Silhouette Giveaway!

The Honey We're Home blog is giving away a Silhouette (it's like a Cricut - scrapbooker but it connects to your computer) - check it out! But only after the 31st because I really want to win. Do I NEED it - no. Do I have TIME for it - no, but I'll enter nonetheless!!!!

http://honeywerehome.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-silhouette.html

It's a great blog - AND she's a fellow Houstonian!!!!

Stupid mantel window

Who puts a window over a mantel I ask!?!?!?!? I hate this window. It's supposed to let light in, but it ends up just creating an awful glare. (I had to close the drapes just to get a decent picture) This picture was taken in the middle of the day with the lights ON in the living room. But it's like the outdoor light and indoor light are at war and the outdoor light wins. Normally this is a good thing but in this house with our set up it is just distracting.

My original idea was to put up a square fabric covered board with some nail head trim and then hang a really pretty wreath or mirror from it. In fact, I already cut the boards last week and I was going to assemble it today until...I saw this post from The Lettered Cottage.

I'm thinking of copying/making the Pottery Barn Egan mirror. Yes? No? I am anxiously awaiting their tutorial so I can get started on this project!!!! Do you think it will work? I'll have to add another row of mirrors I think. BUT it will cover the window and help create a little more light in the room with the addition of the mirrors.

Halloween!!!

I think that this picture pretty much sums it all up...
Days before Halloween the girls had been sick with very high fevers - minimum 102...it was just a fever virus but it was not fun. I got the girls good and medicated with Tylenol/Advil and then dressed them for trick-or-treating! Yes, I let the girls spread germs on the street.

FOR THE RECORD:

1. They were on the upside of the virus.
2. I only let them go up and down our street.

I told Kendall to ask people to put the candy in her basket instead of her reaching in and germing up all of the candy wrappers. I didn't think she'd remember but sure enough, the first house she sounds all bossy saying "you can just put the candy in my basket." Ahh...I'm so proud! For once she actually listened!!! No, she's really such an awesome kid...

This was Avery's first year of real trick or treating and getting her dresses up was a challege (if you couldn't tell from the first picture). But as usual she followed suit with Kendall and was giddy after the first house. Fever?! What fever? I don't feel the 103 degree aches anymore mom!

Mom and I went to HomeGoods in August and Kendall had begged to go with us. She spotted this Kimono outfit and declared then and there THAT was what she wanted to be for Halloween. I said (trying to disuade her to what I figured she'd truly want) you don't want to be Cinderella or Snow White or Ariel!?

NO! And low and behold she stuck to it. (but she did get the princess candy bucket) If I hadn't been dealing with cranky sick babies for 2 days we'd have done her hair in a bun with chopsticks but by dusk, we were lucky we didn't go in our pjs. Kendall was disappointed that we didn't get her purple flip flops in the picture so I'll do a "redo" for her one of these days...

Overall it was a great short night of trick-or-treating and I'm still eating the tons of candy that I got from the 10 houses we visited!!!

Snuggling...

Kendall was so excited to be "mommy" when Avery actually snuggled with her one morning. It's rare that Avery snuggles with Kendall just because she is often "the one who takes everything away." I should have known sickness was brewing when she layed still so long...


I came in the room the other morning and found Avery like this. Really? With the couch just inches away? Okay!

Young love??!?!?

Sarah (my college roomie) and I have our fingers crossed that someday these two might end up together...

Fall!

I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures. I've been working my poor fingers to the bone. Don't you all feel sorry for me? Wha?! No?! Shocking! Okay, enough griping. Here are the kiddos on a recent trip to the closest easiest pumpkin patch to visit! Avery was NOT up for pictures at all. Then again she's never up for pictures.

I try really hard not to be "the mom behind the camera." You know, the one that tries to commemorate every single thing in her child's life with a photographic shot. Instead I try to limit the pictures and enjoy the moment. There was pretty much none of either this day. But this day was meant specifically for pictures.

By the time the "photo shoot" was started I was ready leave. It wasn't fun...it was hot and really windy. These days I get moody easily. I think it's just because I am so tired of constantly chasing Avery who doesn't listen and climbs on everything. Someday I'll miss this age but right now - dear Lord please help me. This kid has some serious will power. But dangit if I don't love the age for the same reason - discovery, new words, interpretation, animation...it's truly entertaining!

Avery (21 months) Pardon the drippy nose...

My girls - Kendall (almost 5) & Avery (21 months)

(by the way, if your name has "grandma" in it anywhere you are getting a copy of this picture)

This is my Avery. She's pretty good about not sucking her thumb all of the time but when she does, this is how it is: thumb in the mouth, fingers in the hair, "nite nite" blanket nearby.

We'll break her of the thumb thing someday but for now - she's my baby. No worries, I will not allow it after the age of what - 2 1/2, 3? We made Kendall give up her pacifier at 2...

Okay, that's all I got for now.

Love love love...

Softball Days of Fall

Kendall on deck

We started Kendall in softball - REAL softball, not t-ball (although a tee is used if they can't hit 3 pitches). I was hesitant to put her in because I knew that she really didn't know was softball was but the cost wasn't too high and I thought WHY NOT? Of course Mike (a.k.a. Mr. Baseball) was gung-ho about it. Well, come to find out you have to invest another $100 - $150 in equipment and uniforms! Don't even get me started on the lack of information on their website. I'm drafting a list of "what your website is lacking" as we speak...

Kendall & "Avery her friend" as opposed to "Avery her sister"

Anyway, we've had several great practices and today was GAME DAY! 2 games, back to back, 1 hour long each with a 10 minute break in between. It was hot and luckily one of the girls mom's remembered sunscreen because it didn't even cross my mind! Unfortunately Mike (who is usually really good about applying sunscreen) forgot to put some on and stood on the field for all 2 hours so his cheeks are nicely baked.

The girls actually had a lot of fun! The team is made up of girls 6 and under but a couple of the girls are young 7s but they've never played softball before so we let them in.

I thought our team parents would be totally chill, I mean, these kids are young and playing for the first time. Good grief - I was more than surprised. I was expecting light happy cheers "good job girls! That's okay! You'll get it next time!" and really the majority of the people were very good but there were a couple of parents that were all over their kids. I mean, they weren't shouting profanity but they were moaning and groaning and flailing their arms and screaming "GET THE BALL, GET THE BALL!!!!" But NOT in a sweet "encouraging" way. It's one thing to yell TO your kid to run to first, it's a whole other thing to scream AT your kid. I guess I just don't get it, but then again I am really laid back. I want MY kid to have fun and feel good about herself! I wish everyone felt that way.

Luckily, they don't keep score and really the main thing that we are trying to teach them is just to run to first base. I was pleasantly suprised at how well they paid attention and ran after the ball. Of course there were the girls that kindly pointed at the ball as it rolled past - pointing it out for the other girls so that their teammates were sure to know where it was.

All in all it was a great game day. Warm but there was a breeze and no humidity. After the month of August anything feels great! I chased Avery the ENTIRE time so that was not fun but luckily Grandma and Grandpa Brewer will be here next weekend for the game so someone else can chase her for at least one of the hours!

And can I say what a sweet encouraging husband I have? He pushes Kendall just enough and encourages her the whole time but also realizes when she's had it and lets her go do what she really wants to do - go play on the playground at the front of the fields.

Assistant Coach Mike