Aspiring Makeup Artist

This picture really needs no explanation. Except maybe, Hallelujah for washable markers.

Nutcracker

Tabitha was in the Nutcracker this weekend and we were very proud of her. She did a great job. She is like the third angel from the top on the right hand side. And I apologize for my videoing skills. I wasn't technically supposed to be videoing so I was trying to be incognito.

Here are the girls after the ballet.

And our post ballet celebration at Red Lobster. Because nothing says congratulations like cheddar bay biscuits.

Flaming Turkey Wings...

OK I didn't actually start the turkey on fire but I did start my oven on fire. And if I wasn't freaking out about getting my turkey cooked I probably would have taken pictures. But sadly all I took where these Martha Stewart wannabe pictures.


These are the two pies I planned on making. What you count more than two? Well the night before Thanksgiving as I was placing my turkey in its briney bath and making my 2 pies. David threw a monumental hissy fit about not making enough pies and how could I not make milk tart it was tradition...yeah my tradition. So you would think that if I didn't make it I would be the only person upset by it, apparently not. Anyway it all worked out. We cooked our turkey in the Vincent's oven, we have been eating pie with every meal since Thanksgiving, and everyone ended up happy.

Happy Birthday David!!!

Today David turned 31 and his birthday has been neglected for the past two years (last year I was at my nephew's wedding and the year before was my dad's funeral). So poor sad David has got jipped for two whole years. But this year I said no more. We need to celebrate another year of David. Because frankly he is fantastic, occasionally annoying but on the whole he is pretty fantastic. So about three months ago I started searching for the perfect birthday gift for this fabulous individual.



At this moment he is watching the Jazz play the Cavaliers in Cleveland with our friend Josh. We are all hoping he and Josh don't get beaten senseless for wearing all their Jazz clothing.

So Happy Birthday David! You are the best. Thanks for taking such good care of all your girls and for making me laugh. x O Xo Ox X O x (leetle kiss, beeg hug, medium sized kiss....)

Yes I am crazy!

Presenting:
Mr. and Mrs. Munster

You all know I'm crazy so our costumes really shouldn't surprise you in the slightest. And I don't care what David says he is NOT Frankenstein's monster he is Herman Munster.

Halloween Pictures

Tabitha was a cheerleader. (someone kill me now)

This is our Jasmine, or as Charlotte says it Jazzmin. This is what Jasmine would look like after eating her weight in Baklava.

Ellie was a movie-star. No autographs please.

The whole gang pre-trick or treating.

Happy Birthday Dad!
I Love You

A Visit To The Pumpkin Farm.

Monday we spent the day the Pumpkin Farm and apart from it being insanely busy we had a good time. Although Charlotte missed her nap and by the time we were actually picking out pumpkins she had, had it. As you can tell by her less than enthusiastic smile.


Charlotte fell in love with the "baby pumpkins" and insisted on carrying around 2 or 3. Unfortunately her hands aren't that big and she kept dropping them, then stepping on them, then crying that she had "stepped on the baby".

Ellie found the the "one".

The girls in front of the gigantic pumpkins.

Tabitha is 8

Friday Tabitha turned 8. As you can see she is now into all things High School Musical and Hannah Montana. And yes it makes me want to throw myself into on-coming traffic. But oh well I am sure like most fads this won't last forever and soon she will be into something equally annoying.


I couldn't take throwing another birthday party so we talked Tabitha into just having cake and ice cream with the Vincents and then taking her shopping. Yes, technically I paid Tabitha off and I'm OK with it. She was totally happy and so was I. A win, win scenario.

Listening To Your Child

I learned a valuable lesson this weekend and no it wasn't from conference (although I did learn good things from that too). I learned that I really needed to listen to my children better.

Saturday afternoon Charlotte came up to me while I was busy cleaning and said. "There's a bead in my nose." Well I was busy and I thought she was talking about boogers so I brushed her off. Later she crawled into my lap and said. "Mom can you Please get the bead out of my nose?" I was finally listening and tilted her back and looked up her nose and sure enough there it was.



Luckily David had some of his little pliers from the hospital and he pulled it out. I will from now on take everything Charlotte says very, VERY literally.

Self Indulgence

OK I know I'm pretty lame but nothing much happened this week, I'm still recovering from pneumonia and a kidney infection. I spent most of the week on the couch watching trashy television.


So I thought I would be a little self indulgent and post some pictures from a recent yoga class. Now I realize this is totally bragging but these have taken me five years to get into. And I wanted photographic evidence in case there comes a time that I can't get into them again.

Ellie's 6th Birthday

Today we had Ellie's "Hello Kitty" birthday party.



This is totally me bragging but I think her cake ended up looking good. Granted there isn't a lot to Hello Kitty but still...yeah for me.

All the friends excited about eating Hello Kitty's head.

"I wish..."

Happy girl.

Nutcracker

Tabitha is so excited because she found out she would be in her ballet studio's production of "The Nutcracker". We didn't think she would be able to since the rehearsals and one of the performances was on Sunday. So I asked the owner if there was anyway she could be in it without participating on Sundays and she said no. Tabitha was heartbroken, crying all the way home. One hour later the studio's secretary called and said that Miss Maris (the owner) had arranged the rehearsal studio for one of the casts so that Tabitha would be able go without having to practice or perform on Sundays. I was so grateful for this wonderful teaching opportunity to be able to say "Tabitha you see Heavenly Father blessed you for being obedient".

Potty Training Princess

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well this one is worth about a zillion.

First Day of School

The girls finally started school this past week and not a moment too soon. Ellie had taken to asking every three hours how many more days until school. And in between Tabitha and Ellie took turns picking on each other and then picking on Charlotte.

Ellie is loving Kindergarten she has two friends from the ward in her class which has made the adjustment a lot easier.

Waiting for the bus.

Ellie trying to run over her sister to get on the bus.

Camping

So David has been whining to go camping for months now and I finally relented. Which was good because it has reestablished my non-camping policy. You see our trip included everything about camping that I detest. Which I will now list (in no particular order).

-Camp grounds so full it would be more peaceful to camp in a city park.
-Obnoxious French Canadian kids who keep wandering into our campsite with their super-humanly loud remote control car. How do you say scram in french?
-Fellow campers who feel the need to play every song Phil Collins ever made...35 times.
-Bugs. Any variety.
-Accidentally setting up your tent with the rain fly underneath.
-Waking to the sound of distant thunder.
-Quickly throwing a tarp over the tent while listening to the not so distant thunder.
-Leaky air mattress.
-Trying to get dressed while sitting on a partially deflated air mattress.
-Packing up wet tents, wet chairs, and wet children

Well I could go on all day. But on the plus side we camped in a truly beautiful area called Letchworth State Park. It is supposed to be the "Grand Canyon of the East" which is a little bit of a stretch in my opinion, but it was very picturesque.




There was also this cool old inn and they were having a some sort of convention with all these beautiful old cars. They reminded me of "The Great Gatsby"

Happy Birthday...to me

30

It's official I am now thirty! And to all those of you who used to make fun of me because I was "so young" (yes Britney I'm talking to you) I'm old now, ya happy???? Just kidding. I was going for bitter old woman...how did I do?






I had a great birthday. The girls woke me up with an enormous mug full of chocolate and a card with money for me to go shopping today. The card pretty much summed up my life.








David then took us out to breakfast which was fantastic. Then he sent me out for some shopping without the kids. (YIPPEE)




Later we had a barbeque with the Vincents. All in all it was a great birthday and I'm OK with no longer being in my twenties. Even though as, David says "You've peaked. It's all downhill from here." (Gotta love him). Well thanks to all my friends and fam who have made my first 30 years so fantastic. And thanks mom for pushing me out.

...oh yeah I hacked my hair.

Erie County Fair

Tuesday we spent the day at the fair and had a fantastic time. I was basically there for the food, which was fantastic. In addition to the traditional corn dogs and cotton candy they had cannolis, crepes, and my new favorite sugar waffles. Lets just say my pants were a little tighter when I left.

The kids of course loved the rides. Charlotte especially loved the carousel shouting yippee with every turn.

The animals were another highlight and were it not for the "natural smell" I'm sure it would have been their favorite.

And who else drives a tractor with a purse?