A Spooktacular Halloween 2013

I just love Halloween.  It’s spooky, and fun, and full of candy.  (Boy do I love the candy.)  I love dressing up, carving pumpkins, and toasty pumpkin seeds.  Candles in jack-o-lanterns, little tiny monster trick-or-treaters, and did I mention the candy?

The Three Girlies have grown past the I-just-want-candy stage this year, and Halloween 2013 was all about hanging out with their friends.  All three of them got creative and made their own costumes….which turned out very cool.

Amber and her best friend decided to be Patty Schwab and Penelope Brown, best friend nerds. (Amber was Patty.)  My picture does not portray how hilariously “nerdy” they were.  You just had to be here!

Allie and her three friends were Barbie dolls.  I think it was really just an excuse to dress sassy (I made them take off the stilettos) and STILL get candy, but it worked.

Abbey threw together some blood and stuff, and turned herself into a Zombie Cheerleader.  Super cute!

For the seventh straight year, my husband was the ever-popular Super Chicken. (Fuzzy pictures...sorry!)

Super Chicken and his side-kick Nugget, made a 30 minute appearance outside and the Japanese kids ALL wanted pictures with him. 

And finally, my last minute masks that I found at the store for my friend Bri and I, were AWESOME!

Turns out they were VERY creepy.  Like serial killer creepy. 

But despite our murderous façade, we did get a picture with the band One Direction.

We also got one with Super Chicken.

See what I mean?  A lot of fun!  A little creepy!  And now....... it’s time for me to go eat some candy!  Happy Halloween!

Homecoming 2013

Really?  I have a 15 year old daughter? 

A girl so beautiful that I can send her off to a high school homecoming dance?

She thinks she has to make herself more beautiful….

With her beautiful friends……

But look at these girls!

They are amazing. I just have to brag.(Note the momparazzi!)

Totally cool.

Have fun girls....but you better be home at 10:30!

Homemade Ch-Ch- Cherry Cokes!

Ahhhhhh……back into a routine again.  The second week of school has whizzed by and the pan of back-to-school cookie bars I made so my kids could have some warm just-out-of-the-oven-homemade-we-have-the-most-awesome-mom-cookies….are long gone.

Now that I have a little more free time, I am able to spend all of my husband’s hard earned money….erm…..volunteer at our local Thrift Shop a lot more. 

(Total score!!!  Who in their right mind would donate Polish Pottery!  Whoever you are, thank you for supporting the scholarship program!)

Then, I got my new Erin Condren planner yesterday in the mail.  It was one of the happiest days of my life.  Now I am SURE I will become the organized person I have always wanted to be. (Insert husband’s eye roll here.)

But most of all, the best thing I like about school starting again, is that I have a lot of extra time to cook and bake.  I try and make something new almost every night.  Sometimes it’s a main dish, sometimes it’s a side.  Tonight I am getting all sorts of crazy and making a drink!  (Don’t tell anyone but I actually already tried this out yesterday and they are insanely delicious!)

Back To School Cherry Cokes

Printable Recipe (HERE)

Ingredients:

-24 oz of coca-cola (real cola…not diet)

-4 Tablespoons grenadine syrup

-Maraschino Cherries for garnish

-Ice

Optional : Spiced rum for the big kids

First off, put something on the grill.  These drinks definitely have a summer grilling picnicky feel to them.  I’m making Bacon Wrapped Pineapple ChickenSkewers. Next, pour cola into a big pitcher.  Add grenadine.  Stir.  Serve over lots of ice and garnish with Maraschino cherries. 

That’s it!  A perfect ending to a busy, productive, and don’t forget organized, school week!  Enjoy!

This First Day Stuff....Is Getting Harder

You girls just keep growing up.  A little more beautiful.  A little more independent. 

When you were 4, 3, and 2 months old…..I should have listened to all the strangers who told me you would grow up so fast. 

To Abbey…..

I hope you had the perfect outfit.  Judging by the clothes strewn all over your bedroom floor, it was a tough choice.  High School eh?  I cannot believe it!

I am constantly amazed at your drive and ambition.  I know you look like me but that ability you have to organize and not procrastinate is sooooo not me.  I’m a tiny bit jealous.

To Allison…..

I hope that you have a locker by your besty and that science class is hard….but not too hard. 

You will do great.  You always do.  You are crazy and funny and friendly…..all the things that make an awesome 8^th grader!

To Amber…..

I hope you make a lot of new friends this year.  I know you miss your friends that have moved away, but you never know in our Air Force life, what friend will move in next. 

And my baby, sweet Loo-Li Bear baby is in 5^th grade?  I can’t wait to see your light shine, quietly or loudly, in your own special way.

To all three of my girlies……

Your mommy sure misses you when you walk off to school each day.  I pray that God is near you even though I can’t be all the time.  Daddy and I are having so much fun watching you learn and grow.  Make good choices.  Don’t act like Miley Cyrus.  Be a good friend.  Do your homework.  Most of all, just be the wonderful young women I can already see that you are turning out be!

(First day of school 2010 through 2013……and I barely blinked.)

Turning 40

I turned 40 yesterday.  I had a small meltdown at the mall in the morning but other than that, I can say I have been pretty relaxed about it.  I like how I can see the glimmers of wisdom that old age brings, but those mortality issues kind of bite.

Luckily I have the best husband and the best of friends.

They planned a surprise party for me.  So when we stopped to get some cash at the ATM, a limousine  bus was waiting to whisk us all off for a night of revelry in Tokyo.

After some champagne toasts with our red Solo cups, we arrived at the New York Bar in Tokyo….where Bill Murry and Scarlett Johansson were in the movie Lost In Translation.  If you have never seen this movie, watch it. Now.)

This place was crazy insane classy.

Beyond fun.

It was the party of a lifetime. 

Even the toilets were sophisticated. 

My favorite birthday present was the poem that my husband  wrote for me and read in front of everyone.

It made me cry.

Thank you to my husband for the best birthday ever.  Thank you to Kelly for planning everything for my husband so he could take me out for my best birthday ever.  Thank you to all of my friends for the presents and love on the best birthday ever.

I might just have to turn 40 every year!

 “The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” Bill Murry as Bob, in Lost in Translation.

Ahhhh….blog.  Dear blog.  How I have missed you.  To what do you owe the honor of my presence?  Ermmm….let’s see.  If I didn’t archive this experience for the entire world to see, the world would be incomplete.  Indeed.

Yes world.  We strapped on some plastic butts, pulled up our tutus, and laced up our tennis shoes, for a Warrior Dash.  Let the craziness begin.

In case you didn’t know, the Warrior Dash is a 5k race laced with 15 obstacles to navigate.

I don’t have too many pics of us on the obstacles because we were actually ON them….

……or in them.

And then there were the costumes.

We were the Red, White, and Blue Mooners.

We got dirty.

We got crazy.

We laughed really hard at stuff. 

We met the Avengers.

Most of all, I had an ahhhhhmazing fun time with two awesome girls.  Thanks Bri & Kelly for being my friends!