How To Procrastinate Homework

Saturday afternoon I hit the point where I decided that I CAN'T look at Curriculum homework anymore! (And to be honest- I am still there! I have ONE lesson left and I can't THINK of anything. AAAAAGGGGHHHH.) Anyway, I have been looking around my house lately thinking that it is really, really plain. I love our house- but it is sooooo not decorated. I look at blogs all the time wishing I could make my house look fancy like theirs. (Ahem, Jill? Help?) Finally I decided that I'd had enough. Sooooooooo.........

The Playroom Before... (Embarrassingly plain- I LOVE LOVE color but Jeremiah doesn't want me to paint!)

And the Playroom After... And yes- even with the couch- Kinley would rather lay on the blanket.

I was soooooo proud of this... {I got the paper idea from Sarah! So cool!!} And made a canvas to go on top...

Then painted another canvas and an old picture frame I had in my craft closet.

Wall as soon as you walk in...

Extra wall that looked really bare...

I have big dreams of making everything look spectacular- but I really hate spending money. All this put me out was the $2 for the glue dots! I had everything else!! Yay! Up next is our bedroom! I really, really want it to look beautiful. But it doesn't. I am blogstalking to get some ideas of what I want to do in there. * * * * And- I want to wish my awesome, wonderful, sweet, funny, friend Susan a Happy Birthday!! I love ya, girl! And my girls looooove them some Aunt Susan! * * * * Now I MUST go back to my last. stinking. thorn in my side. lesson. Goodnight!

I Big, Big, Love These Kids {Even When They Drive Me Crazy}

This afternoon after picking up the girls from school, they had a heated argument over the correct way to sing the ABC's ... Keira's version is more of a march, and Kin's is the regular old ABC's. Neither would back down from their stand on who was right.

Keira finally said, "UGH, Mama! Will you just tell her that she is WRONG?" Then Kinley said, "NO! I AM NOT WONG. YOU ARE WONG, WONG,WONG!" I said, "But she's not. You both are singing it, just in different ways." And BOTH of my dear, sweet precious angels went, "Nuh-uh!" I guess it is them against the world. Then they both wanted candy as soon as we walked in the door. Since I am Ms. OCD, I sorted out all the candy on Saturday morning. (Chocolate in Keira's bucket, pretzels/Ritz crackers/oreos in Kinley's, and the fruity candy in a thing Keira made at school.) Well- they both want the same thing every time, so I am digging through the "healthy" bucket looking for the peanut butter and Ritz cracker combo. Kinley felt that Keira was getting the better bag and starts pulling a mild crazy. "KEEEEE-WAAAAA Isabella! Give me that NOW!!" Ahhh, serenity. Terrible twos are striking about half-way through with this one... and we still can't convince her that Keira's middle name is not Isabella. Last night she even said that Jeremiah's name is 'Daddy Isabella'. Nice. Then after the peanut butter crackers were gone, Keira decided she needed some pretzels. So I open both of them a bag. Keira gets one out and goes, "OH! It's a BAT!" So of course, Kin goes, "OH! It's a BAT!" Then Keira goes, "Fly, fly, fly" {bite} "OH MY WING! heeheeheehee!" And Kinely says, "Keewa, we don't eat bats!" Keira has been singing her cute, cute, CUTE little songs from preschool. I swear the first time she said Mr. Jolly Jack-o-lantern I almost cried. I LOVE those cute things!! This month's of course is about Mr Turkey! Here's how she sings it... Mithter Turkey Mithter Turkey Run Away Run Away If you don't be careful, you will be a mouthful on Buskiving Day on Buskiving Day {I love it!! I know soon she won't have her little speech patterns, and it kills me that she's growing up so fast!!} On Monday, I wore my new boots. While I was getting ready, Keira came in while I was putting on my make-up. She was so excited and said, "Oooooooh, Kinley! LOOK! Mama has boots like US!" And Kinley was just as excited as she was! Goofy girls! {the above picture is proof of my darling baby's lack of cooperation during picture time.... self-given time out!! ha!} Keira has reached the age of the dreaded, dreaded tattling. {Maybe it's only teachers that hate it so bad? I don't know...} BUT... she is such a little punk. She was aggrevating the heck out of Kinley, then said, "Kinley, am I mean?" When Kinley said yes, she said, "Mama! Kinley said I'm meeeeeaaaaannnnn!" Oh sweet Heaven it made me crazy. But Kinley is quite the retaliator... she is a little cuddle bug and will climb up in my lap and say, "Hey, Keeeewaaa. Look. Dis is my mama. You not have no mama." And yes- my child speaks Ebonics. We're working on it. But she does have the sweetest little angel baby voice, though. But in all the times they make me a crazy person, I love their personalitites and the characteristics that they share with me or their daddy. They are so unique and funny and perfect little gifts from God. They both have started saying, "Mama, I love you thiiiiiiiiiis much." while holding out their arms really wide. Keira holds them out then throws them around to give the biggest hug. And Kinley's is so precious- she says, "I weeeally wike you diiiiiis much." Oh. Melt. My. Heart! I love those crazy kids!!

It's a Pirate's Life for Me!

This year my girls were cute little pirates for Halloween! I was so excited, because in my mind the costumes were soooooo cute. Then on Thursday night, nothing was really coming together- they just looked too plain...

One thing I thought I could add ... mustaches. Funny? Oh heck yes. Going to work? Ohhhh heck no. I was stressing out about it all- then just sat there laughing about how funny they looked. Somewhere along this time it was like- Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum for mommy. (I'm just kidding!)

I swear they look like Juan Valdez met a pirate and had tiny little tutu wearing children. Not the look I was going for! ha!

They turned out okay, pretty cute, and didn't cost much money. So I guess it was a win.

The ultimate goal was candy- and that was a success! Keira was so excited about her candy, she didn't want to take her eyes off of it!

Then Saturday morning, I was cleaning the house and Jeremiah called to tell me that his (awesome) boss gave us tickets to the Razorback game. Wooooooohoooooooo!!!!!!! So while the girls went with Aunt Julie and her crew to a church game night and hayride- we went to Fayetteville! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Gar for the tickets and to Julie for watching our little pirate princesses! We had a blast! Seeing them win 63-27 was awesome!

We left this morning, but because of the time change- nothing was open for shopping! So we went to Target in Fort Smith where I found some super, super cute boots that I had been wanting. Since they were such a good price- I got 2 pairs, brown and black- for what I would have spent here in town. Also, probably just so Jeremiah wouldn't have to listen to me talk about them anymore. Or because November is my month, and I want him to spoil me all month long! ha ha!! While we were there, I FINALLY got to try a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. I am so cautious about trying new things there, because it makes me sick to spend that much on coffee. What if I don't like it?? All that money (I know, I know- it's only $4) would be wasted. But I have seen discussions on several other blogs about it, and had decided that it had to be done. And I am SO glad I tried it. It is soooo delicious. Pumpkin pie in a cup! YUM! Now the weekend is over- and I am sad, sad, sad! It has been such a great one! My house was almost spotless yesterday when we left, so tonight all I had to do was get all the laundry put away. Once that was done, I felt so great! I didn't want to mess up the kitchen, so we roasted hot dogs on the firepit with the girls. Keira kept calling it our camping trip. So cute! Now I have to get moving on some homework that I put off. (My last big assignment for one of my classes! Yay!) Hope you had a great weekend!

Fall Pictures

Today was such a beautiful, wonderful day.

Jeremiah went hunting (luckily he didn't get one- because I hate deer meat! Ugh!) so the girls and I had to figure out something to do!

It was so nice outside, and I was declaring it a NO HOMEWORK day, so I decided to get them all dressed up and go take some fall pictures.

They did so good, so we went to the park after. It was cool and cloudy, and no one else was there- so it was perfect! They ran around and played on everything, and I was able to just enjoy playing with them.

Great day with my babies- even though they aren't really babies anymore!

I love black and white pictures so much! I am thinking about getting these first 3 enlarged for gallery-style pictures for my living room.

Maybe- not sure- but I love them!

I like this one of Kin, because it was so hard to get her to smile! I love this one... but Kinley is looking so serious!

That's just capturing how they always are and always have been !

I hurried and made them some new fall bows to match some of their clothes.

Keira said, "Mom, why are you always makin' us those bows?"

I said, "Because I LOVE them!"

But also because I really think it is against my religion to photograph them with no bow.

What am I going to do when they decide they are too big?

::Sigh::

Sweet kisses from big sister

(in the awesome red chair!!)

A little cheesy smile...

This is what I always get when I tell her to smile.

So FAKE and silly!

Keira is so grown up now.

She did so great all day- smiling and holding the pose while I was trying to get Kinley to be still and smile.

Here she is smiling, but she was saying,

"NO, Mama! I'm not being silly!"

(That's why her nose is all wrinkled. )

Weekly Update

I just realized I haven't posted in forever!

Or a week.

Whatever.

Some people do weekend updates, and I am going to have to roll with the weekly ones.

So I will do a handy little list to let everyone know what's been going on around here!

*

1. First of all- Kinley and Jeremiah both had the FLU!

Yucky, yucky, yuck.

They were miserable! Today I started feeling pretty bad, but I keep telling myself that I am only tired.

Positive thinking, anyone?

*

2. My girls (who of course I think are the cutest things in the universe!) have been soooooo funny lately.

Kinley came running through the house the other day yelling,

"KEI-WA ISA-BELLA! Keeeee-waaaaaaa Isa-bellaaaaaa!"

I said, "Kinley, her middle name isn't Isabella! It's Adrianne!! Yours is Isabella."

She looked at me with big eyes and said, "WHAT?!?!"

Either like I was a crazy lunatic, or like we've been keeping her out of our little secret.

So cute.

*

And- both of my girls have been obsessed with scarves lately.

They know the trends, okay? But they call them "SCURVES".

Like, "Hey Mama? Is this your scurve?"

Cracks me up!

*

Kinley does not share my deep, deep love of football.

She says, "Why dem boys playin dat fitball?"

Fitball??

No ma'am.

Foot-ball. Foot-ball.

We are working on it.

She does, however, say very preciously, "Go Cats!" I love her.

*

The girls are outside playing right now, and I just heard Keira say...

"Kin-a-ley, you are stinkin' cute!"

And I happen to agree!!

*

Both of them are going to be pirates for halloween.

I can't wait.

I think it will be so darn cute!!

* 3. School, school, school.

Homework, homework, homework.

(I have one --or four-- assignments that I should be working on right now. Oops.)

BUT I only have 3 Saturday classes to go...

C'mon December 5th at 4 p.m.!!

*

4. Bunco Night was last night!!!

And for the first time in a long time (really I think since LAST October!) I won!

Woooooo hooooo! I got some great smelling candles- blueberry muffin and strawberry shortcake! I don't have any pics yet, but will probably get the hook-up from my friends later.

5. There is a possibility that I have a new favorite singer.

((At the very least Red Light is my new fav song.))

I don't know why I love it so much... it's not like I'm needing a good break-up song.

It is just so gooooooood. I love it.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have dumped him at a red light, in the sunshine, on a Sunday.... look at how cute he is! ha!

Don't worry Jason Aldean... I still love you (and your big, green tractor) too.

*

I know there's been other stuff going down, but I just can't think anymore. I need to push my thoughts to what Levi Strauss did to prove he is the best example of a successful immigrant. Gotta love that Curriculum homework! Bibliography projects ROCK.

Riiiight.

Just in case I'm AWOL again for a while- have a great week, weekend, Halloween, etc! I'll be back soon- or at the very least, some cutie-pie pirate pictures in a week or so!!

Update on the New 'Do

It absolutely blew the kids' minds at school.

It did mine too, so I understand.

I got these responses:

"Mrs. Hall, you look funny."

(from a kindergartener- and when his dad (my boss) said, "Well, are you sure it is Mrs. Hall? He said, "YES! She still has her same VOICE!")

"Wooooo Mrs. Hall!! You look like Katie Holmes!"

(from a 6th grader)

"Is that Mrs. Hall?!? WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?"

(from several kids)

"You look so much better with brown hair."

(Um, thanks? I guess I looked bad before?)

"You looked so much better with your blonde hair."

(Oh, well crap. I'm out either way.)

I took Keira to the Homecoming parade and I saw my brother... who gave me the

"What the *&%^$ #@!*? " face. Ha ha.. Nice.

And last but not least... I got a call from my dad who got first glance at the new 'do on the blog.

He said that I didn't ask him!! (Since I did ask my hubs and my mom! Oops!)

So now Miss Kinley Bella is the only blondie in our house... and the poor little baby is sick. Probably with the same business Keira had a week or so ago.

So I am going to go cuddle her for a little while!

Thanks for all the sweet comments on the other post!

Welcome to the Wildest Thing I've Ever Done

I've decorated my door before, so that's no big deal...

I gave the girls little pumpkins to decorate while we carved the big one...

but that's not wild.

I've taken pictures of Keira making crazy faces...

(But I don't think I have many with Jeremiah with a knife.)

I haven't ever taken a picture of a jack-o-lantern before,

but I think ours looks pretty darn good.

Keira calls them scary pumpkins... but ours is more happy than scary.

I've taken pictures of my kids before...

and thought they were pretty darn cute...

Then I laughed for several minutes when this went down...

A bus went by...

(Can you see it's reflection in the door?)

and scared Kinley...

and her reaction was so funny!

After she recovered from her terror, she decided to smell the pumpkin.

We all know that pumpkins stink- and her face was priceless!

(But not wild...)

But this business is! This is the mama who has never done anything remotely daring to herself. I went dark, dark, dark!

The box claimed Medium Golden Brown, but I'm not sure how 'medium' it is!

I got the approval from my husband and mama before attempting it, but I was terrified to do it.

I am so glad I did, though!

I loooooove it!

Keira loves it too! She said that I was trying to be like her.

So what's your verdict??

Approve or disapprove?

Let me know!