It's the most wonderful time of the year….

The kids always look forward to this time of year for so many reasons…..but one of these reasons is gingerbread house making with Grandma Jeanne.  Grandma Jeanne has always been the one to full-fill these shoes…..and they love it!  Grandma came down, got out the stuff and they got busy…..AND Mike and I got to sneak away for dinner while they were working away…….

Three happy kids???  I think so!

Boy Scout Camp In

Jack's Boy Scout's had a "camp in" at the school on Friday night.  When we signed up there were three options:

1.  camper leaves at 10:00pm, before they start a movie
2.  camper leaves at 12:00am, after the movie, but before bed
3.  camper stays the night

I signed Jack up for option #1, knowing Mike was going with him, so if he wanted to stay for the movie he could.  I put the girls to bed and then I fell asleep as well.  I felt Mike come to bed about midnight and I felt him get up the next morning (I thought he was headed to work).  The girls got up at 6:45, so I jumped out of bed to go shut Jack's door so that they wouldn't wake him up.  When I did, I noticed there was NO JACK!  Jack was not in his bed.  Mike had got out of bed early, not to go to work, but to pick Jack up from his first sleepover!!  Jack decided that he wanted to stay the night at school.  He said he did great and had SO MUCH FUN!  BIG BOY!!!  :(

Mike took this picture right before he left at midnight, and right before the boys went to bed.  By looking at their googly eyes, I'd say it didn't take them long to fall asleep.

A Day Off School

Last week the big kids had a half day of school on Thurs and a full day off on Friday.  On their half day, I picked them up and we were able to go to lunch together, as Maddie was still in school for a little bit.  It was a great lunch….we actually chatted, I ate my food slowly AND I tasted every.single.bite.  I sure do love that two year old of mine, but the big kids and I enjoyed lunch, while Maddie enjoyed her nap at school.
The next day, we picked up a friend for Jack and Peyton and headed to a morning full of fun at Monkey Joes.  It's pretty fun to have a day off school here and there…..

My two lunch dates on Thursday….

My silly monkeys on Friday…….

A little too quiet at bath time

Friday night Jack had a Boy Scout event so the girls and I were home by ourselves.  They went upstairs to take a bath and they were giggling and playing in there for a LONG time.  After about a half hour I went upstairs to find this.......

They had gotten out of the tub and dug thru the pool bag to find their goggles.  Too funny!

Peyton humor...

Last weekend Peyton went to a "spa" birthday party for one of her friends.  Included in the spa package (haha) was a mani and pedi.  Part of the school dress code is no nail polish for the girls.  We forgot to take her nail polish off Sunday and she went to school with it on Monday.  Her teacher gave her a "friendly reminder" to take her polish of that night.  So, that night before bed I was taking her polish off of her nails and she says, "Mom, I like being Catholic, I just wish I could wear nail polish."  I thought it was hilarious!!!

Here are some photos that the birthday girl's mom shared with me…..too cute!

Halloween is finally OVER!!

Halloween is getting just as bad as Christmas.  It's the holiday that keeps on giving.  First trunk or treat, then a family friendly party at Westborough, followed by pumpkin carving, then trick-or-treating, and now we are finally finished!!  I'd say all the events were fun, but seriously…..when did Halloween turn into a week long celebration?!?!

I just love this expression!

She NEVER has liked digging the "guts" out of the pumpkins….wimp!

Maddie's school does a "pumpkin carving night with Daddy" at school.  They are suppose to come to school that night with their pumpkins "cleaned" out and then they carve them there.  They then light up the pumpkins and sing their Halloween songs to their Daddies.  Super cute!  I, however, realized I got the short end of the stick.  Once Maddie and Mike left the big kids and I carved their pumpkins.  Let me tell you, carving pumpkins is NOT for wimps.  I definitely worked up a sweat!!!    They were all happy in the end tho.  I don't know how I didn't manage to get a pictures of the finished project….oops!  I think my hands were too exhausted by then!

And now on to the costumes…..a tiger, a vampire, and a silver power ranger!

Happy Halloween!!!  Moving on to Thanksgiving and Christmas!!

Quite the artist

Leigh-Anne, Taylor, and I joined my mom and some of her friends last week to one of those painting places where you drink wine, eat, and paint.  I think we mostly went for the wine and eats, but the painting was actually fun too!  We had a great time!!

First, a selfie to get the night started…..

Having some fun at "intermission"

TA DA!!!

 It takes us a while…….Pretty sure there was something funny being said here.

Jack's school performance

The first grade class invited the parents to their "music" class last Monday to listen to their Halloween songs that they have been practicing.  They sent a note home saying that we were welcome to come listen at 1:15.  Well….this bad mother threw it right in the can, as it was right smack dab in the middle of Maddie's nap time.  Monday morning on the way to school, Jack says, "Mom, did you get that piece of paper that tells you when to come listen to me sing?  It's today!!….he was super excited when saying it).  My response, "Yes, I did!  We will definitely be there!"  Right answer, right?!?!  Maddie had to compromise with an extremely early and short nap so that we could listen to our excited little buddy sing his songs.  It was super cute and Jack is very animated and quite the performer.  Glad he "reminded" me to go!

STP Trunk or Treat

As always, we had a great time at the trunk or treat at the kids' school.  I didn't manage to get any pictures other than Maddie, as I was on her tail the entire night.

Maddie and her little buddy John…...

Caught behind the cars with Billy…..Maddie and her boys!

This picture is my favorite.  When I went in Jack's room to check on him the night of trunk or treat, this is how I found him.  As if he didn't' have enough candy during the event, I guess he had to smuggle some nerds in to bed with him, and he just couldn't stay up long enough to finish them….. HA!

And it keeps going….I guess the weekend of events really wore him out, cause I found him asleep in his book the next night…..too funny!!!