Hong Kong...

So I have good news! No, we are not moving to Hong Kong... would that really be good news? :) I was looking online, and saw that someone recommened a company called Arts Cow to print pictures, I thought, why not try it out. The first 500 prints ( I think that many) of both 4 x 6 sizes and 5 x 7 pictures are free, so like 1000 prints totally free! All you pay for is the shipping. I actually tried it out, and I only ordered 40 prints for something I was working on and paid $3.00 on shipping, so they ended up being .07 cents each, and they were mailed right to me. I thought the quality was really good, and I'm really picky with my prints. I don't think I would order enlargements through them, but 5 x 7's and 4 x 6's look great, and they are printed on the nice fugi paper. Now, here is the catch... a week later after I ordered the pictures, (which isn't bad for shipping, )I recieved a nice package from HONG KONG!!!!! I looked at it, and was kind of confused... the name Arts Cow was printed all over it, and it even had little cow decorations that were kind of cute, but could it really come from HONG KONG???? I read all over the package, and it had come on a nice little airplane to America, right to my door, so now I have something from Hong Kong. :) Anyway, they offer tons and I mean TONS of free stuff when you sign up. They give you all this credit. I don't know how they make money, but I searched on the internet and couldn't find anything wrong with them, just people that had been pleased with their orders. As part of signing up they also give you credit for 3 photo books that are the 8 x8 size, and all you pay for is shipping. I'm thinking I'm going to try one for Christmas for Brian or the kids maybe. So, if you are interested in getting free prints (except for shipping) from Hong Kong, go here, or here... http://www.artscow.com/ and try them out. Enjoy!

Playing in the leaves

On Saturday Brian raked all of the leaves that had fallen on our yard from our neighbors tree. The kids were so excited to run through the leaves, and remembered doing it last year too. Brian & I even joined in the fun & raced the kids into the pile of leaves. In once picture, you only see Jackson & Morgan because Brian is under them completly covered by the leaves after he flew into the pile. In another picture, it's me and the kids running--notice our funny expressions. :) We had so much fun, and after all that hard work of Brian raking up the leaves and putting them in bags we woke up the next morning to a yard that looked like it hadn't even been raked. I guess we'll have to play in the leaves again. :)

Happy Halloween...

I asked Brian if he wanted to take the kids around this year, or if he wanted to stay home with Hallie. In the past years we have both gone out, but this year since Hallie is still little, we decided to have one of us stay home. I love going out, but told Brian I would stay home if he wanted to go. Brian loves staying home, but would go if he wanted me to. So, we both got what we wanted. Brian stayed home & ate the chocolate while I took the kids out to get more chocolate. :)
Now, let me give you a history of my families trick-or-treating past... my mom always made or came up with creative costumes for us to wear (which is not the case with me, notice how Morgan's hair is left over from the day before, I figured the hat would cover it, which of course came off after the 2nd house) anyway, back to my history... my mom would stay home with the little kids and my dad would RUN with us from house to house as fast as we could knocking down other little kids that got in our way... okay not really, but he would run with us. I remember going as fast as we could from house to house, and in Texas we would take our pillow cases and go to one of the nice & fancy neighborhoods and trick or treat there. I remember counting my candy at home, and I honestly remember counting one time 40 Reese's peanut butter cups, not the mini ones.. the regular ones. Just to give you an idea of how much candy we got. We would have the time of our lives running, laughing, & getting as much candy as we possibly could. Now, fast forward to last year, when I went trick or treating with Brian, Jeff (his brother) & Brittany (our sis-in-law) and their little girl. I'm thinking we are going to go fast and get tons of candy. As we start walking all of a sudden we are walking as if we are the turtle in the big race. Slow...slowing down...slower, one family starts to pass us, then another, then another. I'm having a panic attack... aaaahhh we're falling behind, they're going to beat us to the end, all the candy will be gone, what will I eat tonight? and so on. I desperatly try to move faster, encouraging them as we walk, my thoughts are "walk now, talk later, walk now, talk later" as I try to pace us. And still I feel as though I am walking with a bunch of Eeyore's, slow & steady, slow & steady. Well, after 2 hours or what felt like 20 to me, we finally get home. The kids have maybe 20 pieces of candy... they're happy, Brian's content, and me... I'm frustrated out of my mind! I almost put on my own costume, grabbed a pillowcase, and ran out the door to get some dignity on the night of Halloween and go and collect the candy my kids should have had... and people say I'm competitive... whatever! So, this year, I took the kids. We stayed ahead of all the other kids (no, we weren't running) we walked at a great pace & I even got a little bit exercise as after the 2nd house Jackson said, "Mom, I'm tired, will you carry me?" So of course I carried him so I wouldn't feel too guilty as I ate candybars later that night. :) We were done after about an hour, and the kids baskets were completly full... they were happy (but a little tired) and I was happy, Brian was happy, although a little sick from eating too much candy. ;) So lesson, learned... I think I'll always take the kids trick or treating. :) Oh, and Brittany, you know I love you. :)
Jackson doing his pose for the camera. This is how Batman fights!
I'm a mean old witch with my hat...aaahhhh... and I ride on my broomstick with my cat...meowwww... my nose is pointed and my chin is too, and you better watch out, or I might scare you.. boo! This is what Morgan has been singing for the past 2 weeks. I asked her why she was wearing a necklace, and she said because the wicked step mother wears a necklace in Cinderella. :)
Our cute & biggest little bumble bee. Hallie was a cute and crawling little bumble bee. All 3 kids have worn the costume, and the hat wouldn't even fit Hallie's head. :)

Let's Go Trick or Treating...

Here I am ready with my little witch,batman, & bee. I actually love taking the kids around.
Just look at the kids expressions in this picture. Morgan is trying to be a mean little witch, I have no idea what Jackson is doing, although, he does look like a bat ready to take off, and Hallie is a tired little bumble bee. :)
Hallie was so excited to try and get Morgan's candy.
This was for her costume, the shirt is a size 6, and was the only black shirt I could find when Morgan was a baby and wore the same outfit, but I love the tight little legs. :)

How do you eat your Reese's?

Yesterday I went to the grocery store and I took Jackson with me while my mom watched Morgan & Hallie. Jackson was SOOO good at the store, and we were there for a long time, so I let him choose a treat for him & Morgan. At first he chose the tube of M & M's and then he saw the Reese's and told me he wanted this, so I got a package for each of them. After 1 minute in the car I said, "Jackson where is your candy?" And then I realized as he didn't speak right away, that the whole 1st cup was in his mouth. I think he took one little bite and shoved the rest in. I told him to eat them slow, and after about 5 minutes in the car, both peanut butter cups were gone. He began to open up the package for Morgan to eat those and I said, "Jackson, those are for Morgan" to which he replied, "No, they are ALL for me!" I explained how that wasn't very fair to Morgan and how she would be sad, so then he told me that he would "share" with Morgan. I told him that he needed to give her the whole package, and maybe he would get another one for Halloween. He was fine with that and gladly gave Morgan her treat. Morgan eats her first cup just like a little princess... little bites at a time. :) She then has one left after about 10 minutes and I said, "Morgan, can I have a little bite?" She then told me now and I said okay and she said, " I'm saving this other one for Daddy!" I think she knows it's his favorite kind of candy bar. :) Jackson is definatly like his Daddy... chocolate is gone the moment it hits their hands, while Morgan is like me... she keeps it as long as possible, for just the right moment. :)

The Perfect Pumpkin

Morgan went to the Pumpkin Patch the other day with her Pre School class. She had such a fun time & at the end she got to pick out the perfect pumpkin. She decided to pick out a pumpkin that Hallie would like.
Carving Pumpkins
I love the look on their faces.
The week before Morgan went with her class, Jackson went with his little friend group, and had such a fun time. He was so excited to show us his pumpkin & tell us about his day. He carried around with him everywhere, and at one point even wanted to feed it. He is such a funny kid!

Pumpkin Carving

The other night our good friends Ben & Darci came over with their little boy to carve pumpkins. The kids had so much fun, and had so much energy. Morgan drew a nice little body on her pumpkin, and even included legs and feet. Brian helped her cut out a face instead. ;)
Morgan's big pumpkin and Hallie's little pumpkin
Morgan & Jackson actually liked getting all of the goo out of the pumpkins. At first they had a disgusted look on their faces, but soon they loved it and wanted to help everyone.
Here's a random picture of Hallie, but she is crawling now, and is so quick! She is always on the go.