This is Halloween

The kids were very excited to get the house ready for all their friends to ring our bell.
Trey tried this outfit out but decided to go as sponge bob instead. He's a big hit with the kids!
Trey bought me this A-MAZING vest from k-mart. I'm dressed up as an elementary students mom (see earlier blog about the field trip with H). The sick thing is that I saw 2 moms sporting this rad vest for real! They liked it! They bought it to wear!
A is an injured skateboarder while H when as a cowgirl. I really liked these costumes because...well...they didn't cost me a dime!
And Tank...well...Tank went as a cute little pumpkin dog...well, I guess that's not true. He made it around the block with the kids and Trey but really couldn't handle the dark, the cold, or the idea of his humans walking up to houses without him...then Trey ran him back to me to greet all the neighborhood kids at our door.

A Good Day for a Hot Toddy

I feel like I'm just now playing catch-up. For so long we were anticipating Kat's wedding and all the company that would bring. Once that event was over we had to hurry up and plan our annual kid Halloween party, which we had last night and yes...there was a fire! So much excitement in the Many house...I'm sure our neighbors were real impressed! ( the fire was small, I lit some candles around the house and someone placed the paper towels a wee bit too close...there was very little smoke and the soot came right off the white back splash with some simple green.)
Now were revving up for our trip out to Alabama and Louisiana. We're fitting two visits into this one trip. Trey's dad and step mom live in Alabama and we don't see them nearly enough so when Trey's mom asked if we wanted to go to Louisiana to help her celebrate her 60th birthday we knew we had to fit them both in. The kids are so excited. I told them of our plans on the way home from school today and H announced that she just could not wait to see grandpa Joseph Many and Chee Chee. They've got cat and it really doesn't concern H too much that she's allergic. A visit gives her ample opportunity to get fed some southern food and get cat hair all over her.

We took the dog to the dog park today despite the grey sky and chilly breeze. Tank does so much better when he's tired. I like him so much when he's sleeping. After the park we came home to clean up the mess accumulated from the Halloween party. A did his home work while H set her small stuffed animals up all over the living room. I searched the Internet for a recipe for hot toddy's and found this yummy one:

1/4 c boiling water
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz pear brandy (or apple brandy)
1/2 oz honey

all you do is put the honey in the boiling water and mix it till it dissolves, then mix the rest into that and put a cinnamon stick in it. I doubled it cause it's that good.
I'm sipping it right now and it's warming me up in this cold, cold house on this cold, cold night.

More fun with Mike

My dear friend Mike G posted a great blog about his visit here:
http://www.myspace.com/zographosThe guy totally gets around, but I love him just the same.

Pumpkin Patch

As the second born child I am keenly aware of what I do with August and Hazel. I try to take as many pictures of H as I do A, try to cherish as many moments with them both as I can. The pitfall comes when it's time to go on field trips. As a rule, I hate them. Really, I just hate kids. Odd- I know as I'm a teacher but if I'm not in charge of said kids I find it very difficult to bear them. But...I went on the pumpkin patch field trip with A when he was in kindergarten and it was fun so when the paperwork came home for H I agreed to go.
Today was the day. I put on my shorter jeans and my new rain boots, layered my shirts and put on a warm vest with my scarf. I was ready.
The three of us made our way to school and H and I went right to her classroom because she warned me that they were leaving RIGHT AWAY and had to be in the room BEFORE the bell. The moms were to wait out in the hall while the teacher gave the students her expectations.
I looked across the hallway at the other mothers. They were dressed in orange and black. I kid you not! A few even had pumpkins of various sizes on their shirts and or ears! They were really excited to be going on this trip.
I made a b-line for the table where you could sign up to ride on the bus with all those kids (?!) or ask to ride in a car with another parent. I've served my time...I would not be riding that bus!
The van I made it in only had 2 other gals. The entire ride was full of conversations about potty training, how much they loved their mini vans and what they loved about our school. I could only really participate in the last conversation as I've completely forgotten potty training A and H...and...I do not love our mini van.
H was amazing throughout the field trip. She is so different from A. She just wanted to be with her friends and really didn't care to sit with or near me. I loved watching her enjoy herself.
August at the Pumpkin Patch in Kindergarten.Hazel at the Pumpkin Patch in Kindergarten.

Family, Friends, Laughter, Weddings

Mom and Dad took a LOOOOOONG train ride from Michigan to Washington to be here for my little sister's wedding. Justin is a super great addition to the family. He seemed to fit right in between the folks:


The wedding ceremony took place at a wonderful friend of the family's house. It was a last minute change and it ended up being just perfect:
The reception was in the top of a great building. Everyone dressed up and was ready to have a great time celebrating the happy couple:
Kat took a quick break from the reception to check her lipstick. She looked a-mazing!
It's a bit out of order but the night before the wedding we all went out to eat at a great local bar...things got a little crazy and somehow I ended up singing a spin doctors song on a CHAIR which is VERY different than singing a spin doctors song on the TABLE!!!!
Trey and I are just now recovering from all the festivities. The house seems very quiet without my brother and sister-in-law and the kids.

Girls Night with Kat

Panos Greek Tavern was amazing


Kat and her friend Tinnly. ..waiting for our food to arrive.


The view from Jessica's apartment was amazing.

Pretty bride to be.
Hannah all pouty and stuff.


Checking out the gifts for my little sis...somethings are better left unknown!

The ladies looking at Kat.

Hannah passing the time...

Kat helping Hannah pass the time.

Jessica dancing the night away.

I'm really not too sure whats going on in this picture...go ahead...make something up.

Good night with the gals.

Walking the Dog

Walked the dog this morning. Really, walked the dog and the kids this morning. Before we all slipped out the door I reached for my ipod. Trey spent some time yesterday putting some new songs on it. He mentioned some bands from Sweden and Canada that I just had to hear and some Amy Grant was thrown in for good measure, I mean you've gotta know who to listen to these days, right?
Dropped the kids off at school and continued down the road with the dog while I quickly put my ear buds in. What would I grace my ears with this morning...oh, come on...it had to be Amy Grant. I've known her long as anybody...better than the rest.
The first song popped on, Love of Another Kind. It was like having coffee with an old friend. I knew every lyric. I started walking to the beat. I struggled to keep the song in my head and not shout out the words with passion. "They say love is cruel, they say love is rather fragile..." I lived those words when this record came out. I wanted to start kicking my legs and pull out my leopard print jacket. I couldn't help but allow a few words to squeak out during Love will Find a Way. It was during the small explosion- "I could stand here an angry young woman, taking all this pain to heart...Love is gonna find a way...a way to go...only love can know...love will surely find a way!"
These songs were so important to me. I remember driving around with this tape on full volume singing my way through the whole record. I could tell you the song order without even thinking. I sang it everywhere I went. Yes, I went to see her in concert and yes, I thought my head was going to explode with she sang I Love You and it really looked like there was a motor cycle on stage with the squealing of the tires and the smoke. "We were pretty crazy back when we fell in love...I love you deeper than I ever dreamed of..."
Oh Amy Grant, how I wanted to be you. I can still listen to this record and enjoy every note, laugh at every word, bounce to every random reggae beat. By the time this record came out I was no longer singing solos at church or school. I had however, sang a number of her songs from older recordings, like My Father's Eyes and Angels Watching Over Me and Raining on the Inside. I'm sure there are more but I'll stop right here.
There'll never be anyone, there'll never be anyone steppin' into your shoes Amy Grant!

Inspiration

it's windy and wet outside. our house still has it's original furnace from 1947 so it's a bit chilly as i sit on my green comfy couch and type away. i've got my big, wide, white scarf wrapped around my neck and my french press coffee on the table next to me in an effort to force the warmth around me.
i need inspiration. i haven't been working on anything. fall brings school which should bring more free time for me but this year i have to work as much as possible. i don't mind working. i rather enjoy the time in the kids school. i've been able to peek in on hazel at lunch as well as in her classroom. august has been surprised a number of times by me sneaking up on him and giving him a quick kiss (he isn't embarrassed by these yet). the problem with working is that it isn't constant. last week i worked 3 days, the week before i worked 1 day, this week i'm working 2 days. it's almost impossible to come up with a schedule. i need a schedule. i feel a bit lost not knowing if i'm going to work this day or that, not knowing if i have time to myself...
trey bought me a new knitting book. i haven't picked up needles in a while. this book is full of scarves. i'm excited to start (and complete) a project. now i just need to find the time to get to the yarn store to find that perfect yarn. i want the scarf i make to be wearable and luxurious. anyone have any ideas? i'm so sick of wool with it's itchy, itchy texture. i have a basket full of it from last year and just don't know what to do with it all. i'd love to find a usable cotton/silk mix...just thinking about it makes my fingers ache to knit.
sigh.