Free Country

Usually Lindsay is the one that comes out with the one liners, comments or stories that really make us laugh. But the other night Katelyn caught us both off guard. To set the stage we were all in my bed watching the Country Music Awards. Depending on the song, the girls were getting up and dancing and just in general bouncing around. After about the hundredth time of being bumped and kicked, Mike asked Katelyn if she could just sit still and watch. Her response: Dad - I need some freedom. This is a free country! I think it's just a side effect of all the political discussions lately, but I'm a little nervous now of what the teenage years will be like ;)

Here's a few of Lindsay's funny conversations:

Lindsay: Mom, I was tough today.
Me: Why, what happened?
Lindsay: I was wrestling at school and I got hurt and didn't cry. But my teacher made us stop.
She sounded genuinely disappointed that she and her friend had to stop wrestling, but very proud of herself that she was a tough girl and didn't cry. If only she could be that tough when I tell her "No"!

Lindsay (after pealing a banana and dropping it): Mom, I dropped my banana wrapper!
(Do you think maybe there is a bit too much packaged food these days?)

After several requests for candy, fruit snacks and any other junk food in the cupboard and me offering crackers, fruit, anything remotely healthy:
Lindsay: Mom, can I have sweet things?
Me(annoyed): No, Lindsay I told you no more sugar or junk food.
Lindsay(protesting): But Mom, you said I could have sweet things.
Me(protesting): NO, I said no more sweet things.
Lindsay(crying): But you said I could have sweet things, like at school.
After looking in the cupboard again, I had a lightbulb moment and realized she wanted "Wheat Thins"!!!

P.S. Hope you like my new blog background...so many fun ones to choose from!

Happy Halloween

With each year Halloween is becoming more and more fun. The girls are getting into it earlier and earlier - planning their costumes and designing their pumpkin faces. Each year they go to Nana and PopPops to paint pumpkins. Mike and I were not prepared for what they brought home. Nana definitely outdid herself this year. I wish I knew of a pumpkin decorating contest nearby because these certainly would have won a prize!

Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite things to do with Katelyn and Lindsay. I remember growing up and choosing the shape of my pumpkin top and all the features as my Dad was carving pumpkins for me and my brothers. I remember year after year choosing more challenging features - especially eyes. Well, technology is giving my girls an advantage I didn't have. This year Katelyn found a pumpkin designing wizard on starfall.com. She and Lindsay each designed their pumpkins and gave me a printout to work from! I'm also glad to see that my girlie girls are finally able to enjoy scooping out pumpkin guts without being grossed out :)

Trick-or-Treating with their cousins, Ally and CJ, couldn't have been better. No more wagons to pull the little ones. Lindsay made it the whole way without needing to be carried -- although her pumpkin full of treats was too heavy for her after awhile :) Does that give a hint as to how much candy we now have??? (At the 10:15 am - the time I'm writing this I've already been asked at least 5 times for candy...I don't suppose that will slow now until sometime after Easter! Who decided we needed candy at every holiday anyway?)

We saw a lot of very cute costumes this year, but I must say we definitely have the cutest witch and princess fairy by far!