. He declined. Would you like to know why? Apparently a boy at his table has been disparaging his lunches. So he is afraid to take his luch for fear this John character won't like it. Can you believe it? I am waking up an extra half hour every weekday morning to prepare him hot lunches which go half eaten not because he doesn't like them but because some smart mouthed snot at his table doesn't like it??! I was so upset, needless to say. So I was curious what this kid ate. He eats those prepackaged Lunchables which my son hates. I told him to tell this kid that his lunch was gross and to mind his business. I don't have much faith in that working though.

Dear Someone

Dear Benedictine Preschool;

From our conference, I understand the three year old to be loving, cooperative and very independent in school. Apparently, you have sent me home the wrong child. When you find that loving, cooperative, independent three year old, call me.

Thanks,
Mom


Dear Baby,

Do you realize that I am only about eight weeks pregnant? Stop with the cravings. I have little enough food impulse control as it is without you chiming in. So far we have had two breakfasts and lunch. Try to hold out for dinner, okay? Thanks.

Mom-To-be


Dear Computer,

You have really brightened my world these past couple of months. Thanks for being you.

Love
Hopelessly Addicted Blogger


Head over to ShortMama and 3 Bedroom Bungalow for some letter fun.

It Starts Out Normal

Have you ever noticed how weird kids eat? I mean take a slice a pizza. (what the three year old was eating for lunch) Normal people may fold it in half or eat it flat but either way, they eat from the point to the crust. The three year old ate in a v shape around the edges until he decided that wasn't getting enough pepperonis. So he plucked off the remaining pepperonis from the middle and then ate part of the crust, leaving the pepperoni-less middle on his plate. Another thing he loves to eat are salami sandwiches. Only he doesn't eat them as a sandwich. He prefers to eat first the salami, then the cheese and finally the bread. Don't even get me started on the fact that the three year old will dip pork in steak sauce and the six year old likes steak with BBQ sauce. What the hell? I assure you that both my husband and I eat like normal human beings and they do not get these strange habits from us.

Smart phones

So I am officially a member of the uncool.  Apparently to have a blog and work the social networking circuit, you have to have a smartphone.  I think at four different blogs I read posts about their fancy new Blackberry, Iphone, My Touch etc. etc.  Today I read two more!! So I concede, I am an outcast.  I was one when I was in school and apparently nothing changes.  I am destined to be the one at my in-laws house actually conversing with people while they are snickering and consulting the latest blog or funny facebook status message.  Don't get me wrong, I am green with envy and yet still do not have the money for a fancy phone and contract upgrade.  (Sigh)

The Secret

I guess it is time to let you all in on the secret.  God knows I am not a good secret keeper and my husband is even worse.  So chances are if I don't tell you I'd let it slip somehow anyway.  Okay so here goes...  I'm pregnant.  Anyway, my husband and I are excited enough for everybody.  Don't ask me why, you would think it was my first.  So, the symptom I am feeling most is fatigue.  That whole insomnia thing is soooo over.  I now fall asleep at the drop of a hat and am hard pressed to stay up even in the middle of the day.  Yesterday, I was already yawning heavily at 7:30pm.  So now I have the joy of looking for an Ob-Gyn.  (I managed to avoid the stirrups for three years but I guess that's over now.)  Finding a doctor is a chore.  You just can't go to just anyone.  For instance, I once went to a gynecologist who had a habitual nervous giggle. (Hi, how are you? Giggle giggle)  How would you take giggle when someone is looking at your private parts?  Yeah, I didn't take it well either.  Also, I did not like the office where I was seen by a different doctor every time.  Group practices are good for some specialties but I just don't take off my panties for the masses.  Sorry I'm prudish that way.  Anyhow, when I find a decent non giggling Ob-Gyn I'll be sure to let you know.   I will put up a countdown to the due date and all that when I get an official one from the doctor.  After all those pee on the sticks have a failure rate of 1%.  It could happen.

43 Degrees is Too Cold

43 degrees is too cold.  Now normally I don't mind when it gets cold, otherwise I'd be one of these people fleeing south for the winter.  However 43 degrees is too cold for soccer.  If the kids playing soccer weren't cold, let me tell you it was way too cold to be sitting on the sidelines watching it.  The six year old had practice at 10am this morning followed by soccer for the three year old.  So I was sitting in the cold from 10 until 1 in the afternoon.  Not my idea of a good time.  Of course after all that, I was looking forward to coming home, warming up and laying down.  No such luck.   For some reason which escapes me right now, I agreed to take the three year old to a friend's birthday party.  So yes, I spent the rest of the afternoon at a birthday party for three and four year olds.  Joy.    Let's not even discuss the argument I had to referree over whose goody bag came with the green frog as opposed to the yellow one.  Let's just say that shameless bribery was used. 

Things Kids Say Thursday #4

The 6 year old had to write a Halloween story as an assignment for school.  His story follows:
Once upon a time a witch had magic powers.  Her name was Lightning Bolt.  She made a motorcycle.  She drove around on Halloween and stole candy.  Then she went home and ate all the candy.  She got a stomachache.  The End.

The three year old was playing with his friend Noah.  Noah was pretending to be Green Lantern and using his power ring on the three year old.  The three year old was being Buzz Lightyear and shooting lasers out of his arm.  Suddenly Buzz Lightyear falls over and says You killed my father!  Noah's mom and I had a good laugh over that one.

I was putting the three year old to bed when he tells me...I love you to next week.

Aren't they wierd?

Blog Award

I got an award because I am fabulous.  After all, this blog is about me and check out the award...

You see, I am totally fabulous.  Diva gave me this award and one of the rules is that I now have to pass it on to five fabulous blogs.  Hello!  You just gave it to me and now you are handicapping me because I can't pass it on to you, one of the most fabulous blogs I read.  Oh well.  The other rule is that I have to share five things I am obsessed with.  So here goes.

1.  Books.  I am obsessed with books.  Not like normal people who read books in their spare time.  No, I am liable to read books at red lights and in traffic.  When I was small, my parents would send me to bed and I would take my book and read by the street light shining in my bedroom window.  I also would read at recess.  Now, I read at Chuckie Cheese.  Yeah, I'm a nerd, you got a problem with that?  Currently I have books in my office file cabinet, coat closet, bedside table, armoire, and my dresser drawers.  Can I help it if I am a second class citizen in my own house and don't have a bookshelf?  Please note, the boys have a 6 foot bookcase for their books.  Anyway........................

2. Blogger.  I am currently obsessed with blogger to the point that everytime I pass it I wonder if new posts and comments have posted while I was taking boys to soccer, cooking dinner etc. etc.  It drives me crazy!  I think I am going to have to break down and get one of the Blackberry thingys.

3. T.V.  Okay I am not really obsessed with all shows, just certain ones.  Let's see, currently my favorites are Medium and Bones.  If you have ever seen either show, you know they are true gross out t.v.  My husband has walked in the room during one of her "dreams" in Medium and is like "Oh My God, what are you watching?"  So now you know, I am not turned off by a little blood and gore. 

4. Facebook.  Let us get something straight.  I am not obsessed with Facebook like some people who log on all day and are taking quizzes and playing games and posting every freaky picture of themselves all. the. time.  However, I do like being able to speak with my brothers and sisters throughout the day even though I may not see them everyday.  We are a particularly close family.  Now I can log on and find out when one of them is having a bad day or a particularly good one.

5.  I have a secret!!  Of course I can't tell you because then it wouldn't be a secret.  All I can say is that I am obsessed with it.  I am looking online for information about it and pictures and I will tell you about it eventually but I am going to give the secret an entire post to itself because that's how obsessed with it I am.  Now, is that going to drive you crazy?  Too bad, I am diabolical that way.

Now for the next rule of this award giving it out to some fabulous blogs I read...

1. The Mighty M Family

2. Family of Shorts

3. Headaches, Hormones & Hot Flashes

4. Beach Family Updates

5. Ruth, The Mom

Some of you have had blogs a lot longer than I and so have probably received this award already.  If so, let me say that fabulousness may have to be restated every once in a while. 

TAG...I'm red!

So Lisa at Smell the Coffee tagged me red. Oh yeah.!!! Maybe she doesn't know that red is my most favorite color ever!  So I am supposed to find seven things around the house that are red.  Check the cool red stuff I got. 

A delicious and very multi-purpose red pepper from my kitchen.

A club chair from the boys room.

The go to bedtime storybook when we haven't been to the library.

One of my favorite pairs of red shoes, that's right I'm Dorothy and I have red shoes... and red boots too.

My red wool coat, a must have article of clothing for Christmas parties.

My red lipstick.  Don't judge my photography.  This is not a blog about that.

And now for the sexiest red thing I own.......

My bluetooth hands free talking device, the must have accessory in NJ where cops give tickets for talking on the phone.

So now I get to return the favor.... I think I will tag Diva and Adriana .........BLUE!

Halloween Madness...Part One

So today was just one of those days, where I spend almost the whole day in the car.  Before we left home, I took this picture which is the boys dressed in the school safe version of their costumes before they had a chance to get messed up. (no masks, no weapons)

It only took me three tries to get this picture!  That is a feat let me tell you.  Anyway, in case you don't know the three year old is Larryboy (a Veggie Tales superhero) and the six year old is GI Joe Duke.

We left home this morning at 7:15 AM to make our first stop at Dunkin Donuts, since as class mother I am responsible for bringing the various goodies for the Halloween party in and doughnuts just can't be bought in advance.  So then I drop off the six year at his school with their party paraphenilia and then it is off to the three year old's school along with his goodies for their Halloween party.  Then I get home where I have an entire thirty minutes to myself or to clean the kitchen.  Guess which one won.  Anyway then it is off to the three year old's school for their parade.

Then is photo sessions inside with kids and their friends as I and several other parents have to forcibly remove our children from the school.  My son was appeased only by the Halloween present given to him by his teacher. (a book)  Then was lunch followed by driving to the six year old's school for their Trick or Trunk.  If you've never participated in one, basically all the parents line their cars up in the parking lot as the children trick or treat at your trunks.  Here is that scene....

The little guy participated too but this is what he was most excited about...

Until we got home and he realized we had this...

I should have put something for scale next to it but suffice it to say, I have two lasagna trays of candy and today isn't Halloween yet.  The hubby has threatened to give out their loot to trick or treaters tomorrow but guess whose the big kid with the sweet tooth....

Just as side note Halloween is the only day of the year where they play Thriller all day, so if you are flipper like me you can hear it several times but in case you can't here's a link.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/michael-jackson/13322/thriller.jhtml

You should hear the three year old do the evil laugh at the end.  Hilarious!

Things Kids Say Thursday #3

Here are some of the funny and/or strange things my kids have been saying this week.

6 year old boy (on wearing his winter coat) I hate this.  Now I'm all fluffy and people are going to laugh at me.
6 year old boy (on 3 year old wearing winter coat): (shaking his head) Now he's stuffed like a stuffed animal.

I was singing my version of a song from Bye Bye Birdie and the line goes like this: When you're not near me, I'm blue...  3 year old's response: Mom you're not blue!  Look at yourself!

3 year old: I need to brush my teeth with a Wolverine toothbrush cause I have Wolverine pajamas.

3 year old: I can't eat two cookies.  I need three cause I'm three years old.

Song on the radio was playing 1,2,3,4, Uno, Dos, Tres,Cuatro: 3 year old chimed in with: Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Cinco, Seis Siete, Ocho 

If you think my kids are funny, check out some others at Mud Pies For Mommy.

Blog Party and Chicken Nuggets

Today for my post I am going to be introducing a new (to me) blogger, DiPaola Momma.  She has a neat blog she calls Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom.  Her profile reads '16 years as a professional+4 years as a freelance writer+4 kids+2 cats+1 hottie hubby+life as a stay at home mom = ME (priceless!) I blog because it's cheaper than THERAPY!'  Don't we all?  Her blog runs the gamut from just funny antidotes of everyday life, her theory that ABC is bugging her home (for their new Patricia Heaton comedy), giveaways and fit pitching Fridays which are my absolute favorite.  Of course I could pitch a fit at least twice a week but maybe that's just me.  She recently started with another blogger Cheapskate Mom, this new giveaway which is Drabby to Fabby Fridays.  This is a once a week makeover for the most underappreciated, neglected member of the family, the blogging mom.  She loves connecting online with the fellow blogger and attended SITScation which is all about blogging and lots and lots of commenting.  So make sure you check out her blog and comment.  She just loves it!

No More Football!!!

So I get a phone call at 10pm last night to cancel today's game.  Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Okay, so
I'm a little excited.  If you were at the last game, you would have a little idea of why I am excited.  Friday night, the game was supposed to start at 6 but didn't get started until 6:30.  Then it started to rain, hard.  So in the middle of a play, one of the moms of the other team yanked her son out of the game.  The poor baby must have been about to melt.  Anyway, that made the coach of that team decide to call the game because of the weather.  Now normally, I am a fan of staying inside during cold wet weather but we had already been sitting in it and this was the third make-up game already.  Apparently, the coaches of my son's team felt the same but being men refused to keep it to themselves.  Instead, they loudly called the other team's coach a quitter and a cheater.  Apparently, they felt my son's team was on the verge of a touchdown when they conveniently quit.  Anyway, the argument got so intense that one of the dads had to take the kids away from the situation for fear of it getting ugly.  Too late for that, though.  Although I also did not want to have yet another makeup game today, I wasn't prepared to get into a vicious argument with anybody about it.  (That is what my blog is for!  HaHaHa)  The whole scene was way too serious for a flag football game.  Anyway, today's game got cancelled because of rain, again and they decided enough was enough, the season is over.  Now I have until August to figure out if I will torture myself by signing him up again next year.  Probably, I'm a shameless martyr.

Spelling

So the six year old has been progressing on the learning to read thing which makes me happy.  On the one hand, it means we can move on to longer and much more interesting books which is a good thing, on the other hand he has developed this terrible habit of asking how to spell everything and what everything says by spelling.  For instance, we are driving down the street, I know how to spell pizza.  P-I-Z-Z-A  I know what B-E-S-T B-U-Y spells, Best Buy.  What does S-T-R-A-U-S-S- spell?  What does F-U-R-N-I-T-U-R-E spell?  He also does it for commercials and the news programs.  Considering that most of the news broadcast had a ticker at the bottom with the headlines, this is a constant running commentary.  Frankly, it is annoying.  The only question is how to get him over this stage and into the reading quietly to yourself stage.

Chuck E. Cheese

You might ask why a otherwise sane person would take her kids and go to Chuck E. Cheese in the middle of a Thursday afternoon.  I would tell you but then I might have to use the F word.  Alright, it was a fundraiser.  That's right, the six year old's school has not yet bled me dry, maybe they heard extra coins rattling when I dropped him off.  Anyway, this fundraiser is one where everyone goes on a specific day (yesterday between 3-9pm) and the school gets 25% of the profits.    So to entice the children into bugging their parents endlessly into going, they gave the kids 10 free tokens.  That's not all, they also had Chuck himself come by the school yesterday at dismissal.  (There went the idea of pretending to forget!)  I agreed to take them there after homework and before football practice which gave them about an hour at four o'clock.  It's a good thing they stamp the kids so they can't leave without their parents because once I went in, I only saw the six year old in a blur as he ran past me with his friends.  Of course, since this is a school event several of his friends were there.  Their mothers, however, were a lot smarter and dropped them off with older friends and siblings cause I didn't see a single mom that I knew.  Luckily, I brought a book.   The three year old would take one token go play a game and come back for another and go play a game.  I don't know why it didn't occur to him to carry them.  I ordered them wings and fries which I and the three year old ate.  I hunted down the six year old and told him to come eat but he never showed.  Of course, when it was time to leave, he suddenly developed severe hunger pains. (the kind which make it impossible to go to football practice but is fine for playing video games and watching t.v.) Do you really think I fell for that?  No way.  We went to football practice.   I figure, I paid the registration fee, bought the cleats, got the physician's clearance and all the other little necessities, the least he can do is go to practice.  Don't feel sorry for him, he is fine once he gets there with his little friends.   Anyway, that is the story of an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese, don't let it happen to you.

Things Kids Say Thursday #2

The three year old recently got a new hat and gloves set. (Toy Story, of course)  So the other day he puts them on without shoes or a coat, rubs his hands together and says to me "Now I'm ready for some fun!"

Picking up the six year old from school, he gets in the car and says: Today was the worst day ever.
Me: WHy
6 year old: No recess (It was raining)
Me: Well you know what is good about rainy days?
6 year old: What?
Me: No football practice!
6 year old: Today is the best day ever!

3 year old: Mom can you shred my pencil? (He meant sharpen.)

Me (to Husband on the way out the door): Drive carefully.
3 year old: Yes Daddy Drive carefully and don't bump into anything.

6 year old (For no reaon at all after finishing homework): Ooh, Aah, Dance in fancy pants!

For some other pretty funny kids check out Mudpies for Mommy.

Blog Party for Bloggers

So Kristin wants to set up this party where bloggers get set up with other bloggers to guest blog on a new site in order to increase their traffic.  Head on over and sign up to join the fun!

I wish..Vacation

So this is another bloghop. This one was started by Kelsey and I found out about from the Emotional Diva. Both are great sites. Check them out. Anyway this week it is what I wish...vacations.

Well I wish to go to Texas. I know it isn't very exotic but I have lived in Jersey most of my life and haven't been much outside of the Tri-state area. other than Disney and Massachusetts. But that's another story. Anyway I really want to visit parts of the US that are different from where I live and since my three year old is cowboy crazy, I think Texas is the way to go. And I am going, after I wear down my husband about it.

I wish to go to Hawaii. I have never been and can't see going without the kids or subjecting myself to a twelve hour plane ride with them just yet so this is a sometime in the future vacation which I also am totally doing.

I wish to take a vacation to Spain. I wouldn't mind going to Madrid, Barcelona or Leon. Basically this is a trip that I was cheated out of my senior year of high school when my Spanish class went and I wasn't allowed to go. But I'm not bitter, much.

I also would like to visit Brazil. Who doesn't want to experience Carnival which is basically Mardi Gras done bigger.

Well I may not get to any of these places but it is nice to dream, right? Either that or somebody better get cracking and saving some money!

Scary Mommy

So I saw this really cool contest over at Scary Mommy and have been trying to think what makes me a scary mom. I could say that it is because I am a terrible housewife since I hate to clean. (My adage is that dust I can't see really doesn't exist and that works fine for me.)  I also hate ironing.  My husband has graciously taken over this chore otherwise we would all be wearing clothes straight out of the dryer. (That is 10 minutes in the dryer to get the wrinkles out and on they go.)  I also don't sew, knit or do any of those handy things.  I could also say that it is because the rule in my house is basically my way or the highway.  I don't fall for whining, temper tantrums or negotiating.  Please, I grew up the oldest of ten.  These two rugrats don't have what it takes to break me.  If one of my sons decides to have a temper tantrum in the middle of the soccer field, I give him about thirty seconds to pull it together and then I walk away.  Bu-Bye, going home without you.  That shuts them up pretty quick.   I could say that it is because after two kids I could care less about what I look like as I'm leaving the house to take them to (school, soccer, swim lessons, football etc.) but the truth is I really didn't care all that much about it before I had the kids, soo that doesn't work either.  I think though that the scariest thing about me is that I'm perfect.  Seriously, all the kids' bad habits are my husband's fault.  Really!  He is the one who owns the Playstation that they are in danger of becoming addicted to and he is also the one with the sweet tooth they seem to have inherited.  Unfortunately, I married him so I guess it is my fault after all.  Scary!  Well if you think I am the least bit scary, make sure you post a comment so I can win a cool Flip camera which I now can't live without.

Fabulous Photo Shoot

Usually when I take pictures, I try my hardest to get the boys to smile, get in the picture together and not to make funny faces and bunny ears.  Since this is a fantabulous foto free for all, I let them let it all hang out.  First I told them to make a silly face.

Then I asked them to make really angry faces.

He really didn't do well with this one but it was their photo shoot!

Then I asked them to act like I was telling them really funny jokes.

Then I said to act really sad.

Finally I said to make whatever kind of pose they wanted.

So I figure that it is only a matter of time before they are up for Academy Awards.

Food Shopping

I hate food shopping.  The chief reason is that everytime I go I forget something.  Don't say it.  Make a list.  Everyone tells me that.  I don't know how many times I have made a list and still forgotten things, either 1. I forgot to put it on the list, 2. It was on the list and apparently I had a brain dead moment and still forgot it or 3. I forgot to bring the list to the store in the first place.  Anyway it is really annoying to me, to spend over an hour doing a full shopping, fill up the back of my car with bags, schlep them into the house, unpack them, just to realize I have to drive back over there again either right away or in the next couple of days depending on what it is that I forgot.  I will close this by saying that although I hate food shopping, I hate letting my husband do it more since he is worse than I am at forgetting stuff even if I give him a list.

What on Earth were they doing in my closet?  HaHa.

Music

So you know that crazy person in the car next to yours who is dancing in her seat?  Yeah that's me.  Sorry but I just love my music in the car.  I particularly love the 80's and 90's music I get from the satellite radio.  Awesome.  However, I also like some current music.  Basically I am a flipper.  As soon as the station gets to the DJ talking, I press the button for the next station.  Sorry I just can't groove to the news.  Oh and don't even get me started on commercials.  Total waste of air space as far as I am concerned.  My husband drove for more than 6 months with no radio in the car.  I don't know how he did it.  I would have been quietly going mad.  A couple of months ago, I used his car (I don't know he was getting some new tires or something) anyway I made the kids sing in the car to break up the silence.  Needless to say they were mortified.  Something like, "Stop singin mom!" at the top of their lungs.  In my car, I pop in their DVD and headphone them and I can sing to my heart's content. 

Preschool Jitters (Not!)

The three year old goes to school twice a week from 9am till 11:30.  Every single time it is the same thing.  I drop off the older boy at his school before 8 and then listen to the three year old whine for half an hour, 'I wanna go to school!  I wanna go to school!  Come on mom, I wanna go to school!'  Finally I take him in and he promptly forgets I exist.  Then I come pick him up and he acts like I'm kidnapping him.  'No!! I wanna stay!'  Sometimes he even runs and hides.  Is it too much to ask that he pretend to be glad to see me?   

The Things Kids Say Thursday

I have only a couple of things this week.  What can I say, some weeks they are funnier than others.

6 year old: Mom, why didn't you name me something cool?
Me: What would be a cool name?
6 year old: Lightning Bolt


3 year old: Mom, can I have something to eat? (We were watching the older boy's football game.)
Me: Sure, how about a pretzel?
3 year old: But the pretzels all have white polka dots on them.
Me: Yep, its called salt.


Six year old: (When waitress forgot to bring parmesan cheese for his pizza)  She's colder than a hot tin roof!


Me: Come on baby, lets go.
Three year old: Mom, I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy who goes to school!


Six year old: (After he forgot his notebook and I went home and brought it in to school.)  You can't just bust in here like that!
Me: Oh yes I can and I just did!

To check out some other funny kids, go to Mudpies For Mommy.

Wordless Wednesday

I know you will be relieved to know that he found his 3D glasses.