Wordless Wednesday

  

 

Liam’s first haircut

Well, we made it 21 months without any haircut, even though there wasn’t much to cut, but it was becoming a bit “mulletish”.  I wanted to take him to the hair place where they get to sit in the airplanes and cars, etc, but its about a 40 minute drive and at this time of the year, it just wasn’t worth it. We took him to the same barber in our hometown that gave Braeden his first haircut. 

Actually we grew up with his daughter and he lived right down the road from us.  We hung out there a lot during the summertime and I hate to admit it, BUT we did TP his house many, many, many times.  I wonder if he knows we did it, I’m sure he does.  It was an ongoing war for many years, I think his daughter banana-ed our windows and screens and we forked their yard.  Hee-hee!

Okay, so my little guy wasn’t the happiest, but he wasn’t the worst either.  He was okay for about the first half and then just wanted out by the second half.  When he cried….so did Brenna, it was totally a sympathy moment.

Now that’s a look!

Brenna watches what is happening.

She is crying….and her mouth is full of crackers.

All done, a bit sad and a lot of hair off the sides, not much off the top though.  The mullet is gone!

Is it too early for this?

We love to do this every year, I think the first time we did it Braeden was 3 and we did just him and he cried and cried he was so mad.  We have turned it into a family thing, not sure if the link will come up to play it, but if not, click the link, I promise it is worth it, you WILL be laughing!  I promise!

Also, if you decided to do it, link it in your response so we can watch!

Click here to watch the Disco Dancing Burger Elves

And if you can’t get enough

Click here for the Country version

Gadgets anyone?

We have always teased my mom because she likes all the new little gadgets.  We have even called her “Gadget Woman”.  I guess all of them aren’t gadgets, many belong in the kitchen.  You know like the George Forman grill, the rice steamer, you know there is always something new.

Well, I fell into the trap and I found something I really like.  I love to bake, but if you are like me, your brownies just aren’t so nice and straight.

Well lookie here at this little invention!

 

And look here, it really works!!!  I have OFFICIALLY turned into my mother!

Oh yeah, for the infomercial portion of this, ONLY $19.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond and even less if you have their $5 off coupon.

What’s next the SKOOKIE?  Yum!

We’re famous

Okay, not really but I had to share that I sent the babies picture in last month to a twins website http://twinsights.com/index.html 

This Cheryl Lage’s site, author of Twinspiration, which was my favorite twin book….and I’m not just saying that.  Anyway, got an email that she put the babies picture up on it yesterday….not sure how long it will be there, not long though.  Anyway, had to share this with someone.

Yep….it’s a pic, I know many of you might remember….a blast from the past.  I wonder what Liam and Brenna will think of this picture when they are older….I guess it will be better than the ones where I dress Liam up like a girl and Brenna up like a boy for April Fool’s Day, right?

Liam

We have all been under the weather the past week and no new pics to post.  Went to the dr yesterday and he was predicting that they would be be better by tomorrow. 

Well, this morning Liam woke with a nasty croupy cough.  My poor guy who normally puts a smile on everyone’s face looks so sick.  Even when he is sick he comes and give me a big hug and is trying to give Brenna kisses.

It’s so hard when they both want to have you all to themselves at the same time.  Liam climbed up on my lap, then Brenna did, then Brenna started shoving him away and then he climbed down and realized he really didn’t want to be down and got back up.  Then he tried to snuggle a bit too close for Brenna’s comfort which sent her to a full blown tantrum.

Last night me and my boys snuggled up in my bed and watch the Disney Christmas sing-a-long, which I have watched with Braeden since he was Liam and Brenna’s age.  Anyway, here are a few recent pictures of my happy little guy.

 

 

Books, books, books!

From the previous post someone asked me what all that cost.  Most people who know me, know that I don’t pay full price for anything.  So here is my PSA on how to get cheap books.

1. Scholastic - The 928 books (which Braeden stacked in piles of tens to count) were mostly from my teaching days.  Take advantage of Scholastic book orders, GREAT PRICES! They always have a few 99 cent selections.  I am such a dork that I get excited when I see the Scholastic book order form come home.

2. ebay – look for lots of books.  Board books, we all know brand new these things go for $5-6 a piece.  I found a reading recovery teacher who was retiring and got I over 50 board books for $20-30.  Try to get them to ship media mail…it might take a bit longer, but well worth the price.

Here are some that are currently going on….

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=board+books%2C+lot&_sacat=See-All-Categories

3. Library book sales – check out your local library.  Also, just go to borrow them, there are so many great programs happening at the local library.  Even with the 1000+ children’s books in the house, I take Braeden to the library every Wednesday to check out a few more. 

4. Garage Sales - I also hit a jackpot this summer and TONS of books for 10 cents each. 

5. In Michigan we have a program called SKIP (Successful Kids Involved Parents).  It is for kids age birth-kg and they have fun activities, playgroup, and a home visit component.  When I tell friends in other states what they have a playgroup they tell me they would have to pay $$$ for a program like that.  We get if for free, you don’t have to qualify or anything, everyone is welcome with kids in that age range.  They even have a lending library there too.

Part of the home visit component is the teacher brings a board book every time she visits.  I have told her to stop bringing them and to save them for the kids who don’t have the extensive amount of books that we have accumulated, but she keeps bringing them.

If you have a program like this it would be under the Early Childhood Education area of your State Education Department.

6. Dollar stores – okay, so you won’t get the same quality books, I’m talking about the authors, story, etc here, but when they are little they don’t really realize who the author is and if it is a  good storyline.  Mine love the ABC and counting books we have picked up there. 

7. Also if you are looking for something in particular there is a website called

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php that allows you to trade books, all you pay is the shipping.  You list several of your books and once someone wants your book you pay the shipping.  Then you have credit for a book and you go to the book you want and request it and they pay to ship it to you.  My mom gets many new release best sellers this way….something you might normal pay $10 for costs you just the postage which again, use media mail and you are talking $1-2.  So recycle those books!

Okay….so go get some books!  They are great stocking stuffers too!

Okay, so we are a bit disappointed

that our candidates didn’t win (see previous post), I would have thought Mickey would have taken Florida and Elmo thought that his Sesame Place pals would help him take Pennsylvania.

It was fun watching Braeden look at the maps online last night as they were declared red and blue.  He was sooo excited, seriously bouncing off the walls, my friend Kristin was on the phone, she can vouch for how excited he was.

This morning when I told him the winner all he wanted to know was when he could make new “rules” and asked if he was going to change the car seat rule.

Okay….on to something new, I have a HUGE problem, my name is Brooke and I’m a bookaholic.

A few weeks ago Braeden’s teacher assigned them the job of counting the books in their bedroom.  I’m sure she didn’t expected over 900 books in his room, but sure enough there were 928 or was it 938 books in there?  Has he read them all, nope, not yet, but we are working on it.

So I was cleaning the babies toyroom and realize they had quite a few in their collection too.  I really do have a book addiction!  I guess it comes from my love of reading and teaching reading.  I just got my MA in literacy this past spring.  One day I hope to get back to teaching reading, or perhaps opening my own reading center.

Anyway, here is a pic of our “littlest library” of 149 board books.  Brenna’s favorite book right now is Mr Brown can Moo, Can you? and Liam’s favorite is a toss up between Five Little Monkey’s and The Eensie Weensie Spider.  So are there any favorite children’s books of yours or your kids? 

My favorite was Flicka, Dicka, and Ricka books, I think they were triplets, maybe they were Dick and Jane’s cousins, lol!  I don’t remember much about them other than I liked them.

 

A kiss for ducky!

VOTE!!!

I know you girls from a few of my forums have seen this, but for some of my bloggie friends, here you go! Don’t forget to vote today!

Halloween Day

During the day I headed up to Braeden’s school where they had some Halloween festivities.  The teacher requested harvest attire – only farmers or things on the farm.  Braeden was disappointed we thought we should be a farming knight, but decided not to push the teachers buttons, there were a few kids who weren’t in Harvest attire, but most of the kids were.  Before the activities the kids headed to gym…..what was your favorite thing to do in gym, if you were like me….the parachute was the best.  Looking what they did….I wanted to ask if I could play too!

Oh yeah….gym lighting, not so good, I tried to experiment and ended up in automatic which I think was best, any tips there would be appreciated, I’m sure we will have many years of concerts, plays, etc in the gym.  After gym was over there were activities in the classroom.

So….onto Halloween night we headed up to a local church for a Trunk or Treat.  It was a balmy 60 degrees which is nothing short of a miracle in Michigan at this time of the year.  Last year it was cold and rainy and the year before it was just freezing…winter coats, mittens, and a bit of flurries!  This was nice, we didn’t even need coats. 

A few pics before we left…..

That’s as good as it gets with all three! Not an easy task these days.  We will be skipping the family Christmas photo this year!

Braeden's action shot....he loves these ones!

Not a good pic, but he doesn't stay still, this is probably the best I have!

Our little princess on the run!

At Trunk or Treat, our buddies Sarah and Jacob...I cut off mommy and daddy's heads, but they belong to my friend Barb at A Tale of Two Twinkies.

I love this pic....they are SOOOO teething right now, the bags under my eyes prove it!

A few of out favorite trunks!

The babies (yeah, someone has recently pointed out I am going to quit calling them babies) weren't really into trick or treating, BUT when they saw the apples they were screaming APPLE, APPLE, like it was a King Size Snickers candy bars.  This kept them quite happy for a very long time which we finished up treating with Braeden.

Last thing a hayride to end the night! A fun Halloween, I think this is my favorite holiday, perhaps because my birthday is the 30th and I grew up having all the Halloween fun around my birthday.  Can't wait for another one....Halloween that is....not another birthday!