Winner! Winner!

And yes, I will take all the credit. This was my I-can't-sleep-and-it's-past-midnight costume idea! Dancing Queen! Why not take advantage of her hair while we can. Can you stand the cuteness?

I do have to admit that my competitiveness came out in full force as I sized up the competition. The person in charge of the contest told me that I could enter her in the 0-1 competition or the 2-3 competition. A neighbor and I took a look around and decided we should enter the 0-1 (which then ended up being 0-2, anyway) competition. We made the right choice and Eliana won....a t-shirt. But still, it's not whether you win or lose...Oh who are we kidding. WE WON! WE WON! NANANANABOOBOOO!!!

All Aboard!

This was Sasha's Tricycle a long-long time ago. Eliana fits on it and if she could figure out those darn pedals, she'd be on her way. And she does really yell, "All Aboard!" every time she gets on it.

Time flies when you have two great daughters!

Monkey See

Monkey Do

Sasha does her homework at the bar while I make dinner/unload-load the dishwasher/clean the kitchen/blahblahblah.

I knew it was only a matter of time before Eliana would join her. (Eliana insisted that I take a picture of her crayon.)

Add this to my Job Description

Notice the fun being had outside while Mommy continues to work.


He may have a crooked grin but he's my pumpkin and I Love him.


Pumpkin-Carver/Jack-o-Lantern-Technician/Gourmet-Pumpkin-Seed-Chef?

All of the above. And totally worth it for the pumpkin seeds. In fact, I'd like to mutilate some more pumpkins so I can roast more seeds.

Dudley may have a new career in Drag.

So that he wouldn't be outdone by Murray, I had to get a nice wig for Dudley.
He really makes a beautiful girl, doesn't he? Add 2 pairs of heels and you've got yourself a pretty little lady.

All I Got Was this Stupid Wig

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MURRAY!!!!

My miracle furbaby turned 8 years old today. I have to admit that just 8 months ago, I wasn't so sure he would make it to his next birthday. Other than his vision, he's doing better than he has in years.

His birthday presents were a lot of love (yeah, like that doesn't happen every single day, anyway) a Greenie and a Mullet wig. Besides Murray, who doesn't love a Mullet wig on a dog?

3 Witches (Re-created)

Wet Dog Food and a Soggy Roll of Toilet Paper

Interesting title, isn't it?
I just ran to the laundry room to get myself some clean clothes to wear and this is what I came back to.

Makes an interesting mess, too. Good thing I wasn't getting ready to take a bath!

Photographer

Eliana took advantage of finding the camera within reach. These aren't even half of what she took.

The Best Part About Cold Weather

Today
Sunny. Cooler. High 62F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.

Translation: COLD (for Floridians)

But...It's always fun to break out the new "winter" clothes.

Funny Murray

Or just very very smart. About an hour after I took this picture, he found the pantry door wide open again. Somehow he managed to knock the Nutri-grain bars off the shelf, grab one, open it and start eating it. Matt caught him in the act. He got about 1/3 of the bar before it was confiscated.

By the way, don't make fun of all that juice. It was Buy one get one free! You can't pass up BOGO juice! You should, however, tell your husband that you already took advantage of the BOGO deal before he goes to the store and also thinks, "I can't pass up Buy One Get One Free juice," or else your pantry will look like ours!

Another Picture Mishap

Just a missed opportunity, but maybe a good one. I was taking a shower and Eliana was in her Pack N' Play watching The Wiggles. I got out and realized that she had added an accessory to her outfit. She was wearing a pair of my underwear on her head. Ladies, you'll understand this, it was a pair of "granny panties", you know the kind that you wear when you are just chilling at home. So, yes, they covered her head and hair all the way down over her face. She had them strategically placed so that she could still watch The Wiggles. I guess it's fortunate that I only got a picture of her pulling them off her head. But please feel free to imagine because it was hysterical.

Already?

So Great Nanny came by to visit today. Looks like she's already teaching the girls how to gamble and keeping them up way past their bedtime.

Ohhhhhh FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF---------------

FUDGE and FIDDLESTICKS and FU#*&*###

I had 48 pictures on my camera. I deleted them. Yeah, you are saying it now, too, aren't you?

So, in a nutshell, the pictures included:

1. Daddy's birthday was last Thursday. Happy Birthday. I had some cute pictures of the girls putting candles on the cake and singing to Daddy. Eliana learned a really important word that day. Cake. Cake. Moooommmmyyyy Caaaaaaaake. We only had (i.e. bought) a small cake so it was gone that night. Eliana was asking for cake for the next few days. I gave her a cookie, "Noooooo Caaaaaaaake." But honey, we don't have any cake left. Do you want a cracker? "Nooooooooooo caaaaaaaaaaake." I'm sorry sweetie, cake is all-gone, do you want some cheese. "Moooooommmmy caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake peeeeeaase." Ok, Eliana, there is no more cake. Daddy ate it all. Do you want a pony? "Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkke."

2. We had our first Halloween party on Saturday. The K girls all dressed as witches. We looked really cute. That's what the pictures showed. Damnit, now I have to put on that hot, itchy costume again so I can have Matt take more pictures because we really were very cute.

3. We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday. Eliana is fascinated with pumpkins right now and as soon as we walked into the tent, (remember we live in Florida and we don't have REAL pumpkin patches here) she started screaming, "PUMKINS!!! PUMKINS!!! MOMMMMYYYY PUMPKINS!" Of course, Sasha had to start touching every single pumpkin but she did take the time to hand a tiny one to Ellie. It was a really cute picture of Eliana, holding the baby pumpkin in her hand with a look of awe on her face. Then she just kept giggling with her hand over her mouth and that's the other picture I got.

So close your eyes and imagine. I won't do that again.

Who gave Sasha a DART!?!?

Our city had an Oktoberfest this past weekend. We had a great time.

So, let's talk about the mom standing right beside me saying that she wouldn't dare put her little one in the bounce house. Yes lady---I sure did put my "little one" in the bounce house. As you can see there are only 2 other kids in there besides Sasha. It wasn't like it was a mosh pit for crying out loud. Boy was that lady embarassed when Ellie happily and safely bounced over to me to give me a kiss through the net.

Hey lady, I also gave Sasha darts to throw at balloons (much to our surprise, she hit a balloon, on the board even, each time she threw a dart).

And, horror of all horrors, we gave Eliana CHOCOLATE soft-serve ice cream WITHOUT A BIB.

GASP!!!!!!!!

1000 words...

Too cute

I couldn't pass up these ballerina slippers. They are a tad too big but that just means the cuteness will last even longer!

Happy Birthday Dudley!

Doggy Sundaes from Brusters (Murray got a consolation sundae)

Waiting for his Birthday Sundae.

MMMMMMMMMMMM Yummy!

Dudley is 8 years old today. His Birthday Wish is that the world continue to revolve around him.

For the K family...

Congratulations on your Phillies making it to the World Series. Matt is so excited!!! This is Eliana's Phillies outfit and her Popeye grin. Sasha's shirt just came today so we'll post more pics tomorrow.

More Sasha Wisdom

Sasha climbed into bed with Matt and I this morning. She wanted us to tickle her and I asked her if she had any fat on her body. Seriously, this girl has NO FAT and she eats like a horse.

For some reason, instead of looking for fat on her own body, Sasha decided to focus on me. I was in my PJs, my pajama pants and my tank top. No, it's not a conservative tank top. And Sasha, pushed on my breasts and said, "Mommy you have A LOT of fat right here." As always, Matt stayed out of it, laughing his arse off, while Sasha continued poking and probing. (Is that what it's like to get a mammogram?) "First you start out with these little things like me and then they blow up with fat just like balloons. Mom, you have balloons in your shirt." **pokepokepokepushpushgigglegiggle**

DAMN KIDS!!!!! I guess I should be happy that she was making fun of my boobies and not my hips or my saddlebags or my arm fat or my belly.....

And no, you will not get a picture for this post.

They do?

Everyone likes the dust.

Sasha was singing along with the radio the other day. I had to ask her to sing louder to make sure I heard her correctly.

Yes, I did.

Everyone likes the dust. Everyone likes the dust.


Just in case the song isn't stuck in your head, yet, she was singing along with "Another One Bites the Dust".

Take time to smell the roses.

Or the overgrown butterfly garden

Flood

Of all the hurricanes and tropical storms we've had since we lived here, this regular old thunderstorm created the most rain we've ever seen. Sorry for the bad picture quality. As much as I LOOOOVE my new Blackberry, it takes terrible pictures.

Too Cool

Eliana loves when Sasha reads to her, and Sasha thinks she is DA Bomb!
(Eliana couldn't pass up a cheese moment)

Pictures from Happy Sasha Day.

Sorry it's been so long. Matt has been working like crazy again and I don't have time to think, much less post!

Feels like forever

It feels like Sasha has been with us forever, especially as she grouched at me this morning while getting ready for school, but 3 years ago today, we were granted custody of her!

Have you ever seen a giraffe roller skate?

No, it's not the title of a new kid's book, though it would make a good one wouldn't it?

Sasha and I went roller skating last night. At first, I compared her to an elephant but the longer I watched her legs and arms and elbows and knees flailing about, the more I realized that she wasn't like an elephant on skates, she is most certainly a giraffe on roller skates. Imagine. Her reasoning behind the flaling and falling was, "But mom, these skates are really rolly."

I really don't know how that girl isn't black and blue from top to bottom this morning. I hurt just from watching her.

For the record, I did not fall AT ALL!

When I Grow Up

A few years ago, I was talking to my allergist about Sasha. As usual, I was bragging about how wonderful she was and he was curious about our experience with her adoption. His wife was in the process of opening an adoption agency with a local community support organization. After we adopted Eliana, he wanted to hear all about her story.

A few months ago, I asked how his wife's agency was doing. Long story short, I offered my help and we got in touch. I was lucky enough to be involved with the planning for their first fundraiser. The event was last night and it went very well.

With all my online adotion friends, I hear great stories all the time. Last night, I got to hear some of them in person and meet the children who were involved. To see the love/admiration/respect/gratefulness/whatever in the parents' eyes as they spoke of my doctor's wife, was beautiful. She worked her tushy off to find children for these families.

That's what I want to do. I want to be involved with adoption somehow.

The only problem is that I can't do it now, though because I will proably want all the kids.

So when I grow up, I know that I would like to involved with adoption, somehow.

Eliana was an honorary member of the planning committee. She loved to sit at the big meeting table on the chair that spins round and round and round!

Big Sisters

Mom, correct me if I'm wrong but I really don't remember being this patient with my little sister. Sasha was trying to eat her breakfast this morning and Eliana decided to join her on the same chair to help her eat breakfast. Sasha just ignored her and continued eating.

Now the fact that Sasha enjoys her fruit has a little bit to do with her patience but it's mostly that she's such a great big sister and so patient with Eliana! We are so lucky.

Disney

This was Eliana's 2nd trip to Disney. We are so lucky that we have season passes but there is always some reason why we haven't taken Eliana for her second visit, most likely, it's been too hot or too busy. Or, Matt decides he wants to leave in 30 minutes at 10AM! He has yet to learn that you can't just throw some things in a bag for a toddler to spend the whole day at a theme park.

It just so happens that yesterday was a PERFECT Disney day. We had been planning to go all week so I was prepared. It wasn't crowded at ALL! The longest line I saw was 30 minutes and that was for the Dumbo ride believe it or not! The weather was gorgeous, too, partly cloudy and breezy, LOW humidity.

Eliana LOVED it. The last time she went, she was only 4 months old and slept most of the time. She was ready to go this time. Her very first ride was the Buzz Lightyear ride and I was worried that she would be afraid. Nope. She was fascinated. When we CAME OUT of the darkness of Space Mountain on the Tomorrowland tram ride, she cried and asked for "more more". The Carousel was predictably a favorite.

Sasha, as usual, was up for anything. She rode Space Mountain twice but was just as happy on the Carousel or climbing the fences (after being told 800 times to stop) while we were waiting in line.

By the way, I know Eliana is gorgeous but isn't that sleeping picture just exquisite? Her face just looks...I don't know, angelic?

Wait a minute, that just ain't right.

Sasha was looking a new book in the car. Eliana wanted it and I told Ellie that Sasha needed to have a turn.

Sasha added, "Yeah Ellie, I hadn't never have seened it before."

Shudder

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We were at Family Rosh Hashanah Services on Tuesday evening with a bunch of crazy, out-of-control, funny, crying, screaming and/or grouchy kids. It was very entertaining, to say the least.

A mom sat down beside us with a little girl probably about 4 months older than Eliana. She was pointing to things and telling me what they were.
"Pretty shoes"
"Those are very pretty shoes."
"Mommy's purse"
"Yes, that's your mommy's purse."
"Snack"
"You're going to eat crackers for snack."

And then she stopped for a bit and stared intently at Eliana on my lap. She pointed at Eliana and very quietly she said, "Haaaaaaairrrrrrrrr". I heard Matt guffaw beside me and I agreed, "Yes, she does have a lot of hair, doesn't she?"

Say it isn't so!

She was all comfy and cozy in our bed watching.....The Wiggles (blech, blech,

Ack!)

Three Beauties, a Dad and a Murray!

Bed Buddies

This is a BEDHOG in MY BED, STILL sleeping!



This would be a BedHEAD.