Day From Hell.. How fitting

Yesterday I was a fan of Halloween. I thought it was magical and fun and creative and just an awesome time to make memories. Then today I changed my mind completely. 

I'll back up.

My boys don't allow me input AT ALL on costumes. But I still have Mom-with-the-money-veto-power- and I use it. 

So after saying no a million times to their dumb/not ok/not school appropriate costume ideas we finally came to some compromises. 

Zane- Darth Vader

Brody- creeper (from the game mine craft) 

Now- I explained to Brody over and over and over- that a creeper would only be known to a very small select group of mine craft geeks like himself. To the majority of people he would look like weirdo cardboard box guy. He didn't care. Insisted that is what he wanted to be. So I start my Pinterest/etsy/online looking for the costume. Find some ideas, find a place to print off graphics and go for it. Cut and modgepodge, staple and measure Velcro- all sorts of work into this cardboard creation creeper. 

This morning happens. We begin operation put costume on and he starts getting grumpy. It's not comfortable. Well we talked about that!!! Then it was like reality hit and he was suddenly aware that his choice of costume was weird!!!! So he decides he doesn't want to be that! I tell him tough luck and off we go. He's all sorts of grumpy and mean and just rude. No acknowledent that I had spent a nice chunk of time and $$ on the stupid thing. We pull up to the school and he refuses to get out of the car. Embarrassed and sad and mad and crying. We drive off. And I'm fuming! Luckily my Mom is here so I was on my best mothering behavior. Take Zane to his party.

Nothing scary at his party so he had to hold off on Darth and be a police man from the dress up clothes. Refused to wear the fancy hat, or belt, or cool accessories- and insisted on wearing snow boots with his pants tucked in. Real lovely. Whatever. 

I drop him off and his teacher tells him he looks great and he says " this is stupid"

Ditto little dude!!!! By now I'm full board on the halloween is stupid Piegan, evil, teeth rotting holiday anyways and let's just protest it! 

Take Brody to WalMart to dig thru the random remains of costumes. He has another meltdown because there is nothing. And there really wasn't. Mom takes him to the car- sobbing!!!!!!!!!!! I finally snag a ninja costume and some un-needed swords and weaponry to try and sweeten the deal- feeling mad, unappreciated, frustrated but at the same time sad and guilty! And of course concerned that this is going to ruin his juvenile life. 

Thank Goodness he was ok with the ninja and the swords. Take him back to school. He missed the parade and his grade singing. Oh well. 

Meanwhile Preslie- the cutest gnome in the world- has ripped off 2 pieces of her costume that now need mending. Is screaming for candy at 10am, and her adorable gnome shoes don't fit and I'm genuinely sad about it. Mom and I take her to story time at the Library- and it actually went ok.. Until she saw some kid with a sucker and wanted one and we hauled her off to the car screaming.

Neighbors dog destroyed a Costco sized bag of dog food in the garage, and got into the garage trash. I called animal control. 

Hot apple cider spilled all over the back of the car.

I RAN over my stroller. Backed over it actually. The frame got STUCK under my car. Good thing it's titanium and somehow survived. Had to jack up the back end- alone- to get it out!!!

 I was late for school pickup. 

I shut the trunk door on my moms head!! 

Preslie fell off a tall kitchen chair (while trying to get candy) and got a bloody lip.

We gave out glow sticks instead of candy- Brody picked up about 50 and snapped them- making them glow- which isn't suppose to happen until your ready for them to be glowing- like when it's dark. I totally lost my cool. Holy crap. 

I am SO SO glad today is over!!!

Next year costumes will be limited to a maximum of 2 pieces, purchased at Walmart and in the category of barn animals. Holy. Crap. What a day!!!!!!!

Blog funk

 

    I don't know what's up- but I have lost blog mojo. I blame Instagram. And busy stuff. And car problems.  But none the less- we have been doing fun stuff. 

My Dad came and re- did our front porch. We bought this house from a really bad do-it-yourselfer... The more we fix and improve the more realize how bad he really was!! Yikes! Dad also took the boys 4 wheeling and rock hunting. 

Thanks Dad!!!!!! 

My Uncle Dean and Abby came for a visit and we went to the zoo. Zane was the bird show volunteer and when asked where he was from he said Canada!!!! Evanston, Canada. So funny. I should probably work on that. 

Allie took some wonderful pics of the miss. 

Lots of random Preslie pics because she's just so cute and let's me pick her clothes. And I love it :)

Girls night and we made super cute pumpkins. And laughed about things like one size fits all (really!! What does that even mean?!!!) what to do when you shave a mole off, how to use the pound sign properly, and other things that, at the time were beyond hilarious. 

Pumpkins turned out super cute!

(Ps- not my mantel. Allies is way cuter. But some of those are my pumpkins) 

Went for a walk and found a ladybug :)

Homemade doughnuts! Did you know they are cooked in oil!? And then smothered in sugar. Delish! 

Our fall has been amazing weather! Truly just delightful and we are taking full advantage. Lots of outside time before we settle in for months and months of snow. 

Baby snuggles.. 

If you follow me on IG you will soon notice there is nothing I post on my blog that hasn't already been on IG. Ya.. Sorry about it. 

Went for a walk , ate lunch outside, then collected leaves and smashed them between instant laminate paper for a fun fall craft. And then marched around. Super cool like that. 

Selfies- to complain to my hairsresser friend about how badly I need my hair done. It still hasn't happened- not her fault. 

October also had some more monumental things.. That I didn't take pics of!!! Like Devs parents returning home from their mission in CA. That was happy! And Canadian Thanksgiving that we had at our house- and my dishwasher  and sink were out of commission thanks to a clog somewhere. Also- those Jenni O turkeys that claim to be "frozen to oven" totally legit!!! I was impressed. It was a fun night with friends and food - next year I will have Canadian T shirts for everyone and we will all be required to use words like garbarator and poutine. 

New school fun!!

I could.. And might- do an entire post about how awesome the school change is going. It is truly incredible and has been endlessly satisfying and makes us all happy. They went on a field trip! You can't comprehend my enthusiasm- but after 3 years at the military sanction, a fall field trip, out of state, that lasted all day, and was completely FUN was mind blowing. We went to a pumpkin patch. 

(Side note- this pic has made me feel old. I can't smile without wrinkles! Oh man. It was one of those "rough" looking days- but if anyone has some magic anti puff eye wrinkle serum that is tried and tested- please tell!!!- I'm much too young to look this old!!!!) 

Ever watch the Gilmore Girls. I'm pretty sure they based that little town off Evanston. We did halloween cupcakes a the downtown cute little cafe. 

Cutest lamb in the world!!! Yes he is real. Man I want to be a farmer!!! It will happen. I'm on a five year plan to farm ownership. Watch out kids- 5am chores are headed your way. I can't wait! 

Most awesome halloween party ever! Hosted by Allie. Complete with a haunted house- that had one girl in tears but most kids just terrified the right amount :) stick spiderwebs, photo booth, cookies, ghosts, washi mummies, q tip skeletons and tattoos. It was beyond fabulous. I'll post much better pics once she does so I can steal them :) 

It was Ah Ma Zing! 

Pre party I took the kids (aka- mine and Allies kids) to the little fish park-

Once again to soak up the amazing weather. Little boys played wood chip races in the ponds, Brody and Lily played boxcar kids and were 100% in the zone of imagination childhood world, Zane lost his shoe, Preslie fed the fish her lunch- and I committed it all to memory because it was just wonderful- one of those moments where I was blissfully in awe of childhood, and motherhood and friendships, and feeling so blessed for where I live and the circumstances I live under. God is good! And so is life :)