Currently

There is a half eaten jar of baby dill pickles sitting on the counter.
There is a cup of spilled sugar trailing from the pantry to kitchen.
There is an opened box of Lucky Charms laying on the floor.
There are scattered charms of luck hiding underneath the table.
There is a ziploc baggie sitting on the rocking chair stuffed full of Lucky Charms.
And in that ziploc bag there are plenty of frosted toasted oat cereal pieces,
but not a marshmallow in sight.

Macie is hungry.

Decorations, Bunco, ADD, Decorations, Bunco

This is the extent of my Halloween decor.

One sad, lonely little pumpkin that I won in a skillful game of Bunco--

because Bunco is all skill and no luck.

It was the first time I had ever played Bunco.

It can get pretty intense with a room full of women frantically throwing dice--

and cue the flying wax and the screaming hostess...

But now I've moved on from Bunco to hard core gambling
and late night trips to Reno.
Must.Roll.Dice.
Bunco was just the stepping stone to my new addiction.

Now that I'm off topic and used the word Bunco 6 too many times...

Blame it on the ADD...

My Mom always said I had ADD...

My Mom makes really good hot fudge...

Hot fudge would be perfect on some Cold Stone cake batter ice cream...

Cold Stone is good, but Rita's is heaven...

If I want to go to heaven I should probably stop gambling...

I've actually never gambled in my life...

That's a lie, I have gambled. I won $120 off of $5 in a game of Spanish blackjack and I don't even speak Spanish...

Oh, look! Something shiny...

So where was I?

Halloween decorations or the lack there of.

I really feel bad about my non-Halloween decorations.

I know I am depriving my kidlets of fond childhood memories like the ones I have;

carefully pulling out the balloon pumpkin from its dusty brown box,

hanging the huge prickly spider from the antique light in the entryway,

and the cackling witch that would sound any time a loud noise was made--

it cackled more often than not.

I think it's time to get crafting and hit the local target.

Or just wait a few weeks for it to all go on sale,

stock up,

and then make memories next year.

So, anyone want to play Bunco or better yet, hit the slots in Reno?

Green Thumb

Weeds...

We know how to grow 'em.

Next years to-do list:
Landscape

Dear blog commenters,

Nate thanks you for all the support and validation he received on his little shopping trip gone wild.

I, on the other hand, do not.

Do you know who ate the majority of those Drumsticks and licorice
(among other things).
I'll give you a small clue. It wasn't Nate.

So even though I don't thank you, my butt and thighs do.

"I like 'em big. I like 'em chunk-ay..."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Nate had a new toy arrive in the mail today.

It's not a tennis racket (it's more fun than tennis).
It's a hand held bug zapper.

The power over life and death held in the palm of your hand.

Looks like we've found a way to solve our little fruit fly problem.
Now instead of having smashed fruit fly remnants on our counter tops we will have tiny bits of fruit fly particles floating around. It's not so bad once you get past the floating fruit fly participial bit.

The first thing I said to Nate when he opened up his new toy was, "How bad do you think it shocks? Try it out."

Nate cautiously reaches out with his pointer finger and ZAP! The smell of burning flesh immediately fills the air and Nate shouts out, "Man, that hurt really bad!" (Me, laughing) "No, Ginnie, I'm serious. I think I just blacked out. Did I just black out?" As best I could I gathered myself to be the loving support Nate needed during this urgent moment and replied, "So, I'm guessing this is NOT a kid toy?"

I'm sorry you touched it honey, but if I told you to jump off a cliff would you?

Needless to say, the fly Zapper works--
not just on flies, but grown adults as well.

.

Know what's awesome...

This bed from Pottery Barn Kids.

Know what's even more awesome-er?

Getting this bed for 1/3 of the cost from DownEast Home .

Yes. Awesome.

Nate

He went to the store for

milk,

bread,

and eggs...

and now she's 7

As if 6 wasn't old enough she decided to go and have another BIRTHDAY .

You know the promise you make to yourself the day you become a mother?

The promise of, I will never buy my kids cheesy character shoes. I also made another promise the day I held my brand new baby girl in my arms and that was, I will never throw my children cheesy character themed birthday parties.

I broke one of those promises this month.

It was a Hannah Montana birthday bash

complete with a cupcake designing center,

nail and make-up salon,

Hannah Montana look-alike photo booth,

and just about any Hannah Montana party game you could think of

(and there's a lot)

Now I'm probably making it sound a lot more extravagant then it really was
(in fact, I know I am)
but in the eyes of a 6 (now 7 year old) all it was lacking was Hannah Montana herself.

Abrie as Hannah (just minus the bangs)...

And Macie joined in the PARTY too!

My oldest litte girl is getting big. FAST.

I wish there was a way to keep her like this forever...

And while we're on the subject;

keep him like this...

and her like this...

or just keep the whole package together just.like.this...

Happy Birthday Abe's!

Bed Head

I should be at the gym this morning

or at least doing something productive, but
I'm not.

I'm just lazying around today,

sitting with my hair tied up in a knot,

wearing a baggy t-shirt,

possibly wearing a bra... or not,

thinking of all the things I could be doing,

should be doing,

want to be doing.

Right now blogging is the winner.

In my defense, I have managed to
eat breakfast,
brush my teeth,
put my contacts in,
send my kids off to school,
and pick up the kitchen.

Oh, and blog.

Randomosity

1. It’s not that I don’t like to cook- it’s that I just prefer it when other people do it for me.

2. Did you know you can sell anything on KSL and craigslist if you just place the word vintage or antique in front it.

3. Dear qwest telemarketer who called me today,
My name is Ginnie, not guinea. Thanks.

4. Fruit flies are taking over my house.

5. It’s not good to make a 9x13 pan of brownies if you’re the only one who eats them.

6. Brownies are best when eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner… and right before bed.

7. My house resembles that of uncle knit-knots from imagination movers. All beige, all over, all blah. It needs color desperately.

8. I watch too much Disney channel.

9. I have a major case of IDDD (interior designer deficit disorder). I can barely pick out an outfit let alone put together a house and make it all match.

10. I am seriously considering doing some trade. How about a free photo session for someone to come beautify & designify my home. Any takers?

11. There’s no shame in my game.

It was like Christmas

Just minus the snow,
and the Santa,
and the festive wrapping paper,
(unless you count cardboard boxes as wrapped)
and the tree,
and well, the whole Christmas part.

This would be the first time my kids have seen their toys in over a year.

Every time we opened a new box I would hear an excited squeal and then silence- long, wonderful, beautiful silence. The only sound I could hear was the occasional tinkering of toys & giggles from 3 little, fully entertained children.

I did the math and strategically saved a box for several mornings so that all I'd have to do was slide out of bed,

cut open a box,

say, "Remember to play nice and Macie, don't eat any toys",

fall right back in bed.

and sleep.

It.Was.Awesome.

(and not neglectful)

(well, not completely)