Going, Going, GONE!!!

Something wonderful happened today. Today, my kids sold their candy. They took out 2 or three pieces (except Jaleigh, who GORGED herself last night to get rid of it apparently...) and then took it to a local godsend dentist that paid them $1.00 a pound for it.
As soon as we got there, there were staff waiting at the door with goodie bags filled with stickers, light up toothbrushes and even a free TCBY ice cream coupon! Then they gave the girls (Ethan was at a hockey game so he couldn't come) a paper to fill out to be entered into a drawing for an X Box 360 (and a drawing for adults to win an electric toothbrush!). Then it was time to unload!

The whole office was making a big deal about how much candy they had (I'm sure they did that with everyone) and how glad they were that the girls brought it in.

SEVEN POUNDS!! Saroya was stunned! She was just hoping for ONE pound. The dentist made it even more exciting for the kids by giving them "golden coins" as Saroya calls them.

The coolest thing about this is that the dentist is working with a charity to send the candy (and some toothbrushes!!) to our troops in Iraq. They made a big card and had the kids sign it to go along with the delivery. Saroya wrote "I hope you like candy!!" :) Saroya is sure that our troops will share her candy with Iraqi children who "have never tasted candy before."

I have seen pictures and heard numerous stories of soldiers sharing candy with the Iraqi kids- just a small gesture that bring those kids that are enduring soo much, just a little bit of joy. I am glad (and my kids are excited!)that they can help, if even in a small minuscule way.

The whole way home, Saroya just kept repeating "I can't believe I have seven dollars!!"

Ethan was just as stunned when he found out about the money they had earned, and together they decided that we would use the money to see "High School Musical 3". I found a "twilight" showing that was only $4.50 a ticket, so they used what money they had, and we had a deal!

What a HIT! I wish I could have taken a picture of the kids faces while they were watching it. Perma-smiles all around. Clapping, singing and happiness... except this part... :)

I don't know what the best part of the experience of this day was, but I can't tell you what a big relief it is to not have that candy around. I don't have to hear "can I have a piece of candy" all day long for the next two months, I don't have to find Miss J huddled in the back of the closet in a mound of candy wrappers, and I won't be sneaking a treat as I walk by the stash. It is just a good feeling all around, and I encourage you to find out if a dentist in your area might offer this service next year. It is totally worth it!!

Happy Halloween!!

We have a tradition on Halloween to go out for dinner. We figure that way, they will be excited about going out to eat, and hopefully actually EAT something healthy(ish).

When we went out this time, the waitress said to Saroya, "What would you like to drink?"

Saroya promptly pulled out her pad of paper from her own waitress costume and said, "What would YOU like to drink?" The waitress was more than happy to let Saroya jump right in and do her work for her!

Later, an older gentleman walked by our table and started to talk to Jaleigh, "Well, aren't you a pretty little princess??"

Jaleigh responded, "Yes! And Ethan is an old man like YOU!"..... Luckily the older gentleman was a little hard of hearing. :) Whew!

Pumpkin, Pumpkin....

It is the annual pumpkin carving show! Jaleigh's was easy- and surprising. She wanted a SCARY pumpkin. The whole time I was trying to carve it she was comforting her pumpkin. "It's OK little guy..." When it was done she wanted a scary picture with her pumpkin....

I am not really a fan of carving pumpkins, but I LOVE scooping out all the nastiness inside. Nathan does NOT scoop out. He dislikes that immensely. When it comes to carving, it always takes him the longest. He puts lots of detail and thought into what he is doing. He really gets into it.
Lucky Saroya got him to carve her pumpkin this year and he did exactly what she wanted. A friendly little house pumpkin.

See the little windows that open and close? And the door? It has hinges to open and close too.

Ethan and I worked on his "Haunted House" pumpkin. It was fun to add little details, and I think it turned out pretty good! (that is a chimney on the top that is hallow and supposed to have smoke coming out from the candle when it burns inside... That was the idea anyway.)

Finished products ready for the lighting!

I love how spooky the ghost inside of Ethan's looks. Who WAS the creative genius behind that???

Hot Off the E-Press!

We had a crazy hail storm the other day. Ethan being the meteorologist that he is, says, "Mom! You gotta take a picture of me in the hail!!" We took a picture, and then e-mailed it to a local news website because they have a section of "weather photo's"...

Later that night, Nathan yells to me from the bedroom....

"Holly- did you send that picture of Ethan to the news?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just saw his hand holding hail on TV."

I quick looked it up online, and guess who's picture was there for the top story????

Then just today, he got an e-mail from his favorite meteolorigist thanking him for the photo and information. Totally made his week!! (AND it is Halloween this week too!!)

In other news, Saroya is a news lady at her school! (You don't really have to listen to this because it is LONG... unless of course you are a grandparent. In which case you might want to grab a snack!)

A Three Hour Tour...

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip.....

Nathan thinks I LOVE grocery shopping. Why does he think this you ask? Probably because Miss J is always so excited to go with me, and also because it can take... 3 HOURS. I must be having fun, Right???

Well, let me tell you all about it....

We usually start at the bathroom that way she should be good until we get done. Unfortunately, Miss J is obsessed with the hand dryer and makes sure she spends lots of time making sure every drop is off her body.

Then we get a cart. The good news is that at our grocery store they have wipes available to clean the cart for germs. The bad news is that Jaleigh loves to clean the cart.

And she cleans, and cleans, and cleans......

So now we have empty bladders, a clean cart, and we are ready to shop. The good news is, Jaleigh loves to shop. The bad news is that Jaleigh loves to shop. She looks at everything, she touches everything, she smells everything, she wants to try everything on.

I get what I can around her browsing, but eventually I resort to bribery. "Jaleigh! Do you want to get a doughnut?" The trick is that if she gets a doughnut, she has to eat it in the cart and I can actually get something done! (Yes. I let her EAT it in the store while I shop. Remember how clean the WHOLE cart is now?)

She is usually finished by isle 5, and I have made good headway by now. Luckily, I LOVE isle 5. Isle 5 has a "spill station" which has paper towels and one of those "Caution Wet" portable signs on a post in case of accidents.

Also in isle 5, they have one of those "bring your own jug and refill it with our water" stations. Now, it only costs .29 cents to fill up a whole gallon of water, what is a few drops, right? I grab a paper towel, get it a tad bit wet, and wholla! Jaleigh can now clean herself up for the next 1-2 isles!Then, maybe it is the feel of water on her hands, or the draw of the hand dryer I don't know, but then it is time for another potty break. This potty is conveniently located at the back of the store, a secret one actually. Through the doors where only employees know...

And we resume the hand dryer routine....

It is fortunate that we can use the bathroom in the back of the store, but unfortunately we come out RIGHT next to the fish. So we stop to see them and discuss how many of them have died, and how they died, and I lift her up to the tanks at the top so she is sure to see the BIG fish. After a while we resume our shopping trip back to isle 6 or 7.

Unfortunately at the end of isle 6 or 7 is the kids clothes department. "Oh, this is beautiful! Mom, do you see this? Can we put this on my list?" (of things she wants) "Oh this is soo cute! Mom, do you think this fits me?" "It says 3-6 months. I don't think this will fit you anymore" "Aww MAN!"

Finally I ask her to help me find something in the isle of GROCERIES that she is interested in and we are off. This is where she gets creative and for instance, finds a freezer door to practice writing her "words".For the next few isles she is in the cart, out of the cart, in the cart, out of the cart, until finally....

It's potty time again. This time, the hand dryer gets a good workout because Jaleigh is especially efficient.

Here is a prime example from our shopping trip today, of how Jaleigh shops. IF you have the time.

Eventually we do finish, and we make it home with only a *few* extra pieces for her "list". Even though these outings are not my favorite, and become VERY draining, I am happy in the end of the day to have a friend that wants to be with me. The time will shortly come that I will miss having someone to "shop" with every week.

I just went around the corner to see my sweet girl, all tuckered out, trying to read one of the "extra pieces" we picked up today. I love this crazy girl!

Goodnight...

A Conference Weekend in Pictures

Ok- so I know I am a little behind, just wait until I do the post from 3 months ago!! :)

YES!

First big ticket, hard to find present of the season- CHECK!

GAME ON!!!