HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!   I hope the weather is ok for trick or treating tonight.   I don't plan on taking Tommy out too much.  I am meeting hubby at daycare then we are taking Tommy to his grandparents to trick or treat.  Then home for a quick supper (which I have no idea what it will be) and then a little trick or treating in the neighborhood.   I hope Josh will stay at home while we are out and hand out treats.   Josh is planning on setting up the strobe lights and scary sound system when he gets home from school tonight.   He can't stand not to have all that out.  I sure hope it doesn't scary the day lights out of Tommy!

Josh can't figure out what he will be doing tonight.  He will either go to the football game and they are in the playoffs or there is an all nighter at church.   I hope he has it figured out by after school or he might do both.  The overnighter doesn't start until 10:00pm. 

Last night I carved the pumpkin.   Tommy liked it once it was all done and lit up but didn't really care to help.  Daddy gave him a bath while I ran to the store to buy a treat for daycare.  I sent apples and carmel dip.  I best get going, I have a busy day as I need to drive to Scott County.   I will need to try to get off of work early so I can meet hubby at daycare at around 5:00.   so much to do.....and so little time!!  Oh well, it all seems to get done somehow.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Hello!!  Are you all ready for Halloween???  It used to be such a big holiday for us, but we have scaled down so much since Tommy was born as we didn't want to scare him.  I might try to dress up this year, we will see.  Tommy is a cow for Halloween. 

Last night was fun at church, Tommy even kept his costume on for the whole night.  He won't wear the hood that has the cow head on it though.  I took a few pictures and should be able to get those developed in a few days.  Once we got home we, Tommy got ready for bed and we watched Dora in Mommy's bed for a bit.  He went to his bed at around 8:30 and stayed in his room for the night.  He was sleeping on the floor again. 

I didn't get too much done last night.  Once Tommy was in bed I sorted through our mail basket from last week.   I was suppose to reconcile my checkbook, but I will do that during my lunch break today.  I made lunches for my hubby and I as well.  Then it was off to bed early....I was TIRED!! 

Today and tomorrow I am working in the office all day.  I have alot of paperwork to catch up on.   I need to run into the grocery store to pick up milk and green onions on the way home tonight.   I am making a ham spread with the left over ham for supper.  We have alot of ham left over from the confirmation.  

Time for a To Do list and conquer this paperwork!

• Reconcile Checkbook
  
• Grocery Store - Milk and Gr. Onions
  
• Carve Pumpkin with Josh and Tom
  
• Laundry
  
• Have Josh Pick out movies to watch Tomorrow night with me
  
• Find Cell Phone
  
• Bedtime Routine!!!!

A first failure may prepare the way for later success. - Arnold Lobel

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Tommy's little birthday party went fine last night.  He enjoyed having friends over and was very excited.  He enjoyed the games and presents.  We had little tiny cupcakes which were the prefect size for the little ones.  This weekend I will need to write all the thank you cards out. 

Tonight is Families First.  Some one asked me about Families First it is a program at our church for children and families ages one to about 5.   It is based on the Early Childhood Family Education, but is chrisitan based.  We have free play with our children, then circle time/ and songs.  After circle time the parents separate from the children and go to a classroom and discuss parenting topics.   The children have story time and complete different projects and have snack.   Then we rejoin the children for a final song and go home.  Tonight we are having our little Halloween Party.  The children get ot wear their costumes. 

Speaking of Halloween I made my bags of candy last night.  I made 100 bags so once those are gone, I am done.  We do get a lot of trick or treaters.   I hope TOmmy will enjoy handing out treats with me.   I am not sure if I will be dressing up or not as I am afraid it will scare Tommy. 

Well off to work..........

WEDNESDAY TO DO:

• Families First - Costume and Snack


• Laundry


• Menus


• Reconcile Checkbook


• Thank you cards


• 1 drawer in bedroom

WHEW......finally time to take a breathe, well sort of.  I have a few minutes as I eat lunch before heading to a meeting.  The confirmation/ Tom's birthday weekend went pretty good!   Today still feels like a catch up day.  I paid a few bills this morning.  I need to leave a bit early today as we are having a little party for Tom's birthday at home with his neighborhood friends.  We are having a Blue's Clues party!  Last night I made a "Pin the Flag on Mailbox" game and we are playing Pail and Shovel relay.  I printed some color pages and we will be ordering pizza one of Tom's favorites. 

I suppose I better get some more work done.  I am so dragging this week, not sure if it is the time change or just the amazingly busy weekend.  Time to get life back on routine.....I will slowly post about our busy little weekend. 

FRIDAY
My parents got into town at about 3:00.  I was just heading out to take Josh to get a haircut.  We went to pick up Tommy around 4:15 and came home.  Tommy warmed up to Grandma and Grandpa right away.  Hubby picked up Erik on his way home from work.   My SIL watched Tommy and we went to the confirmation banquet at church.  It was nice, but something went wrong with the food and it took forever for us to get our food.  Then when we got the food, it was only a tiny bit of food.  I think they were running out.  The pastor gave a nice sermon about the journey and the confirmands only being in Kansas or 1/2 way to God's Country (texas).   I am pretty confident my son's journey has not ended with confirmation as he is very active in the church still.  He is teaching confirmation and attending many of the high school activities. 

Erik did pretty well at the banguet.  He needs so many reminders how to behave.  Life is so difficult for him being raised by two different household with very different expectations of him.   Our expectations are higher of him and he meets them fine, but will say my mom lets me do that.   

The great essentials of life are something to do, something to love, something to hope for. - Thomas Chalmers

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others. - Robert Louis Stevenson

INsanely busy day here. My parents will be in town around 3:00 today to go to the banquet with us for Josh's confirmation. Beforethey get here...I have a lot to do.

Last night was busy too, hubby grabbed McDonalds on the way home from work. We ate and went to Sam's club to buy food and drink for the weekend. It wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be. Then we came home and hubby made marinade for his steak for Saturday night. I then made cut-out cookies of Dora The Explorer as the kids at daycare will decorate those today to celebrate Tommy's birthday. My SIL does a great little party for him with the daycare kids.

Off to shower! I have to get ot the clinic for a fasting blood draw and I am HUNGRY!!!

to do:
Tom to daycare
blood draw
cub Foods - groceries
Target
wash clothes
lay out clothes for Erik
clean dining room
clean bedroom
clean office
take Josh for haircut

and she is ...........................OFF RUNNING!!

I am back at work...ton of catch up to do as always.  The van is running great for once.  YEAH!!  I bet this was what was wrong all the long.  Last night we had a quiet night at home, Josh went to the HS football game with a friend.  Tommy, Daddy and I put together a wooden train and played that.  We tried to listen to a little book on tape, but Tommy likes to turn his tape recorder off and on more than anything.  Auntie Julie brought over some new puzzles for us to play with Elmo on them.  They were a big hit! 

After Tommy headed to bed, hubby and I washed dishes and headed to bed ourselves.  A pretty quiet night!

Today is going ok.  I finally figured out what to get Josh as a confirmation gift.  Last night he brought me the information about a class ring he wants.   So I guess that is his gift.  He picked out to have the christianity symbol put on one side.  He surprises me sometimes.  They were a bit more expensive than I though.  I wasn't able to afford gold of any type, but I think he will like it. 

Tonight should be busy.  We have Families First tonight.  I have to remember to bring the games for the harvest festival basket.  Well time for my to do list and get busy!!!

TO DO:

• Order Confirmation Cake


• Deliver Invites for Tommy's B-day party with his little friends.


• Church - Bring games


• Laundry


• Bath - Tom


• Bedroom - put clean clothes away
  

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The buried talent is the sunken rock on wich most lives strike and founder. - Frederick W Faber

Well my day is coming to an end, I have accomplished plenty today. I still have a few minor details to complete. The living room is decluttered and rearranged. It is nice to sit in it and enjoy. I took 1/2 of Tommy's toys to the basement. I try to rotate them up as he is ready to play with them. I have a lot of toys that are more baby toys and I need to find a new home for. Between my neighbor and neice I should be able to get rid of many. I rather bless my family and friends with Tommy's out grown items than take the time to sell them.

I even got the blinds in the bathroom washed along with the rug and shower curtain.

Now I have to tidy up the kitchen before my hubby gets home and get the bed sheets out of the dryer and on to the bed. I hope to have a very relaxing evening with hubby and kids since I got plenty done today. AAAAh...........

Later!

Just stopping to have a little break and some lunch. I started cleaning the living room and decided I might as well rearrange the furniture for Sunday to make more room. We have to have it arranged strangely as Tommy still wants to climb over the back of the couches so we have to keep them up against walls.

Later!!!

AAAAh.....break time. I got my list all done, it did take me a bit more than an hour, but I scrubbed the kitchen floor on my hands and knees to get it really clean. I try to do that once every few months. Now I am having a 20 minute break while I have a glass of water and a banana. I have my shower curtain and rugs in the washer now, next goes in my comforter and mattress pad for my bed. I even flipped my mattress by myself, that got me sweating. WHEW...usually hubby helps with that.

They called about my van. The repairs aren't as bad as I thought they would be, but unexpected all the same. The rough idle was due to a bad plug wire, it had came loose and melted on the manafold. The rattling window was due to a broken weld, that I have to get fixed or the window will fly out. The left blinker not cancelling is due to a broken spring. I am second guessing myself about gettting that fixed, but with a student driver I suppose it makes sense to have it repaired. All done and fixed it should be just under 500.00. Well that is what savings is for right, emergencies..........

I had my eyes on new lamps for my bedroom, I guess that is out for a while. Oh well........time to go vehicle shopping here after Christmas.

About 13 minutes left of my break, I suppose I should figure out what my mext to do list consists of.

LIVING ROOM
Sort through toys and Take some downstairs
Sweep under furniture
Vacuum couches (cat Hair)
De-Clutter the shelves

An hour in the living room will get me right up to lunch........AAAAH...then on to another room!