Introducing "Sunflower," my downfall as a parent

You know those claw machines that they have in some grocery stores, arcades, etc. where the claw might pick up a stuffed animal or toy but inevitably drops it just before it gets to you, therefore stealing your money?  There is one in our grocery store.   (side note:  I am now taking suggestions for alternate grocery stores as I will not be returning to this one.)  On the way home from school/work yesterday, Kendall wanted to try it but I (a) didn't have a quarter, and (b) didn't want to waste it even if I had one.  Here lately, my child cannot take "no" for an answer and staged a herculean sized fit that lasted well into last night.  It was interrupted for a few hours by pizza night with the Conleys, continued after pizza night when the Conleys left, was interrupted again by a few hours of sleep, then resumed promptly at dawn the next morning.  During each of these fits I was adamant that these machines are not worth anyone's money.  I obtained back up opinions of at least 5 other people.  Kendall was not convinced.  Beat down this morning, I finally told her she could go with Daddy, take 2 of HER quarters from HER piggy bank, try TWO times, and in absolutely NO circumstance was she to exhibit any ugly behaviors WHEN this machine stole her money and gave her nothing.  

Just received this picture from Chris.  Apparently "Sunflower" was retrieved with quarter #2.  Goodbye parental credibility.  Hello maternal karma.  For an example of karma actually working in my favor, see the previous post.  

"Karma"

The other night, Kendall, in an unfortunately no-so-unusual show of defiance, refused to stop jumping on the chaise when asked. 

Me:  "Kendall, stop jumping on the furniture or you're going to fall and hurt yourself."
Kendall (laughing and in an annoying sing songy voice):  "Ha ha ha!  I'm jumping on the chaise and you caaaan't stoooop me!"

Seconds later:   Kendall went thud onto the floor, was quiet for a second, then looked up at me tearily and said,

"I know, I know.  Karma." 

I laughed so hard I had to sit down! 

Halloween 2013



 

Halloween was VERY celebrated this year!  For the first time, Kendall was able to celebrate Halloween at school and boy did they ever celebrate.  She started singing Halloween songs and bringing home Halloween art the first week in October.  She decided on a costume early in October and acquired not one, but TWO Tinkerbell costumes; one made by Nana and one purchased by Nana.  The dress Nana made was so much better, but didn't fit too well so an executive decision was made to just purchase a new one and let her grow into the homemade costume. 

 

The day of Halloween, Kendall went to school in her costume.  You will notice in the pictures below that the costume was not either of the Tinkerbell costumes but was rather her old Ariel costume.  Early morning costume change aside, Tinkerbell Ariel was a smash hit in the costume parade and waved and blew kisses at everyone.  I think the child was born to be in a parade.  If she knew what a float was, I'm sure she'd have insisted on being perched upon one of those instead of walking.

 

 

Below is Kendall's My Halloween Masterpiece.  Kendall was interested in gutting this pumpkin for all of 10 seconds.  Maybe.  She was interested in decorating it for about twice that amount of time.  I, however, obsessed over it daily for 5 days during which time it was gutted, carved, "embalmed," (sprayed with clorox water solution then all cut areas covered in vaseline), bejeweled, wheeled, crowned, bejeweled for a second time, refrigerated, bejeweled for a third time, then princessed, with the utmost of care.  Translation:  My obsessive compulsive disorder may have peaked with this pumpkin.  

Most.  Gorgeous.  Tinkerbell.  Ever. 

 

Thankfully, I did not have to physically stuff Kendall into the Tinkerbell dress or her wings and she happily posed for pictures while waiting for her friend, Silke, from school to join us in trick or treating.  

 

Silke was dressed as a "nice baby vampire" and her mom was a "nice mommy vampire."  Fortunately, no questions about what "un-nice" vampires might do were asked.  Silke's mom's name is Kendall which is an added bonus to her already high cool quotient.  

 

Of course the Conley kids trick or treated with us too!  Liam was an astronaut, Margaret was Doc McStuffins, and Emma was, as Kendall called her "Tink Two(Too?)."  

 

 

As much fun as these kids had last year, it paled in comparison to the crazy display of candy begging that occurred this year.  Out. Of. Control.  We all lost each other at one point and, somewhat predictably, found each other at the house of the neighbor who, in a shining display of brilliance, had set up a wine/beer bar on their sidewalk.   

 

Love this picture of Kendall "flying" down the street!  I was trying to capture the sparkly light-up wings, but seem to have forgotten how to use my fancy camera.  

 

When we got back to the house, she wanted to help hand out candy for a while.  I actually heard her say to a toddler, "No, I said you can have two pieces, that's three.  Can you count?"  Oy.  Then she dumped out her bag (so she had more room for more candy) and went back out trick or treating with Daddy.  

 

It didn't last long.  They returned within 10 minutes because Kendall's feet hurt and she said it was bedtime.  "Bedtime" didn't happen for another good hour.  Here she is with her loot.  Some really good stuff was given out this year.  Only two bags of pretzels.  It always baffles and slightly irks me when people hand out things like organic fruit snacks and pretzels for Halloween.  

I had to include this picture of random strangers because this father/son costume was the funniest thing I've seen.  Even funnier when they ran up the street together in an ostrich race!

Now that Halloween is officially over, IT'S TIME FOR CHRISTMAS JAMMIES!!!  :)

2013 Texas State Fair

Last year we managed to skip the State Fair .... and I have to say that I wasn't broken up about it.  It's loud, it's crowded and it's ridiculously expensive.  That said, Kendall, Nana, Saza and I had a pretty good time this year and picked a pretty good day to go.  In stark contrast to the 90-something degree temps of the previous day, we had 60-something degree temps this day.  It rained most of the morning and then from about dinner time for the rest of the day.  We were there for the only 4 hours of the day that it did not rain.  The discoveries made this year are as follows:

Rides that Kendall can now go on by herself, thus saving $4 and, more importantly, saving me from having to ride with her, are now officially "boring."  

So guess who went with her on a bunch of spinny and/or leave your stomach in the air, thrill seeker, make you want to puke rides?  

The one pictured below about undid me and I required a plastic cup of bad wine to recover.

This one was actually pretty fun.  

Kendall showed much more interest in feeding the animals this year.  But is still afraid of chickens.  Not afraid of roller coasters, nasty camels or huge cows that have horns that could poke an eye out.  Chickens.  

But BY FAR my most favorite part of the Fair this year was the 2013 fried food of the year ... FRIED THANKSGIVING DINNER!  Oh.  My.  God.  It was stuffing with turkey chunks, rolled in corn casserole, then rolled in corn meal, then fried.  Served with gravy and cranberry sauce.  This meal is almost worth making suffering through a second trip to the Fair this year.  Almost, but not quite.  I may, however, be looking into purchasing a deep fryer.  

Aaaaand, it just wouldn't be an "outing" without a trip to the corner for a certain someone.  Note that she picked the sparkly corner.

BIG THANKS to Nana and Saza for sponsoring this year's State Fair adventures!  

Lamplighter School Carnival

We all attended Kendall's school carnival last Friday afternoon/evening.  Of course it had to be held in the middle of the afternoon on the LAST day of the year that temps were in the 90's, but aside from that, it was a great time!  There were several neat rides.

Including a zip line!  All parents are required to volunteer at one of the attractions for an hour and I wound up at the zip line catching kids for an hour.  It was not boring.  But it was hot and more aerobic than I would have liked.  If we're there next year, I will make sure to sign up early so I can work the petting zoo. That entails sitting in a chair in the shade squirting disinfectant gel into kids hands as they leave the area.  Much more my speed.  

We almost didn't make it to the petting zoo but at the last minute decided to walk down there.  A certain Nana was SO glad we did!  Pig heaven.

This picture cracks me up.  Saza did a lot of sitting and watching the children at play.  

Fall at the Arboretum

The first morning of Nana and Saza's visit, we took a trip to the Arboretum.  Always love that place in the fall with all the pumpkins!  Got some good pics like these:

... and then reverted back to the recently more typical scowling pics, like these:

We checked out the new Children's Garden and it is HUGE!  We didn't see nearly all of it because it got too hot and we got too tired.  Kendall's school carnival was that afternoon and we were all in danger of running out of energy before even getting in the car to make the trek across town to the school.  We will definitely be back here, though!