Halloween Part 2 - The Party

Tonight we had our party. The kids had a blast. I made mummy hot dogs and radish eyeballs. I made eyeballs with powdered sugar donuts too, but I don't know what happened to that picture. Em and I took the kids trick or treating up and down my street. It started sprinkling so we didn't want to be out too long. Plus I live on a long street and know all my neighbors (they're all in my ward but 2) and the last time I took my kids trick or treating for a long time they ended up with over 10 lbs. of candy. I didn't want that again, because you know who really eats it. LOL! Robyn and Joe came while we were out and Robyn came and found us. Henry was the cutest little pea pod ever, but I didn't get any pics, because when we got back to the house Robyn changed him and then he didn't put it back on. I will get some from her though.

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After that, we came back to the house and the kids had treats and I rented the new Tinkerbell movie that had just come out. After everyone was home, we headed over to my friend Christina's house so the kids could go trick or treating there. The kids were excited because she was handing out big sheets of stickers, which they love. After that we were supposed to go to my ex-in laws so they could see the kids, but it was so late that I called and we agreed that I will take them tomorrow instead. I'm glad I did, because within 30 seconds of calling, Brooklyn totally puked in my truck. Seems while everyone was visiting and not paying attention, she ate almost all her Halloween candy. Nice. Luckily we were at the end of our street. We pulled into the driveway and I grabbed her out of the truck. She stood at the edge of our yard and puked what looked like a fountain of chocolate. Talk about curing my craving for Halloween candy! I showered her (in her Sleeping Beauty dress) and then sent all the kids to bed. I could have lived without that part of the evening.

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It was fun to hang out and visit. This was the first year that I have done anything for Halloween, because it's not my favorite holiday. However, Em and I decided that we will have to do this again next year (assuming we're still here) and I totally agree. I think I had as much fun as the kids did.

Halloween Part 1 - Dressing Up

This morning the kids got all dressed up for their Halloween parties at school. (Well, except Amelia who's not in school, but I did let her wear her costume to Wal-Mart.) Tyler and Hailey were nurses because they wanted to be like their dad (say it with me, awwww). Austin was Buzz Lightyear, Camren was Peter Pan (and made the cutest most perfect one you ever saw), Brooklyn was Sleeping Beauty (the costume was to big, but I let her wear it anyway because she wanted to wear it so bad) and Amelia was - of course - Cinderella. For Amelia and Brooklyn, it wasn't any different than any other day, because they probably wear those dresses 3 out of 7 days a week. I don't normally let them wear them out of the house though. Anyway, the kids are super excited because tonight I am having my best friend Emily and her kids, Hailey's best friend Mya and her twin (Austin's friend) David, Hailey's friend Aubrey and Robyn and Joe (and Henry) over for a Halloween party. So I have a lot of final shopping and cooking to do. I'll be back later with party pics.

Happy Halloween

Changing Political Parties

Why I'm Voting Democrat

I'm voting Democrat because like most Americans I trust lawyers more than anyone else; I think only lawyers should run the government, and all the Democrat Leaders are lawyers: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, John Edwards, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Leader Harry Reid, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry, to name just a few. (Al Gore dropped out of Law School, so I don't trust him as much, except on Global Warming.)

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I'm voting Democrat because the Democrats support the trial lawyers and I think this country needs more lawsuits and less tort reform. And I know the trial lawyers' contributions have a thing to do with it.

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I'm voting Democrat because Congress has done such a wonderful job under Democrat leadership the last two years, that I want a lot more of the same.

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I'm voting Democrat because I want to get my health care from the same competent, efficient, cost-effective, customer-service-focused folks who run the US Post Office, the Pentagon, FEMA and the state Registry of Motor Vehicles.

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I'm voting Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves.

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I'm voting Democrat because Sen. Obama has promised to cut the taxes of 95% of American workers, including the 30% who don't pay taxes, who are part of the 50% of taxpayers who pay a grand total of 2.9% of federal income taxes each year. It is only right, fair and patriotic that the 10% of workers who pay 70% of federal taxes each year pay even more, by golly.

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I'm voting Democrat because Sen. Obama has promised to take away the secret ballot in union elections, and I think the union bosses should know if a working man or woman is with them, or against them.

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I'm voting Democrat because Sen. Obama has over three years experience in the Federal Government, and "Hope" is a great strategy.

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I'm voting Democrat because Sen. Obama voted "present" instead of "yes" or "no" over 120 times in the Illinois State Senate, and I think we need a decisive president.

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I'm voting Democrat because I think that drilling for American oil is foolish when we can buy all the oil we need from the Middle East .

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I'm voting Democrat because I think windmills (except off Hyannis Port ) are a better answer to reliable, clean energy than Nuclear Energy.

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I'm voting Democrat because I don't think we give enough to other countries in foreign aid.I'm voting Democrat because I'm for putting up barriers to free trade, as they did in 1930 with the Smoot-Hawley bill. That made things much better then.

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I'm voting Democrat because I miss the high unemployment, inflation and interest rates of the Jimmy Carter years.

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I'm voting Democrat because parents shouldn't get to choose the school their kids go to. Parents should leave their children's education to the teachers and stay out of it.

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I'm voting Democrat because I think this is the perfect time to raise the Capital Gains tax and drive investment money out of the stock market.

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I'm voting Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.

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I'm voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would, and I want the government to spread my wealth around to those who earn less or nothing.

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I'm voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

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I'm voting Democrat because, when we pull out of Iraq , I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing because they will think we're good people.

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I'm voting Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday CAN tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.

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I'm voting Democrat because I'm not concerned about restoring partial birth abortions so long as we keep all death row murderers alive.

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I'm voting Democrat because I believe that small businesses should not be allowed to make a profit. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution to people who didn't start businesses.

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I'm voting Democrat because I believe the law is what judges say it is, and not what legislators say -- or the Constitution.

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I'm voting Democrat because the media would call me a racist if I didn't.

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Robert A. Hall

10 Places To See Before You're 10

I was reading an article entitled "10 Places to See Before You're 10". It said "Family vacations should be fun, of course, but we always hope they’ll do more—kindle an interest, inspire a career, or at least pry them away from computer screens. Here are 10 U.S. sites guaranteed to rock young worlds. "

I was surprised to see that I had been to all but 3 of them. Most of them I probably went to because I grew up in California. Colonial Williamsburg and Ellis Island I went to on a 2 week trip back east with band. I guess I better get some traveling in, if I want to cross #1, 9 & 10 off my list.

You can click on the names below to link to articles about the sites. Enjoy!

1. American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
2. Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia
3. Disneyland
4. Ellis Island, New York City
5. Grand Canyon, Arizona
6. Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
7. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California
8. Muir Woods, Marin County, California
9. Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario
10. Sears Tower, Chicago

Coming Up

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that my schedule is up for a change starting next week. So much for sleeping in 'til 8. Starting next Wednesday I will be babysitting 2 brothers, ages 2 and 6 weeks. I have been so baby hungry and am totally excited to get to babysit a newborn. I am also glad that Amelia will have someone to play with in the afternoon after Brooklyn goes to kindergarten. The downside? They will be coming to my house at 7:20am, so I will have to start getting up early. At least it is only 2 days a week. It will be a big change for me. When John and I got married, Camren (our youngest boy) was 2 1/2 so I have never had a baby boy before. I'm excited!

My Schedule

My husband says all the time that I don't have a schedule or practice any time management. He thinks that because I'm just sitting at the house (not kidding) so how could I not get everything done that I need to every day. Well, I just don't feel like I need to be slaving away every second I am awake. I want to enjoy my day too. Here is my "schedule". Let's see what you think.

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7am - Alarm goes off. Think about how horrified I am that it is still dark outside and that I am still sooo tired. Go back to sleep.

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8 am - Get up for real.

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8 - 840am - Wake up the 4 older kids. Make sure they get dressed, clean their rooms, make their beds, and straighten up any messes they have left around the house from the night before. Load them on the bus and off to school. (They eat breakfast at school - major morning stress reducer!)

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840 - 10am - Get Brooklyn and Amelia dressed. Strip Amelia's bed if I need to (We are in the middle of night training. Days are done. Yay!) and throw sheets in the wash. Get the girls breakfast. Check all my email accounts, facebook, myspace, friends blogs, etc. while the girls are eating. Eat breakfast myself if I feel like it.

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10 - 11am - Do quick straightening up of house. Take out something for dinner if I need to (ie. meat that needs to thaw). Make sure Brooklyn knows where her backpack and shoes are (daily problem here -esp. the shoes) and put them by the front door.

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11am - 12pm - Make lunch for the girls. Eat something if I feel like it. While they are eating, take a shower. After they are done eating, let them watch cartoons (about 30 min.) while I get dressed, do hair, etc.

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12 - 1pm - Get Brooklyn ready and out the door to the bus. Get Amelia cleaned up from lunch. Put Amelia down for a nap (or attempt to, depending on the day). Sometimes, instead of nap time we go hang out at Robyn's house for a couple hours.

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1 - 330pm - Do any real cleaning around the house (ie. vacuuming, scrubbing). Fold any laundry I have while watching my shows I dvr'ed from the night before while the kids were still awake. Run any loads of laundry I have. If Amelia is not napping, I will run any errands I have while I only have 1 kid home.

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330 - 8pm - Check email for a few minutes. Eat something for lunch. 5 older kids get home from school. John gets home from work (usually right after the kids). Kids finish any chores they have that are undone. Start homework and reading time. Run any errands with John that we need to do together. Start dinner. Feed John and the kids dinner. Kids do their kitchen chores. Get the kids jammied, teeth brushed and in bed.

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8 - 10pm - Finally sit down and eat dinner. (Sometimes I eat with everyone, depending on how crazy the evening is). Sit around and relax with John for a little while. Maybe do some cleaning. Maybe some reading or watch a movie together (ie. me watching it while he sleeps on the couch next to me).

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10pm - 12am - Play on the computer. Answer any emails. Do my food journal for my online group. Check out ksl.com and craigslist. Plan any things I have to do tomorrow. Think about what I want to do for dinner tomorrow, in case I need to get anything the next day. Take it out then, if I want to do a homemade freezer meal, so it can thaw.

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12 -1am - Finally go to bed. I have a real hard time falling asleep, so sometimes it's not til 2am.

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Repeat the next day.

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Well, that's what I do in a day. Give or take, depending on the day. The last couple days I have been painting some furniture for a friend (table, chairs, buffet) and the kids have been out of school. That always throws me off. Well I better get back on track, and get some stuff done before lunch time.