Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

My kids have been sleeping well lately. Zoey got up a few times last week, but over all her sleeping habits have improved. I am a little disappointed that the only days she napps are the days she is home with me (Saturday, Sunday and an occasional Friday). Sometimes Chris tries, sometimes he doesn't and daycare plays a movie during quiet time. However, with Isaac not having a chance to nap on his way home from school anymore and Zoey totally nixing the nap, they go to bed between 8 and 8:30 and fall right to sleep. No more pitter patter of little feet running around my house at 11:00pm anymore.

This morning they both woke up early and came upstairs before I had to go get them. Isaac wasn't too sure of breakfast this morning. But he never is. Just like morning time, breakfast is not his favorite. We pulled out some new cereal and I thought all was well. He couldn't finish it cuz his tummy hurt. I still thought it was more of I am not fully awake yet and my tummy just isn't ready. So I told him to eat what he could. Before we left he told me his tummy hurt. I took his temp and he was totally fine so off to school we go. I walked him into the school yard and he just looked so sad. I asked him what was wrong and he said his tummy hurt and it did. He proved it. He seemed excited about going home and sleeping in. But you know for a sick kid he has way too much energy, not to mention that he still feels the need to tell me the best way to get to Kmart (to pick up some 7up) and that 7up and Sierra Mist are the same and that Home Depot is further away than Kmart is. Sometimes I wonder how Mrs.Kremers gets all of these 5 and 6 year olds to manage their thoughts and keep everyone on task. I couldn't even get Ike's shoes back on to go get the 7up cuz he was reading and using a bookmarker and needed to show me the page he was on and he wanted to bring money and he needed to count it and on and on.

Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title. ~From Scooby-Doo

Pumpkin fun--with the pics posted in reverse order. Again.

Zoey with her finished pumpkin. I don't know what happened to Isaac's pumpkin!

LeaAnn brought Kaidyn and James over for some Jackolantern makin'.

So I found some of Ike's birthday pics. And yep--that's an air gun. Thank you Kristi and Casey. At least Isaac was using the suggested protective eye wear.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. ~Author Unknown

Today is so yucky out. Dreary clouds, cold rain and nasty unforgiving Wyoming wind. But better now than last week. My in-laws were here for Ike's birthday. We all had a wonderful time and it was nice to be able to be outside. It was probably in or near the 70's so we could walk Ike to school and play with his new tee ball set outside after school. So as you may have noticed I don't have any pics to post. I stressed over the birthday cake. Marble cake with cream cheese frosting and spiderman and his signature spider were drawn by hand. I was so worried that no one would know it was spiderman that I forgot to take pictures. I didn't take any at the bowling alley either, because I was worried that I would forget the ice cream or candles or something to light the candles that the camera just didn't make the list. So while I am worring and forgetting things, my mother-in-law fixed the cake, helped the kids take turns at bowling and just helped everything move along a little better. Isaac was so happy to spend time with his friends and they enjoyed the bowling. Isaac and Ryan tied for high score with an 81 while Kinley came in close second with 80. Kinda glad I didn't bowl--they probably would have beat me.

You are my sonshine. ~Author Unknown

I can't believe Ike turns 6 tomorrow! This has been such a big year from riding a two wheeler to tying his own shoes. He has learned how to swim comfortably on his own in a big swimming pool and can read whole books by himself. Not to mention that he passed his speach screaning this year. I am so proud of this little stinker. He did take a tumble (doing what I'm not sure) and had a scab on his nose for his pictures. He is so excited to turn 6 and can't wait for his party, which we are having Saturday at the bowling ally. We made cupcakes tonight for him to take to his class tomorrow. He let me frost, but he pretty much baked and decorated on his own. I didn't work a football game this year on his birthday. I am pretty sure that's a first. I had considered visiting MT for a fb game and looking at the schedule-this weekend was the Flathead/Glacier game--plenty of hours to work--for someone else! So anyway, I have a party to go to, with a fabulous six year old who just melts my heart with the joy in his eyes and the happiness he spreads.

I played as much golf as I could in North Dakota, but summer up there is pretty short. It usually falls on Tuesday. ~Mike Morley

Well, Chris has been golfing. He went Thursday and took Zoey. She beet him. Just kidding, but she did go and survived the cold wind in Buffalo. What a trooper!

I promise she is ok in this pic. Just making snow angels.

The first snow fell yesterday and continued into today. We got more than I expected. It was good sticky snow though-- so the kids have been playing in it every chance we give them. The first snowman has already been created with charcoal for eyes and a carrot nose. His name is Chocolate.

Afterward, Isaac came in for some hot chocolate with marshmellows, by the warm fire.

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher

I am a bit excited today as we are getting ready for two days worth of open houses at Touch Stone Massage Thereapy! The add in the paper went well and I think this is going to be good too.

I decided to have lunch with Isaac today. He had been asking, but I really didn't know what to expect. I called the office to inquire-"Well, sure you Can have lunch with him." So I go to the front office. Get buzzed in (due to increased security this year). I pay my 3$ and wait for Isaac to finish with music. I was really surprized to see how many others come to eat with their children. He comes skipping out and holds my hand. His teacher gives us each a tray and a plastic wrapped spork, straw and napkin. They had two servers dishing out pizza (would I go on any other day?) Next you hit up the salad bar where the kids dish up their own fruits and veggies. The kids sit wherever they want. Big kids, small kids--doesn't matter. I am still the slow eater. Finishing my milk as we go to empty the tray. The kids know which door to exit. They don't go as a group. Just when you are done you go play. So I whiped some pizza off Isaac's face and gave him a giant hug and went on our own way. It was fun. Nice to be with Isaac and meet his friends. They are so stinkin cute!! At Southland we always had someone watching us. We could only sit at the tables designated for our grade. Our teachers made sure we ate and we were not excused until they were satisfied. We always came and left as a group. So that was kinda weird to me. Some of those kids seem to be so small in world so big. But school has been going on for a while now and they know the routine and what is expected of them. So it all seems to work out.

The other night I decided to try a Zumba class for the first time. It was fun and luckily you don't get graded on your dance skills! I don't know how to dance, but we did everything from the cha cha to the tango. I don't know how dancers get their bodies to move the way they do.

Football is not a contact sport. It's a collision sport. Dancing is a good example of a contact sport. ~Duffy Daugherty

We are starting to get some fall weather here. Not 80s anyway. The rain is coming and going and I heard this morning that we might see some snow before the end of the week. Isaac is wearing a sleeveless shirt with shorts.

Isaac also does not have school today. So he is my helper for the day. We ran all kinds of errands this morning, most of which were to promote our open house for Touch Stone Massage Therapy. I can't imagine it being that much fun for him, but you should have seen his excitement to hand out fliers and business cards, "Can we go in there?" "they would like a flier" He is always such a good helper.

We made it to our first football game on Friday. Zoey was a little squirmy, but then decided she liked it. We went with some friends and the Camels won! So we all had a good time. I will be home just in time to night to watch the Vikings on Monday Night Football. We don't get to watch too many of the Vikings games here, so I get excited about them all. Saturday we went to the Pumpkin Festival. They had games for the kids to play with prizes, plus fun on the go was there. An inflateable giant fun for kids with an obstacle course, a place to bounce and a giant slide. The lines were long and even though they ran out of pumpkins the kids had a great time!

OH! and look. Zoey's bangs are kinda starting to grow out after six months of trying to keep them out of her eyes.

I really don't think I need buns of steel. I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon. ~Ellen DeGeneres

I might hurt some today, but I think I am going to really like working at the Rec Center. Free membership is great and they have free child care anytime I am working there! The people there are fabulous and kinda soon they will even have a new facility. (they have had there ground breaking anyway)

My man has all the connections. He hooked someone up with Dish Network and she happened to have an opening at her daycare/preschool. Because she actually has part time openings we switched. I was so nervous to have Zoey make another change. It seemed to take Zoey a while to get used to Bright Beginings and was just making friends. But we geared her up and she had a fabulous day at Just 4 Kids! I did not have to remove my Zoey tee shirt off of me this morning and when I went to pick her up she wanted to play extra.