Pictures!

I have pictures of my kids at the Pumpkin patch and more of Ed and Philip at their National Kidney Foundation walk in Orangeburg yesterday. They are on my Dropshots photo page @
http://www.dropshots.com/TraceeC Enjoy!

We got costumes yesterday at Target. Philip will be Darth Vader, again! Tyler is Annakin and Evan strangely chose to be a Power Ranger. We have never even watched Power Rangers, or read anything about them. I decided he just liked the colors and the muscles on the suit. I'll send pictures if anyone takes any. Still waiting on that donated digital camera! All the pictures on dropshots were taken by my friend Serenity and Ed's friend Chasidy! Thanks Serenity! Thanks Chasidy!

My Family Loves Tradition!

Don't ask me why it's not Christmas or Easter or any more "important" Holiday that the kids and I get the most excited about. We LOVE Autumn and all that comes with it. Today was our annual Hayride and Pumpkin Patch field trip. I can tell you however, why I never include my husband in these detailed journals. As much as he would like to join us, he has a rotating schedule, and though it is supposed to be the same thing, changing every 6 weeks, it never is the same. And though we would love for him to be with us, the plans must be made w/ or w/out knowing his "flex" schedule. This year has been the first EVER that I am not completely nuts with three kids and no husband along for whichever activity we're joining. Some people think it's because I've finally got it all figured out. I can assure, I most certainly do not have it all figured out. But the kids do, and that's the difference! Especially on outings that occur yearly, they all know what's going to come next, what's expected of them, and how to proceed accordingly. It is absolutely incredibly awesome to suddenly, unexpectedly have this almost complete freedom! I don't have a clingy child attached to my body anymore. No one is asking for, no scratch that, insisting on and lifting up my shirt for "mommy milk." Nobody gets tired enough or upset enough to have to be carried, besides 2/3's of them are too big for that anyway! In case you haven't quite gotten the point yet, we all, including myself had a great time today! We also quite enjoyed the State Fair last Monday. I have to give my kids quite a bit of the credit for this, because they really are so incredibly easy to be around. Granted, Tyler did try to separate from the group NUMEROUS times, but as soon as I growled in the best Mama bear growl I could do, saying his name as if I were Linda Blair in Poltergeist, he stopped in his tracks and came back. ;) And of course, at the end of whatever event we're attending someone, or even up to 2/3rd's of my children, has quite a little fit about it. But this doesn't take away from the fact that for 98% of the time, we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves and whichever activity we are involved in. Even Me. Which is quite new. So, for whoever out there still has the cling on baby or child, or feels that it's just not right to use a leash, but you still wish you had one right now, or is more worn out than you ever could imagine possible at the end of a 2-3 hour kid-centered event: Don't worry! The time will come when you are able to sit and enjoy that fire roasted hot dog straight from the pit, and then even help the other Mama's prepare the fixin's for the S'mores. The day will come when the baby/child doesn't even ask for that milk. And sad it may be for you my dears, but all I have to say about that is: Alleluia and Praise the Gods and I'm Free at Last, Thank God All Mighty I'm free at last!!!! I am enjoying the kid centered events as much as if it were all about me! And finally, it is about time I got to have fun at these things! I certainly never got to go to petting zoos, or roast hot dogs and marshmallows and paint pumpkins, especially not to the point where I would ask "hey are we doing that hayride again this year?" And certainly not all in one afternoon. And certainly not with my closest friends in all the world. And you know what? I don't even care if my kids "appreciate" it or not. They enjoyed it, I could see it on their faces, and I enjoyed it. That is all I need. Just to know that they enjoyed it and to know that I did too. That is really all I need.
And just in case anyone out there reading this is thinking that my life is just roses and S'mores everyday, PU-LEEZ! My children are still children, and we all still have our meltdowns, and we're still on the frugal plan, and all the grown-up "responsibility" areas of my life all need much improvement. But that's not for this journal! That's for my private-angry-monster-woman journal, the part of me I just don't think you would enjoy knowing or even knowing about. Just enjoy the good parts and light a candle or put us in your prayers for guidance in dealing with the not so good parts, OK? ;) Thanks for reading...'till next time, enjoy this wonderful Autumn Season and all that comes with it!

Autumn Has Arrived, Among other Milestones

The sky in Autumn and Winter is as beautiful as it ever gets. During the day, the blue of it has always just pulled my eyes up to soak it in. The air seems more charged, it even smells better, and I am just filled with more energy all around! And the night sky is just amazing! I am going to make more time this year to star gaze with my children. I really enjoy it. Last Winter I spent hours out in my Cul-de-Sac craning my neck and accidentally walking up people's driveways, binoculars in hand, trying to find all the constellations pictured in my handy dandy Night Sky book. I don't know why I don't go camping more often, or do more out-doorsy type things, cause I really love being outside! Especially in the fall. I was sitting on the deck at a friend's house the other day and was able to see the tips of the trees across the lake and they looked like a page in a coloring book: the tops of the trees had been colored in browns, reds, golds and yellows, but the bottoms were still green. I love taking note of the changes in the seasons, it always feels like it's a brand new thing, like I'm turning the pages in a book and I'm so excited about what's going to happen next! And I love what's next! We have pumpkin patch trips planned, pumpkin carving, Halloween parties, lots of delicious comfort foods like pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins, and then comes Thanksgiving with TONS more comfort food and family and the use of the video camera that we don't use at any other time! We have a fire place that we actually use and I just love how excited the boys get when we decide to light a fire and then we roast marshmallows and sit in the dark and watch the flames dancing, which is so cliche, but they do dance!

I'm just home from another evening out with the ladies. We dined and enjoyed each other's company in the restaurant, then out beneath the gorgeous starry sky, then tucked into warm cars because, thank you God, it is finally cool enough to feel a bit chilly, at least this evening! Tonight I got to wear the shawl I knit for myself in April and soon I'll get to wear my new socks. Ah, life is good. ;) Oh, and speaking of life being good, I have hit another milestone in parenting. Evan and I agreed that it was time for him to wean, and so we have done it! Tonight will be the fourth night in a row, and we are both just great! I am waking up earlier and just don't even know what to do with myself because I can't go back to sleep. The new energy is just shocking and I had heard this would happen, but just didn't believe it!! And this is a major thing for me, since I have been pregnant or nursing or BOTH for nine years and two months now! So, having more energy has proven to be true, I can't wait to see the extra weight start disappearing! Hehe! And one more little milestone: The 3 year old I've been referring to is suddenly VERY into playing Preschool games on a computer! He just learned this week how to manipulate the mouse and really enjoys Reader Rabbit and Zoboomafoo!