A Small Glimpse...

Ana sat up for the first time yesterday! (With the help of her boppy).

Answers.

1. Name all the states you have LIVED in:

Washington. Wow, I'm lame!

2. Name all the pets you have had:

Beeker the Gerbil, Pepper the Spaniel, Caddy and Ole the Tabby
Cats, Linkavitch the Hamster, Buckley the crazy Beagle-Pointer
mix, andMaximus IV and Athena the kittens.

3. How many deer have you killed in the past 5 years?
Doh! A deer! A female deer! (I haven't killed any... I was just quoting Simpsons.)

4. How many diseases have you been diagnosed with since you were 18?
None!

5. How many people have you fallen in love with in the past 6 years?

Just one, he's my husband.

6. How many live concerts have you been to in the past 5 years?

Hmm... wow, have I really been to none? Do small-town band
gigs count?

7. Who/ What do you think you were in your past life?

I don't believe in reincarnation. But if I did, I'd like to think I was a giraffe.

8. What does your most re-occuring nightmare/dream involve?
I have had three. The one from early childhood involved a tiger chasing me around my house or around my elementary school. The one from high school and college had me flying over tropical waters, landing on my feet on a deserted island, and finding a beautiful waterfall in the midst of dense vegetation. The most recent is more of a nightmare, and I wake up a bit terrified.

9. What is the most expensive piece of clothing you own?

I guess my wedding dress.

10. Did you vote in the last Presidential Election?

Yes. And I voted for Chuck Baldwin. I know, "my vote didn't really count."
But I voted for who I thought should be the next president, so sue me.

11. Do you think you are a good role-model for children?

Absolutely. I think I make a lot of good choices, but at the same time
can admit my faults.

12. How do you like your steak cooked?

I just recently discovered Medium.

13. What is your favorite salad dressing?

Hidden Valley Ranch. I think the commercials enhance my love
of this beautiful dressing.

14. At what age did you/do you plan to have children?

I planned to have two kids before I was 27, and I had both
before I turned that very age!

15. Name all the vitamins/pill you take daily?

Just prenatals. And no, I'm not pregnant.

16. Name all the vehicles year/model/make you have owned?

Ford Ranger1994.

17. Ever caught anything unusual while fishing?

While fishing for ice cream, YES.

18. Where was your last camping trip?

I don't know the name of the place. It was in the Cascade mountains
just east of Marysville.

19. Have you ever played with a Ouija Board?

Well, yes actually. When I was 10, at a Halloween party. But I quickly
called my Mom and had her take me home from the party.

20. Do you know how to play an instrument?
Yes I do. Violin is my best, then voice, then guitar,
then piano (then recorder, then xylophone).

Christmas Eve

We ate, we laughed, we discussed, we sang... but the highlight of my night was our niece Odi's dancing! It has been so much fun watching her become more and more graceful each year as she learns new moves!

Five.

Here are the five pics that have summed up our experience in this snow.

First off, CABIN FEVER: Mommy's need for a few quiet minutes turns into Ian being thrown out into the cold onto our 8X4 ft deck.

Secondly: The realization Ian couldn't occupy himself playing with snow. "After all, what IS snow?" Ian ponders.Sweet Ana Clare. Just playing happily, content wherever I put her.Ian, its just 4 inches of snow! Suck it up and walk already!Ana is the toy in pink.

So as you can see, we are surviving (something I can't say for those wimpy Seattle drivers who are ALL OVER the news).

In the middle of this so-called Winter Storm (kind of like "Windstorm 2003" or whatever year that was), I have found new parental talents (not to be confused with prenatal), baked cookies from a mix we got as a gift (despite being married to a baker), and lost much sleep because, I think, Ana is realizing she just likes being with me. (Well I'll teach her a thing or two! :) Wait... I should cherish this moment, right??)

And a short sidenote: to anyone who, as a parent, has ever felt judged by me, I take it back ENTIRELY. TODDLERS ARE FROM H-E-double-hockey-stick. (Said Kelly with a yawn.) And to those of you out there just becoming parents (or simply haven't had a toddler yet), beware the temptation to judge parents around you! :)

That's it. Oh and if anyone has a Bumbo seat and isn't using it, we'll take it off your hands!

Snow Joy.

I had a lot to say, but in the end this is just it... I LOVE SNOW. (And I think people should stop freaking out and enjoy one of God's miracles.)

Santaaaaa! I know him!

Don't you love the quality of small-town Santa pics? :)
That blue over Ian's mouth isn't candy... its just the printer.

Then there's Ana, our eskimo.Well, at least Santa had a real beard.

What Kind of Driver Are You?

**A quick note: This is just to be funny.**

I believe there are three kinds of people in this world: stupid drivers, overly-cautious drivers and considerate drivers. Which one are you?

Here's how you can tell:

1. When slowing down on the ice, do you
a. Slow down to 5 mph 100 yards before the stop sign and constantly glare in your rear view mirror at the 10 cars behind you, wondering why they don't give you more space
b. Slow down and realize you're half-way through the intersection
c. Slow down at a reasonable pace so you and those around you are safe

2. While driving through Costco,
a. You turn down an aisle and stop in the middle while you wait for your spot, so no one else can get through and take the spot you apparently called dibs on.
b. You let every single person exit Costco before you continue past the crosswalk to find your own parking space
c. You let a few people cross, then continue down an aisle, pull over to the side when you find a spot, and turn on your blinker to alert other drivers you are just waiting

3. Shopping carts are included in this discussion. While in Costco, when you find an item you want, you
a. Leave your cart in the middle of the aisle, then stand and inspect and assess the item and other items around it for 10 minutes
b. Slowly approach it, so as to not startle it
c. Take a 360 degree glance to be sure you're not in anyone's way, then quickly and gracefully remove the item from the shelf, place it in the cart, then keep moving

4. When stopped at a stoplight and are waiting over one minute,
a. You inch forward every ten seconds, just enough to make the car behind you feel the need to pull forward
b. Allow six car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you
c. Sing loudly to Santa Claus is Coming to Town in a pitch WAY too high, and tune out all the chaotic driving around you

5. When a car pulls out onto the road in front of you politely and at a good speed, you
a. Speed up to make sure they know you are the shiznit, yo
b. Slam on your brakes! Oh my goodness I can't believe how close that was! Man I gotta pull over. Whoa, my heart is RACING.
c. Briefly tap the brakes to allow the correct amount of space to develop, and continue on your way, thinking "I am making this road a safer place."

If you answered mostly a's, that does not mean you aced driving, I am sorry please take driver's ed again. AND PLEASE don't take it in Canada.

If you answered mostly b's, I applaud you for having the tendency toward safe and secure things. However, you are driving us all nuts.

If you answered mostly c's, way to go! You are a mostly well-educated, safe driver who loves to sing in the car and talk to yourself. You also have probably thought way too much about driving, but in the end it probably makes this world a safer place for us all.

If you answered mostly d's, you found my hidden links in this post.

Light.

As I put Ana down in her crib tonight, I had a thought. Actually, God spoke to me. I walked into her room, into the pitch black, and couldn't see anything. None of the other lights were on in the house, so there was nothing to help me see where to place her in her crib, or if I was going to trip over something in the dark.

And I started thinking. Usually the hall light is on, which illuminates the room just enough so that I can see my way through the dark, and where in the crib to place Ana so she doesn't hit the edges of the crib in her sleep.

The darkness seems darker without the light.

Picture This.

Picture a really cool toddler bed with Cars sheets and a Cars bedspread, and a cool Cars pillowcase.

THEN, picture a 2ft. Tall Elmo doll sitting on the end of that bed.

Ok... have that in your mind?

Now, picture that cool bed and elmo doll being covered in puke.

That's what I woke up to this morning at 6:15am, after only being asleep for 6 hours.

That's what I had to clean up AFTER I fed Ana at 7am because I didn't want to wake her before then,

and that's what almost made ME spew chunks all over Ian and Ana's bedroom during the 20 minutes it took me to clean up the mess.

Parenting 101

I learn something every day about my kids, and about myself. Lately I have been thinking a lot about my parenting skills (or lack thereof) and my competitive nature. Two things that don't really get along if you think about it. Everything I do with my kids, with my home, and with myself, I want to do 110%. I want to do it all perfect.

Problem is, I am not perfect... so how can I be a perfect parent? Not possible!

So, here are my Imperfect Parenting tips:

1. Let the baby cry. Its ok to go to the bathroom BEFORE you rush in to grab the baby so the toddler sleeping in the same room won't wake up.

2. Leave the baby on the floor or a safe surface while you make yourself breakfast. She will not suffer developmentally if left there for a few minutes.

3. Let the toddler cry before you go wake him up. He may not be awake!

4. Curious George is on at 8am. This will give you time to blog.

5. Don't get mad when your kids spill stuff!

6. Laugh a lot, because life is funny. And teach your kids to be comedians... it makes life more interesting.

7. Don't rush the day so much, thinking constantly about the next step or what to make for dinner. Life is happening now!

8. If you have to battle the decision to clean the clutter or clean the germs, choose the latter. The clutter can't be stopped. Germs can. I know... shocking.

9. Knowledge is good, but basic life skills are greater. Teach that kid to put his shoes on before he learns where Africa is. He'll learn that in school. (Ian finally decided to put his own shoes on yesterday!)

10. Hug and kiss your kids. Its really better than anything else you can do as a parent. Hug and kiss your spouse, too, while you're at it.

And there you have it, my top ten tips from a mediocre mom. :)

Sheesh.

So, I saw this on someone else's blog. The National Endowment for the Arts posted this list that's making the rounds. According to The Big Read, the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books on their list.

I've only read 16 of the books! Well, if I got nothing else out of this, at least now I have a reading list.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. 1984 - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (I have read a lot of Works of Shakespeare, but probably not the COMPLETE works...)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (not counting that in my total since its also #33)
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92.The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare (one of the works I've read)
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

"Merry Christmas"

As much as I feel my last blog about my ITunes shuffle is important, I believe this issue is a tad more important. Or at least... interesting.

MSN.com had an article on people saying happy holidays vs. Merry Christmas, and I replied on its discussion board. Here is what I said:

"Well, it seems that if people don't say Merry Christmas, perhaps they don't celebrate it?

If you don't believe in the divinity of Jesus and His birth over 2,000 years ago, then don't say Merry Christmas!

But I would love for people who don't say Merry Christmas, who get angry that people tell them "Merry Christmas," or who don't believe in how special that SPECIFIC holiday is, to do one thing for me.

Just consider the fact that it IS THAT important to some people, and let them wish you one! They are not cursing you! They are telling you "I hope you have a wonderful holiday season" in their own language! (If you care to, you could even find a bible somewhere and read the story of the birth of Jesus. Its in the book of Luke, the second Chapter. Read verses 1-20).

And with that, I say "Merry Christmas" because I wish the best on all people and want you to enjoy this season to the fullest."

Shuffle Crazy

Copying from Christie, here are the first 25 songs in my ITunes Shuffle. If you thought I was already at my random limit, think again...

1. I'm Allright - Bebo Norman
2. Underneath it All - No Doubt
3. Take My Hand - Shawn McDonald
4. Long Way Home - Bebo Norman
5. Complicated - Avril Lavigne
6. I Will Wait - Hootie & the Blowfish
7. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
8. Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks
9. Piano Song - Juliana Theory
10. Anywhere - Evanescence (my fave!)
11. Superman - Bush
12. Come Thou Fount - David Crowder Band
13. Constellations - Jack Johnson
14. Magnificent Obsession - Steven Curtis Chapman
15. In the End - Linkin Park
16. For Me This is Heaven - Jimmy Eat World
17. Silent Night - Aretha Franklin (I should have my signature "Kelly Leffel in college" version of Silent Night recorded for your listening pleasure)
18. My Hope - David Crowder Band
19. Tangled up in Blue - Bob Dylan
20. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
21. You Don't Know How it Feels - Tom Petty
22. Spin - Lifehouse
23. Out of Breath - Lifehouse (I can play that one on the geeetar)
24. Anyone, Anyone (Dashboard Confessional, although its really from Ferris Bueller)
25. AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE... I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

And what's the purpose of this blog?... anyone, anyone? (ba-dum-CHING)

Found.

I used to type out my journal entries a lot in college, mostly because I had a laptop and could sit in bed and type until I fell asleep. Sounds silly, but it really works... not only to maintain sanity, but also to make me fall asleep FAST!

I was reading through them just now, and found a rather amusing one.

"…so she sat down at her computer and began typing. She just sat there, for hours and hours, thoughts running through her head like really really sticky syrup. Yes, she had writer’s block. She needed a solution, and fast. But from where would she find this miracle solution? She didn’t know, so she grabbed her car keys in hope that her car would take her there. Little did she know, she had to be in the car for it to take her anywhere."

Ich bin sehr dankbar für...

I looked that up. I don't really speak German. It means "I am thankful for..."

- family, friends, food, shelter, clothing, health (those are all givens)

- my Grandma being out of the hospital

- having a sense of humor

- the election being over

- God's voice YELLING at me lately

- a sweet and understanding son (who let me lie down for 20 minutes today)

- quiet moments like this

- gorgeous-smelling candles

- AND... da da dada... 4 days off!!!

Meme from Christie

*First of all, I finally looked up the definition of the word "meme." It means "Any idea or behavior that can pass from one person to another by learning or imitation." I had always just assumed it meant something like that, but had to make sure before I used it. I've always been fine just not knowing the exact definitions of words, but I've made up my mind to start looking up EVERYTHING. Its one thing to know how to spell it (I am the champion), but quite another to know precisely what it means!

*The reason this is a meme from Christie is because as of late, she has begun to do "bullet posts" a.k.a. write her posts in very easy to understand lists. I've enjoyed reading her blog lately... she and I went to the same church for quite a long time and haven't seen each other in a while, so it has been so great to get a glimpse into her life through her blog. And she has the cutest little baby blump ever. :)

*Aaron is sick-ish so he's in bed, which is why I'm up blogging. (Funny, I just realized Christie is also married to an "Aaron.") And Ana goes down for bed at 9pm, but I squeeze a 10pm dream-feed in before I go to bed, and "Voila"... she sleeps till 8am! Actually, she'd sleep longer if I let her! (And yes, I know not all babies are like that... I try not to tell other moms how long I get to sleep at night).

*I really love my life. There are always small worries, fears, irritations, you name it. But lately I have been looking at the panoramic snapshot of my life and really, I'm living large. I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge AND pantry, a husband, two kids, and JUST enough money to pay bills and occasionally buy little extras like a bleach pen. :)

*Thanksgiving and Christmas. The over-indulgent holidays. I love seeing that more and more people are being frugal. For many, its simply because their money is tight. For others (like my kind-of-sister Abbey), its a Christian-based principle of really thinking about what we spend money on and whether we need it or not... even in GIVING gifts! (The other OBVIOUS Christian based principle is the fact that Christmas is about CHRIST, and not WALMART.) I know so many people this Christmas will spend WAY too much on gifts, food, decorations... but if at least 2 more people each year see through the consumerism into the true meaning of Christmas because I have said something, I feel I've done my part.

*That said, its WONDERFUL to give, and WONDERFUL to receive, don't get me wrong!... but where is your heart? That's what matters. Is it a heart of greed, or a heart of thankfulness?

*Speaking of greed, I think I figured it out. We'll see if my argument connects and makes sense. Lately I realized I am a chocolate and ice cream addict (actually, I didn't realize it lately... I realized it about 27 years ago). I can't stop. Some days, I have a bowl after lunch, AND a bowl after dinner. And if you sneak in a chocolate or two each day, those are a lot of fatty calories just waiting to make me obese later in life! So as a start, for the past week I have completely given up both... chocolate and ice cream are out of my diet. I have said its only until New Years Eve, but we'll see. I feel pretty good, like the desire isn't really there anymore. I slipped up ONCE at our little friend Maddie's birthday party with a mini chocolate cupcake, but that's IT! For me, that is amazing. So, connecting it with greed, I think I realized I am a greedy person. I like to say I don't want anything, but on the inside there are major things I want, so much that when the holiday has come and gone, I am utterly disappointed. SO, I am starting this greed problem by giving up ice cream and chocolate. I figure if I can give up such ultimate greedy temptations in my life, I can begin to battle the true problem. Maybe I'll stop wanting, and start wanting to give.

*You can see I am not pointing fingers. Just wanted to make that clear. :)

Our Trip.

Last weekend, two major things happened. my Grandma came down with double-lung pneumonia and a heart issue at the same time, leading to a heart surgery to SUCCESSFULLY repair her mitral valve. The same weekend, we were scheduled to head to the coast for a relaxing weekend at Aunt Diane's beach house. Somehow, we accomplished both seeing my Grandma, AND going on vacation. My Grandma had gone into heart surgery in Seattle the day we left, so we were actually able to stop in at the hospital just in time to hear the news on how the surgery went, say hi to my Grandpa, Mom, Janet, and Linda, then head on our way to the coast. I think if the surgery hadn't gone well, we probably wouldn't have continued on. But we did, and we kept her in our prayers the whole time. It kept hitting me that this could be very serious, and every time I thought of that I prayed. Now she is doing better by the day, and dealing with the healing process.

The beach house is out on the beautiful Cranberry Coast in Grayland, WA. SOOO beautiful this time of year! I wanted to share a few pics for you all. I think they really capture the essence of our trip... the relaxation, peaceful atmosphere we were able to enjoy for four days without interruption! (Except to hear news about my Grandma, which was a welcome interruption)

This is the 1/4 mile path to the ocean from the beach house. I just want to write a poem about it. Oh wait, I did. I'll post it once I finalize it.

Yes, I am in my bare feet. And yes, the water was FREEZING!

Here I am, pretending not to be frozen, and with Ian, who was still looking at me instead of saying cheese.

Daddy, Ian, Sand, Ocean.

I want to be a baby again.

I love the landscape!

Ian and his belly.Sweet Ana Clare.

So that was it. I am so happy our usually-lame camera cooperated!

Back From the Coast.

This is just a sneak peak of our trip to Aunt Diane's Cabin in Grayland, WA.
We stayed THREE nights and slept in EVERY morning!

Pray for my Grandma.

My Grandma is having open-heart surgery today... prep begins at noon. Please pray for the doctor and my Grandma during the surgery, and for her quick healing and recovery.

Here are a few pics of her...

Grandma Alice is the one in the grey jacket. This is from my high school graduation party! These are all my GParents... Bill and Alice on the left, and Ann and Phil on the right. They're awesome.

And this is four generations! I love old pictures. That's Great-Grandma Eula Caler on the left, my Mom and I in the middle, and Grandma Alice on the right. Crazy, huh? And crazy resemblance between Ana and I, huh?!

7am.

Since November 2nd, the day we also know as "Fall Back," I have been in a morning battle with my children (in addition to the rest of the day). I was trying with all my might to readjust their systems to the new 8am waketime.

Not happening. As much as I've tried to keep them up later, they just keep waking up at 6:45 or 7am!! Arg!

This is a battle I cannot win. Therefore, I give in. Ian.... Ana... you can wake up at 7am. AND go to BED at 7pm!! Mua ha ha.

Oh and the picture above... I want to live down a road like that. If not, I'll settle for a beach in Maui.

Moo.

I recently checked this movie out at the library for Ian:Big mistake... big mistake. All I hear, all day, every day, is "MORE MOO! MORE MOO!!"

Election Day.

Actually, I'm sick of the election. I voted, what's done is done. My vote won't count since I voted NEITHER democrat or republican. :)

Instead, here are a few of my favorite things (beside warm woolen mittens).

New Balance Running Shoes:

Shiatsu Massage Pad w/ Quad Roller.

The Office. All of it.

ANY and ALL Yankee Candle Company Candles.
I take that back ANY except pine or leaf scented. :)

Cute Rain Boots. Bright, child-like designs a must.

Trick or Treat!

Mouse (Odi) and Dragon (Maddie)

Cooperation.Mouse, Amanda, and Steve Irwin.Trick or Cheep!

This Rainy Friday...

To begin: This is the only chance I've had to sit down today...
all because of my GENIUS idea for this...

I have a cranky Ana, who knows why, and a stir-crazy Ian. Usually we've gone SOMEWHERE by now today, but due to my lack of motivation, we haven't done so. Actually, its not a lack of motivation. Its intense motivation to stay home. :) Still haven't had coffee though.

And these:

are my children. Ian had said "cheese" way too many times before I shot this picture. Who knows what Ana was thinking. That kid can't seem to focus. :)

And that's Aaron's pumpkin. He's the "think it through before you stab the pumpkin" types. Therefore, he ends up with a cool one... like that. Mine was kind of a creepy looking cat thing that I carved spontaneously with no plan in mind. And I hated it. But that's what I get for not thinking ahead. At least in "real" life, I think ahead.
And here's Ana Clare the Chicken. She's actually going to be a pink fuzzy bear for Halloween, but I had to put this on her.

This Post to be continued...

Baldwin?

Anyone have any opinions/information on Chuck Baldwin? He's a presidential candidate. I'm all for not voting democrat OR republican. I'm sick of those words, actually.

I'm really just brianstorming. I'll probably end up voting for one of the "main" candidates like the rest of you. But here's food for thought... how would you vote if you weren't voting based on what the rest of the nation was voting? What if it wasn't EXPECTED that everyone votes for either a democrat or a republican?

I have cast all my votes except this one, and it took a while to decide who I wanted for Attorney General. Unlike the way I studied in college, I'm putting quite a bit of thought into my voting... :) Its probably more important, anyway.

(Oh and, let's pray he's not one of the Baldwin brothers)

Peas in a Pod.

Here are Ian and Lucy at the Blaine library storytime! They had so much fun... so much that they forgot it was storytime, as you can see in the pictures. :) Especially notice, all the well-behaved children at the front of the class. And don't dis my parenting skills... they at least stayed QUIET!

Harvest Party.

"What? we weren't doing anything..."

"I get to eat a WHOLE donut? Wait... are there strings attached?""If this is what growing up is like, I'm in!"

We prefer the "donut" version of powder. (as opposed to the fluffy white stuff in the mountains)"I'm a beautiful ballerina!"