Smell My Feet...

Ewan's crab costume was a big hit. We had a blast tonight in Sarah's neighborhood with her family and Shannon's family. Aside from one idiot dressed in a scary mask chasing the kids making scary noises (not caring that they were only three and under, and that two of them were literally trembling in fright), the kids had a blast. One of the cutest things of the night was Ewan and Natalie holding hands toward the end. I keep marveling at the discrepancy of the amount of candy I'd get when I was a kid to what they get now. When I was a kid, we'd come home with a pillowcase FULL to the brim. Tonight Ewan didn't even score a fourth of a plastic grocery sack. Maybe it's better that way, but still. I just recently ran out of candy from last holiday season. I use little bits of it throughout the year to bribe Ewan into eating his vegetables. "One Hershey kiss if you eat all your carrots." Bryce tested out his new camera, and here are just some of the awesome shots we got. I may post more once everyone else e-mails their shots out. And because my new layout makes pictures kind of transparent, you'll get a better effect if you click on them to see them in all their glory. And I'm sorry there's so many. I couldn't help myself.

Bella Bee (I can't help but call her that. It just comes out.) She was hilarious as the Bride of Frankenstein.

Ewan, devouring his candy, and Natalie delicately drinking a mere sip of water.

I know this looks weird because the light wasn't good, and Bryce is still figuring out his camera. But I still thought it looked cool.

Okay, these two pictures, above and below. I am REALLY sacrificing by posting the first one, because I want you to be able to see Ewan, which you can't in the one where the moms look decent. Sorry, ladies. If I could morph the two pictures, I would. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bella's face in the 2nd one. It's like, "Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Aubree?"

Our zoo.

Ewan, Aubree, and Bella.

I love the tail on that costume.

I can't believe he's mine.

Him, either.

The best shot we could get.

I have such mixed feelings about this one. Oh, well.

Layout

I picked this fairy layout because it just represents me, I think. But Bryce informed me that on some other computers, the fairy is right behind the text, making it kind of hard to see. On our computer, the fairy is off to the side, not behind the text. So, I might be changing it again, although I really wanted to keep the fairy. How does it look on your computer? Can you see okay? Let me know by leaving a comment, if you please. If it's too hard to see for some of you, I'll find something better, and then I'll keep it, I swear!

Will NOT Be Seeing this Movie

I got this from my friend Elisa's blog. Click here for some disturbing info about The Golden Compass.

I MADE SOMEONE HAPPY!!!!

Okay, I am a pretty selfish, self-centered person. Please pretend that is surprising to you so we can move on. As I've mentioned before, I think Bryce takes really good pictures. I think there is some potential there for him to do something with, and perhaps turn a fun hobby into something more. I even started a little blog that has my favorite pictures he's taken. (Click here to see them.) We just have a dinky digital camera, which is fine, but I've seen what he can do with a nice one. He used his Uncle David's (a.k.a. professional photographer) camera once and the results were pretty good. So I wrote to David secretly about a month ago, just asking his recommendation on the best price I could get for a really good camera. I was thinking after I saved some money, I could get it for Christmas or Bryce's birthday in May. He wrote me back to tell me about a Pentax digital with a 28-300mm lens. This is a really good camera (I mean, so I'm told, what do I know about cameras?), and David got a really awesome price on it. So through a lot of back and forth between David, Mary Ann and I, and details about money that I don't really know all about, it's now here. (If you are reading, thank you soooo much, David and Mary Ann!) Bryce was so surprised, because it was a completely random gesture on my part. I don't do random acts of kindness often, in fact maybe never, but it felt pretty good. And hopefully it will give him something to focus on, enjoy, and get even better.

Miracle

Click here for one of the most heartbreaking, miraculous, coolest stories ever. At least I think so. But maybe I'm easily impressed.

Okay...

...Comment moderation is being enabled again. Your comments will show up after I approve them. I don't like anonymous comments, even if you are someone I know and trying to be funny. So, if it shows up anonymous, I won't approve it. Capiche?

*Update* So, the first anonymous comment was my sister Amy. The second one... Bryce swears it wasn't him, and I believe him. I have my suspicions about who it was. The third one that wasn't accepted, again, I have my suspicions.

Setting the Scene...

After a long day of menial and tough housework, Kelli lays back in her vanilla lavender bubbles and sighs contentedly. An inspiring book is open in her hands, one that fills her with visions of "I can do anything!" She soars with the book, reveling in her hot bath and solitude. The kids are in bed, her husband is otherwise occupied. She is one with herself, and begins to feel happily drowsy.
She sees a dark shape sailing across her limited horizon.
A rabbit lands on her stomach.
She repeats her mantra.

We must be doing something right...

Bryce told me that a few nights ago during Ewan's bath, Ewan wanted to hold the shampoo bottle, but it was heavy and kept dropping in the water. Ewan asked him why he couldn't hold onto it, and Bryce told him it was because his hands are small. He said that Ewan then looked at him kind of sadly, as if Bryce had suggested something was wrong, and said, "But I like my hands just the way they are."

Today, Ewan was particularly lovey dovey with me and kept asking me to hold him. I picked him up and he looked around him as if he was on the pinnacle of the world and asked, "How tall are you?" I said, "Five feet, four inches. Is it fun to be up here looking around?" He said, "Yes." I then asked him if he was excited to grow up to be big and tall like Daddy. He said, "No, I just want to stay the way I am." Just typing about this has me all choked up, and I know he doesn't really understand the implications behind those statements, but, OH MY GOSH, if I could just ensure he'll always feel that way. If I could just make sure he won't ever want to be something other than what he is, and just to be the best him he can be, and to be so happy to be HIM...

Then I will be able to breathe easy and know he will be more than all right.

Dearest Fynn, A Sequel, A Post that Introduces the Label "Guilt"

Dearest Fynn, Cutest Boy Ever,

I am sorry I tried to make you put yourself back to sleep by letting you cry for ten minutes. I didn't know you'd cut your gums where your new tooth is growing in and that you were bleeding. Mommy feels about as big as a cockroach. I love you madly.

Love,
Mommy, Your Loyal Servant

Letters in Twos

Dearest Fynn of Mine,
Please take a nap longer than 25 minutes. We'll all be happier.
Love,
Mommy

Dearest Ewan of My Heart,
Please stop yelling while Fynn is sleeping. Then he can take a nap longer than 25 minutes and we'll all be happier. And you and I can play badminton.
Love,
Mommy