Happy Halloween

One of my mom's friends Barb made these little cuties for the kids.

They are cards on a stick with candy corn in a little container in the belly.

Too cute.

If ya'll like to scrapbook and make cards, check out her blog!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy halloween!

Getting ready for the weekend...

Caramel apples and caramel popcorn...

I do love the fall.

JACK

ahhh! Don't choke your sister.

That's better, except for this strange winky face Vivi gives in photos now. Goodness.

Before the cutting began!

Billy carved his first pumpkin tonight.

The kids helped/observed.

It turned out cute and everyone was happy!

He will look so cute on the porch Halloween night.

Go, Jordan...Go!

Vivi's birthmother gave Isaac these Michael Jordan shoes last spring. Apparently "Jordans" are big time shoes in the African American community, so we were very excited to receive these. Size one, I might add! (I forgot to mention that Vivi's birthmom is afr.amer./hispanic. She looks like she would be related to Isaac more than Vivi!)
My Mom found this Nike Jordan outfit at Kohls and it just matches perfectly!! He looks so tall in this!
Tomorrow the cast comes off people...I am so ready!! But he still cannot have physical activity for a whole month afterward because it could rebreak easily at first. Boo. He is excited to take a long soak in the tub. He hasn't had a bath in over a month, just sit-down showers with his arm covered in towels and hanging over the edge of the tub!

Baby Einstein Controversy

The Great Baby Einstein Scam



Click on the above link to read the latest on this!!
They are now saying that Disney is issuing refunds on its baby einstein dvd's because of false advertising that promised smarter babies. That promise fed into parents desires to have daily time away from their child and our nation's growing obsession with media and media products. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said for years that they recommend no tv viewing for children under 2 years old and here is why in their statement:

"Pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years. Although certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged."

I am glad I did not buy into the lure to plop my 9 month old down in front of the tube. We kept Vivi away from television viewing until she was over the age of one, other than what Isaac was viewing on PBS kids, in the background. But I was always in the room with her interacting-I can say this is fact because at 9 months she could scale the sofas and that just would not have been safe to leave her unattended!! :) She never did take to well to being strapped into a baby seat of any kind, either. Now, Barney at 18 months old...that was something we bought into with both kids!

I have to wonder what the correlation is between young infants with their bouncy seats placed in front of these dvds every day and their lack of social skills with their peers and/or sensory issues from all that early exposure to flashing images and lights. I know the diagnosis of Sensory Integration Disorder has gone way up in recent years. These dvds were first released in 2000. Almost 10 years ago....hmmm...something to think about!

Here is the LINK to getting your $15.99 per DVD up to four exchanges by March 2010.

We love our teachers...

Throughout the school year I have tried to shower Isaac's teachers (four of them!) with gifts and little tokens of appreciation. I posted at the beginning of the school year about the importance of spoiling your child's teacher often- especially if your child can be a real handful...ahem. Of course my little angel would never fall under that category!

Ha! But I did get a nice compliment today when he and I dropped this bucket of goodies off (with a diet coke, smartfood popcorn pack, twix, peppermint patty, tootsie pop, and pumpkin pie granola bar for each teacher). One of the teacher aides- who happens to also be my fav of the four- said to me that the teachers were saying they would have to fail Isaac this school year so he would be forced to be in their class again next year! Well it is good to know they want him back...or is it the treats they want back?!!

I already have an idea for their Thanksgiving gift. I am going to make little coffee cup cards with a slot for a $5 Starbucks giftcard and it will say "Thanks a latte for all you do!" and I will tie the card to a little turkey cookie. Ask Billy, I am a sucker for gift giving.

I also got to see how important it is to be involved in the PTA. I was one of only 3 moms to show up to this month's meeting and I actually got input on some coming activites- like this week's red ribbon week. All I have is a little half day pre-k child, but being involved is already helping him to be connected to the school. The PTA president told me that the pre-k teachers are thrilled to have me this year because it is one of the only years they have had a room mom, and in the past noone helped out at all with the class parties- the party food and supplies would have to come straight from the PTA funding, and one of the officers would have to leave her child's party to help out with the Pre-K. Such a shame.

Well not this year, ladies!!

Our Church Fall Festival

Vivi before...it was like getting ready for prom! I painted her nails pink.

Vivi after! I did an updo. She also had a veil. She calls herself "Cinderelly" because Cinderella gets married in a white dress at the end. She has a coloring book of all the disney princesses on their wedding days!

Isaac was Buzz Lightyear

To infinity and beyond.

Grandma came with us.

pretty as a picture

They served Chick Fil A for dinner.
Isaac's favorite food is sandwiches.

The kids loved the games and candy prizes.

The cake walk. Both kids won!

here are some better shots of her updo!

human ring toss

Black Cat

Last week I took the kids on an after dinner walk while Billy was at work and Isaac plucked this kitten out of a tree.
I couldn't just leave it there to be eaten up by a coyote or something, so she came home and was given some milk and tuna fish.

Then we couldn't just abandon her, so we put her in the garage. And of course she would need somewhere to sleep.

Everytime we go out into the garage, this is what we see. She never leaves this crib.

And of course on chilly mornings I couldn't make her eat outside.

Oscar did not appreciate having to hang out behind a baby gate while the cat ate her breakfast.

How could I resist a black kitten two weeks before Halloween.

OF course we do NOT have a cat. That is what Billy keeps saying atleast.

He is highly allergic and I will not be doing any kind of litterbox, so for now the cat will be fed from our garage until we get to taking her to a no-kill shelter.

We have incidentally named her Shadow. And I have been buying kitten food.

Billy says if I come home with a collar- it's over. :)

OH and the dog and cat have warmed up to each other fast. I call the cat "Oscar's cat" now because he is so preoccupied with it. He even lays by the garage door.

Lucy....well she is coming around. She is our family protector so she doesn't exactly welcome the cat on our property.