QUIET!

Okay ... I'm walking away from the computer right after this post - SERIOUSLY! I'm closing the doors to the office, and I'm not coming back into this room until after I get Tyler at school at lunchtime. I have a busy morning of organizing, tidying, and laundering (ick!) ahead of me ... and I know these three hours are going to go by in a flash. I just had to comment on how quiet it is here! When I thought about it, I realized I have at least one child with me until 9:00 each day, am out of the house most mornings, and then am surrounded by children (and the cat ... and my hubby!) from lunch on each afternoon and evening. So I don't often find myself here alone. It's a different quiet from late at night, when everyone is asleep. This is a "blank slate, borrowed time" sort of quiet ... and so, I must use it ... or I'll lose it. That said - ADIOS blog readers. My self-imposed computer ban starts NOW so I can get this house in order. We have guests coming this weekend (and I know they don't care if we clean up for them, but...) and hardwood floors being put in on Monday (more on that later!)

Pride

I know you all like posts about the kids (or at least I think you do ... if not, visit some other blogs, right?!), but I felt the need to do a bit of random blogging tonight. I don't care if you were for McCain or Obama during this year's presidential campaign, watching the election coverage last night (primarily both candidates' speeches) had to have made the majority of Americans feel a sense of pride! I personally, am not a huge politico, nor am I one to watch hours upon hours of election results, or sit glued to the TV news (yes ... I know I used to be in the profession!). But, I couldn't tear myself away from the election coverage last night. True, I took a little nap on the couch while we were waiting for the polls to close on the West coast, but I was really moved by significance of this election. We talked about it a lot here with the kids ... how history would be made regardless of the election's outcome. And, with all of the hubbub at school, etc. yesterday, I must say our kids got really into it. Abby was truly bummed that she couldn't stay up to see the results. She asked me to wake her up and give her the news ... which I did, but she forgot! Guess I don't retain much information when woken up from a deep sleep either. Anyway, I felt it today ... pride, that is. Hope, even if the guy you wanted didn't win, you felt it too! Sounds colloquial, but I'm proud to be an American! And, I'm glad Dennis and I were able to witness this major milestone with Abby and Tyler.

Voting Day!

You could say Election Day was "on our radar" this morning when we got dressed. Abby's class has been talking about elections and voting for the past couple weeks, and we've discussed it here too. So, both kids were ready to cast their votes. Fortunately, Abby's school hosted an unofficial Kids Voting event this morning (after my volunteer shift in Abby's class, I helped with the voting event and it was SO CUTE!), so Abby had her chance to vote there. And each school-age child in Leon County received an official Kids Voting card to use when they accompanied they parents to the polls. Unfortunately, Tyler was too young for all of this, so we had to make him a special card this morning. He was so proud of it. When I picked him up from school, it was still in his pocket, and he had been showing it around all day!So, when we hit the polls after picking Abby up from school, both kids exercized their "civic duty!" Tyler just got to bring his ballot home with him. What? He's covering up his choice for the big race? Did that on purpose! It's a secret ballot you know? But, if you've heard Abby and Tyler sing "their" song ... it would be no question. Oh - one funny story. In the past couple of weeks, Tyler has heard the candidates' names a hundred times, but a couple weeks back he told us the two people running were "Rock Obama" and "Miss Cain." That's one for the books!

Our Alter Egos

I had to cut my blogging short this morning because we had to leave for church. Here are the rest of the pictures from Halloween. Since Tyler was Chewbacca, Dennis decided he would accompany him as Han Solo, and he kept joking that I should be Princess Leia. Not thinking I would have the time or energy to come up with a costume, I ignored the suggestion. But, something inspired me on Friday afternoon.

I love Google! I put in "make Princess Leia costume" and it told me exactly how to do it. White bedsheet ... check! Dennis had been complaining about our backup set for awhile. The website told me how to make the pillowcase into a hood as well. White slippers ... check! Gold belt ... check! Well, once I got a wide belt from a neighbor across the street and applied a bit of spraypaint. And, I knew I had the black earmuffs. The look on Dennis' face when he walked in the door was priceless.
Here I am saying "Help me Obi Wan ... you're my only hope!"

And, here's a better shot of the flamingo ... taken earlier this week when she went to the Petite Players Halloween party. She was doing the flamingo pose here.
So the kids didn't eat sugar and only sugar on Friday, we got together with our friends the Watsons and Wrights before Trick-or-Treating. Shelby was a very outgoing Seminole Princess and Lucy was a cute black cat. Shelby ... we think in an effort to score more/better candy ... complimented each homeowner on his/her Halloween decorations. At one house she actually said, "I like your decorations ... but I say that to everyone!" Leave it to a five-year old.

When we got home, all of the candy we left out was gone! The neighbors reported we didn't have a lot of traffic. I guess Abby's sign worked too well.
We weren't hurting for candy though. A couple of hours of trick-or-treating resulted in very heavy candy bags ... and very tired children. Right after these photos were taken, they crashed. Abby was literally begging to go to sleep! She takes after her father!
Look at all of this candy! Maybe he can trade it in for some pants! :)
It was a very happy Halloween!

Costumes ... through the years!

I LOVE Halloween ... and dressing up. Always have. I think I start talking about the kids' costumes WAY too early in the season, but I just want to know if I need to be on the lookout for any special outfits (or heaven forbid ... that I might have to MAKE the costume myself. I know my mom/grandmother did this for me many times!). I also love remembering the costumes from years past, and comparing how the kids have grown. Each Halloween, we have these framed photos sitting on a table behind our couch to look at ... and laugh. Sorry about the quality of some of the shots below. Our scanner is broken, so I had to take photos of the photos from our pre-digital years. Some worked, and some are kind of hard to make out. But, enjoy! This year's costumes are at the bottom ...

2003 - Abby the Pea in a Pod (nearly 6 months old)

2004 - Abby as Winnie the Pooh dressed like a bee (nearly 18 months old)2005 - Abby the Frog (2-1/2) and Tyler the Cow (1 month old)

2006 - Abby the Nice Witch (3-1/2) and Tyler the Pirate (1 year old)

2007 - Abby as Tinkerbell (4-1/2) and Tyler as Winnie the Pooh ... dressed like a bee (2 years old). Abby loves comparing how she and Tyler looked wearing this costume. Oh, yes ... and that's Uncle Aaron as Spiderman on the right. He surprised us by showing up in costume last year in Sanibel!2008 - Abby the Flamingo (5-1/2) and Tyler as Chewbacca from Star Wars (3 years old)

Abby's Spiderfest

After Advent, Tyler and I drove like bats ... on Halloween (what were YOU thinking I was going to say?) to get to Abby's "Spiderfest" at Roberts. For some reason, at public school, they can't call it Halloween, and many schools don't dress up at all. Roberts holds a book character parade in the morning (which I missed ... but Mrs. Shaw sent me photos). Abby's class dressed as the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees and their broken letters. They looked so cute. Incidentally, I cut out those letters (for the front and back of the outfits) during my volunteer morning on Tuesday.
Later in the classroom, the kids modeled their tree crowns for me. Abby really loves her classmates. Here she is with Taylor, Harlicia, Matthew, and Finn.

Tyler and I were so excited to be included in the festivities ...

In fact, Tyler was downright giddy about sitting at Abby's table with the big kids. He got a tall chair ... and a face full of cupcake.

What a fun party. I seriously could spend every day at Kindergarten. It's so fun!

Fun with my little Pumpkin.

I was so excited when Advent called me on Friday morning and asked if I could sub in Tyler's class (one of his teachers had a sick child). What a fun day to do this ... Halloween! Not only did we get to go to cooking (and make Jack-0-Lantern pizzas), we also had lots of fun time outside (that circle-type thing is our attempt at Ring Around the Rosie) on the playground and in the Pumpkin Patch gazebo. We also had a cool Halloween party ... and Tyler's class had front row seats at the very crowded school Halloween parade. The 3- and 4-year old classes parade in costume while the little kids and paparazzi (a.k.a. parents with at least two cameras each!) watch.