Ummm, how bout NO?

So it's that time again, back to school time! Which means back to school shopping! YIPPEEE!!!! I've had the most fun picking up and obcene amount 20cent boxes of crayolas, dirt cheap markers, gobs of glue sticks, and so on :) We found great deals on some new clothes when we went outlet shopping at the beach last month. All that's left is their shoes, lunch boxes (Lacie went through 3 last year! OY), and back packs.
Now, when my kids were toddlers & preschoolers I absolutely LOVED buying them tshirts, books, shoes. etc with their fave character(s) on it. I loved that their little personalities were shining through when they had a favorite :) So for the past 3-4 years we have bought stock in just about everything Wiggles, High School Musical, Transformers, Star Wars, and so on.
So now here we are, with Lacie going in to 2nd grade and Colby going in to first. And I'm completely OVER the character-ness of it all! I want cute girly designs and cool boy designs but NO characters. Certainly not the characters that THEY want on their stuff this year.
iCarly? Seriously! And GI JOE? He hasn't even SEEN that movie!
I honestly would have no problem buying them lunchboxes with their favorite character on them, but for some reason, this year I am having a REALLY hard time being ok with it all on their back packs. 1) I now realize just how fleeting these character infatuations are. By Christmas time they will be in to some other tv show or movie! And 2) I like to be unique, and so I want I my kids to be, and to want to be, unique. Apparently unique isn't IN these days ;)
I guess I should pick my battles though. As long as their accessories aren't inappropriate or breaking the bank why not just endulge them for the time being?
I'll keep you posted on what they end up with :)

My BFFFFFFF

As I mentioned before, the kids and I made the drive down south to visit my best friend and her family to celebrate her daughter's 3rd birthday. Aside from making a wrong turn in Fullerton we made it down there in record time! It was so cute to see the kids immediately start playing with each other. When Gretchen brought the girls in July for my kids' birthdays there was alot of tattling and fussing. This time everyone got along beautifully! Even my kids and their beast of a golden retriever - CASH. They were pretty freaked out by him but did much better than I thought they would! I think that's a sign! Daddy we are ready for a puppy!!! hahaha

Poor Presley Poo had to be taken to leave the party after cupcakes and presents because of an ear ache. She ended up with antibiotics for an ear infection :( We spent the evening relaxing, chatting, and referreeing the birthday gifts!

Here's Colby playing with the super cool remote control dinosaur toy that Presley's Grandma bought her. Sorry baby! $130 for one toy is not in Santa's budget this year! haha

Thanksgiving Recap via Pictures

We had our first round of Thanksgiving at my parents house on 11/22. We always celebrate with them early because they go out of town every year on the actual turkey day :(. So we had dinner, played games, celebrated my mom's bday (it's really 11/27), and drew names for Christmas. Here are just a few pics from that night.

The on Thursday we cooked dinner for 2 of my siblings, 1 of my aunts, and my Nana. I set up coloring pages at a kiddie table, the food was SOOOOO yummy, we watched one of my cousin march in the Macy's parade, and it was just a really nice relaxing day! My baby cousin was such a hoot and we could totally claim her as ours don't ya think? :)

I picked up these cookies for my non-pie eatin' weirdos ;)

My baby makes the YUMMIEST turkey!!!

Cousins Coloring!!! :) Love it!

Hope you all had a great turkey day too!!!

BATS

Guess we have one of our own :)

My Boy

Ever since Halloween, Colby has been saying Trick or Treat for his snacks! It is so cute and he gets so tickled when I chuckle at him. I sure love him!

This photo was taken a few years ago but it is one of my faves of him :)

Playing in the Ocean

Jesus

Today was Day 1 of my kids' first Vacation Bible School ever. (sorry no pictures :( )
After some nervousness this morning - they didn't know anyone - they came home totally counting down until tomorrow!
I asked Colby what he learned about today and he said "Just Jesus!" :)

More from the kiddos

They have just been cracking us up with some of the crazy stuff that comes out of their mouths lately.
Colby said tonight that he wanted to hear a "WaWaBye"= a lullaby
And Lacie has been showing off her new trick that she calls "A Banana SLIP" which is her jumping in the air and landing in the "splits"
I never wanna forget these!

BUGS

Colby - "Mommy I'm getting FLY bites!"

Happy Independence Day!!!

Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday!

Let's Play A Game Mommy

Lacie cleaned up the living room floor and came to me and said "Mommy, let's play that game where you sit in a circle and you run around and say Duck, Duck, CHICKEN"
I really didn't want to correct her!

Birthday Party Prep

Yup, it's that time of year again,

It's just around the corner.

My kids' birthday parties that is.

And the celebration of another year of joint celebration hahaha

Wonder how much longer we'll get away with it?

Anyone want to take bets?

I really thought last year was gonna be the last year.

Hmmm well your guess is as good as mine!
This year the lucky place of chaos is good ole Chuck E Cheese

I always swore that my kids would NEVER darken their doorsteps much less have their parties there!

But CEC has changed quite a bit since my day and well I just plain like the idea of not having to get my house cleaned up before & after!

So, I came up with this lil diddy to mail out to family & a few friends.

Whadya think?

**David said the colors weren't summery or reflective of their personalities enough, other opinions appreciated!**

The wording (edited for privacy):

Summer fun has begun,
With our two birthdays rolled into one!
#6 for her, #5 for him,
Let the party fun begin!
There’ll be Tokens & games for everyone,
If you join us for some birthday fun!
We’re a month apart but we’ll meet halfway,
So July th is the big party day!
We’re meeting the mouse at 6 o’clock,
Be sure to be there on the dot!
There will be plenty of pizza on the table to eat,
But call our mom so she can save your seat!
RSVP to Katie phone#

Little Piggies

Left Lacie Right Colby

Homemade Pizzas

As mentioned before, my kids are uber picky. So I thought that maybe if I involved them in the cooking process, they might be more interested in eating the food.
A few weeks ago I busted out the ingredients necessary for making our very own lil pizzas. My kids were SO excited and we had alot of fun. In the end they both poopooed the sauce though

:(

Maybe we'll try again another day cause it sure was fun making em!!

Sew Crazy

After the costume making extravaganza my mom left her sewing machine here. I had overcome my sewing angst and remembered that I had bought some fabric a few years ago that I had never used. So I thought I'd try my hand at a couple of blankets for the kids. It wasn't so hard! Well I did hit a few stumbling blocks and these puppies are no where NEAR gift appropriate but I am learning and getting braver by the day.

And now,

I'm addicted!!!!

These are pics of the kids and their blankets. One side is cotton and the back is a flannel.

I am working on a really cute project right now that I'll hopefully finish this weekend and be able to post those pictures. Eek I love it!

What Time Is It???

SUMMERTIME! We're on Vacation! How many of you are COOL enough to know where that line comes from? ;)

Today was the LAST day of school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So excited for a break in day to day traveling but so sad to say goodbye to all of our wonderful friends!

Colby's comment on his sister...

Tonight, David was reading Colby his new book, and one of the greatest kids books I've read in a long time!

A is for Astro Man - who has asthma just like Colby

B is for Bubble Man - who blows bubbles on bullies!

V is for the Volcano - who vomits on villains!

When David got to the L page about the Laughing Lass, one of the comments on the page was "She's a Little Looney"

and out of nowhere Colby says "Yah just like Lacie, she's a Wittle Wooney"

David and I cracked up!

Dressing my handsome boy

I have been letting my kids pick out their clothes for awhile now. Well let me clarify, I don't let them pick out clothes like my bestie lets her lil girl pick out clothes, but I basically let them pick out a shirt and then I pick out the matching bottoms or something like that. This way I'm giving them a lil control but I still have control of making them look decent! hehehe
Anyway today there was a Mother's Day Tea at the kids' school - more on that later - and I wanted the kids to wear the same outfits that they wore in these photos and I was going to wear a navy blue shirt. I knew we were going to be taking pictures together and I like it when we're all matching LOL that sounds a lil looney as I type it but yah that's just me!
Ok so because Colby couldn't wear one of his bazillion Transformer shirts he started getting mad. He is whining at me "I DON'T LIKE TO WEAR WHITE SHIRTS!" so it wasn't just that it was this polo type of shirt it was all because it was WHITE! What a freakin BOY! And then he tells me "MOM YOU KNOW WHITE SHIRTS MAKE ME ITCHY!" only he says it like "ISSHY" and I'm like really blue and red shirts don't? and he's all "NO AND NOT TRANSFORMER SHIRTS EITHER!" he really said either no lie
So as he climbs into my lap for comfort I slip the shirt over his head hehehehe he puts up a lil fight but I just tell him - right in his ear - "thank you for wearing this shirt, you look so handsome, you are the sweetest boy for doing this for mommy" and he totally gave up hahahaha I just love this kid!

She's ALLLL mine

Well and her dad's too...

The kids came out of their baths tonight and Lacie was sniffling. So I asked her what was wrong. When she was answering she seemed to be struggling with finding the right word. "I just have...I have...." So I tried to help her out, "You have the sniffles?"

"No I have the Bless Yous"

Is that not the cutest?

Another Step

We've taken another step into Big Kid World.....
Our mornings have gone from Playhouse Disney to Cartoon network.
Lovely (*sarcasticly* I think CN is SO annoying! And I really miss Charlie & Lola haha)