Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween, everyone! I can't wait for tomorrow, so that Halloween will be "all done." I've been telling Annabelle all day "today is Halloween, but tomorrow it will be all done!" She's so excited about trick-or-treating tonight, and of course she's been talking about it for a month in advance! :) Well, I hope everyone has a safe and fun night!!

April, how are you doing? Only 11 days to go? I bet you're excited :)

Good Monday Morning!

Just wanted to say "hey"

We sorted the last of our moving boxes (yes, they've been sitting there for 9 months) from the garage this weekend, which led to sorting the school supplies, which led to sorting "arts/crafts", which led to sorting closets...I hope to finish digging out fall clothes this week. I had a nap yesterday, can you tell?

Sidenote: Thank you Jeanne for the "Johnson 5" idea....we love it so much, we're going to wait until Mari can walk, then bust out with it! "ABC...Easy as 123" Thank you. Thank you.

'Nother Sidenote: What in the world are we doin' with all those leftover pumkins?

Anyone need a Mickey Mouse costume size about 6mo?

I have one that ties in back and has a cute little hat with ears on it.

Trish

Article in the Messenger!

April you did a wonderful job on the interview and the pictures are cute. Great plug for MOPS!

Cleaning Ideas?

Hey,
Does anyone have any brilliant tips on cleaning the inside of an oven??
Thanks!

Movin' On Up (I hope)

Well ladies, yesterday we put our house up for sale. Something we decided to do approximately 2 months ago on a whim. I thought I would have some time to get used to the idea and get started on moving to a new place. I have NEVER sold a house before. Today, I get a call at 4pm that the house has sold! I couldn't even make sentences at this point! Who knew it would happen so fast? Where do I start, what do I do now? I'm still in shock. I can't believe in 1 month we will no longer be in the only home my child has ever known. Luckily, I think he's well adjusted enough to know that "Home" is wherever his family is. I'm very excited and terribly scared all at the same time. Please pray for me? That I don't become a basket case and that everything falls into place in the following days. Thanks for listening!

Wal-Mart Portrait Studio?

Hey, girls! I wanted to get some Halloween pics of Annabelle taken, but I hate driving to Sears. Have any of you ever used our Wal-Mart's studio? Thanks :)

They may look orange, but they're really green!!

My mom was born and raised in Michigan on a dairy farm so she has lots of family there. As kids, we would love to go to the farm and help milk the cows and feed the calves gigantic bottles of some kind of stinky formula. The smell of the farm was quite strong at times and it would drift into the farm house. We would all turn our noses up to the ripe smell of manure. My uncle would always take a deep breath and say, "Mmm...smells like money to me!" I understand what my uncle was talking about now. I don't see the pumpkins as being orange...I see them as being green like money. As of last night our total pumpkin sales were $2057.50 and we still have 8 more days to sell. Unless we go over $7000 in sales, our profit will be 25% of the total sales so we've already made $514 and that does not include treat sales or donations. WE ROCK!!

Seeing Orange

Marshall MOPS Meeting Place
Is anyone else seeing orange...all the time? My Mother would say that seeing life in a shade of orange must mean you are happy (its her favorite, cheery color.) However, I may have a different point of view (just kidding, I love the patch!)Yesterday, when Savannah came home from MDO at IBC, she had a picture of a pumpkin. Proudly, she said "punkin." I simply replied "good job" because she had pointed one out many times before in her picture book. This was not something new. As our evening proceeded our conversation did not. "Punkin, punkin, punkin, punkin, punkin." That was our night. Everything related to a pumkin.
The next morning she wanted pumkin for breakfast. Slightly amused that the fetish did not wear off overnight, I promised her we would make something with pumkin today. Our day began with a trip to Wal-Mart which might as well been a pumkin patch with all of the fall decor. Savannah held a pumkin through our Wal-Mart adventure and noted every single pumkin we passed.
I began to think about working our pumpkin patch in a couple of hours. With this new-found obsession, Savannah may enjoy coming to the patch with me.
Her eyes lit up orange when we arrived! She ran to the pumkins with no hesitation. "Punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins, punkins..." She repeated that word continuously for the first hour and touched each and every pumkin. After that she said it only every 5 minutes. When customers arrived she was first on the scene to tell them that there are pumkins here!
Of course she now has her own little pumkin and we bought a few for the house. I have accepted my new orange life (although I am really more of a yellow person. Lemons anyone?) My little pumkin (you had to know that line was coming) is now napping at 5pm and dreaming of pumpkin land I'm sure. And when she wakes up we will make pumkin bread and play with our pumkins.
The ironic part of the story is that I am drinking a pumkin flavored drink while I write this, that I bought 4 weeks ago!
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

C'mon People Now

Where is everybody? I was the last one to post and that was two days ago. Do we have too many preschoolers in our lives, or too many pumpkins?

I heard someone went to Houston Zoo this week. We need a report....was there a train?

I miss hearing from you guys. Hey! If anyone needs a good dessert for the holidays, Nicki Burris makes an amazing peanut-butter, chocolate cake. If we bug her enough, maybe she'll post the recipe.

Anybody have any great ideas for low-budget Fall Festival costumes? I need 5. I'm in complete denial that I have just a few days, fewer dollars, and not many creative juices flowing. HELP!

C'mon People Now

Where is everybody? I was the last one to post and that was two days ago! Are there too many preschoolers in our lives, or too many pumpkins?

Someone I know went to the Houston zoo this week....we need a report. Was there really a train?

I miss hearing from folks. Hey, if you need a dessert to take to holiday functions, Nicki Burris makes an amazing peanut-butter, chocolate cake with reese's cups on top! If we bug her enough, maybe she'll post the recipe.

What a Lovely Patch!

I dropped by the pumpkin patch yesterday. Wow, it looks awesome! Thank you to whoever made all that happen.

Just Checking...

Hey, everyone! I'm just checking to see if I can do this crazy blog stuff. :) Me and Annabelle had a blast at the patch today and sold quite a bit too! Hope I posted this right...

Things on my mind

One day down...13 more to go. Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!! We had a very successful unload day on Sunday once the pumpkins finally got here. The driver apparently missed the turn to Port Caddo and drove on to Jefferson which put him an extra 30 minutes behind where I thought he was going to be. We anticipated pumpkins at 12:30 and didn't get them until 2:30, but I guess that's better than last year. It rained on us some as we unloaded, but I didn't hear anyone complaining. It was cool and refreshing for the guys who were doing most of the heavy lifting. Everyone was headed home by 4:00 so it didn't take long at all. I was very satisfied with how everything went. Now, I just have to make sure everyone shows up for their shift and fill a few more slots that noone has volunteered for yet. And hope my water doesn't break at the patch. Does anyone want to take over my position if that happens?

Well, I feel like I'm blogging with professional writers when Cari uses words like cinematic. I had to read that a second time to make sure I understood what it meant. I'm a little intimidated. Cari, please keep posting! I love to read your stuff. I only wish I could write like you!

Pumpkin-itis!

After today my husband has informed me that he may have a pumpkin phobia! Ha!Ha! I feel certain that this is his way of trying to get out of moving those darn pumpkins again!!! Just kidding! It was so much FUN! I think I LOVE pumpkins. I guess I'll know for sure in 2 weeks. :)

Testing!

Repeat after me, "It's a fundraiser." ;-)

Happy Pumpkin Sellin' Week Everyone!

Good Morning

Well, I couldn't get my act together by the time my family left for church at 8:15am. So, after eavesdropping on two televised church services, and 2 political debates, I gave my youngest darling a bath, and brewed a pot of coffee.

If you are interested, my exciting plans for Friday night were quite dashed. Philip was called into work for Saturday morning, so in an attempt to redeem the dream, Philip graciously slept on the couch and let Mari Alice and I enjoy a sort of "all-night diner" approach. I'll not endorse it as the safest option according to textbooks, but I definitely felt more rested having stayed in bed all night.

Last night (while mourning the delay of pumpkins) Philip agreed to watch "Sense and Sensibility" with me --quite in discord to his character. I love watching that movie because it absolutely transforms the way I speak for a day or two. I had already watched it once while I did chores yesterday, but I was eager to oblige his willingness to commune with my cinematic preferences. His commitment to the viewing was solidified when I grew weary and wished to retire for the evening. He replied that he would join me in our quarters shortly, but would be remiss if he were not able to see the dramatic venture to its conclusion. (OK, not really, but it's how my brain hears things today) In reality, he said, "Babe, I gotta see who's the jerk....I'll be in in a minute).

Naturally, you understand I share the above situation in strictest confidence! His hunting buddies would surely jest if they discovered his secret affection for Jane Austen.

Marshall MOPS Meeting Place

Molly's baby girl has arrived...

Just in case you have not heard... Molly had her baby. Ella Katherine Bennett was born this morning around 3:30 weighing 9 lbs and 120z and 20 inches long!

Exciting plans?

Just wondering if anyone has any big plans for the weekend. I mean besides the big "Pun'kin Drop Off". I know that's what we're all REALLY anticipating, but perhaps a few have found a way to squeeze something less fun and social into their weekend plans.

As for me, I'm looking forward to toinight. I unpacked the breast pump this week and Mari Alice successfully consumed her first bottle-fed meal. You know what that means for ol' Phil???? That's right, baby. Friday night liberation. He is fully liberated to take Mari into the living room, close the door, and "camp out". He can be free to meet each and every need she has ALL NIGHT LONG. I'll think of him as I sleep hour after hour after hour in our gloriously comfy bed. Then I'll resume my role as primary sleep-deprived care-giver until she sleeps through the night. Soon, Lord, could it be soon?

Anyhoo, what are the rest of you crazies doing?

I'm such an amateur blogger

Well, I'm glad to see that some of you know how to blog. It took me a while to figure out that the contributor and comments for each blog was listed below the post. Man, I was so confused until I realizee that. Nothing was making any sense. This is really fun!

Beauty Tips

I really needed this, thought I'd pass it along.

Here is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when asked to share her "beauty tips." It was read at her funeral years later.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure , share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone... People,even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed,and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

I gotta go. I'm gonna tell Ardyn I changed my mind, she CAN play with my hair for a couple minutes.

Hello out there

WOW! After Cari's post what could I say? I can not believe all you can complete in 1 child-filled day. I am always happy if Ryan & I can make it through a couple of errands and Wal-Mart with no major melt-downs! I think Ryan was 1-1/2 before we ever took him into a restaurant, and even now it's only places where the noise is loud enough to drown him out for tho most part. I wasn't a very brave parent in the beginning, who knew what that little child might do in public! Anyway, I'm so excited about this blog. Hope we find lots of fun things to chat about! Happy Wednesday!

One Fine Day

What a day of victorious living! I made it to MOPS on 5 hours of interrupted sleep with 5 children by 5 after 10. I made it home from MOPS with all 5 children and 10 bags of groceries and 20 library books. And instead of crashing in the recliner to recuperate from such victories, tonight was datenite, so I had some coffee and a diet Dr. Pepper and "away we went". The 25 minute wait at Roadhouse afforded just enough time to nurse Mari in the car. I love it when a plan comes together. "Why was Mari on datenite?" you ask....Philip and I are open-minded enough to include any non-verbal child who wishes to join us. We left the chatty children with Uncle James.
Philip and I discussed the "libido" issue and he believes the only cure is to have a terrific husband. (He and Mr. Nance should start a club) Where DO men get their confidence?
It was great to see smiling faces at MOPS.
Thank you all for your friendship.

Thank you MM!!

Jeanne, I appreciate you setting this blog up for us. This will be a great place to come to vent or celebrate the moments of motherhood. You are the best!

Marshall MOPS Meeting Place

Marshall MOPS Meeting Place
I really enjoyed the meeting today and wish I could have followed Dr. Martin into the parking lot - oh - not like a stalking way - just to answer more questions. I would love to have the medical panel come back again next year. Now I feel more educated and confident about those issues we discussed than I did before.

Just For Fun

When you can see the handwriting on the wall, you are probably the mother of a toddler!

From April

This is my first ever blog and I really am not even sure if I'm doing it right. It's 9:54 P.M. and I'm supposed to be writing an article for our next MOPS newsletter, but I feel like I need a little inspiration. My husband thinks I should write about what it's like to have the best husband ever, but I told him it would just make everyone else jealous. Hopefully, I'll get inspired and you can read my article in the MOPS newsletter on Tuesday. In the meantime, I look forward to reading other blogs from everyone. Blog on!!

What this isn't

Hello, there. If you're reading this, you are probably a member of Marshall MOPS or the friend of a member, or perhaps just someone who happened by while strolling through the bloggerhood. Whoever you are, the first thing you should know about this blog is that it isn't mine. I set it up, but it's not about or for me. As word gets out, I hope to add many Marshall MOPS to the blog enabling them to post entries at will. And anyone who wants to can add comments.

What are the rules? Ummm. I dunno. We'll make them up as we go. Mostly, we just want to offer a place to laugh and cry together, to share victories and frustrations, to make the most of this brief but intense season of life: parenting preschoolers.

Come by often to encourage or be encouraged. This is your meeting place, and you don't have to set one foot out the door to stop by.

Looking forward to it!
MM