Update: Ms. Rebel

She's going to be just fine, you can all breathe now. I know the thought of not seeing 100's of pictures from me must have been heartwrenching! Good news is that she's fixable and not too expensive to do so, so we can approve her surgery. (I promise once she's back to start refering to her as just a camera again) Bad news, another 10-14 days. Oh well, she can rest up. It's amazing that I got the great shots I did for Hannah's wedding because they think the fall is what caused the problems and I dropped that poor thing back in August on Ky's birthday. I'm told she'll be "better than new" which is fun because it's like getting a new camera and because the lens is fixable means I could probably swing getting another new fun lenz, had my eye on a Macro..... To be continued... Until then, please excuse the picture shortage...I will wrestle Matt's camera from a raccoon to at least get pics of Ky in his costume.

I'll play too...

Sue & Chris posted some cute Halloween pics from passed years so I'll join in that fun! I hope to have some pics from this Halloween as well, assuming Ms. Rebel makes it out of the shop in time! If not, I suppose I can use Matt's camera..... Kyle is being a Bat this year! So, I'll really be BatMom!

In the Shop

Well, I feel naked. My camera started acting funny the night I shot Hannah's wedding and I thought it was just a bit tired from the long day we had. So I packed her up, changed her batteries and gave her a rest. That didn't do the trick. I brought her in for a tune up and to find out why some pics are blurry when they shouldn't be. Much needed for a good cleaning anyway and I'm sure the fall from the kitchen table didn't do her any good. So, she's on an oasis in Benner's camera shop. Far from the demands of her owner and that little rascal she's always filming. Over 10,000 pics captured in two years, she deserves the rest. I can't believe how lost I am without her! Now, I won't be able to share the memories with you all of us carving pumpkins last night or of the Halloween party we'll be attending today. (Although pumpkin carving proved more exciting to Matt and I than to Kyle) Tis a sad day when I refer to my camera in human form, but she's been quit a companion. Say a prayer for her and wish her home good and safe (better) than new! P.S. I've lost it!

Leaves!

They are more than a pain in the a$$ to rake and get out of your yard, they are fun for all ages :) It seems like it went from decent fall days around here to very cold all of the sudden. Yesterday was a nicer day and we spent a lot of time outside with the Mitchell girls. While out there I realized I have A LOT of fall clean ups to work on. Leaves to be wrangled and toys to be stored away. When Ky woke up from his afternoon nap in a very cranky mood I figured bundle up and get outside and do some good 'ol fashion leaf jumpin'! He dug it. Auntie Erin joined us and then Uncle Ed too. Kyle is pretty much up for anything, even when the leaves were going down his pants and they were "weawwy ichy"

Strike a Pose

Kyle, where are you?

The Deet!

I don't think that this has been officially documented as the past few weeks have been a bit busy. But, we are proud to announce that the Deet is Obsolete!!! After meeting an adorable 4 year old with a terrible lisp due to binky abuse, we'd had enough. Her mother gave me the genius idea of "The Deet Fairy" (or Binky Fairy in most households) The idea is to leave the Deet for the fairy so she can bring it to a baby who needs them and in it's place she'd leave a surprise. It worked, it friggin worked!!! His teeth will not be buck, but he'll probably lose them all to rot because the surprise is a pop and they just kept on coming! He gave away 5 Deets in one day just to get the pop. The night of Erin's wedding on Sept. 20th was the 1st full night Deet free and he's been that way ever since. I thought for sure it'd be the worst couple of weeks of my life, but it wasn't bad at all. Should have done it sooner. Of course we have a new problem, anyone know where I can sign him up for Pops Anonymous??? We have to bargain these days and it down to 3 pops a day; after breakfast (I know, I'm going to hell for giving my kid a dum dum at 9AM) a lunch pop and a dinner pop. He's even tricky enough to barter for his dinner pop early and give up the after dinner treat. Ok by me, get the sugar in and out earlier in the day.

NKOTB

The next generation. At least this time around I'm pretty sure he won't be smearing on red lipstick and covering his walls with teen beat pictures....but he can still enjoy the classic tunes!

Auntie Toots Sunday....in pictures..

A Corn Maze
A child who likes to run and hide in the corn, therefore, the corn maze lasted about 10 minutes and was did a little sneak out the side....
A child who likes ice cream on a hayride, even if the other people thought we should toss the ice cream because it was attracting bees. They lived.
D.W. Field to feed the hungry Geese several loaves of 1/2 price bread
A beautiful little boy who enjoyed every minute of it. After a long week of being stuck in the house sick, this was a much welcomed day of adventure. We love spur of the moment Auntie Toots days!

Congrats to Hannah & Chris!

They tied the knot! It was a beautiful day, things went very smoothly and everyone had a blast!

Positive Vibes Please??

Anyone ever a part of WW online? I was once (maybe should re-join) but I need some positive thoughts sent my way today and that was one of the fun things about working towards the WW goal online, asking friends for their positive vibes. Today is officially my 1st "professional" photographer opportunity. A friend is getting married and I'm the photographer. It scares the hell out of me as much as it excites me. I have the equipment and the vision, let's hope my camera agrees with my vision. It's a very important day for her and I feel like the memories are laying in my hands. This week has not been ideal with Kyle being sick and me not sleeping much, but he's much better, we both slept pretty well last night and I'm up and ready to take some photos. Wish me luck!

The Croup....my gripes...

I am VERY lucky to have a kid who doesn't often get sick, when he does it's a couple of days with a booger nose and we move on from it. I should also make it clear that I am not a big fan and antibacterial gels and such. Not that I don't think it's important, but I've also always believed it's important to let them get some germs so that their bodies can learn to fight them on their own. That being said.....I take Kyle to the Dr. for his 2 year well visit. All is well, growing fine, healthy and we leave skipping thankful that he is healthy. And then the fever hits, lethargic, whiny...who is this kid? Day 3 we are back at the Dr., this time; sick visit. Just a virus, 7-10 days of feeling yucky, the worst is behind you as the fever has broken... WRONG! I love his pediatrician, I really really really do... but it was The Croup. I hate it's name, not like any yucky germ that invades your child's body should have a happy name, but it just sounds terrible. The name doesn't sound nearly as bad as that barking cough! I was nearly ready to kill someone today when they didn't go through the yellow light fast enough, she was looking in the mirror and I was honkin' the horn yellin' out the window "I have a sick child, move it" I was like a lunatic, but I guess crazy things happen to a sleep deprived mother when they think their kid can't breath. I thought he'd turn blue at any moment listening to that cough. I called the Dr. and said "I'll be there in 15 minutes, if you can't see him, I'm going to the ER " and hopped in the car and on my way. They saw him, it's the croup, steriod for his swollen through, lungs are fine. (side note: why is it that your kid is in diar need of medical attention at home and as soon as the doctor walks in they are perfectly fine, making you believe you are nutso?)So coming back to the well visit, looks like he picked up more than a couple stickers and a gold star for being a great patient!!!! Friggin' germs! He's on the mend and hopefully I get some sleep tonight.

Why? Who? What?

All simple questions, right? I thought so once. Now Kyle wants me to answer these questions; all day long every day. I have patience most of the time and I answer with a calm soothing loving voice because I think it's amazing he's so inquisitive. Example:

Mom " Kyle, let's brush your teeth"
Kyle "Why Mommy?"
Mom "Because we need to keep them healthy"
Kyle "Why Mama?"
Mom"Because someday the dentist will want to look at them and they should be pearly white, come up in the bathroom"
Kyle"Why Mommy, what's the dentist"
Mom"He's like a Dr. for your and because I love you and I want your teeth to be healthy we have to brush everyday"
Kyle "Why Mamma?"
(Now is when my patience starts to get thin and the parents you see on t.v. comedy skit enters)
Mom" Because you ate 3 pops and cake yesterday and your teeth are going to fall out of your head if we don't brush, now get the Diego toothpaste and let's go"
It usually doesn't end there but you get the picture.

I do love that he's asking questions, I just don't love ending with "because I said so" so often. Nothing seems to stop the machine gun like question firing until I get silly or just plain make something up that he can't fire back a question at. Now he's heard me tell people that he's a "why mamma" kid and he can sense when I start to lose my patience with it and he'll sit in the back seat and say "why mamma, why, why, why.
Picture this: We are driving on the highway to visit Auntie Sara, woo hoo! We love auntie Sara.
Mom" Kyle it's going to be a fun day at Auntie's today"
Kyle"Where does she live?"
Mom"In Boston"
Kyle"What color is her house?"
Mom"Ummm white I think"
Kyle"No, it's black. Are her doggy's there?"
Mom"Yup, but they got bigger"
Kyle"What color are they? Can we kiss them? what street does auntie live on? what's that (pointing to the ocean) who's driving that red car (pointing to the idiot who's about to cut me off"
This guy's cutting me off, I'm trying to get to the off ramp, my phone starts ringing, a fly landed on my face and I've got the question box firing away in the back seat.
Mom"Kyle, can you please stop asking questions for one minute?"

Kyle"Why Mommy?"