Spooked

I love my weekends! There's nothing better than being with my girls and today I talked them into a trip to Target with the lure of picking out new tubes of toothpaste and some Halloween candy. When we got to the Halloween isle, Libby reached up to push a button that I new would set this witch into motion and simultaneously, Libby's bladder. I caught her just before she pushed it and told her that even though this life sized witch is only a toy, pushing that button would likely make her move, and scare her out of her mind. So, Peyton toddled off to put back the pumpkins I told her to return, and Libby stood by me, but wouldn't take her eye off of the witch and her spooky friend. I told Libby she could stand by me and I'd push the button so she could see (from a distance) that the witch is just a toy and nothing to be feared. Sounds good, right? In retrospect I should've let Peyton get back from her little trek down the isle, first. Because by pushing the button and then going back to where Libby was standing I'd neglected to notice that Peyton was on the other side of the ghouls, and was too terrified to walk in front of them to get to where I was. So, she just stood in the middle of the isle, dropped what she was holding and cried. What mother does that? And the worst part is that my first instinct was to grab my camera.....

After I ran over and grabbed my terrified two year old.

Libby wouldn't come down off of her ledge till the witch stopped cackling.

Rewind

It won't come as a surprise that I've not been taking nearly as many pictures as I'm used to taking. But, that makes the ones I have taken even more special.

Go girl, go!

Peyton especially loves the trampoline.

Waking up with some grub in Daddy's chair.

Bedtime hysteria. And, when did my hands start to look so old?

Our friend Kendal turned five last weekend, and this was the bouncy/slash water slide at her birthday party. Peyton didn't hesitate. Libby got into her swimsuit, but decided against joining in the controlled chaos. A fun time was had by all....

My little daredevil.

Last weekend we went to Target to grab a few things, though my kids think our sole purpose there is to eat popcorn. This trip I even sprung for slushies and had, I think, the happiest kids on the planet. Here, Peyton runs joyfully though the isles with her Olivia doll (who by the way, is dressed in a COW SUIT, which is the REASON I bought it) and her super hero cape, fueled by the empty calories of her slushie. Do you see the happiness sugar brings?

Libby was content to stay in the cart and not give up her popcorn.

Daddy's home!

This is Peyton in our bed the other day as I was leaving for work. Getting her to spend the whole night in her bed has been a bit of a challenge lately. But, so cute.

Hide-n-Seek.

Ella Boo, Amy and Valerie came over yesterday during the duck game. Go Ducks!

Ella is seven months! ....and look how big Peyton looks next to her.

Today Libby wanted to watch Nick Jr. and Peyton wanted to watch Annie. So, Libby watched t.v. and Peyton watched on my computer. Sometimes I think they're a little too plugged in. Libby asked me the other day, "Mom, what are you uploading?", and today she asked me what the internet is. I told her, "You know, the World Wide Web. The Information Super Highway. The place where you go to play Curious George."

The other day Libby saw a pattern on Nick Jr. for these Moose and Z snuggle pillows and she couldn't stop talking about it. I kinda shrugged it off until I realized she really wasn't going to stop talking about it. We went to the website, printed some patterns and voila! Our very own (modified to make it easier on me) Moose and Z lovey blanket. She was so happy. The best part was that we did it together. Translation: I did it while Libby sat on top of the table and tangled up all of my thread. But, at least we were together. And look at that smile....

Sweetness. Almost always.

Surfacing for Air

It has been quite a busy few weeks. The first week I reported back to work (sans students) was the hardest. But, true to all the advice received on motherhood and working, it has gotten easier. The single determining factor that makes the whole thing work is that I know my kids are in the best hands possible. I've had a harder time adjusting than they have. This, I know for sure. I just miss them like crazy. I miss my life of the last 3 years, 279 days 12 1/2 hours and some change. But who's counting? I just really loved being home with my girls.

Thankfully, standing before elementary students feels like riding a bike. Once I've gotten all of the procedural tidbits in place that make our day run smoothly, it does. We're getting there. Not to mention how lucky I am to be working with some women who understand my tendency to boo hoo. ....and they don't make me stop.

But, enough about that. Today I managed to get home reasonably early and have the afternoon I thought possible even as a working mom. We (in Libby's words "my whole family!" and in Shane's words "a wolf pack of four" (a nod to the movie "The Hangover")) jumped on the trampoline, took the girls to the park, went to dinner at Dickie Joe's and finished the night at the Nelsons. Perfect. Just the kind of thing we'd do when I wasn't working.

So, I guess working doesn't mean giving up what I love, just sharing who I love. I was never good at sharing....

And hey, Shane was behind the camera for a change. I like having pics with my girls.

Static Heads.

New Toy

It's been a big week for us. So many transitions and somehow we survived it all. Shane stayed home with the girls on my first official day back to work. Then, on Wednesday they played at a friend's house. Thursday and Friday Grammy Jane was in charge and then the Dover's came for the game weekend. On Saturday the girls and I made a new purchase for the backyard. Assembly was a team effort after the game, and we've been jumping ever since....

On the flip side, I think Libby is feeling the magnitude of all of the changes we've just handed to her. Besides my return to work, she started preschool this week and has spent a fair amount of time in time-out. This morning just after my family left, she got upset and threw a bottle of gummy vitamins across the floor in anger. Then, she picked it up and threw it again. I sent her to time-out where she screamed so loud I had to close the doors. When I came to get her she said, "Mom, I don't like you telling me not to..... not to...... um, what did I do?" Every action of the moment seems to be a reaction. Sigh.

I've been working on school stuff this weekend against my better judgement. I can't help it. It's been a while, and others seem more confident in my teaching ability than I am. So, I'm relying on my ability to organize. That'll get me through the first day, right? That and a smile? Can you sense my nerves? I'll let you know how it goes....