Fall

As we were leaving for school yesterday morning Noah said, "Mommy, I don't want the tree to drop all its leaves", so we talked about life cycles. I thought I had a brilliant response- this spring around his 4th birthday we will see new baby leaves...nope. Instead he says with just the most heartbroken voice, "But Mommy-the tree will be just so sad without all those leaves..." It was sweet; so this afternoon we jumped into the leaves, on the leaves, around the leaves, behind the leaves...somehow that made everything better.

Last weekend was full of princess crowning and parade riding so we thought we should relax on Sunday and take our adventure into the country. Rob took us out along the woods/river somewhere & as we were discovering lots of cool rocks Sam stumbled across something. Turns out...it was a shotgun shell. Oh yeah...it's deer season! Yikes! So we started singing...loudly, "We're not deer please don't shoot us, we're not deer please don't shoot us, oh no we're not deer, no not deer...we don't want to be hung up on your wall...because we're not deer!" There were a few more verses, but I was laughing so hard I could barely make it back up the bank-let alone remember our awesome lyrics!

The Homecoming Princess did great...there were SO many people Thursday night- but she was cool, calm and composed (very unlike her mother).  She had a fantastic time!

Hey big sister, you are NOT the only royalty around here you know!

Meanwhile Super Sam is turning 8 in just 2 days...8?! When the heck did that happen? I think I will enlighten Sam how life was about 8 years ago. I think he would really get a kick out of apartment life with neighbors Chuck & Casey.  My best times were spent next door at their place, Fresca & 'Friends'. I needed no more. This pregnant girl of 25 spent the better part of a year across the hall; & those boys took exceptional care of me.  As much as I love those two more than anything...I am eternally grateful that Rob paid his dues to the life-sucking 'existance' that was retail(shudder)!

Vampires & Pixie dust

The Vampire (almost 8), the Fairy (5), & the Pirate (3)Madeline sprinkles some pixie dust on Sam...you can imagine how that worked out for her.The Vampire stalking Franklin Park, while the Fairy trys to counteract his evil with happy sparkles. Miss Madeline...5"Very funny Sam!"Super Sam-almost 8Noah Baker draws..."N.O.A.H. that spells NOAH BAKER!"

Amy-33

Sam-8 (in 2 weeks)

Madeline-5

Noah Baker-3

He looked down...and his heart grew three sizes...

birthday list (Un-edited version-yikes!)

Sam dictating his birthday list to me, I typed as fast as I could...he is funny!

Werewolf costume


Justice League Superman Action Figure

2 Wolverine Retractable Claw Gloves

Wolverine Action Figure (Logan is in his black leather jacket with claws out)

An exterminator working for me to destroy my sister if I want them to (sinister laugh)

A white mouse, a REAL white mouse

Large Size Wolverine figure that when you press the button his claws come out, with batteries to make the ‘shca-tching’ sound

Wii

Wii Marvel games for the Wii

Game boy/play station with Marvel games

Comic books

A laptop of my OWN

Walkie talkies

Bloody sword from Wal-Mart costume section

My own Cell phone

20 bucks (his mother is frowning)

And a few more things....

A fresh pumpkin pie ALL to myself

A pocket knife

A butler

An old grandpa’s pipe that I can pretend to smoke with when telling my stories

The grim reaper costume since my MOTHER won’t let me wear one

My MOTHER is making me write ‘size 8 long-sleeved plain shirts’ as well as socks & underwear-this is NOT funny Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A ticket to see a horror movie

A Spiderman Action Figure

A TV to watch from my seat while I drove through the longest state ever going to Grandma Millie’s for Christmas, that I DO NOT have to share with my brother or annoying sister

Last thing...think Sam think, what should the last thing be....again, (sinister laugh)-this is going to be so great: Okay, A pet, no wait go back, A fresh batch of cookies for my SELF! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer memories...

School pictures! Miss Madeline sat up straight, put her best smile forward with happy eyes/smile & has a fantastic Kindergarten picture!  Super Sam, as always, has a fabulous school picture, what a smile! 

This morning as we were rushing around with oatmeal, dog walking, backpacks, OJ, shoes & missing socks...oh, and Noah Baker saying at 7:26AM (we leave at 7:30) I want my 'real breakfast now'.  Nope. He refused to get up, refused to get dressed, refused to put on shoes, refused to get on his jacket, while refusing breakfast the hour before. I gave him a cheese stick, guilt set in about sending him to Reba's on an empty stomach.  So after the cheese stick was gone, he wanted his real breakfast...sorry!

Meanwhile the big kids & I were moving on while Noah was 'refusing', both Sam & Madeline were reminiscing about the days of Summer, Sunday adventures (won't they be excitited to know that adventures happen all year long?!) and of course most of all..weekends at Mozingo Lake.

"My booty is on fire!" & more...

Every day things heard @ the Ferguson Estate...

(Madeline) "Ready Mommy? I'm ready to write my song, how do you spell crack-a-lackin?"

(Amy to Noah Baker) "SIGH...stop licking your sister's hair/shoe/plate/ear/hat/spoon/book!"

(Sam to Madeline)    "That was so inappropriate Madeline, I'm totally telling Mommy  & she is going to tell you that was not a good choice!"

*After Madeline said in the van recently, "Holy shit!" and the van nearly drove off the rode and angry eyes & serious words were exchanged between mother & daughter (meanwhile Sam is having a near anxiety attack at the thought that she ACTUALLY said it out loud!) this is what she had to say:  Mommy, I did not mean to say shit.  I won't say shit ever again. Shit is a really bad word. Shit is not something that I should say. If anyone says shit they should probably go in time-out.  Shit is a really naughty word."  Now readers you have to understand the girl did not seem sorry at all, and was very aware that I was buckled up & in traffic while she was calming explaining to me her reasoning.  Sigh.  So I finally say, "That's right Madeline, we DO NOT say shit. Ever."  Sam says, "Now Mommy I'm about to say some bad words, because they really go with this conversation, okay? Okay? (Amy is busy praying Noah some how fell asleep) Madeline, you also can't say, "Shit, Hell, Damn, or really really really not (in a whispered voice) God Damnit."  SIGH.  I say, "Yes Sam that is absolutley right, we do not say any of those words...ever (the ever was hissed)."  Luckily this conversation does not happen daily.  So I focus on the funny ones.

When Sam was 3 & I was very pregnant with Madeline Sam/I were on an elevator (of course we were) with a pretty, young, black woman.  This young woman happened to have a very tall crazy wild hair-do.  I notice the hair & Sam's reaction to her right-away. Sam pulls on my maternity shirt & whispers in the loudest whisper voice that sounds like a small roar bouncing off the elevator walls, "Mommy-why does that lady have scary-bad-guy-hair?" I say something like, "She must like it that way, let's say hi instead?" Sam is glued to my leg with wide eyes, the elevator took about 587 minutes to go down 2 floors that afternoon.  Finally, Sam says as we are leaving (luckily this gal is smiling at the power of his cuteness) "Well, WHY does she like scary-bad-guy hair?"    That was the beginning of "Let's talk about this when we get back to the van".  Has been great for all three kids; and they do remember to mention it once we get back out of ear-shot.  It has saved many an uncomfortable situation.  Although there is an occasional, "Mommy (loud whisper with wide eyed stare/glare at subject) when we get back to the van, I want to talk to you about something!"(finger pointing @ subject). 

Smiling? Me too!

She's a Daisy

So Madeline (as a new Daisy Scout) & I had our first real Girl Scout adventure over the weekend.  There was singing, giggling, running, playing, sack-racing and snacking; thus-no sleeping.  But! Fun was had by all.

Next on the list of fun things, Noah Baker vs. the leaf pile.

Here we go!Last but not least...my kitchen.

Before...

During...

*Rob & I started picking at one tiny spot on the wall that needed some attention (in the future); in the only room left with wallpaper.  Soon...that room...will be wallpaper-less. Good thing we like change.  Updates will come, well, as we get to them between football, boyscouts, girlscouts, weekend commitments, jam sessions, and of course, planning our big (driving!) Christmas Vacation to Arizona!

"Rebel Yell"

I can't imagine many things in this world that could possibly draw the attention away from my almost 8-year-old boy while eating his spectacularly tasty warm apple pie with it's ice-cream topper at Grandma's house.

Except that is...Grandpa with the promise of shooting a BB gun.

She loads, she points, she aims...she fires! So long says the can in the pasture. Time for some baseball, Madeline ponders while waiting her turn to bat...Noah in the outfield.

Later on in the weekend Sam discovers the base guitar. Now, he says, we are talking! Rob shared his pinnacle moment at 10/11 years when he & his cousin heard 'Rebel Yell' by Billy Idol. It was his moment of clarity...he knew he needed to play music. Well, Rob pulled up You Tube & told Madeline & Sam to prepare

for their socks to be knocked off!

Knocked off they were indeed. Sam said he had his moment of clarity...he wants his own base guitar, with his own amp. A future Scientist no-longer he says; I reminded him that being a mad-scientist could totally be a hobby...he has his whole life to decide. He wanted none of that; only an amp. So now we hunt through the classifieds for a used base guitar...and amp.

Meanwhile Noah is just enjoying the show...

and Madeline continues to knock all of our socks off...stay tuned to a music store near you featuring Sam's debut album ???

Cousins!

Noah started off his weekend with a cow-boy-bang! Well, and a runny nose...just to throw any bad guys off track. Then it was off to Savannah! The amount of fun that was had over Saturday/Sunday was so plentiful I don't think I would be giving it justice to sum up the amount of 'awesomeness' . There was ice-cream, swimming, giggles, memories, and life-long bonds were made, seeds for the future & hope of a reunion next summer were born.Noah Baker
The 1st grader, 2nd grader & Kindergartener...calculating the most extreme jump that would ever be jumped by these plotting cousins.

Madeline jumps....
It's a 10!
Now off to the football/soccer field for Sam's first game of the season. Madeline practicing her soccer moves.

Sam practicing throwing...(terrific throw!)
Meanwhile Rob comes over & chats with Sam while he awaits his turn to jump in...

Swish!