Katie ASKED me to take her photo

TOTAL PKS, but you know, I love them anyway.

*not processed, not intended to be Hi-key, just put out there for your enjoyment.

Okay, I need to take the kids on a field trip.

I'm looking to take the kids on a fieldtrip and I'm trying to figure out WHERE. See, we have 3 larger cities we can get to. One we live in, the other 2 are both roughly 1.5 hours away...oh wait...4 larger cities if we stretch the distance to roughly 1.5-2 hours away.

2 have a zoo
3 have a botanical garden (maybe all 4 do)
3 have science museums
4 have childrens museums
1 has an aquarium

all 4 have bloggy friends in them - homeschooling ones, adoption ones, photography ones, and Mommy group ones.

Field trip MUST be on a weekday, most likely a Monday.
Gas is still somewhat limited in nature.
House is on the market, and keeping it clean has been a joy. Not.
House is on the market, thus finances are a little tight as moving expenses are being saved for...

Ideas? Post a comment and I'll moderate if you put exactly WHICH city I should go to. :) If you think you are near me, and most of you know if you are, if you are FREE on Mondays let me know as well. I'll moderate comments for this one.

Looking at Monday October 20th I think.

OH yeah, we have a membership that is reciprocal for the 3 science museums. We've had zoo memberships, and could be persuaded again to get them.

Random photos

Katie finally got someone to rock with her. Can you tell she was excited?



LOL...makes me smile


For once, a game a checkers...but they've been playing chess against each other all the time. Begging to go to Chess club. I punish them for not doing school work with not going to Chess club. How sad is that?!


JUMP!

Oh we are so in trouble...

Do you realize what she's working on figuring out?! *faint*

for those who traveled with us, this outfit was one I carried with us and when it was too big I was so incredibly SAD that she'd probably never get to wear it. It's 12-18 month Gymobree. Do you NOTICE how big it still is on her? Does anyone want to GUESS what her closet looks like...with all the shopping I did last fall from clearance racks? umm..yeah.

Is anyone else just slightly worried?

You know...about the economy?

Is anyone else sick and tired of election stuff already?

Is anyone else just ill over what those on Capital Hill are doing?

Who is ready to hibernate until January 2009? LOL

My Week

*found this in archive from middle of September...and no, life has NOT slowed down*


Monday - Cleaning, straightening up, packing to move things to storage...pick up clothes from consignment sale, clean some more - that evening, working on editing photos and orders

Tuesday - class photos (group shots) at kids school for yearbook (I'm both the photographer AND the yearbook editor), run home to have them do schoolwork, back to school for more class photos, run them to karate, during Karate run back to school for more photos, home to drop kids off with Dh, run to doctor for annual exam, drop off prescription meds (we finally talked about that asthma problem in China), run home to eat, take JM to Karate for his gold belt test (he got it), to grocery store with JM and Katie (Samuel went with Dh to a softball game) for food...then home....oh yeah, more photos to edit and order.

Wednesday - at home through morning which means CLEANING and school work, church activities did some work on the yearbook stuff while the kids were busy with their activities, LOTS of business related things and catching up on schoolwork, oh yeah, edit photos and order late last night

thursday - class photos at school, home, deposit money, lunch, class photos at school, karate, class photos, back to karate, back to school for more class photos, home, edits on photos yet again, mow the yard, talk to a friend about Disney trip, more edits on photos...probably orders as well....oh JOY.

Friday - CLASS PHOTOS all day long at the school, leave to get lunch, back for the afternoon (remember katie's pack and play for a nap), get home around 3:30-4pm. Clean house...get ready for soccer photos and session in the AM (call them to verify), oh...and EDITS on photos.

Saturday - 8:15 - soccer photos, 9:30 session, Matilda Jane trunk show at Noon, home to clean & pack up house...and edit photos.

Sunday - church. clean. cook. edit photos. order photos. design wedding album.

This is a typical week except for the class photos, but it seems like I have something going on each week like that.

I found Katie's Thanksgiving outfit...errr...outfits

Matilda Jane

I bought the following:

This DRESS for now

and then this SHIRT in 2t with these PANTS in 18months to wear now as well. You'll have to scroll down to see the pants.

Now, all of this will mix together in various ways to go with this DRESS in 2t for wearing...hopefully longer than this year.

If only October 20th would get here, then I could post photos of Katie in these clothes. Thanks to the generosity of friends who have given Katie hand me downs, plus what I bought last year thinking it would fit last year (fits this year)...I could splurge like this.

Dh might shoot me though if I continue...I had to promise this was IT. Well, until the next trunk show of boutique clothes. Does anyone know how to block certain websites from my computer? Or, rather, how to unblock them once Dh blocks them?! LOL Seriously though, I'm done with Katie. JM, on the other hand, is growing. He'll need a few jeans, a winter coat, and maybe a few shirts this winter. Samuel is good to go.

Want more photos?

Taken Monday Sept 29...see I'm trying to stay slightly current.

Many faces of Samuel

okay...some photos to make the masses happy

GREAT big brother huh?


Look - a rare photo of ME (I was the sacrificial adult to take the 3 older boys on the water ride...the one you get soaked on)


Brave girl...bad lighting, bad photography skill, GREAT memory!


They guided us around Dollywood. Too cute!

All photos from Labor Day weekend - we went to my parents and then to Dollywood with my siblings (and my nephews - one is the blond boy with Samuel).

She isn't all tomboy though...no really!

The girl LOVES a good dress, the swirlier the better. If it's pink all the better. She loves hair bows (for a time).

She LOOOOOVES baby dolls. She sits and looks at the American Girl catalog for hours, pointing to the Bitty Baby dolls saying "I wan it. Wan bay-bee." When a company kids catalog, hanna anderson, or kelly's kids catalog come in the mail, she insists she gets to look at them. She loves her toy kitchen. She loves her stroller.

She wants to play with balls with the boys, take karate, play star wars, and pirates. She loves the playmobil sets, and loves the gaming systems. She wants to read stories about Spiderman and friends, cars, trucks, etc. At least she LIKES books!

As someone once said, "In my world Cinderella plays soccers and holds her own with the boys." Yeah...THAT is my girl.

Yes, she'll probably get the Dora Ball pit from Santa and instead of the pretty pink Disney princess castle, the kids will get a joint gift of the Star Wars tent. I'm sure the baby dolls will go to the Star Wars tent, I'm sure she'll have her own lightsaber before she's 3. She'll just be wearing girly clothes for it. LOL

Toy "browsing" for birthdays and holidays

As we're approaching birthday season here, we took the kids "browsing" for toys that they would like. It's always interesting, and fun to see what they pick out each year. We get some new ideas, and recycle a few others.

Playhut has new tents this year, and I was thinking that Katie would surely love that pink Disney castle one for Christmas. Surely she would, I mean we had to drag her away from the baby doll aisle. She loved the Princess tea set. She loves pink. This castle ya'll was PINK overload.

Her reaction? eh...it's okay. OOOH Look at that Star Mountain Ball Pit though! That was exciting. *at least it's Dora?*

Then, she got excited over the Star Wars command tent. STAR WARS YA'LL! I have 2 boys...I'm Star Wars'd OUT.

I asked Katie, do you like the Castle? Held it up even. She shook her head NO. Pointed to the Star Mountain Ball pit (it's DORA at least). NOOOOOO! Pointed to the Star WArs tent that Samuel was in raptures over..."YESSSSH!"

*bang head*

Life is Busy!

I'm running around today (well this week actually) like a crazy woman trying to juggle all my responsibilities. Yet, at the back of my mind, constantly, is Susannah and her parents in China.

I had a physical recently, and the doctor told me that I MUST slow down soon that she was worried about how much I'm trying to do. I think I might agree, but I have no idea what to cut out! None. I love doing everything I am, but man something is going to have to give somewhere...especially this week! I keep telling myself that September is going to be one of my worst months for being busy...and really after this week I should slow down some. At least I won't be driving 70+ miles a day around town.

Space Mountain closed for renovations?!

We’re a Disney family. We love going to Disney. Absolutely love it, and the kids? they’re already thrill ride junkies (might have something to do with sensory seeking stuff? maybe?).

So, Sameul is just about 44 inches, meaning he can FINALLY ride Space Mountain!!! That quintessenial rollercoaster of Disney. Just thinking about it makes me SMILE.

I read last night, while planning, that as of January 2009 they are closing it for renovations…for a long time.

Our next trip? February 2009.

*gasp, choke, faint*……*SOB*

Samuel will NOT get to ride Space Mountain, the classic Space Mountain…EVER! Never ever.

So…what are we doing? We’re in the midst of building a house, saving frantically for downpayments, and we’re looking into going to Disney during December for a quick trip…the in-laws live about 4 hours from Disney. We *could* make it down there for a short trip so that Samuel can ride Space Mountain. He just HAS to ride Space Mountain, and I can’t have him wait until our next trip…I mean that would be like making him wait to ride Space Mountain for a whole 12-18 months LONGER! *blush*

BTW, Disney is REALLY crowded the week of Christmas. Really really crowded and that is the only thing stopping us at this point. We never go when it’s crowded, we love going with only 10 minute MAX waits. Not to mention financing the trip...hmmm...so much to think about!

DROOL!!!!!!

I'm drooling over this, but will need to wait at least a year.

Canon 5D MarkII

It's only a mere $2700 for the body alone, or $3600 for the "kit" lens with it (it's an L lens and as I have it, I could go for the body alone).

SWOON over these features:

LIVE HD video capture
SILENT shutter (oh my gosh for those weddings!!!!)
Ability to choose a smaller RAW format
AUTO cleaning sensor

and that's about as far as I got before I had to close it before I went and hit "buy" Dh would shoot me.

*PS still thinking of Susannah...*

PRAY HARD!

Susannah is in the hospital and not doing well at all. Her mother had to push to be able to even meet her. She's not doing well at all, pulse ox stats WITH oxygen are 60-90%. The hospital is NOT even nearly what we're used to. Leslie needs as much support, good thoughts, prayers, etc. as you can spare.

My heart is breaking for her, and I'm incredibly worried about them getting home.

Hey...I'm "Snap" if you get that strange name

Well, that and Spitfire as well...well, actually Spitfire is Dh and when he checks email on my account I end up logged in as him.

snap...well, snapshot006@gmail.com is my new email that I'm using when I visit NEW places...you know, so it doesn't include MY NAME! LOL

Shocked by gas prices!

I was so shocked on Friday when I went out to fill up a car with gas and my regular gas station was out of gas. HUH?! I knew Ike was going to hit Texas this weekend, but HUH? I mean, we survived the Katrina gas crisis AND driving to Disney. What was going on?

You see, we don't have cable TV. Nor do I listen to the radio in the van driving the kids around. I only check email and my "forums" online, so if news didn't hit one of those places quickly then I don't know about it. I know about baby formula in China not being safe. I even know a tiny bit about the presidential election...but gas prices? Not so much.

Was it ever expensive to fill up cars (and it was our standard normal time to do so). Now this week is supposed to be quite busy for me, which means quite a bit of driving around town. Not a good week to be worrying about making the gas I have last. Not a good week for that at all.

Fun Foto Friday

Such a cute subject who helped with "lighting" to get set up for school photos. Her first official "school photo" complete with flipped up shirt and slightly frizzy hair.

Oooh we were happy this evening!

We got a new sale catalog in the mail. The 3 men in my life happily flipped through the pages and pointed out things they wanted. I enjoyed flipping through it as well, though perhaps NOT quite to the same level as the 2 older "boys" here.

It was from http://www.thinkgeek.com

Not sure if it was at the "Grow your own 1up Mushroom" or the Japanese something or other puzzle...but I lost control of the catalog/book.

Katie? she was happily flipping through the Kelly's Kids catalog and saying "I want it!" to specific outfits. *grin*