Wii Box

I decided I had enough stamina for a triple header, and invited Kevin & Katrina (and Julie!) over to hang out Saturday night (after already having a really late night with New Moon and then another late night with SYTYCD). Kevin & Katrina brought their remotes so we could all four play the Wii and we ate freshly made chocolate chip cookies. (I even had a mii ready for everyone. Shortly after we got the Wii, I was bored once and made characters for all the siblings, spouses and parents.) After some Mario Cart, Travis and Kevin decided to box. After a few rounds, Travis enjoyed some wife beating. What happened? I use to be able to knock him out no problem! I played only two rounds, and could really feel it. We "cooled down" with some nice bowling.


Now today, two days later, I'm practically disabled. Only two measly rounds Saturday night and my arms are screaming trying to get Emmett in and out of the crib today! So pathetic! I thought working them out again might help get me through the pain, so this morning I asked Avery if he wanted to box.
"Why would I want a box?"
"No, no, do you want to play boxing on the Wii?"
"OH! Yeah!!!"
With many threats of "I'm gonna knock you down, Mom!" and "I'm gonna beat you, Mom!" I got us all set up. We'd barely thrown a single punch when the phone rang. I tried chatting on the phone and boxing at the same time, but the result was Avery definitely knocking me out. Well, he was happy. Then I set up Carson and Avery to have a go. Now that was funny to watch.

Ode to SYTYCD

It was a double header for Angela and I this weekend with New Moon Thursday
night and last night we went to go to the tour of So You Think You Can Dance!

So stoked! Let's get this party started!


I was impressed with the quality of images I got out of this show, and like I said, this is an Ode to SYTYCD, (I certainly took enough pictures!) so I'm representing pretty much every couples' dance in these two collages:




I think my favorite dance of the season might have been Wade Robson's Thieves routine
(first picture in the second collage) if it weren't for Mia Michaels' Addiction dance. SO moving.
The dance lends itself well to great pictures, and I thought about doing a
collage just ofthis dance, but instead I've settled on one big powerful shot.


They did lots of group dances too, but this is absolutely my favorite shot of all the group dances.


A funny moment was when Kupono came out dressed in some great 80's workout attire. He worked
his way around, with many positions, to the point of promoting a new SYTYCD workout video.


Another funny bit was when Janine and Phillip kept trying to get on stage dressed for their Russian
folk dance. They were repeatedly sent away with comments like "no one wants to see that again!"


Finally, they "sneaked" on stage and began performing before anyone could catch them. Next thing you know, everyone came out dressed for Russian folk dance. After a little of the original uninspiring version, boys' shirts were off and girls' skirts were shortened and we were given a much livelier and way better Russian dance. Unfortunately, I think Phillip must have been injured because after the tame start of the dance, he disappeared off stage for the better part and we never saw him dance anything else or do a solo. :(


All of them (except Phillip) gave their best solo performances too. Who can forget Brandon's
phenomenal O'Fortuna solo that got him a standing ovation from the judges!?


Three cheers for all the fabulous dancers! What an amazing show!

New Moon Premiere

Last night I went to the midnight premiere of New Moon with my sister-in-law, Angela. For $5 a ticket you could watch Twilight at 9pm which saved your seat for New Moon. We definitely took advantage of not having to wait outside in line freezing an extra 3 and a half hours when we could have a seat in a warm theater!

I quite liked New Moon. Part of this could be due to my avoiding the book for a long time prior so I couldn't be so nit picky. More importantly, and thankfully, the acting was significantly improved. The effects improved as well and I think they did a good job of covering the important things. I can live with the artistic licenses taken in this film.

As a general rule, books are always better than movies, but, in part, there's a reversal of that here. I find the center of New Moon painful to read. It just drags. I know life is painful and a drag for Bella, but still. It doesn't help that I'm definitely not team of Jacob. The movie's middle was much better. Obviously that's because they can and must compress all that time in all those pages for the big screen. Thank goodness because it made it way better.

By the time I was driving home, I already wanted to see it again.

While I am team Edward, I find Robert Pattinson just okay. However, I had Travis' cell with me and I thought it would be funny to leave him with a close up of Edward's head from the movie poster as his background. I didn't hear anything about it this morning until he was talking to someone on the phone and said he just about gagged when he first picked it up. Apparently he didn't know how to change it back either, so it took him a bit to fix it. he he. Good times.

A Rude Interuption

I shower when Emmett's napping and I put something on the TV for Avery and Carson.
I expect peace and quiet.
I expect to be left alone.
I do not expect to have Avery come in and inform me that Carson is getting into the gum drops.
"Well, go tell him Mom says to stay out of them"
I do not expect Avery to come back and tell me Carson has broken the jar.
Crap.
If that's true there's now candy mixed with broken glass on the floor while I'm all soapy and wet.
And it's my fault for leaving them out. Usually they're up in a cupboard but I had the jar out to measure fabric pieces to cover that size lid.

Counterclockwise = Turning Down

Last night Travis made chocolate chip cookies. When I came out from the computer to see what he was doing, he said, "You're right, that oven sucks. I kept having to turn the temp and time down until I was at 300 for only like 8 minutes!" I go to try a cookie and notice the oven is set to 400. I mention this, Travis comes to check and: "Oh, ...CRAP!"
Good try honey, good try. Apparently he started at the correct temperature but wasn't thinking straight when he wanted to turn it down and he turned the dial backwards. Down equals down in temperature, right? No, counterclockwise equals down in temp (and volume and anything else on a dial). Poor Travis.
On the up side, these particular cookies are always better after completely cooling and by today they were really very good.

Crazy Clown Day

Avery asked today, in all seriousness, "When's crazy clown day?"

Julie Marie

Sadly, Halloween night we didn't get to trick-or-treat at uncle Kevin and aunt Katrina's house - but that's because Julie Marie arrived right in the middle of trick-or treating! For their first baby Katrina didn't want to know the sex ahead of time, but okayed it for Kevin to be told in secret. The whole pregnancy they told everyone that the baby was always hiding and so even Kevin didn't know. What a liar he was! Surprise to Katrina, the tech did tell him and they just played dumb. Funny stuff.
Ever since Avery heard about Julie's birth, he's been asking to meet his new baby cousin and tonight we took him. (Carson and Emmett stayed with Grandma)


One of Avery's favorites is to get his finger held by a baby. He was so excited and so gentle and just so sweet with her.


One last shot with proud papa.

Halloween Festivities

Dressing up for Halloween started this year at a fun Halloween Party Playgroup.

Chewbacca was adorable


Chewbacca was supposed to, most fittingly, be a monkey, but I waited too long to buy
him a costume and then couldn't find one. We did spot this one and only Chewbacca
costume and Travis thought it would be unique and funny. Not being Star Wars people,
I wasn't so sure, but after dressing Emmett up, I had to admit he was pretty adorable.


Bumblebee was pretty standoffish, I think because he was definitely
older than the other kids, otherwise I don't know what his deal was.


And we found out that skeletons really like frosting.


The night before Halloween, Travis and I went to a great party. I was a witch but somehow forgot to get in front of the camera which for a change I'm actually sad about - I thought I was a pretty good looking witch! And Travis was lacking in creativity and spirit, so I made an easy suggestion for him. I think all our friends from dental school - or any dentist for that matter - would agree that this costume is plenty scary:


Halloween night I took Bumblebee and the skeleton out trick-or-treating with cousin
kitty while Travis stayed home to answer the door with Chewbacca. When we got back
and tried to take pictures we discovered the skeleton doesn't like to share his loot.


So we got Chewie his own bucket


Chewie also thoroughly enjoyed Bumblebee's mask.


Happy Halloween!

Red Leaves

After four years in Milwaukee where all the color was in everyone else's yard and our maple tree (which dominated all front views) had leaves that just died and fell off, finally, here in Salem, I have gorgeous color!

This is one of our two front trees which are yellow on the inside and turn to a deep red the further out the branches extend.


In the back our trees are super red.
Here are some pictures from the last 2 weeks of the boys playing outside in them.


Okay, so they're not really playing in the leaves in these, they're playing in the rain.


Crazy pirate matches the leaves




Jump!






I can't even express how happy these gorgeous reds made me. Pathetic that the colorful Midwest couldn't give me color at my own home, but now my green Northwest can! I hope this won't be a one year fluke since we're just renting now...

Surprise Wake-Up

Yesterday we got Avery's Halloween costume. Right after he tried it on to check the fit Emmett woke up.
Avery wanted to go in and surprise him which, I'll admit, I thought would be funny. The appearance of something so strange certainly stopped Emmett's crying. You could tell he was thinking "what in the world..?"

Also, yes, Emmett pulled up his sheet. Like many children, he throws quite a fit when he wakes up and finds we're not instantly there to relieve him of his confinement.

What's in an Oyster?

We took the boys out to dinner last night and this was in my oyster!

Hats and Diapers

Yesterday Carson was silly with a cereal box hat




And last night he was silly with getting his ducks - I mean diapers in a row.

Normally he makes a big mess yanking all the diapers out of the package - and gets in trouble, but this was funny.

Bauman Farms

Our trip to the pumpkin patch this year was scheduled for us through Avery's preschool. We went to Bauman Farms and the kids had a great time. First we all went on a hay ride in 2 large covered carts pulled by a tractor to the pumpkin patch. Each child got a bag for 1 pumpkin, 2 gourds, and 1 ear of maize.

Emmett found a tiny green pumpkin


Avery and his loot


After riding back to the farm buildings, the kids got to see how apple cider is made and try some.

Then they got to meet lots of animals. Avery fed the goats.


Carson, miraculously, actually pet one! I only just managed to capture this proof as the goat turned to look at Carson more closely and Carson instantly pulled away.


I liked this llama's shaggy 'do.


Some of Avery's preschool class. Yes, he is a head taller than most of them.


On to the hay maze! Kathy, in the black coat, apparently having been the mom with the stroller last year, was a great help to me with my stroller and excess of children (comparatively). While I stayed with Carson and Emmett, she took Avery through the maze twice.


At the end of the maze there's a large tube slide.


Kathy and her daughter Andrea trained it with Avery down the slide both times.


And, lastly, snack time! Yes, Emmett's hands have caked on mud and, yes, I'm letting him feed himself goldfish. That's better than listening to him scream for his independence and I conveniently left the wipes in the van.


What a great place!

Monster Truck Blow

Carson blows his nose this morning and says, "I blow like monster truck!" and ever since then when he comes for a nose blow he informs me he needs a "monster truck blow." I guess he means he's loud...

Dunk Tank

Dunk Tank is what Avery calls this game. (They roll to the end of the foot rest and drop into the "water") I'm not a fan so they haven't played it since, but I can appreciate his creativity!