Saturday, November 15, 2014

Busy, Busy, Busy


This year I have kids in three different schools, two of which have the same start and end times. I was wondering how exactly this was going to work out, as none of them were bussers. Thankfully, Red Two turned out to be able to take the bus! What a lifesaver! Apparently Red One should have been a busser last year, not that it mattered then...but now that we are at three different schools, I'm not sure how I would have swung it if Red Two hadn't been able to take the bus. Sparkle (my niece) wasn't able to start at the beginning of the year...we didn't have all the necessary paperwork for a few weeks. She was devastated! not! lol...although, they were all upset about the uniforms (the middle schools require uniforms)! hahaha...poor babies. Thankfully, when she was able to start, she's at the same school as Red One, so didn't have to add another school! Sparkle is in 8th grade, Red One is in 7th, Red Two is in 6th, and Red Three is in 3rd. And hard to believe, but Buddy will be heading to Kindergarten next year :(



Fair season had arrived, so we headed to the Woodstock Fair. We usually go every year...always fun! This time David was able to go with us...so that was nice! Almost made up for my in-laws not being there. Rachel and Papa moved down south right after the girls got back from summer camp. Rachel is in Alabama, and Papa went to Texas for work. It was hard for everyone, and we really miss them! Lots of tears were shed :'(

Anyways, we did have fun at the fair. I love fair season...fair food is the bomb. The little stores and displays are always fun to look at. The kids enjoy the rides and the animals. What more could you want?

mmmmm, BBQ Sundae...lol
There's always a really cool sand sculpture!
The big girls rode the Ring of Fire, and Red Three did the gravity spin one!
Funnel Cake!!!

Then right after that was Red Two's birthday! She's 11 now, which is hard to believe. It was so hard to believe I actually wrote 8 on her cake...and almost didn't catch it! hahahaha!!! 

I was all proud of myself...thought it looked so good, then it dawned on me...crap! lol
Thankfully, I had just enough tinted frosting left to fix it!

She was really sad that Papa and Rachel wouldn't be there for her birthday, this is the first birthday apart...not to mention Papa makes her ribs! but he got her a great present! A motorized scooter...she had been talking about it for months! lol...and I made decent enough ribs for her ;)

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Daddy's present...a really good paintball mask.
Any guesses what her favorite color is??? Zombie Green! lol
Look at her face!
Buddy did not understand why he couldn't ride it!
Happy Birthday!!!!


We had an appointment in NYC coming up...another MRI and checkup. We had to stop at Nardelli's for grinders on the way...seriously good! We had a pretty long wait after the MRI, but eventually made it into the exam room. Thankfully David's scans are still good, praise God! The doctor still has no answers for the body pain, but at least this time he actually did an in-depth exam...took the time to try to figure it out. He recommended finding a pain specialist local to us...there is a pain center in Hartford, and they actually mention cancer related pain, so I need to try to get him an appointment there. He's been working like a maniac lately...he's been running jobs and working crazy hours, so once things slow down I'll book him one. 

I didn't forget to wear gray :)
Oh, and Buddy got his cast off! His arm is good as new...took a few weeks for him to be able to straighten it all the way, but that's normal.  
Beautiful fall colors 
Red Two and Three with their birthday presents! 
Some football training...you can never start too early!

Not only does fall mean fairs, but it also means apple picking! I couldn't wait...I love going apple pickings, especially for Honeycrisp Apples!!! They are my favorite! No pics, so you'll have to take my word for it that we had fun ;)

Boys and dirt and tractors...love it!

October meant it was time for the Renaissance Faire!!! Woohoo...my favorite! Even if Connecticut's version is tiny compared to the Texas Ren Faire and Colorado Ren Faire...still so fun! Our faire started having a Time Traveler's Weekend, with Columbus Day being Doctor Who day. Last year, if you remember, we all dressed up, and Red Two got second place in the costume contest for her Weeping Angel costume I made her. This year, I knew the only thing I could dress up as was the TARDIS, since that's all that would match my hair ;) Red One wore her Halloween costume, which also worked for Doctor Who, since River Song dressed up as Cleopatra one time. Red Two was Queen Elizabeth I, Sparkle went as the Weeping Angel this time, Red Three was the Girl in the Fireplace, and Buddy was a pirate.


The Angels have the phonebox!
Great Lady Vastra costume!
Costume contest
This year someone built an amazing Dalek!!! It moved, talked and was perfect. 
All the Doctors
This one was my favorite! Not only was his costume great, but he had all the mannerisms down too!
Buddy thought he was the best, he thought he really was the Doctor. Every time we'd see him walking around or whatever, Buddy was fascinated and called him the Doctor. 
Julius Caesar
Scary Dalek!
 
The quintessential fair food. 
We've found their weakness! Bees! 
Joust!
He was so sweet to Buddy, let him hold his sonic screwdriver and everything!
We had a great day!

My friend made some cute Photoshopped versions...thanks Ana!

Another fun fall activity was taking Buddy to Pumpkintown with all our MOPS friends. Pumpkintown is a super adorable place where they make people out of pumpkins and it literally a tiny town...so cute!

When we got home he wanted me to take pictures of him climbing the tree :)

Red One had her first school dance...she was so excited. We went shopping for a cute outfit...she's finally starting to like shopping a little bit. Sparkle went shopping too, but with her friends ;) They had an awesome time at the dance...when it was over they were so hyper! lol

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Look at those beautiful girls! 

Time for our traditional pumpkin painting/carving event ;)

We always have apple cider.
 
Serious business!
Loved it...Pumpkin Pi!


My attempt at Loki's helmet
Red Two went with a fox...came out awesome! She did it all by herself

 
Apparently this is the homework face
Beauty

They couldn't wait to go trick or treating!...you'd think they never have candy!

Minion, Egyptian Queen, Princess of Candy, Fox 
plus TARDIS 
Plus Starbucks! 
Such a cute idea!
Her candy is taller than she is ;) 
Worn out! 
Watching Jurassic Park for the first time! 
Done! 

Remember that camp I told y'all about that the girls got to go to, Camp Kesem? It provides a week long camp experience for children of cancer patients, all at no cost! Well, they had their fall reunion a couple weeks ago. It was at a bowling alley, bowling, pizza, cake, games, etc...the girls were so excited to see all their friends and counselors again! It is such an amazing organization, entirely funded by donations and fundraisers that the counselors are completely involved in. What a great bunch of young adults! They could be doing so many other things during their college time, but they are choosing to make a huge impact in the lives of these kids! We are so grateful!

I was so excited to get an awesome surprise in the mail from Papa! A TARDIS hoodie!!! And it was perfect timing, because David wanted me to watch him and the girls play paintball...and it was so cold! 

Happy happy happy!


They hadn't been able to play in months because of David's work schedule and weather...so they were all happy to finally get back out there!


David and I had date night that night...he totally stuck his foot in his mouth earlier that week and said we'd go out to eat at a nice restaurant. He tried to get out of it...but no dice! There was no way I wasn't going! lol...


Well, I had a great date! David had an OK one...lol! We went to this nice restaurant, Max Oyster Bar. I had a half dozen raw oysters for an app, I love oysters!!! But rarely get them, they are pretty much a special occasion sort of thing. David got clam chowder...but although it had good flavor, the clams were huge and chewy, so he wasn't a fan. I got this amazing maple bourbon cocktail, so good...David kept stealing it. :) I decided on the special of the day, which was a scallop and lobster pasta with butternut squash and spinach. It was SO good...the flavors were fantastic! The only thing that would have made it better was if the squash was cooked a bit more, it was a little too crunchy still...other than that, delicious! David didn't see anything that looked super good, so he went with fish and chips...always a good pick. Except, his fish was soft and mushy instead of firm and flaky. It's a shame, because it looked like it would be awesome...nice big pieces with crisp fried batter...needless to say, he was disappointed. 

He wasn't in the mood for a big to do, so we just went to the movies after...we saw John Wick, a Keanu Reeves action flick. I loved it...the action was amazing, the story was fine, not like you go to see those movies for the academy award winning script! lol...it was just good, mindless, hellraising...haha It had some unique touches...what was really cool was that it was directed by Keanu Reeves' long time stunt double...neat little tidbit of info. David certainly enjoyed it...if it has a death count he's probably gonna like it...lol...but he didn't think it deserved the 86% it got on Rotten Tomatoes...I think it was an A+ of a B movie, if that makes sense.


Look at this cutie! She had a birthday party to go to, it was like a fun, little girl spa type place...she was dripping glitter everywhere! lol
She loved it!

Guess what we woke up to yesterday? Snow! Sparkle was very dismayed...luckily it was only a dusting...but it's coming! She couldn't believe we got snow already...it's only November! Oh honey, you have so much to learn! lol Thankfully we'd already gotten all her winter gear, so she's ready for the weather, in theory!

I gotta say, this was me yesterday...so I can't say much...


My funny boy...clutching his "Glowy Throwing Star" as he called it, fast asleep! Never know when you're gonna need a throwing star!

Lastly, I love Arrow, the TV show...it's super fun (fairly cheesy, but good cheese, if you know what I mean) and well done. Anyways, I've been following Stephen Amell (the star) on Facebook. He's super interactive with his fans, runs his own page, posts Q&A videos, etc. Anyways, he ran a fundraiser on Represent (which makes limited run clothes to raise money for whatever charity the star wants...) for F*^% Cancer...an organization that raises money for cancer research. His mom actually had breast cancer a few years ago...is fine now, but he's super involved with cancer charity now. Anyways, he designed a shirt (with the input of his fans) and wound up selling over 45,000 shirts...the record by an enormous margin! and raise$947,380. It was such a success and so many people wished they hadn't missed out once it ended, that they actually brought it back for 48 hours and sold like three times as many as they had the first three weeks! I had to get one...it was even gray!!!...although I don't know that I would actually wear it in public...not much for vulgarity, but in this case, it's completely appropriate. F*&# Cancer!