What to do when the temperature drops from 80 to 25 in a day?

Learn how to play Solitaire on the iPad.  She's quite good!

Play Go Fish.  (she cheats)

Lounge by the fire.

Have hot chocolate by the fire.

And, of course, put up and decorate the Christmas Tree!  Halloween IS over, after all!

Recently heard in our house:

1.  As we were driving through a not-so-nice area of town:  "Mommy, we are SO in the gecko!"  

2.  Me: "Kendall, did you dig a hole in the nice new grass in our backyard?"
     Kendall: "No, the dogs did it!"
     Me: "And they used your shovel that is in the hole?"
     Kendall: "No silly. Dogs can't use shovels."

     Busted.

3.  Kendall: "I am SO tired of cleaning up after my girls!"
     Me: "why is it you clean up after them but not after yourself very often?"
     Kendall: "because I'm their mom and you're mine and that's what moms do. Be happy you don't     have THREE kids like I do."
     Me:  "Thank god for small favors"

4.  "Mommy, don't worry, I would NEVER put one of my American Girl dolls in the fire."  Um, okay.

Molten Lava Fudge Brownie cake

Boy does this kid have a sweet tooth! Watching her eat nearly this entire dessert made me want to hurl. 

 

 

 

Love my backyard!

I managed to get some grass to grow in our backyard and Kendall has been out there a lot now that it's finally not ridiculously hot outside.  There is a distinct difference in the amount of mud tracked into my house now as well.  

 

 

Shockingly, Kendall has taken it upon herself to scoop poop.  This is directly correlated with her insistence upon wearing fancy shoes outside.  It has also resulted in a demand for a daily allowance increase.  This is ok with me since she very rarely gets all four quarters at the end of the day, either due to behavioral issues or refusals to pick up her clothes and toys, so it evens out. 

My little artist

 

I know all moms are impressed with their children's artwork, but this sketch/painting Kendall did of a dog last weekend at an art themed birthday party stunned me!  It was the one piece of work that all the moms were gawking over asking "who did this one, omg!"  I admit I might have gloated a little.  

 

 

 

"Casual Day"

The day after we returned from Tucson I decided to work from home and let Kendall have another day off school since we got in really late the previous night.  I was sitting at my desk in the family room and turned around to see this.  New meaning to "casual day?"  

Halloween 2014

Pumpkin gutting is still gross.  

Every witch needs a black cat!  This orange one will have to do this year.

Since we didn't trick or treat in our new neighborhood this year, we put the cat-o-lantern out a night early.

Kendall's girls got into their costumes a night early too.

And the dutiful, camera happy mama got lots of pictures!

I managed to take horrible pictures at the Lamplighter Halloween Parade and this is the best I could do.  Yes, her hand is front of her face.  She's waving.  The kid was born to be in parades ... aversion to walking, aside.

Year #3 trick or treating with the Conleys!  We've all moved out of the old neighborhood, but it's tradition so Kendall and I drove over to their new house to trick or treat with them.  For the first time, I had trouble telling the twins apart.  Ninja turtles look very similar until they turn around and one has a pony tail and the other does not.  

Even I managed to dress up this year.

Why yes, of course that's coffee in my coffee cup!  

I think they did pretty well!