Happy Feet

HPIM1295
Originally uploaded by mari_ickes.

Happy Halloween! 2 solid hours of walking produced 4 1/2 pounds of candy (weighed after we all ate some of course), and who knows how many pounds each of us will gain! At least we got a good walk in, right? Check out this picture too! I love it. (as does Night!)

At the End of the Day

Have you ever noticed that this is one of--if not THE-most over used words in reality tv game shows? It was stated no less than 6 times tonight on THE BIGGEST LOSER, all by different people.

Restaurant Advice

I don't know WHY it is necessary for me to point this out, but apparently I must.

It is rude to talk to your server when your server is talking to another table.

Seriously. This has happened to me quite a few times in the past month or so-I will be taking an order or checking on something at one of my tables and a customer from another table with just walk right up and start talking to me!

No more! No More, I tell you. It is rude and I won't stand for it any more.

Terrible Twos

Please help me.

My


may be turning into


or even (god help me)

but there are so many times that she is





that I know she is just testing out her acting skills. I think we need to watch

and I need to learn more patience!!

NaBloPoMo

So, I've decided to sign up for NaBloPoMo. NAtional BLOg POsting MOnth. I'm going to try to write and post a photo (at Franklin Foto) everyday in November. I had once tried the 365 day challenge and failed at it, so I'm trying to get back into it by starting with just a month.

I've been practicing. Today is the 3rd day. Not bad, huh?!

Why don't you sign up too? It'll be fun.

Overheard from Keira's Bedroom...

around 3:30 this morning...

Josh: Keira, Lay down.

Keira: No.

Josh: Will you lay down if I stay in here?

Keira: Yeah.

Josh: Okay. Lay down.

Keira: No.

Josh: Okay. I'm leaving.

Keira: No. No. NO! NO!NO!NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


So, how'd ya'll sleep??

Fun with Mega Blocks

You have NO idea how proud I am of these two little toys! There are 275 pieces, all put together by yours truly! AND we didn't lose any of the pieces. Well, we lost Spiderman's arm, but that isn't technically part of the set. It was kind of close when I couldn't find the actual propellers, but that problem was solved with a quick look under the coffee table. Until I found them, I was willing to write them off as, "Maybe that is why it was on clearance..."

This little project only took two days. Okay-three days, but it isn't like we spent the whole time putting it together. I spent most of the time "taking a break" from it because it made me so frustrated!

I do have this to say about the whole experience-there is NO FUCKING way a 6 year old could do this by himself! The most frustrating part is when a piece from the middle falls off and you have to back-track to figure out where that one little piece belongs. Oh, and the other most frustrating part is knowing that all the little pieces will be broken off and lost before the end of the week... (Night just nodded at that last part when I read it to him-he even knows it is true.)

Anywhere??

If you could live ANYWHERE in the WORLD? Where would you live?


I've been trying to figure this one out. I want to live near a big city, if not in a city. I want a lot of public transport; little crime; maybe some snow; definitely some nice warm weather; maybe a beach; good schools; lots of culture and lots of stuff to do. Any ideas???

A Cat Called Wanda

My cat Wanda is currently obsessed with giving me a back massage. No kidding.

I'm embarrassed to say that it usually happens when I sit down to pee, but it has happened at other times. She starts purring then she jumps on my back and does that little scratching thing with her paws. It is heaven.

I know you are all jealous, and no. You cannot have her!

Keira's First Boxing Match

Now that Keira has turned the big...2, she is able to play the Wii. She was amazing. Before I had the wii, I never really thought I'd be yelling, "Punch his lights out!" and "Kick her butt!" in order to encourage my children to "hurt" each other. A little aggression is good for the soul, right?

At least I didn't make the comment Josh did, "Hey, this will come in handy with parenting...knowing that she can take a punch."

She does have a little ways to go-she kept yelling "Knock Off" instead of "Knock Out!" Don't worry. She'll get it. Before long, she'll be knocking us all off... (uh oh. maybe what they say about violence in games is true...)

Color Wonder Warning

Here is a warning to all parents who have Color Wonder products at home. Don't get me wrong-they are wonderful, but they are NOT mess-free as the tag-line notes.

If you have a finished masterpiece lying on the counter and a cat who decides to wash her paws before walking across said counter, you will have a mess. At least we did-in the form of little blue paw prints-all over the bar, the counter, the floor, and of course don't forget the little blue marks all over the cat herself...