Trick-or-Treat or Snowball Fights for Halloween?

Well it looks like the possibility of snow for South Central PA is becoming more of a reality as a storm heads our way!  It's supposed to be here by Saturday morning.  It isn't the first time snow has visited us in October but I honestly can't remember the last time it happened.  My kids are excited for sure!  We have a lot of Halloween and Autumn activities planned for this weekend, including a hay ride on Saturday and trick-or-treating on Halloween and I really hope the snowstorm doesn't ruin our activities.  I'm not worrying too much just yet- plenty of storms that were "certain" to hit us missed us entirely.  Something to do with the valley we live in making weather somewhat unpredictable, I think. 

I like to visit http://wgal.com/ for weather-related news because they have radar, which I'm completely addicted to watching.  I live in the approximate center of the teeny tiny picture below but you can see the giant mass of snow headed my way.  I'm not rushing out to buy my milk, eggs and bread just yet but it looks like this one might get us. 




Happy...Snoween?!!! 

Dear Baby Doll Makers

A letter to the makers/creators of toys:

My boys want dolls.  But my boys want BOY dolls.  They want boy Crib Life dolls and on that note they also want boy Zoobles (although I still think they are way overpriced).  They want boy Squinkies (THANK YOU Squinkies, you're on the right track!!). 

At least my 3 year old boy wants boy versions.  I don't think my 18 month old cares just yet and seems happy playing with pink stuff, though we did pick up a baby dressed in blue just for him.  But all I hear ALL DAY LONG is, "Mommy, mommy, mommy I want a boy Crib Life" and, "Mommy, mommy, mommy I want a boy Zooble!". 

So here's a hint: some boys want boy versions of girl toys.  Think about it please.  And while you're at it, think about a pink nerf gun.  My daughter would totally appreciate it. 

Money or Mama

I was chatting with the kids today and Amara asked for a trampoline after I announced a win (2nd this week- yeah!!).  I told her that trampolines cost a lot more than my prize and that they were too much money, not to mention too big for our yard.  She asked why one of her friends has one.  I had to explain that some people need or choose to work and that some people need or choose to stay home and that we were the latter family.  I told her that if I worked that we could probably afford a trampoline and asked her if she'd rather have more money or more mommy. 

Suddenly my house erupted in a cacophony of kids protesting.  From one end of the house I heard from Zachary, "more mommy!  I want you to be home!!".  From the dining room (our common room) Amara was telling me that daddy would never get her to school on time and telling me how much she wants me to be home.  Jonas was saying, "stay home mommy, I love you." and Henry said, "uv you mama.  Kiss." 

Melt. 

We don't have a lot of money but I'm thinking that we made the right decisions (sort of by choice and sort of by necessity) for our family.  And I wouldn't have it any other way! 

Common Sense, Common Courtesy

I'm a very passive person.  I let people walk all over me, allow people to talk down to me and rarely stand up for myself.  So my outlet for complaint is my head, my blog, friends or Jason.  Today, it's my blog because my head hurts from the smoke, my phone is dead and J's at work.  He'd tell me to suck it up and say something anyway.

If I were working in someone's home I would never consider doing anything that wasn't approved by them- I wouldn't help myself to the kitchen without asking, I wouldn't go into their bedroom without being invited and I certainly never, ever would smoke in someone's house.  If I walked into an obviously smoke-free home I wouldn't even dream of asking to smoke in their house (not that I smoke, but if I did) and I would NEVER throw cigarette butts anywhere but the trash while outside and away from open doors. 

So why, I wonder, would anyone ever come into MY house and do the above without asking?  WHY?????  Why would you bring your disgusting cigarettes into my house and then proceed to smoke them without an invite from me, the freaking homeowner.  Yeah, sure it's in the basement where no one but the grownups go to do laundry but it travels, guys.  I'm sitting in the dining room trying not to puke.  I'm much too passive a person to say anything, just the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.  About as sick as the cigarette smoke makes me feel. 

I just feel so...so...disrespected.  And headachy.  I'm glad I have somewhere to go tonight- I can air out the house.  And maybe this weekend I'll buy some NO SMOKING signs for the house.  I can deal with passive-agressive. 

When I Grow Up...

I like to imagine what my kids will be like as adults.  What they'll do for a living, whether they will have 1 kid, 5 kids or none, will they stay close to home or move far away...that kind of stuff.  Of course I enjoy them as they are now and don't want it to fly by, I just like to wonder. 
I see Zachary as an engineer on a construction site, helping to create awesome buildings, playing video games and spending time with his wife and 2 kids in his free time.  He will take them out for ice cream often.  I picture Amara as a working mom with 1 child and a stay-at-home husband.  She is an entomologist, teaching at a local college or nature center and creates art in her free time.  She may have a few too many pets.  Jonas will be a police officer- a good guy who makes sure that the streets are safe for kids and families.  Maybe he'll have kids, maybe not.  I can't tell yet.  He'll love playing sports.  Henry...well he is going to drive fast cars and motorcycles and play lots of basketball.  He's still a baby and that's what he loves, haha!

My dreams for Jonas were crushed when we were driving home from school today. 
Me: Jonas, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Jonas: Hmmmm....nothing.
Me: Nothing?  You have to be something when you grow up, like a firefighter or a teacher. 
Jonas: I...waaaant to be....a.... TREE! 
Me: A tree?  Like those?  (I point to a line of trees)
Henry: Mama, Jonas ook!  Teeee!
Jonas: Yes!!  A tree like that. 
Me: You know, if you grow up to be a tree you will have to learn to not walk or talk.  Trees can't move and they can't say anything. 
Jonas: Trees don't talk?  They don't walk or talk?  Maybe not.  Maybe I won't be a tree.
Me: That's probably a good idea.  So what else would you like to be?
Jonas: Mommy, are you going the speed limit?  You didn't stop at the stop sign. (Hence the police officer career assigned to him)Henry: Mama, mama!  Ook ook.  Baketball!!  Cycle, vroom vroom!  (He doesn't miss a basketball net or court, or the motorcycles)

Me: Jonas, I didn't need to stop at that sign, it was for the other way.  And yes, I am going the speed limit.
Jonas: Okay.  You have one more chance.