They light up my life!

Church, Jose's (and it was only $15 something this week!  Kids eat free on Sundays, and I got water, Clay didn't get Root Beer and Ethan didn't get juice (soda is free, if you can imagine!), and we got only the chicken and steak fajitas instead of the trio (we usually get shrimp too), so I was so shocked!  I gave her three times her tip-I don't want the wait staff to suffer for free food!), a birthday party for Ethan to go to, Girl Scouts, and a patch ceremony-busy days!
This is Mary Claire at her ceremony-today it was her turn to hold the flag : )

All the girls were dressed up in their Halloween costumes, and they said the pledge, and the Girl Scout Promise and Law.  They were super cute:

Here she is after receiving her patches-I think she likes to pull her arms up lately in pictures (why?):

Then we checked out Sandra's construction-we are so jealous!  They are adding three new rooms, opened up their bonus room, converted an existing room to a beautiful office-it's all amazing!  Mary Claire could only beg for a new room..all the way home!  It is awesome, and we'll check into it.  We found a good house (9000 sq. ft) for pretty cheap, but it had some damage that had to be repaired, and we were going to look at it Saturday, but it got an offer on Friday, so it was just as well.  The taxes would have been $1000 a month!  I should clarify: I have NO desire to have this many square feet (I can barely clean what I have!), but it would be more bedrooms-that's why it showed up on the automated search we get.  It was just a good deal in a big neighborhood in Rogers (which I also have no desire to live in!).  It'd be a good investment, and we could've moved again in a few years.  So, we are still here! : )

Anyway, my husband has decided he needs a dessert every weekend again!  He wanted to take us all to Chili's for dessert tonight, but Clay had a killer headache (I think it's hereditary), and I had changed into jammies already! (new-well, I've had them a while, but first time I wore them!-super cute shoes and I wanted to change!)  So.. I had to think of something.  I had a new package of chocolate Almond Bark, so magic: Chocolate Pretzels!

I used almost an entire bag to use up the chocolate!

It made sooo many!  Here is a close-up.  I don't do them the way my best friend taught me when I was in eighth grade.  She would dip them in completely, and pull them out with a fork.  It was too messy to me.  I hold one side of the pretzel, dip, and lay out to cool-it goes so fast!  Then you can pick it up with the dry side, so you don't get your fingers all chocolate-y (not that that is a bad thing!)

As you could probably tell, it made way too many-and it's dangerous to leave these laying around my house.  I'll eat them all.  Too tempting.  So..I bagged some up to send to school tomorrow!  I used a stamp, stapled them onto some cellophane baggies, and stapled a bow on-pretty darn easy!

Then.  I'm still working on Clay's Halloween party.  I wanted to make some luminaries with the kids for them to take home.  My plan was to use a paper bag (I got nice thick white ones, but not enough light showed through.), so I tried two tonight as my trial run.  I wanted to know if they'd catch fire (!), if you could see a design on them (and from how far away), and which was better.  I tried the plain old brown paper bag, and a super thick white bag (slick, coated paper-I thought it'd be more fireproof).  Here is the picture (please appreciate how hard it was to take a night-time picture with no flash!):

The left one is the brown paper bag, and the right is the thick white one (with some cut-outs on it).  Ches went to Wal-Mart again (I'd already been this afternoon!), and got some white ones that were thin.  I'll have to do test trials again tomorrow night, and hopefully hear from the teacher about whether or not she's okay with us doing them!

You just use a bag, a tealight candle (with a metal holder), some sand from the bottom, and then cut out designs to put on it.  (Actually you are supposed to cut out designs, but I don't want the fourth graders using X-acto knives!)  My idea originated from this article-so cute!

Car Cookie!

Forgot to add Ethan's picture: he got a cookie at Panera, and ate it into a "Car"!:

Our Haunted House

Golly, golly gumdrops-what fun!  I used to not like Halloween that much, but with the candy (umm-chocolate)-it sure gets sweet. : )  We are so busy (needless to say!).  After the Hoedown, my mind has moved on!
We went to Boingo Bounce with some friends on Friday!  It is a new bouncy place-and it's so nice, clean, and cool (lots of leopard, zebra, and NeW toys!)-we loved it!

It's kind of hidden away, but big enough inside, and the party rooms are soo cute!  The best is the big one (of course!), and we checked out party prices-we may just need to have Ethan's birthday there! :)
Ethan got started right away-he couldn't wait!  I took socks too, but had trouble keeping up with him.  He was going so quickly from one bouncy to the next-I was having trouble balancing!  His center of gravity is so low, he doesn't seem to have any trouble (that..or the fact that he's in better shape..).

Here he is as he takes a *teensy* break in the under five kids' play area:

 

(Sorry, this is my phone, so they aren't so clear!)  Then he went up the Tidal Wave..(which was pretty tough to climb-straight up, on air!):

And he came down sooo fast!

 

There was this great little play area for kids under five (but bouncy)-it was a Barnyard!  There were barrels to climb through, a tiny slide, a dog and horse (that they tried to ride!), and learning "walls" with lots of velcro words and numbers to match-sooo cute! : )

 

Then, it was time to go-we had to get some work done!  We headed to Panera for macaroni and cheese (if you haven't had it, try it-it's aMaZiNg!!) and apples, and Ethan wanted to eat outside.  I left my phone in the van, but I SO wanted to take pictures of him outside munching his apple, fighting off a fly.  I restrained myself, and just enjoyed the moment. : )

Then he went with Gigi and Papa for a while to go check out garage sales!  I'd given him a small $4 to spend-and he spent it fast!  He got a baby walker/car, like we had and gave away (and has enjoyed the heck out of!), a pirate hat and spyglass, and a water gun (and a small round soap for free).  He got to swing at someone's house, and shop-he was happy!  I went to the school, made copies, then worked at the church for a little bit, then picked him back up.  He was trying to talk them into a new bike-poor kid only has a tricycle, bike, ride-on motorcycle and tractor..he's so neglected.  

We had dinner at Mom's-yum-veggies!-and then on the way home...we hit a deer.  It wasn't as bad as I'd thought-but it dented my door with its antlers, and probably its teeth.  We pulled over immediately) since I was partially freaking out-there was some wet (saliva?), but no blood.  It really wasn't bad, but it'll have to be repaired (never good).  And Clay scratched the other side again, so Poor Van. : (

Then Mary Claire had a friend spend the night, and Saturday she was off to a Red Cross program, "Masters of Disaster"-she really learned a lot, and had fun!  She told me all about our emergency supply kit (that we need to assemble..), and tornadoes, and where they happen, and myths vs. truth-she was full of answers!

Clay had an awesome birthday party at Fast Lane-he got to play Laser Tag, eat pizza, and bowl-he loved it!  Then Ches took Clay and Ethan to see Alpha and Omega.  We worked on Clay's invitations for his birthday (have to plan early-he has a Thanksgiving birthday, and his friends are always out of town, so we have it in early November..which is next week!).  He's having a movie party again, this time for the release of Megamind:

 

Yes, I crafted this on My Digital Studio! : )  I ordered them to be printed at Wal-Mart in Fayetteville, and then forgot envelopes.  We went to Target, then Hobby Lobby for envelopes and stickers.  I can't just do it the easy way-I like it Just Right!  We found the cutest spaceship/boys stickers and dark blue envelopes.  He had made a list for me before they went to the movie, so I got to work.  I had them ready by 4, but we drove around looking for the latest Saturday pickup location, but kept missing it.  I guess they'll go out on Monday.

We also had dinner at Olive Garden, had a bad waiter (yes, we would still go back, but they gave us a gift card!), but the food is always wonderful.  We had to ask a few times for mints-I don't understand that.  When you frequent a place, you kinda get used to some things like chocolate!  This is my girl-she dressed up to match me: white denim jacket, pink scarf-she was so cute, I had to take a picture:

Then we came home (late!) (Booed our neighbors-gave them lots of treats and toys, a Boo! sign and instructions for booing other friends secretly), and the kids had been crying and fussing to go to a Haunted House.  It was soo rainy, and I didn't want to walk in mud or get all wet.  We agreed to make them a haunted house here!  First, we set it up for Mary Claire and Ethan.  Ches, Clay and I got all ready-Ches was a ghost, ran the red-eyed battery-powered dinosaur with red eyes, and grabbed legs (we all had at least two jobs!), I dripped blood (water) on them, rubbed spiders (hairbrush) on them, and touched them with rubber gloves, and Clay was a ghost, made noise, touched them, and made scary noises.  They laughed, freaked out, and loved it!  Then, again, then Mary Claire and Ethan made us one!  They were even funnier!  Ethan made a water (blood) puddle for us to walk in (yes.), and they had touching, screaming, "boos!", spider webs, crunchy styrofoam shredded on the floor..ahh, fun!

Then we settled down, and watched a movie we saw at the theater before Ethan was born: Monster House.  It was pretty good, and we had snack together-the kids went to bed late!

I finally finished all the girl scout bags for tomorrow's patch ceremony!  They are so cute-the girls will be excited to get them-they all earned about 6-8 patches!  And I love the cute ones: the science one with the beaker, the one with the building blocks..so sweet!  The three caring bears.  It's kinda what you get for all your work-and soo adorable.

I better get some rest-there's more tomorrow!  I have to finish getting Clay's class Halloween party ready-I'm planning some luminaries (as long as the teacher okays them!) and some "body parts".  Clay thought up most of the ideas-always the best!  There are peeled grapes that feel like eyeballs..cooked spaghetti for brains..dried apricots for ears almonds for teeth..etc.  He found one of my Marc Brown books that had quite a list!  I need to make the foods...  Let me know if you think of any more! : )

Sweet Kids

Sorry, it's been so busy! : )  I have been working on more Hoedown stuff.  Lots more tickets sold, and this last week we've been checking and working every day-even with kids home!  Mary Claire was home on Tuesday and Wednesday, and finally dropped her fever and went to school today (yay!).  We prayed and prayed (that where two or more are gathered that He'd hear our prayers and answer them!), and He did!  She was so happy this morning.  I'd told her that if she didn't go to school she couldn't go to the Hoedown.  It just wasn't right (and I didn't want her spreading her fever virus around!).  She could NOT wait to go back to see her friends. : )
I have run around all week, and I have to say, I'm thrilled it's over.  I'm so tired, and I have to get back to life! : )
Yesterday, I thought I had the Hoedown all under control, so I branched out into girl scout stuff-I have all the adorable little patches they've earned, and I'm bagging them by girl, and putting cutesy Halloween stuff on them for their patch ceremony on Sunday.  Here are my supplies: all Halloween-y:

And here are the little things I made.  They are a stamp made with a sticky embossing stuff, then covered with black embossing powder, then heated till they melt, and make this cool shiny black raised picture-so cool!  I used Halloween stamps:

And here's the finished product (which I've only finished four! and 12 to go..): so cute!

 

And then...the Hoedown!! : )  We got there when the sun was up...and left late-long after the sun had gone down.  We really did have lots of fun, got to see lots of friends, it was great.  I'm so glad I got to be a part of it, Really.  Ethan had just seen one of his sweet friends-and was so excited!  Here's Ethan coming back to do the Candy Corn Count after dancing around with Trevor:

Here's him guessing how many candies there are.  He started counting: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and the sweet helper told him what a great counter he was-I think he made it to fourteen. : )  He guessed 8 candy corn.  I asked if it was 108, and he said yes.  (I think it was closer to 3 or 400!):

Then we made our way down to the gym, where the fun games and prizes are!  Here are Mary Claire and Natalie Grace (Mary Claire's best friend!):

Here the girls are playing the Pig Sooie Races: the pigs walk, pause, walk-so it's actually really fair, since you never know which one will win-it's different every time!

Then Ethan tried it!  He always picks green, and his won!

Then he played in the Duck Pond-and picked a guess! Green Duck, and got three pieces of candy.  He loved this one, and it was a short line, fast game.

This is the sign I painted three years ago, when it was all so different!  We used to have to come up with the games, make the game, sign, work the game, etc.  Now, we have all the signs, you just pick a pre-made game for your class, and these sweet kids come over from the cross country running team (Central Junior High) to totally run the games, it's awesome!  (Yes, it was the Cow Patty Plop!  It's that foam stuff you caulk with-that puffs up really big and yellow?  Well, you paint it brown, and Ha! It looks like a cow patty!  Then you throw it, and win yourself a prize.)

Ok, I have lots to say about this picture.  One, it's my camera, but I didn't take it, Danielle did!  Two, I love how we are not moving, but the people in the background are.  Three, why is Ethan not smiling? : )

Then, because I look, well, a little "saggy", she asked me to stand up, and Much Better!  He's smiling better, and I look a little more "supported" (totally my words, not hers!):

 

Here's Danielle, and her cutie, Trevor, who is really tired, didn't get a nap (due to all the work we did again today), and just won't give me a smile.  But she always takes a good picture! : )

This is the sweet Giddy Up Golf (anything to tie it to cowboys!)-I don't know this kid-but he was the absolute sweetest kid.  He helped all the little kids, and at the end, he'd push the ball in, or bounce it around till it went in-he wanted them to all win on each try!  I just love kids who care.  He was precious.

He even told Ethan to smile for the camera for me! : )

Then he got to pick two prizes.  He was so excited, and couldn't decide!

Then we saw Susan's son, Noah-all grown up!  He was working at the Brandin' Station, putting on tattoos.  He's an awesome kid too! : )  I'm so thankful they came to help.  I hope my kids can help other little kids one day.

Clay came a little late since he had basketball practice tonight (and last night!).  He got to pick how much practice, and how much Hoedown he got to enjoy.  He's growing up, so we are giving him some choices.  He's precious, and chose to go to an hour of each.

And then, Mary Claire tried the golf:

Clay trying to win a dessert at the Cake Walk!

Mary Claire in the bounce house (after dark!), she was giving me her bow.  She didn't even stay the whole time-she was tired.

 

And...oh, are we tired.  I will sleep amazingly well tonight.  I am relieved that it's over.  I have other things to consume my thoughts now. : )

It's the third day of my cycle, and I'm going to give the Clomid one more try.  It's a really low dose, and maybe I didn't give it a good chance last month.  I know I'm busy, but I just adore my kids.  I would do anything for them, and I could really love another one into existence.  I'm obviously trying. : )  I don't know where to go from here, there isn't much more for me to do but pray.  I always thought kids were my decision, but I was so wrong.  I'm just learning that the hard way.  We really do learn as we get older.  And you can't tell people younger than you, just like I would have never listened.  Why is that?