Halloween - Trick or Treat

This is a video for the grand parents. Push the play button. Make sure the volume is on.

Kenzie hates her vegetables

In our house if you don't eat your vegetables, you don't get a snack. McKenzie response to this rule blows my mind. She will clear her spot and tell me mom I don't want a snack, by saying this she has thought it over and has decided a snack is not worth the punishment of eating vegetables.

Once we popped popcorn and watched a movie as a family. Through the whole movie Kenzie kept refilling everyone's popcorn bowl, never even trying to sneak a bite. She never threw one tantrum demanding popcorn even though she hadn't eaten vegetables. By the end of the movie she would take the popcorn and roll it along her lips, but never put it in her mouth. The movie was 1 1/2 hours and she overcame that temptation.

Another night our snack was oreo's she sat at the table with us and was in charge of handing out the oreo's, she never tried to even sneak a bite. She just sat happily watching us all eat our snack.  This girl has got self control.

Healthy

I tried to pass caramel covered apples as the healthy part of lunch today. Parker refused to eat them and demanded carrots. I obliged, but I just can't stop thinking whose kid is this?

Kenzie

Kenzie is amazing, she isn't even 3 and she can do the snap on her jeans all by herself. (Parker is 4 and occasionally needs help with his snap).
Kenzie also amazes me because she is so aware of everything. If anyone says something (good or bad) and her ears hear it, I can guarantee she will repeat it. She also remembers everything she sees. As we drive in the car she is constantly pointing out letters she knows, and places we have been before.

Girls Weekend

Anthony and 3 of his friends provided me and 3 of my friends with a lovely girls weekend full of surprises. Each husband gave his wife an envelope full of clues that instructed us where to go and what to do when we got there.

Clue #1 took me to Rachel's house. (When I got there she had no idea who was coming to pick her up or where we were going. She, like me, was just blindly following her husbands instructions.)

Clue #2 took us to Ichi Shoguns for dinner, here we met up with Tiffany and Melissa. The food was delicious and cooked right before our eyes. The Chief was quite impressive, it was fun to watch him throw the utensils and food in the air while he cooked. Here he made a volcano out of unions:

Clue #3 took me and Rachel for Massages.

Clue #4 took us to the hotel were we had a room waiting for us. In the room each one of us had our favorite snack waiting for us with instructions to go to the movies.

Clue #5 Back to the hotel to sleep. I was lucky enough to get to sleep with Melissa although I offered she did not want me to spoon with her:)

Clue #6 Money to go out for breakfast. We choose IHOP. It was perfect.

I had so much fun with these girls. I still crack up when I think of Tiffany's massage story, and want to thank Melissa for telling me what to expect with a massage:) Lucky Rachel got to ride in my sweet ride each time and watch patiently as I got lost going to almost every destination. Thanks Creed for initiating the planning and for letting Anthony jump in and let me be spoiled along with these lovely ladies.

Note

I found this note from Anthony today:

Can't wait to see where I will be going today at 3:50!

Chores

The kids are in charge of clearing the table after each meal. Most things get put in the right spot, but occasionally I open my fridge and find some interesting things. Notice anything that doesn't belong?

Angel

I am pretty sure God sent an Angel to make sure no one in my family died this week.

3 things out of the ordinary all happened at the same time and should have caused a fire in my house:

#1 Parker threw his shirt in his light, and left it there not bothering to ask for help getting it down
#2 Parker's light was kept on all night
#3 our fire alarm wasn't plugged in

I woke up the next morning smelling something horrible in Parker's room. When I took the shirt out of the light, it was covered with holes. The light bulb had burnt holes that went all the way through the shirt. I am still amazed my house didn't burn to the ground that night.

The second incident happened today. I got out of my car to get a free stroller sitting on the side of the road. I left the kids seat belted in the car and walked across the street to get the stroller. As I folded the stroller down I looked across the street to see McKenzie out of my car ready to run across the street. At the same exact time a car flew down the street almost killing her. I don't know if it was my scream that stopped Kenzie mid step or an angel pushing her back, but I know McKenzie almost died today. That car never even saw her and didn't even slow down. I can't believe my daughter almost died because of my stupid choice to get a free stroller.

It is scary how quickly life can change.

A Whole New Level of Parenting

Anthony and I have entered a whole new level of parenting with Parker. We are no longer parenting a toddler, we have moved up to school age kid.

Good-bye fat rolls and kankels:*
(please see bottom of post if you need help defining this word)

Hello tall skinny boy:

Here are the big changes I have noticed:

He says words I know he did not learn at home. (Shut-up)

He gets mad at us for repeating a command:

Here is the example. "Mom that bus man always tells me to hold on to the railing when I get off the bus. He tells me that everyday, but I already know that. I was already holding onto the railing when he told me that." (I get in trouble for this often, I just wanted to use someone else as the example because it is funner when he says it about someone else)

When Anthony and I have a conversation he copies every word from start to finish.

He is quite the prankster. The other day he asked me to come in the bathroom. When I got to the bathroom there was no Parker to be found. I eventually found him hiding in the shower. He thought he was hilarious. I have to admit he got me good, I had no idea where he was:)

He is very independent. He can set & clear the table, make his bed, dress himself completely, ride a bike with no training wheels, pump himself on the swing, get in and out of the car by himself and do his seat belt. Play the Wii with little assistance.

He loves money and wants to buy everything.

He has an opinion and is clever enough to find his own way to do things.

He is hilarious, I love almost every moment I spend with him.

I am grateful that one thing hasn't changed, he still absolutely loves me and is proud to be my son. This week I got to spend the whole day at school with him, he was so proud I was there. I dread the day he asks me to drop him off down the street because he is embarrassed of me.

Here he is with his teacher Mrs. Courtnay. She is amazing.

*Kankel - when one is overweight the the ankle is no longer distinguishable, it becomes part of the calf, otherwise known as a Kankel.

Accessories

We bought some clip-on earrings to go with Kenzie's Halloween costume, she couldn't be happier.

Batman

Parker is still convinced he is going to be Batman when he grows up. These are a couple of my favorite comments he has said to me lately concerning his future as Batman:

When teaching him the 10 Commandments after I told him "Thou shalt not kill" he looked up at me with a concerned face and told me: "I am going to be Batman when I get big, and I have to kill all the bad men."

We were talking about having kids, I told him he needs to be married before he should have kids. He told me "I can't get married, I am going to be Batman." He no longer wants kids because he doesn't want to get married.

This morning he was wearing his mask. I asked him a question, addressing him as Parker. He responded "Mom, when I am wearing my mask my name isn't Parker, it is Batman."

The good old days

My good friend Abbi was in town for the past week so we have been busy having fun. Abbi has 2 kids the age of my 2 oldest, she moved away from Buffalo a little over 1 year ago, and life in Buffalo hasn't been the same with out her around. While she was here we got the kids together almost every day, had some girls nights, enjoyed lots of food, and went shopping a couple times. Last night the 3 of us ended her trip with some shopping and a chick flick. Although my heart is sad to see her go my wallet thanks her for leaving:) Thanks for giving me a reminder of the good old days, I miss you.

The power of this 1 year old

This girl may look sweet but she is trouble:

Today I sat back and watched Kaitlynn work her magic. Parker was at the table eating a snack, Kaitlynn walked over to him looked at him with those big blue eyes and smiled, Parker smiled then shared all of his snack with her.

Later Kaitlynn walked up to Kenzie, who was eating a doughnut, did her little show and in no time was given half of the doughnut.

I knew Kaitlynn had me and Anthony wrapped around her finger, but it wasn't until today that I realized she actually runs this house. She is so stinkn' cute she can pretty much get me, Anthony, Kenzie & Parker to give her whatever she wants.