Carving pumpkins (10.22.12)

I know this is out of order.  So what?

We carved pumpkins for family night last Monday.  We did two pumpkins this year.  One for the boys.  One for the girls.  Only the boy pumpkin got carved.  Like an angry bird.  Alice just colored the girl pumpkin and then threw a fit when I tried to actually carve it.  No worries, I couldn't get a knife threw it anyway.

Every once in a while, Alice will make a super funny face.  Like this one.  Just out of nowhere.

She seriously colored her pumpkin FOREVER.

Rex showing off his Angry Bird design.

Rex cutting out the Angry Bird design (he was super excited to do an Angry Bird pumpkin)

Alice.  Still hard at work.

Greg gutted and carved.

Alice tried to get in on the carving action with her safety scissors.

Rex got a little bored during the carving phase.

So he started making funny faces.

And then he helped Alice color for a bit while she ate the scissors--that's right, Mom of the Year over here.

Finished product.

Rex took this

Side-by-side

Alice has dropped her morning nap and struggles to make it to bed time.  She goes to bed at 7:30 now.

We, however, live in the South and carved our pumpkin too early.  Greg threw the boy pumpkin away today.  Whatever.  We live in a forest.  No one trick-or-treats here anyway.

Trunk or treat

While I typically avoid just posting a bunch of pictures and have a general dislike of it in blogs that I read, I don't have much to say about this collection of pictures.

Don't worry, I will say something.

These pictures come from our ward trunk or treat, which was held on Saturday night.  This is the first year since we've been married that Greg and I did not dress up together.  I had a theme in mind and even an easy way to do all the costumes, but could not find any orange felt at any of the whole 2 fabric stores in Charlotte.  I didn't want to use orange broadcloth as that is basically see through and Wal-Mart completely failed me when it came to an orange t-shirt.  (Did I mention Greg was supposed to be Fred Flintstone; I was Wilma; Alice was Pebbles; and Rex was a giant extinct lizard [you know a dinosaur, but he really wanted to be a lizard]).  I was going to make one last effort to make Greg a costume Saturday morning, but after staying up all night with Alice on Friday, I figured that one of us would be staying home (she had a fever and runny nose and cough). I decided not to bother with a costume for Greg.  But then Saturday evening rolled around and Alice seemed to be doing better so Greg did a 10-minute costume and we were off.

We ate dinner and then headed back to the car for the trunk-or-treat part.  I went to get Rex's bucket out of the car, turned around and he was gone.  I waited around for a while, figuring he'd show up eventually.  After  five or ten minutes, he still hadn't returned so I went to look for him.  I found him not two minutes later with a lady from our ward.  She'd found him wondering around the trees at the back of the parking lot saying, "I'm lost. I'm lost."  He was happy to see me, but also didn't seem too bothered by his previous state of lost-ness.

We started going to cars to get candy.  Rex is a pro.  Alice, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with her candy bucket.   I put a piece of candy in it, and then she was all about it.  She put that little thing on her arm and would not let go.  She's one smart cookie.

Greg, meanwhile, stayed at the car and passed out candy.  He was out in less than 15 minutes.  We'd brough 3 bags.  He managed to mooch a few bags of candy from some people parked near us.  He lasted another 20 minutes.  He passed out Alice's candy.  He gave up and took Alice around while I took Rex around.

As a side note, Rex is a lizard.  Not a monster.  Not a dinosaur.  A lizard.  He helped design and execute the costume himself and he is in LOVE.

After the trunk-or-treat, my mother-in-law sat with the chil'ens so Greg and I could go to an outdoor movie night with the youth at another ward member's house.  It was weird to leaving at 8 instead of getting home at 8.  Made me feel young again.  We watched Wait until Dark.  Greg was not scared.  Whatever, he held my hand like a real date so I don't care.

How's that for not having much to say?  And now, to the pictures.

A better view of Rex's costume taken a few days previous.

He has a pot on his head.  Get it? Get it?

Rex and his pirate friend Jack.

Rex making a scary face.  He's a scary lizard don't-cha-know.

I had a really hard time getting Alice to stand still long enough to take a decent picture.

10.21.12

So my sister has been updating her blogs tons lately with all the fun things they've been doing.  Mostly in Utah.  My first and only love.  Naturally, I felt pretty bad.  For a few days really.  One that I wasn't in Utah in the fall, which I think I still prefer to North Carolina (surprise!), and two that we don't do anything.  After sulking and feeling bad for myself for a few days, I decided to make it look like we do stuff.  I took a ton of pictures of us doing nothing for a day, just to feel better about myself.  Then, as I was going back through my pictures, I realized we have been doing stuff.  Just most of it has been well, in Charlotte.  In fact, all of it has been in Charlotte.  Most of it in the front porch/yard area, which, I might add, I am no longer afraid of.  I even let the kids play outside with the door open while I make dinner.   

Nevertheless, I've accepted and usually appreciate the routine that is our life.  Monday: clean the house.  Tuesday: Joy School.  Wednesday: Joy School. Thursday: ward playgroup.  Friday: Park Adventure Day (we go to a new park that we've never been to before).  

Here's a pictorial peek into what we do.  E V E R Y D A Y

We run.  I run actually, while pushing the children, and get lots of weird comments from people about how the kids should push me.

 And this is how Rex feels about running.

 We also drive.  A LOT.

 And this is how Rex feels about driving.

 And then we do some slave labor.

 This is Rex's happiest face.  Looks a bit like he's been decapitated.

 We spend long, lonely days at new parks.

 We bake.

 Rex learned the joy of Angry Birds.

 Alice is quite the little mommy.

 Op, more parks.

 And then we bake some more and spill  at least three pounds of flour on the floor and then roll around it in because Mom is trying really hard not to get upset over the little things that don't really matter.

 And then we spread the flour all over the house.

 And we roll around some more.

 And then we eat it.

And now, to bed.  Alice will be up in a few hours because, no, she still does not sleep through the night.

4:00

I was a bit surprised when I looked at the clock and it was 4:00 pm.  I did my usual, "Oh, crap, what am I going to tell Greg I did today because I haven't done anything." Not that Greg cares.  I just like to feel like I have something to show for my day.  I start rehearsing what I'd done today and realized, quite happily, that I had just spent nearly two-and-a-half hours holding a child.  It was fabulous.  One of those savor momentsssss (it was two-and-a-half hours, that deserves more than one "s").  Starting at 2 pm, I rocked Alice to sleep; read stories with Rex and then cuddled with him until we both fell asleep; woke up to Alice complaining so I cuddled with her and nursed her for a while then rocked her a bit and tired to get her to go back to sleep; then I woke Rex up and he laid on my lap for a while until he was really ready to be awake; then Alice complained again, so she sat on my lap while I played Memory with Rex.  It was a good day, even if I didn't get anything done.

(As a side note, I didn't have plans to get anything anyway so there.)

I'm a good mom x2

Remember this post from yesterday?  Just keep it in mind as I tell the following story.

This morning as I'm rushing around the house getting ready for church, I'm in the kitchen packing the kids' lunches when I hear strange voices in the playroom.  I go to investigate.  It's Greg and Rex playing dolls.  Alice's doll had turned into a zombie and was attacking Rex in a low gravelly voice.  I question their game and Greg explains:

The baby drank gasoline, went crazy.  It then tried to get a singing stuffed dog to drink gasoline, which it refused to do.  So the baby drove the car with both of them in it,  into a chair killing both the dog and the baby.  BUT when the car crashed the gasoline dripped into the baby's mouth, thus reviving the baby and turning it into a crazy baby zombie.

Apparently this zombie baby game had been going on for quite some time (Greg said an hour, but probably more like 40 minutes).

When I entered the room the baby was drinking more gasoline.  Rex was playing with a brush.  Then Zombie Baby told Rex that they should attack me.  The baby then attacks me.  I tell Rex he should not attack his mom.  The baby (Greg) and Rex then go back into the playroom and I hear Rex tell the baby:

"You should not hit."
Zombie baby in a low gravelly voice: Rex, why didn't you attack Mom?
Rex: Because you should not hit.  That's not nice.
ZB: But we are friends.  We had a plan.
R: That's not how friends act.  We don't hit.  Friends don't act like that.

That's right.  My kid taught a zombie baby life lessons about being friends.

As a side note, Greg is 1. pretty creative to come up with these games, 2. does not know how to play dolls, 3. I'm not sure I'll leave my real baby (toddler I guess) alone with him anymore...

I'm a good mom

Me and Rex in our matching shoes--so cute.  Alice also has a pair but this post is about Rex and Alice doesn't like to wear hers.

And I meant that seriously, without the slightly hint of sarcasm.  How do I know?  Rex told me so (ish).

As mentioned, Alice got a stroller for her birthday, which Rex soon commandeered and made his own.  He has his own little doll that he put in it, took Alice's purse and put the one toy bottle we have into said purse, and hung the purse on the back of the stroller.  Just like Mom.  After playing for a while, Rex said to me that playing with the stroller is the most fun toy, by which he really meant, "Mom, even when you feel like ripping my head off because I unfolded and threw into one big pile all the baby girls clothes you'd spent all morning sorting and folding, you still make being a mom look like fun."  That's right, even when I'm super mad I'm fun.  That means I'm good at my job.

And what about Greg?  According to Rex, he just makes money all day.  Rex to me a few weeks ago: "Mom, why does Dad just make money all day?  How much money does he need?"  That's right.  I'm more fun than money.  (Rex also suggested that we make money at home.  Maybe we will so he can work on his counting and adding skills).

The point is: I win.

9.28.12

 Today is Alice's birthday.  It feels like she's been one forever already.  She's a fairly mature baby, I mean toddler.  I have nothing profound to say about her.  I love her.  She loves Greg.  Rex...uses her to get his own positive reinforcement (Oh Rex, you're such a sweet boy.  Thank you for playing with your sister.)

My mother requested lots of pictures so here it goes:

We started the day off with a bathroom photo shoot.  I'd offer a comparison to last year, but we were a bit too occupied to get any pictures.

Then Alice took the longest nap of her life (2 1/2 hours) while Rex and I made cupcakes, decorated, played with Alice's new toys and then wrapped them.  Alice woke up and we all got dressed and headed to the mall to look for one last gift.

After a second nap, we had dinner.  Boxed mac-n-cheese (not even Kraft) and grapes.  Because that's Alice's favorite. She's mad in the following picture because we used her cupcakes as a center piece and she wanted to eat them for dinner.

 After dinner, we opened presents.  Rex was the special helper--he was the present-passer-outer and present-helper-opener-upper.  He did quite well with Alice getting all the toys.  Though later he told Alice she couldn't play with several because they were his....umm

 Alice got the same baby she got from my parents for Christmas (I saved it and re-wrapped it).  She didn't care at Christmas.  She took it to bed with her tonight.

 Rex opened more presents.

 Alice fed her baby.

 Rex continued to open Alice's presents.

 And trying them on.

 Alice took a hit for herself.

 Then she tried out some of her dress up toys--not a huge fan.

 Rex got Alice a camp chair.

 Then she took the baby for a ride in her new stroller.

 Then Rex did.

 Picked up this baby at the grocery store for $20--what!?!  I know right.

 Then we ate cake...well I ate cake.  Alice rubbed hers all over her face.  Rex licked the frosting off.  Greg's tummy hurt.

And there you have it Mom.  Lots of pictures.  Alice loves her new toys.  Rex loves Alice's new toys.  I have lots to clean (I only allow the kids to have 1 small book shelf of toys out at a time.  The rest go up in Rex's closet for future rotating).