Our fun week

We really enjoyed our fun week visiting with Mom/Nani.  We had great weather all week and got to do lots of fun things with the kids.  From swimming in the pool and "mowing" the yard to pumpkin picking...we did it all!

We cashed in on our Groupon and visited the Carnegie Science Center on Friday.  The kids had a blast and Grandma did too!  We all really enjoyed the new SportsWorks center...very cool!  I did learn, however, that I suck and jumping...there was a basketball section that measured how high you can jump and, sorry to say, I'm pathetic!

We visited Lewis Family Farm on Saturday to pick up more pastured chickens and Carter got to sit on their tractor.  He was in heaven...told me, "I really love this, mama!"

Yesterday we went to Shenot Farm and did their hayride to the pumpkin patch.  It was a perfect day for it and they kids had a blast.  Carter only wanted to take one pumpkin home though and it was tiny, green and half rotten.  We'll need to work on that next year.

Look, they almost look like they're friends in this shot!!

Yesterday, I completed my 11th Great Race with one of my better times, 53:15.  I know it's not that fast but after cranking out 2 kids and crossing my 3rd decade mark, I'm pretty psyched with that time.

Giving up gum

We watched a really interesting movie the other night, "Sweet Misery".  Highly recommend it to EVERYONE.  It's about the creation and acceptance of Aspartame into our diets and the truth about this toxic chemical.  Yes, it's toxic.  I had no idea how bad it really was till I watched this documentary and now I'm 100% committed to getting it out of my house.  Unfortunately the only thing I really eat that has it on a regular basis is gum.  Let me tell you I spent 10 minutes combing the grocery store shelves today for any gum without it and I don't believe there is one that exists.  I'm addicted to chewing gum, sad but true...but now that I know this I'm gonna try to stop.  So I bought a bulk container of Altoids today and we'll see how it goes.  But seriously..watch the film....really scary stuff!!

On a COMPLETELY different side note.  So I was in Victoria's Secret today...redeeming my coupon for free underwear (can't pass that up).   And I go to check out and there is a GUY working there.  Ok, don't get me wrong I'm all for Equal Opportunity, but really!?!  What self-respecting guy wants to work in Victoria's Secret???  It was totally weird and awkward and just wrong if you ask me.  Feel free to think what you want but there are just some stores a guy should never work in and that's one of 'em!

Fly Over

Finally got this clip posted...enjoy!  (wish I coulda taken my HD Video Cam in because the pic isn't great but at least you get the gist of it)

He loves her, he loves her not

The kids are struggling with the couple of rainy cooler days we have had in a row this week.  Carter particularly doesn't know how to channel his energy into positive activities and instead just spends all his time tormenting his poor little sister.  Whenever I ask him if he loves Reese (or even if he likes her) he always says no.  So sad!

Today was a really rough day in terms of the kids getting along.  Well, it's really all Carter...Reese just kinda does her thing but he was after her ALL day today.  If anyone has ANY ideas for how to put a stop to his bullying, I am all ears.  Every toy she picks up he immediately tries to swipe out of her hands.  Whatever I tell him not to do, he does.  I have tried everything to get him to stop and have yet to find a solution to his bad behavior.  Tonight we found cattails for the kids at the playground and they were so excited.  We got in the car and I told Carter not to put it in Reese's face.  What do I see him doing literally 15 seconds later when I turn around...sticking them right in Reese's eyes.  I told him not to, turned back around 10 seconds later and he was doing it again...so I just grabbed them and threw them right out the car window.  Arghhhhhh!!!  Sorry for all the venting...I thought they were supposed to be best friends!

Just too busy

We've had a really busy week...doing what exactly, I couldn't tell you but the time always does seem to fly by.  Yesterday we were all outside after dinner playing on the swing set.  Derrick was pushing Carter on the swing and Carter says to him, "Stop pushing me, Dada, I don't have time to swing."

Today will be my first day taking both kids with me and putting them in child care.  I'm stating up a year-long Bible study and am quite nervous about how they'll do.  I know it's good for them to be away from me and goodness knows I could use a little break once a week.  We'll see how it goes!

Weekend with Tim

We had a blast visiting with Uncle/Cousin Tim this weekend.  I seriously don't think we've had such an action-packed weekend in years.  We kicked it off Saturday with the Ohio Twp 5K Run.  I ran the 5K and Carter was supposed to do a 1K Kids Run - his first race.  Well, I say supposed to, because the minute she yelled, GO!, he turned and started running in the wrong direction, screaming his head off.  I guess he wasn't ready to run in a race yet.  We ended up dragging, pushing and carrying him around the entire 1K loop which was amazingly painful after already completing a 5K.  But oh well...maybe next year.  Tim met up with us after the race and after Reese's nap we drove down to the Wings over Pittsburgh Air Show.

Carter after one loud Thunderbird pass

At the air show, Tim got us amazingly close parking.  It helps to go to an Air Show with a pilot!!  We got there just in time to see an amazing show by the Thunderbirds.  It was awesome, but a few parts were incredibly loud and the kids were a little spooked.  Overall they really liked it though.  Tim then walked us over the the runway where his plane was and let us climb inside.  It was awesome!!

We were all admiring his plane when this helicopter flew RIGHT over us, like 20 feet above our heads.  It was ridiculous...in a matter of seconds we were blasted by an 80 mph gust...fortunately the guys were both holding a kid because our stroller and a bunch of our stuff got scattered all across the runway.  People were walking over bringing back things that we'd lost...Reese's socks, Derrick's sunglasses, the stroller, Carter's earphones.  Just glad everyone was ok!

Today, thanks again to Tim, we got to go to the Steelers vs. Falcon's home opener.  It was awesome and Tim did the Airforce Flyover to kick it all off.  The Steelers won 15-9 in an exciting overtime play.  It was a day we'll remember for many years to come.

Heavenly

We are all routing for this hometown girl to win America's Got Talent.  Hard to believe a 10 year old can sing like this!!

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Learning new things

My kids are quick learners.  Carter has a memory like an elephant, I swear and Reese is like a little copycat these days, trying to do anything he does.  This weekend the two of them were like the perfect storm, going through our house, wreaking their chaos wherever they went.  Carter started off the day on Saturday by showing Reese how to stand at the top of the steps and throw things down the stairs.  They managed to throw several toys, several diapers from the closet, some bath items and some of my clean laundry down the steps before I caught them.  Later that evening I was looking all over for the TV remote.  Derrick pipes in from the kitchen, "Oh I think Reese might have thrown it down the basement steps."  We have a hole in the door for the cats to get through so I guess she thought that was a really fun game, chucking random items through the cat door and down the steps.  Sure enough, my remote was sitting at the bottom of the steps...thanks Carter for teaching her this amazing new trick.

Carter figured out a really great new trick yesterday.  He can now reach the ice/water dispenser on our fridge.  He was standing under it and pressing the button, shooting water out all over his head and making a huge puddle on my kitchen floor.  For a minute I stood in stunned silence just watching this scene unfold...and then I put the kibosh on that real fast!  His comment to me when I yelled at him was, "I'm cooling off, Mama."

Cheepin' out on Halloween

So I know it's early to be thinking of Halloween, but I had it in my mind to save money on the kids costumes this year and make them myself.  I am going to make Carter a UPS Delivery Man costume.  I found him dark brown pants and a brown shirt at the thrift store today for $3 total.  I'm going to sew on a UPS logo patch that I will make and he'll carry a cardboard box to collect his candy in.  For Reese, I found this great idea for making fairy wings.   So I made them and they are super cute.  At our neighborhood garage sale last week I found a little pink leotard for $1 and her aunt made her a cute tutu for her birthday, so we're set!

We went from 95 degrees two days ago to a very pleasant 68 degrees today for the high.  It was SO nice to be outside and not be sweating within 3 minutes.

A Malady of the Mind

How is it that kids learn to play mind games at such an early age?  I mean seriously, they're watching Sesame Street and talking to imaginary friends one minute and the next they are manipulating you like a pro.  Well, Carter has figured out that he can earn some sympathy from me when he gets hurt.  This has now been twisted into some kinda messed up game of "Kiss my Boo Boo."  It seems like every day he comes up with a new imaginary ailment.  Yesterday, he followed me around crying for, no joke, almost an hour, saying..."I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding, my toe is bleeding."  Please don't think I'm some callouse, uncaring parent, but his toe was perfectly fine.

Today we started off the day with, "My finger hurts, my fiiiiinnnnnnggggeeeeerrrrrr!"  (This was being screamed at me at a higher decibel than I cared to deal with at 8 AM and lasted for a good hour.  Can't even tell you how many times I kissed his "boo boo"...we cleaned it in the sink with cool water, and finally I resorted to getting his new "Boo Boo Buddy" ice pack that his Nani sent him.  That finally quelled the tears, and he told me, "That's so much better, Mama."  He even made a point of showing his friends his "boo boo" at our weekly play date today.  One little boy's mom was like, "is there really a cut on his finger?"....no, my son is just delusional.

Reese plays her own games with me as well.  I've been feeling bad for her because her one-year molars are coming in and have been using that as the reason why she is being such a picky eater this week and throwing just about everything I give her right on the floor.  She was in her routine of chucking things on the floor again at lunch today and I tried a little experiment.  I put 5 M&M's on her tray, and....miracle of MIRACLES...she immediately ate every last one. Oh Reese, not you too!!!

Sweetness

Carter says to me yesterday, "I just love everyone.  I just love everyone, Mama."

Fun in a box

These were the boxes from our new bread machine.  Derrick saw this fun fact on Yahoo Finance and got one for us.

8. Buy a bread machine

You want a certain winner? If a $50 breadmaker saves you, say, $7 a week on buying bread, that's $350 year. The easiest dough you'll make. Modern breadmakers are, well, a piece of cake to operate. The return on investment: 600% in year one and 700% after that.

Wall Street's best year ever? Just 74%, in 1915. Ha. Amateurs.

Toddling Terror

Reese does love to walk.  She tries to do just about everything her brother can do, and more.  She'll try to follow him up the steep hill in our backyard, climb on and off the deck.  She was even trying to play t-ball yesterday. The problem is, she has absolutely NO fear and is constantly getting into trouble with her new-found skills.




She can now climb onto the kitchen chairs and then
promptly stands up and tries to rock them back and forth.

Yesterday she had to get a couple of shots and that made for a very interesting afternoon.  She also has 2 molars coming in so she hasn't been the happiest camper for the last couple weeks.