Halloween decor

Yesterday, we actually decorated the outside of our house for Halloween! I am quite proud since we have never really put any effort into decorating for Halloween much less any of the other holidays/seasons...so I am hoping this is a new trend. The boys are really into it this year and I can't wait to see what they decide to dress up as - right now they are saying Garfield and Odie.

On a mission

I am on a mission to make this weekend both productive and fun, so here is what I have already accomplished thus far:

*organized the boys' clothes for fall - the lovely clothes swap that involves putting most of Warren's clothes in crates since they are just far apart enough in age and size that Warren's newly outgrown items cannot go straight into Jack's dresser...didn't quite plan that right plus Jack is small to average in size and Warren is off the growth chart. So, I have to bring up other crates from the basement for Jack and sort through what at one time had seemed like things worth saving for Jack...oh, it is a good time for sure and I am always so glad when it is done and I don't have to wade through their clothes for another 6 months or so.

But now we need to go buy Warren clothes for the fall/winter since he really only has a few pair of pants that aren't total high-waters.

*Cleaned out the pantry and refrigerator. Yeah, I won't even describe this but just trust me that it is a good thing :)

*Bryan took Jack to gymnastics so that Warren and I could play with the playdough in peace and he was completely enthralled for a full hour without having to share and argue over who's turn it was to have what cookie cutter.



Still on the agenda for this weekend are some serious grocery shopping, painting the remainder of the white walls on the main level, and hopefully making it to the gym.

These are the days

How did I end up with the two sweetest, smartest little boys? Why am I so blessed that they are healthy and happy and love me unconditionally?

Sometimes I think I don't deserve all the great gifts that having my boys brings on a daily basis.

latest and greatest

We FINALLY got the speakers and all the gadgets that go with them installed in the new house. It is pretty fun to be able to listen to radio, TV, iPod, etc throughout the house.

Each room has a little control panel by the light switch:


AND, we got a new couch in the loft. It is a much better size for the room and it is my favorite color ;)


Thanks to hubby for making these two new things happen!!

ooh-la-landscaping

Some shots of the newly landscaped yard and patio...




I got my birch tree! And Bryan got his Buffalo grass that only needs mowed twice per year!

the Order of Things...

This morning I took the boys to the supermarket and then we stopped by a great little park that I happened to find by the store...too bad I wasn't smart enough to take them to the park and THEN to the store - that would have made more sense and would have saved me a little bit of sanity (they did NOT sit in the cart like is pictured for very long), but there's always next time!





Warren was running on the wheel thing saying he was like a hampster.

It was a nice morning with the boys and then I was off to my part time gig for the afternoon. While I was away at work Bryan completely finished the landscaping in the back yard AND got a brand new couch for the loft!! The model homes in our neighborhood auctioned off all of the furniture so we scored a great sectional for quite the bargain and guess what...it is ORANGE!! I love it!!

A very long week

I am so ready to go home to the States tomorrow. I really miss all my boys (Bryan included) plus I am just completely exhausted from training and meeting new people and being out of my own little environment. Yesterday I got to spend out in the field visiting some customer sites and my company's manufacturing facilities, so that was a great change of scenery but it made for a long day of driving.

This really is a great city with amazing weather, shopping and restaurants (and LOTS of coffee -- true to the north!).

Here are a few pictures of the beautiful city of Calgary:

It's Sunday, eh?

Or is it? I'm not even sure because I worked yesterday at my part time job, which was actually pretty fun, although being on my feet for over 5 hours was a rude awakening to the fact that heels may actually not be my best friend after all.

And now I find myself plunked down in Canada for a business trip with my - ya know -"real" job. This is a beautiful city, actually not too dissimilar to Denver and the weather is great -- probably 70 degrees F and the sun is shining brightly. I am here all week so I will be taking some pictures once I get out and about tomorrow.

my beautiful boys

Jack has been doing such a good job staying dry all through the night, so he gets a little treat in the morning if he is dry and goes potty right away in the toilet.

This morning he got Lifesaver gummies:


Here are my two little goofballs this morning (note Warren's new Star Wars shirt!):

Heard and Seen

Two things I'd like to share from this morning:

Heard...
1. Warren this morning asked me if being a grown up means you can get stuff off of the top of the refrigerator (where we keep any candy that happens to be in the house) "perfectly fine" without using a stool or anything. If only it was that simple, right? I love his innocence, so I just told him that the answer is yes ;)

And Seen...
2. As I was driving down town this morning, blocks away from my building, listening to the coverage of the September 11th services on satellite radio, the light I was sitting at turned green. And out of the corner of my eye I see a lady with a walking stick heading directly for my driver side door. No one at the light moved, and as she literally ran into my car, I panicked and unrolled my window not knowing what I might do or say or if maybe she was deaf as well as blind. Just then a man that had already crossed the road prior to the light turning green darted back across the two lanes and grabbed her and led her safely to the other side of the road.

The traffic commenced and I started crying as I drove the rest of the three blocks to work. There I was listening to the recounts of the brave rescuers that lost their lives and the brave service men and women still fighting and loosing their lives to prevent another 9/11 and I got to see first hand a display of such bravery from this blind woman walking to work.


Could I put myself in harms way for my country, or run the wrong way into a burning symbol of American commerce, or set out each day into the concrete jungle armed with a walking stick and sheer determination?

I am humbled and left wondering, like Warren did this morning, what it means to be an adult.

peaches for you, peaches for me...

Yummy, juicy peaches from my friend Becky's peach tree. She has an amazing garden and yard that rivals any park I've ever been to. I visited her yesterday and she was kind enough to send me off with home grown peaches, squash and zucchini -- now that's organic and it didn't cost me a ridiculous sum!

Lazy Jack

Shel Silverstein, "Lazy Jane"

Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Lazy
Jane.
She
wants
a
drink
of
water
so
she
waits
and
waits
and
waits
and
waits
and
waits
for
it
to
rain.



Jack laid on the floor in the office today and told me to get him a drink of water. After I explained that he hadn't asked very nicely and that he was actually free to get his own drink of water, he proceeded to lay there and whine until I recited these words of Shel Silverstein to the point that he was sufficiently annoyed enough leave the office :) Mom - 1, Jack 0...for today!

Raising McCain

I admitt it, I started out pretty luke warm with Senator John McCain -- and then I learned to moderately like him, and now after really looking into the heart of this man and hearing what he has to say and more importantly what he has to offer, I am officially head over heels.

Here were my favorite moments of his great speech last night:

"Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming."

"I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you."

"I loved it [America] for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place but an idea, a cause worth fighting for."

What an inspirational person he is and even if he doesn't "win" this election, I am so glad I have taken the time to listen to him and I truly feel inspired by his ACTIONS, not just his words.

S'more please!

We love our new gas fire pit and have been putting it to good use:

Sarah Barracuda

My personal favorite zingers:

"...here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country."

"Here’s how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change.”

"You know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick!"

"But listening to him [no-bama] speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state Senate."

"This is a man [no-bama] who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word 'victory' except when he's talking about his own campaign."

And she delivered it all with authenticity and without abandoning all femininity.

Dare I say it, "you go girl!!"

At it Again.

Here is my latest conquest, the master bathroom. I went with a dramatically dark color since the tile is all white and the contrast is pretty cool I think. It certainly makes the room much more cozy and makes the tile stand out.



It is a really dark grey and it is called Smoked Glass by Ralph Lauren.

School Loot

Here is what nearly $200 in school supplies looks like. And now I get to watch as all this glue and paint re-enters my house a la art work from the boys :)

Storm Trooper

Now we're getting somewhere!

I think John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin is absolutely fabulous!!!!!! To me, she represents middle class America rising up to challenge the corrupt,elite political aristocracy that has been running (ruining) our government for years. She is exactly what America needs right now - a kick butt reformer. I have new hope that she and McCain just might be able to clean up our lousy government. Two mavericks for the vote of one - Now you're talkin' "Change" that really means something!

The Obama campaign came out saying that McCain's pick is just the same old thing - same old thing as what? Obama picked Biden who is the epitome of the status quo - and they call that "change"? They say that Sarah Palin doesn't have any experience. Uh . . . let's see now . . . She was IN CHARGE of a city government for 2 terms, and she has been IN CHARGE of a state government for the last two years. She has been credited with a great deal of progressive change in Alaska that has reeled in excessive government spending and thrown out unethical politicians and their henchmen. She has an 80%+ approval rating among Alaskan residents.

Obama, on the other hand, was a state senator for Illinois during which time he cannot be credited with doing anything specifically significant. Obama has been a U.S. Senator for two years, during which time he has been IN CHARGE OF NOTHING, and has been campaigning for president for most of that time. I don't know about you, but I think the only real experience he has is in campaigning - using other people's money . . .

It will be real interesting to see just how intelligent the American voter is this year. Will they see through the smoke and mirrors of the Obama campaign hype, slogans and empty promises? The real change we need is REFORM of the government in Washington, and only the McCain team is truly poised to deliver.