Santa's House arrived at Franklin Park...the boys are ready.

Peeking through the door...
Noah needed a boost...& he liked what he saw. He & Sam are pretty sure that they saw packages inside. Sam even thought he saw one that said, "805 Franklin Place"!
It's good to be mom of the Ferguson trio.

miss madeline

Madeline is playing with her very pink make-up & has her hair in rollers this morning. She just HAD to have her hair up like mommy today...Noah discovers the pink lip-gloss as well.It's mine noah baker!"This will not be pretty Noah!"Mommy: Madeline you need to share please...Fine, here you go Noah!"I'll share alright..."Just teasing! All this pink has gone to her head I think.
I love make-up & hair Fridays!
Is it ready? Madeline really wanted her hair in rollers & lipstick/blush today. Really. REALLY.
I love make up!Silly!

jd & November...

What a fantastic month November has been. Jackson Dean was a delight & the nation will be taking a turn...with high hopes for the better. It was interesting on the 4th sitting with Jackson on my lap, his parents praying for the right while I was praying for the left. Regardless; JD was perfect. JD is cute. Jackson Dean is the amazing combination of Matthew & Stephanie. When I saw my cousin during the trip I told him how I couldn't wait for him to experience a niece or nephew...it's almost like having one of your own again. Except this time around you are much more well rested & can give him back when he cries. But the love...same. I had no idea that a brother having babies could be so awesome. Indeed it is.

Notice anything familiar? Everyone's favorite, "Have a nice day". Brings memories of Grandpa picking me up from High School with a cold coke waiting in the passenger seat; to be quickly poured into the "Have a nice day" glass when we got home. I'm sure to the eldest three it brings back far more memories & much further into history than this 30-something can remember.

Here is the note that Matthew left on the counter after the hilarious (only if you weren't Matthew) breaking and entering "event" ...who knew they would go to a block party after all these years & on a Sunday night?!

No doubt to be re-told at family functions for years to come...

Leaving JD & back to my own munchkins...a picture from the air. It's good to be back.

Meltdowns & 'you know you are your mother when'

With Sam's birthday a good 20 hours behind us the kids are all decked out in Halloween gear ready to go go go. Miss Madeline was a witch with pink (she keeps finding them as I hide them) too-small cowboy boots. Then when it came time for door-to-door trick-or-treating Madeline was Super Girl...and what a great Super Girl she was!Now it was time to get Noah dressed for trick-or-treating. Noah didn't want to get dressed, he didn't want to go, he didn't want Madeline looking at him, didn't want Bubba looking at him, didn't want me looking at him, & Daddy was "busted for 20 weeks!". This of course was before papa's house... This is after papas house & luckily lasted the duration of our evening!
Ahhhh, the glory of treats. I imagine this would be the point at which I may have thought to myself...I have lost all control of my children. Since Sam was sitting on TOP of the table in his underwear, Madeline was also on top of the table in her PJ's & Noah Baker keeps unwrapping and gobbling with one swift movement. It's only once a year and only for a few more years at that...so we decided to sit back & enjoy.

So now we've come to the plastic bag. This morning I was cleaning out the fridge. Making a grocery list, still uncertain if whether or not my trip to Arizona will actually take place with my current child-care-crisis. So making two lists, a Mommy will be here list & a fix-it-quick Mommy is out of town list. I take the red potatoes out of the bag & then look at the bag. I say to Rob & myself; I could probably re-use this one. As I'm rinsing it out & putting it on the faucet to dry I turn to Rob & say, "You realize that I just turned into our mother's right then, right?" "Yes". And we both smiled. It's a good bag; and I will use it.

heartbreak & happy endings

We don't know how it started. It was Friday, we had a huge weekend coming up, Sam's birthday party the next day, pizza @ Grandparents that next night, KC Jackson's birthday bash in KC on Sunday...and Sam was in a funk. He was not behaving, he was not listening, and he was whining. Not the kind that stopped either, the kind that can make even the strongest of parents cry. One thing led to another & Sam said he might as well just run away. Next thing we knew he had tears in his eyes, but more so than that determination on his face. He came in from the other room filling his backpack & putting it on, put on his shoes & while he was reaching for his coat Rob & I were putting on ours. Sam stopped, looked & asked why we were putting our coats on. I said, "I'm coming with you", Rob said, "You aren't going without me". Sam agreed to sit on the porch swing with me. We talked, he didn't really know what was

wrong, just that he knew he was going to get out of the house. We thanked him for not really taking off & talking to us first. He was however reluctant to unpack his backpack "just in case".

When we did unpack his backpack he told me all the things & why. Orville ("Of course" he said), underwear, socks, three shirts, two action guys, green thread to play with, his library books, and a picture of his friends off of the fridge in case he got lonely. Sigh. It was heartbreaking. We all got a good night sleep though & in the morning everything looked brighter.

These were the wet alien bones from the party Saturday...they were a big hit! Pretzel rods & green food coloring evidently have a strange reaction when mixed. I soaked the pretzels for about 15 minutes, drained, added food coloring & as they were drying the "skin" appeared to be peeling off when touched...ew & perfect! We had eyeballs...originally I thought a mason jar of eyeballs would be perfect. After peeling 6 grapes...I was done. A little food coloring, baby oil (Rob's idea to make them shiny!) & that was that. The boys loved it, it was an overload of ick, yuck, ew, gross, wicked, & excellent grossed out faces!

The next day was KC Jackson's party & we went to the Edge...what a great place! Noah stayed with Grandpa & Grandma while Sam, Madeline, Rob & I hung out with the Schmitt's at a great tumble & fun place. Rob was showing Sam how to jump on & then turn around...

You want me to do what?This morning Madeline came around the corner while everybody was getting dressed. Here comes Madeline: I'm ready! Noah looks @ her & says, "Madeline you look silly!" Madeline then looks at Noah & says, "No I don't!" That went on until it was time to eat Cheerios :).

Knuckles

Sam has started a habit of 'popping' &

'cracking' his knuckles. We've told him that it's not good for his hands...he didn't believe us. I called for backup. Grandpa has long been telling us grand kids miscellaneous things (with much gratefulness of our parents I'm sure) of what happens when you "don't eat carrots", "don't eat broccoli', "pop your knuckles". Well, I called & asked for a 'what happens when you 'crack your knuckles picture' & here is what I got! I just wish I had a camera for Sam's reaction! I think the problem is solved....for now!

Costumes & yard signs...

Dark Spiderman-7 (next week)

Witch-4

Alligator-2

Getting our grumpy faces out before the big...CHEESE! moment.

Sam stated, "I am not going to vote for that brown guy mommy." Amy: First let's not say 'brown guy' that can tend to make people uncomfortable. Sam: Why? Amy: Um, it's kinda like picking your nose in public, it just makes people feel uncomfortable. There are other ways of making your nose feel better and other ways of describing the person you are talking about. Sam: Okay. Well I like the white guy...Amy: McCain.

Sam: I like McCain because he is going to keep our country safe. Amy: How so? Sam: Because if the brown guy...Amy: Obama. Sam: If Obama gets it he will bring the bad guys into our backyards. Amy: Who told you that? Sam: No one, I just KNOW. Amy: Hmmm. Well do you want to know why I want Obama to win? Sam: Not really Mommy, I'm still not voting for the brown guy. Amy: Obama. Sam: Since we are inside can I just say brown guy? Amy: Nope, Obama. Sam: Okay, I just like the white guy... Amy: McCain. Sam: McCain because he will keep our country safer mommy. The brown guy... Amy: Obama. Sam: Obama, seems nice and smart, but the white guy... Amy: McCain. Sam: McCain with the white skin will keep the bad guys out. Sam: Can I have some juice? Amy: You betcha, & let's go play outside.

So that was our big discussion. As grandma so elegantly stated...some radical republican has brain washed him! She of course was teasing but I have to wonder where on earth he heard those specifics...certainly not at our house! Regardless; I was taking pictures of the new yard signs & should have had Sam stand next to the neighbors McCain signs! :) Sam wanted his picture taken next to "my guy", but wants me to know that he is voting for...you guessed it...the white guy. A: McCain. S: Fine, McCain.

Almost 7...

Madeline's new shoes evidently allow her to leap from the family room into the kitchen much higher than before. She just needed to show me just this once she said, only one time & never while Noah is watching. Right. Quite impressive though!




When you are almost 7, have a little sister who is 4 & a little brother who is 2...but thinks he is 4; well life can be tricky sometimes. Luckily for Sam he has this amazing ability to 'shake it off' & not stay in the downy-dumps for long at all. It is difficult being in first grade, but Sam is soaking it all in & playing hard on the weekends...and we are enjoying the show.













Since the kids are in their costumes year-around it's hard to remember what they were last year (on the day of Halloween). This picture of Sam 'Hulking out' was this summer, probably the hottest day of the year...stuck inside, ready to go go go.



When the leaves start to turn we are reminded that Sam's birthday is around the corner. It's hard to believe that this little baby was born almost seven years ago! Back then we talked about how we would miss the days of finding binkys in our pockets & bottle caps laying around the house.

These days we are finding things like rocks, the occasional shell of a bug, always dirt, and every once-in-awhile a surprise. On this particular laundry day I pulled this out of Sam's pocket. We came to the conclusion it used to be a red crayon & a marble. I think I will keep it forever.

The foot no longer looks dead & Aunt Kristina

The ankle is looking much better these days! The swelling is all but gone, it does feel 'wobbly' when it's not wrapped tight...but rarely hurts anymore-phew!

These toes haven't looked so good! The bruising has nearly disappeared & they look 'alive' again. For awhile they were all purple & had a greenish hue...ew. Sam thought the hue was "Awesome!" For the rest of us...ew.

Aunt Kristina was here over the weekend for a much needed mini-vacation (for both of us!). Kristina was a huge help in the childcare department & is always great at encouraging me to get out & go places. We agreed that if we weren't thrown together as family we would not be compatible friends. She is adventurous, fun, spontaneous, calming, exceptional, patient, & never

ever gets uptight.

I on the other hand have experienced these action words at times; but I think compared to her it would be accurate to describe me as the happy football-Bearcat Boogie Mom who went to the elementary school, the grocery store, & Curves. No more, no less. I certainly wouldn't go out after 7pm, wouldn't be brave enough to go into JCPenny's with all my children (what if they have a melt down...or rather...what if I?!), wouldn't go to Applebees with the kiddos just because we were hungry. I just well- wouldn't. For fear of sounding like Oprah; I will say this: I never ever thought the Balcony people I hold on to so tightly in my life could ever be as blessed as it is. Kristina tops right up there with Millie & Caroline. All give me a different view of life, with equal parts validation and at just the right times.

Thursday we packed up and went out towards the pumpkin patch. A grand time was had by all! This wonderful woman Kathy welcomed us & gave us a tour, let the kids play & play-encouraged Noah to help her load pumpkins & eagerly helped the kids pet the goats, bunny, & baby pig! We drove to Tarkio, followed the signs & found this great farm/pumpkin patch. Turns out Kathy has seven grandchildren, so she said to stay as long as we wanted she loves watching her grandkids play. So...we did!

Silly girls!

Fall & Pearl...

It finally feels like October has arrived today. It's only in the upper 60's windy & the trees are starting to turn. I am ready! We have been collecting the red & yellow leaves from Mrs. Houghton's house & Edna Mary's house. Leaves from other peoples property is much more enticing than our own.

This weekend we were over celebrating Uncle Jim's 60th birthday. This picture of the kiddos is in their back yard...they had a great time!

Sam, Madeline & Noah were in such a silly mood this morning...I will take silly over any other 'mood' any day!

Sam & Rob drinking coffee :).

My friend Pearl has been very sick these days & I was rummaging through my pictures for her cork board @ the nursing home. She is bound to her bed these days, but this picture is from last Fall when I was working in activities. Pearl is the Golden Girl of the nursing home, the 'model' Resident if there were to be such a thing. She gets up every morning, puts on her make-up, checks her calendar, & starts her busy day. As most 91-year-olds she has really interesting stories. I was telling Sam about how they couldn't afford wood floors when she was growing up so as a girl they only had a dirt floor. To top that (I told Sam) she was the only one who went to school-she rode the horse & her brothers stayed home & farmed. Sam had a million questions. We wrote down a few for Pearl when she's feeling better.