Halloween 2010

Dragging in here, but Happy Halloween from the Phipps clan! Ian dressed up as Pikachu (a Pokemon), Sam as Colt McCoy (Hook 'Em Longhorns!), Miss Lucy was a bumblebee, and Max was a brain eating Zombie (who didn't scare his little sister!).

This year, for the first time, well, ever, Tom and I dressed up. We braved the cold temps to don our coolest costumes ever. If you don't already know, Tom dressed up as Waldo of Where's Waldo fame, and I hung out in a costume that showed my true roots (not the pink, the hippie!) and was a 70's Go-Go dancer.

I think that we pegged ourselves perfectly this year, so it's going to be a tough task to top ourselves next year. We did have loads of fun dressing up though, so I know well do it again!

Making S'mores

Stealing candy from Aunt Brooke's stash

Nicholas

Lucy having S'mores

And last but not least - Lucy really did get how to Trick or Treat:

Sailed right through Black Friday

Yes, you read that right - we sailed right through Black Friday without purchasing a thing. Then we hit Saturday and realized that we didn't have a single gift for anyone for the holidays. Not a one. So, in the span of about 12 hours, we fixed that problem. A quick trip to Target (a date really but didn't want to get into that right now), and a few clicks online, and we're almost done! Found some cool things for the family gift exchange, grabbed a few things for the boys and the little miss, and stumbled on a new microwave in the process. Didn't know we needed a new microwave, but at $33, who could pass it up???!!!

It's a cute little 700 watt microwave that will supplement our other workhorse (and will cover us temporarily if it craps out). Up until the past year we've always had two microwaves. When we moved into this house there wasn't one installed, and at first we thought we'd be fine with it. Then we saw the $33 option and thought that it would make a great addition to our family. So I guess we did partake of Black Friday totally on a whim (and the shocker - it was Tom's whim!).

Lucy and Max - November 2010

Can't believe the fairytale is coming to an end

Disney getting out of the Fairytale business? Really? After a wide variety of princesses and princes venturing out to conquer love, forbidden romance, their sworn and unknown enemies, and even their own hair, it seems that Disney is done with them. Tangled will be the last fairytale they conquer. According to this article in the LA Times, kids today just aren't all about the princesses and princes, well, at least not after they turn 5 years old. And those 3 and 4 year olds? Well, they aren't so much about driving to the movie theaters - at least mine weren't. While it makes sense with the increase in popular tween and older kid programing that Disney wraps this one up, it still makes me sad. Cinderella is my absolute favorite. Not because of who she was or what she did, just because she's Cinderella. She's dreamy, slightly quirky and unassuming, independent, and of course she wore a pretty blue dress. Even at my age I still smile when I see her at the parks - makes me feel like a kid again. It's a shame to imagine that there won't be any more Cinderella's, in the near future at least, coming out of Disney studios.

That said, I did have the chance to see Tangled with the boys and not only did I enjoy it but they got a kick out of it too! Check out my review of Tangled here.

Pure Joy

Take a minute to watch this - the kids went nuts when they saw it!

Don't know him, but we love him and his little dancing shoes!

LOVED IT!!!

Don't know why they didn't have a show like this before, but Glee is really hitting on all cylinders. Loved the Empire State of Mind in the first episode of this current season, and now this:

which I'll say might be even better than the original, and I simply adore Katy Perry. And yes, Darren Criss is dreamy too.

In remembrance

Thank you to all of those who have served or are serving now.

Day 103 will always be remembered.

Fantastic picture from: A Lego a Day for one year...again Blog

*If you haven't already been reading his blog you need to start now!

Things I learned this week

A brief list of things I've learned this week:

1. If you are my kid, you will inevitably, before you turn four, find and draw with a pen/pencil/Sharpie on the walls/floors/cribs/washer/whatever. It's just the way it is in this family.

2. I can't stop myself from eating Halloween candy, even if I tell myself that I won't. Just have to get it out of the house.

3. Sometimes grown ups act like they are entitled to the world, and that it's your fault that their day isn't going well. (Actually, one of my volunteers learned this the really hard way this week, but I witnessed it.)

4. If your phone doesn't do what you want it to do, buy a new one that does and stop complaining. You'll feel so much better.

5. When you do good for others, people notice.

Thanks goodness it's over!

The elections are behind us now, which means that the phone that sits behind me that I don't even know the number for will stop ringing. Yes, in the past week I received calls from both Al Gore and Barack Obama. Who knew that I was so popular! Not even the Republican candidate for Senate knew that. Yeah, he called me twice for some unknown reason - once on election day to remind me to vote. Thanks! I voted and did my part. It didn't turn out quite the way I would have wanted it to, but we'll move forward and press on! Always fighting the good fight.

Her dog ran away!

When you adopt a pet on your phone and you fail to feed it, play with it, or clean up after it, it runs away. But when you are two you don't really care...

And when all THREE of your pets run away (DOGGIE, bunny, and rock all left within three days of one another) then you still don't care but can't figure out where all of your friends went!

Fortunately your mom knows where to get some new ones and you are back on track neglecting the needs of your favorite pets once again.

(If you know of an iPhone App that acts like a "raise your pet" app but doesn't require actual work on the part of the person that owns the pet, please let me know. Lucy doesn't care but she does get bummed when her pets don't do what she wants them to do - oh - and when they disappear.)