Building

I have been working on my Personal Progress. One of the things I have been wanting to do is develop a new skill so I chose building furniture. I really enjoyed making 2 bedside tables and 2 bookshelves but I am taking a break from Lowe's for a little while. Here are some of the things I've done:
(note: please don't look too closely, thanks.)
I made one for each side of the bed. This is Lew's side and this was a couple of months ago. He's reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie now. Isn't that a great book? I painted the back of his blue (on the inside) to match the walls but I painted mine white. What do you think is a better option? Or just bag them both and try something new?
The bookshelves are a little wider than the space for them. I didn't think about the top part when I measured because hey, I'm a beginner. Next time I'll do better. Pinkie.
And I spray painted them without figuring that in too. Hilarious. Classic JJ. I almost don't want to fix it. Also, I have to mention that Lewis did help with the first few steps (putting pieces together) on the first bookshelf. His help was irreplaceable. He's a great helper and since he can put people together I bet he's really really good at putting furniture together! I can't wait to have his help on the next project! He's terrific!!!


Don't forget these: they may look easy but the second time is not so easy. Tracking down each tiny piece nearly gave me a heart attack or asthma attack or something. I think from now on we'll keep these ones up when friends come over.....

Anyway, in conclusion, I love building things. I love seeing something that I made with my own hands come together. The Legos are fun too, but the tiny pieces are hard to keep track of with Cate always stealing things and hiding them in tiny places.

War Eagle?

A couple of weeks ago I went with Brooks' class on a field trip. To a "pumpkin patch". Which was not a pumpkin patch at all but a big piece of empty land that a church owns and fills with a train ride, a hay ride, inflatables, and other fun fall themed activities. Oh, also a few pallets with pumpkins sitting on top of them. My personal favorite was the tent where they learned some Christian songs. I could never imagine that a school sponsored field trip would allow that, but hey, I'm in the south now!
One station was a face painting station. Brooks chose one thing for each cheek. Oh, and they are red under the paint because it was about 90 degrees.
First, a ghost which is seasonally appropriate.

Next, an AU. But I made sure to let the other parents and teachers know that we are not actually huge Auburn fans. We are happy when Alabama, Auburn or UAB win. I am just not ready for that type of commitment. If you choose one you offend all the other team's fans and really I just don't care. But apparently Brooks is an Auburn fan so, War Eagle!
Also, his class got to make a scarecrow which they named Scary. These are their best scary faces:



On to another topic--eating dinner in the car.
Tuesdays were pretty crazy for us this fall. Aiden has ballet from 4:30 to 5:30 and then Brooks had soccer from 6 to 7:30. We didn't have time to go home between the two, so we usually ate dinner in the car. Brooks, Cate and I would eat while A was at ballet and then A would eat while we drove over to soccer. It was fun for the kids but a pain for me!! Luckily soccer is over and our back of the car picnics are over.
Last time Cate found an old pacifier somewhere. It went straight to her mouth and she started saying "I baby. I baba." Ba ba is what she calls the pacifier. She was right back at it like she never missed a beat. I couldn't believe it. Brooks had to do some tricky maneuvering to get it from her and hopefully she won't find any more.....

Mommy and Me Ballet

Flapping her butterfly wings. She wants to fly to Elmo or pink.

They got to dress up in some fun ballet costumes.

Cate took being a seed very seriously.

Checking herself out or deciding whether or not to swing on the bar. (after being told ten times not to)

Waiting patiently for her turn to walk like a ballerina over to Angelina.

Her turn at last! When it was time to curtsy she preferred to jump over Angelina instead.

Sesame Street: Will.i.am's Song "What I Am"

We are in love with this at our house. Have you seen it? I love Will.i.am. Does that surprise you as much as it does me?

You ask, I deliver.

Here is the much anticipated picture of the moldy pumpkin. (don't lie, you were hoping to see it) Before you look closely, remember this is 2 days after carving it.
2 days!





Cate is taking a little mommy and me dance slash ballet class and she looks so cute in a leotard.

We had our "one fundraiser of the year" at the kids' school on Saturday. It includes:
a fun run in the morning,
a raffle for which each child has to sell 20 tickets at $2 a piece,
a silent auction that PTO members have to scour the community for as well as a "basket" for each class that each family donates to,
rides for which you can purchase a $20 unlimited rides armband,
carnival games that require tickets to play,
cake walk that requires cakes made by students' parents,
donut walk,
dvd slash game walk (donated by parents),
bake sale.

It's over for the year and I am so glad!! I don't think I will be room mom for both classes next year. Even if they ask me to do it again. It completely wore me out and it was a bummer that I spent 2 hours "volunteering"instead of hanging out with my kids.
The best part of the whole thing was the fun run. We were planning on Lewis joining us, but unfortunately he got a phone call at 4:30am and had to go to the hospital for a surgery. Too bad people can't just get sick at more convenient times!
The kids, Georgia and I headed over to the school. A went off to find her friends but Brooks decided to stay with me. I had Cate in the stroller and Georgia on the leash. Georgia loves to run and right from the start she was pulling so hard on the leash. Brooks hung onto the stroller almost the whole way and even though we had to stop to pick up Cate's blanket he was still the first kindergarten boy to cross the finish line. We missed the award ceremony because we had to race over to A's soccer game, but when we came back later we picked it up. A was glad because her class won a huge trophy for having the most people sign up for the run.
Anyway, here he is with his medal. Now his confidence is overflowing. He told me that he wants to go wherever cheetahs live so he can race against one. He is sure he would win and then all the people and animals will be cheering for him. They will be yelling "Go Brooks! Go Brooks!"

Saturday was also A's final soccer game of the season. It was their first game against another team of girls and their first win. Go Tangerines!


Also, we have a new outlet mall near us. I feel like it is sort of blah. I need to get outlet more.

I am so glad it is election day. I couldn't take one more day of political ads on TV. And I'm not going to turn the TV off!

We were sad that the Texas Rangers lost the world series, but happy for Tim Lincecum. Incidentally, he doesn't look like my sister Jackie. (sorry Fischer)

And finally, raking season is in full swing. However, our trees are still very green and full so it could be a long one. The kids are thrilled.

school notes

Do your notes from school start like this?

May the force be with you

The first Halloween event for us this year was Boo at the Zoo. We had never been before, but the kids were begging to go this year. I took them last weekend and we ended up having a great time. Even though we met lots of bad guys....

Trick or treating in the ape house, I mean, Candyland, was a little strange and smelly. But the kids didn't seem to mind. Candy!!!!!
Go Yoda!
Leia in battle mode:
Luke "the lover" Jedi
The kids and I, ok they were no help at all, carved pumpkins at a birthday party last weekend.
Brooks picked a hard pattern and then right when we got home he knocked it off the counter and it broke into a million little pieces. We tried to save it with some toothpicks...
But they were moldy in two days. I mean, mold seriously GROWING like fuzz out of the ghost. I guess you know you live in a humid place when your pumpkins only last one day!!