Typos, Their a Pretty Big Deal

A typo turned this Super Hero in to someone's dinner.

Sadly, not even Spell Check could save him.

Power 10 in 3-2-1 STROKE!!!

You know when you've been going to the gym 3 days/week for 6 years, then you go on vacation for 9 days and it takes 7 years to get back to the gym? That's kind of what happened to me and blogging. 

We went to Ireland in August. When we came home, school started again for the kids and I was overwhelmed with how to summarize 2 weeks in Ireland and 317 photos in to a blog post. After that, I felt guilty posting anything else until I got the Ireland post up. Then, not posting became much easier. Then, I had major guilt about not posting. So, I made a poor effort to get back on that rowing machine by putting up Finn's 1st grade photo. Then, it just got worse. I stopped taking photos altogether. I don't even think I brought my camera to Christmas.

Well, now I feel like a squishy slob, so I need to get back to a steady gym routine before nothing fits me any more. 

Translation: I feel like a loser Mom who is going to forget what her kids looked like between September 2012 and May 2013. 

What's worse than forgetting what the kids look like, is forgetting who they are at ages 9 and 7 years.

Niamh is prone to meltdowns about her hair. She is learning to play the Ukulele. She continues to steal candy and lie horribly about it. She watches music videos by Taylor Swift, Avril Levigne, and Beiber's ex-girlfriend, Selena. And, she packs a 7lb, 300 page book in her back pack every day so that she looks like a big book nerd when she pulls it out, slowly, so everyone around can see the size of her reading material. She's not a big book nerd but I love that she wants to be....and love even more that she's failing at it. I think she's on page 12.

Finn has turned in to an athlete. He can really play both soccer and baseball. He analyzes the game once its over, and he always knows where he's going to make "the out" if the ball is hit to him. He has the smelliest feet North of Bell Town. He can eat 8 pieces of pizza and ask for yogurt 10 minutes later, go to the bathroom, and then ask for soup. And, he also steals candy, but is not as good as Niamh about lying about his crime. 

These photos are from my phone. Once I post them, I'm going to feel better.

Too Sarcastic?

I desperately want to get this for Niamh but sometimes she can be overly sensitive. 

Should I?

Finn's 1st Grade Photo

Well helloooooo there, Ladies. I'm Finn. My parents will let me date in 2021. Until then, we can be "friends".

Every now and then, Steve gives me this same look and I run.

Halloween 2012

We weren't very scary this year. 

Finn was the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man from Ghost Busters.

Niamh was the most docile Leopard this side of the Woodland Park Zoo.

I was a Giant Turkey.

Steve.....well, Steve was pretty scary as Ed Grimley from SNL. Its OK if you thought he looks like Pee Wee Herman. He was just as creepy. Keep him away from your kids, Folks.

We hosted this year's NeighborsMeetAndInhalePastaAndBeerGathering pre trick or treating. 

Finn was attacked by A Wild Thing, and a very chatty Leopard more than once before we headed out.

Help me, Rhonda. This gang is growing up.

Niamh, age nearly 9-Leopard; Anjali, age 7-Mona the Vampire; Kiran, age 4-Mailman; Ella, age 7-Witch (the good one); Simone, age 3-Leopard; Neighbor Finn, age 6-Wild Thing.

Their advanced ages were most noticeable while hitting the houses up and down our street. This year, they could all run and navigate stairs. Their speed and efficiency was greatly improved over last year. I think our typical route was complete in about an hour. I have no idea if they said Trick or Treat, or Thank You. I lagged behind jabbering to my adult friends and was never really at the same house at the same time as my kids. It was a successful evening by all of our standards.

 I'd like to take a moment to talk about Kelli.

Kelli is a young, cool, nice, popular, intelligent, beautiful, social gal. We don't know why she continues to hang out with us. Either she continues to be the geek she said she was in high school and has us all fooled, or she genuinely likes us. Finn and I really hope she likes us. Creepy Ed Grimley reminded me a couple days ago that for a while, after he first met Kelli, and before she started hanging out with us regularly, that he referred to her as Hot Nurse Kelli (not to be confused with Hot Nurse Jessica, Cute Nurse Meg, or Hot Friend Nicole. He really is a Creepster.) Anyhow, Kelli is up for anything. She's the same gal that comes camping with us. The only one without a kid, and she always gets assigned one to her. 

Halloween afternoon, Kelli texted me a photo of her dressed as a Bumble Bee with a couple of her Nurse Practitioner colleagues, and one of our Cardiologists as the Bee Keeper.  After making fun of her, I asked if she wanted to join us and the neighbors for spaghetti and trick or treating. She immediately said, Sure (after I confirmed that there would be beer and wine). AND, she showed up! She blows me away. I adore her. Finn has a crush on her that as a 6 year old, he can't verbalize, but he always wants to know what she's up to and if she is coming over, and when she does, he becomes shy but keeps his eyes on her. Its adorable. I totally approve of this relationship. I have a crush on Kelli too.

Enough about my 6year old son and my 39 year old husband and me and Kelli. 

November 1, I woke to Finn's voice: 77, 78, 79......The two were counting and sorting their loot, setting aside the peanut butter ones for me. Halloween 2012 was good.