Ooooo Scary... Read it Again!

Since the first hint of pumpkins, goulies and witches hit the stores weeks ago, my girls have been begging me to break out the Halloween goodness. I have a hard time doing anything before October 1st, so now that we're officially past that, I could no longer procrastinate and Jim and I were forced to venture under the house and dust off the Halloween bin.

After a fun filled evening of spooky inspirational music and candy corn treats, we've put everything out and the girls are super excited. I dug out all the Halloween/scary movies (Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, Corpse Bride, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown) and pulled all the Halloween books from the shelf so we have a month of spooky reads. Yup, we're all set!

Alyssa's book post got me thinking about all the Halloween books we like to read around here. They've become even more special since we only read them this time of year. So I thought I'd share our faves and hopefully, you'll share yours because we're always looking for more! Plus, it's early enough in the month, that there's still time to check them out!


Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman

This is probably my favorite one. The girls and I just read it tonight. It's about a witch who grows a pumpkin so large, she can't manage to pull it off the vine and she's got quite the hankering for pumpkin pie!
Lots of fun to read and cute repetition for the kiddos.

I give it 5 out of 5 pumpkins



Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

The story of a witch out for a nice leisurely flight. She meets some friends along the way, each one hoping that there's "room on the broom" so they can come too. Super fun rhyming tale (I love cute rhyming stories) and there's definitely room on the broom so don't miss out!

I give it 4.5 out of 5 pumpkins



In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting

Not a whole lot of story to this one, but the girls love it, so I have to include it in the list. Cute story about a little girl and her dad who venture into a haunted house, but who's the one who's really scared? Like I said, not the most fun to read, but the kids enjoy it.

I give it 3 out of 5 pumpkins

Spooky Hour by Tony Mitton

Another fun rhyming tale as the "midnight spooks" countdown to their Halloween party. Cute story with lots of different ghoulies and fun to say sound words like "clickety clack."

I give it 4 out of 5 pumpkins

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long

Technically not a Halloween book, but with the pirates, I'm sneaking it in here. I was reluctant to read this originally, but found out that it's a really cute story and it's made even better if you use your best piratey voice when you read it. Argh, matey, don't pass this one up!

I give it 5 out of 5 pumpkins



Happy spooktacular reading! :o)

Mama Drama Mondays: The Kindergarten 15

It's hard to say "no" to a face like that.

This is the year I finally have a kindergartner. She's almost as excited about it as I am. Almost. I'm pretty darned excited about it. Especially since her younger sister started preschool and I have 4 whole hours to myself each week! I know the mind boggles with what to do with all that "free time."

There have been a few hiccups with the new routines; the bus drops Peri off at 11:25 and Ryah's preschool is over at 11:30, so I've had to find work arounds for being in two places at once. Fortunately, I have great friends that help me out. But for the most part, things have been running smoothly and we've all adjusted. Imagine my surprise when I got a phone message the other day, from Peri's kindergarten teacher...

"Hi Holly, this is Amber X, Peri's teacher, and I just wanted you to know that Peri has been eating breakfast in the cafeteria in the mornings. I only just found out today and when I talked to her about it, she said it was her second breakfast and she was able to tell me what she'd already eaten at home. I thought "Oh no" and I'd better check with you about that. Sorry I didn't catch it sooner, but she's been charging her breakfasts. I'll send her account balance home with her next week."

I didn't know whether to laugh or groan. I mean, it's pretty funny that a 5-year-old can just walk in there, get breakfast and have it added to her non existent account. But I was also a little annoyed that I was footing the bill for such an obvious oversight on the school's part. After I called her teacher back, to let her know that Peri should not be eating at school and that I would pay the balance next week, I was baffled as to how that could even happen. I remember as a kid that you either had to pay cash for your school food or have a prepaid card from your parents, there was no "tab."

So, for the last two weeks, Peri has been running up a cafeteria bill, unbeknownst to me and her teachers. I know she did it because it was there and she saw other kids eating and thought it was okay. But I wonder how long it would have gone on? Maybe until her next well check up visit, when the nurse would inform me that Peri had managed to gain 15 lbs since her last visit and that it's a little excessive. Or those brand new school clothes start fitting a lot snugger than they should.

In any case, there is now such a thing as the Kindergarten 15 and you heard it here first. This will be one of those things I tease her about in the future and we'll just laugh it off, but for now, I have to go pay the bill. Then again, today is her birthday (Happy 6th Birthday Periwinkle!); perhaps we'll just write it off as a gift and not add it to her tab. :oP

Mama Drama Mondays: When You Want to Care-a-lot, But Can't

You know what I love? All those 80's cartoons, toys and games I enjoyed as a child. What do I love even more? Watching my kids fall in love with those same things. In our house, we're enjoying She-ra, Jem, Alvin & the Chipmunks and Care Bears, and thank goodness that these former VHS classics have been upgraded to DVD. The only problem with going vintage is now it's almost impossible to buy dolls, playsets and action figures without taking a second mortgage out on your house. The fact that my childhood is considered "vintage" is kind of depressing too.

We've been on a huge Care Bear kick lately; watching the original cartoons and movies, playing with the two stuffed bears we have and acting out the girls' favorite scenes. With all of the lame new toys and cartoons out now, it's nice that we can rely somewhat on the cooler classics. Since the girls are having so much fun, I've taken to surfing Ebay (trying to outbid, Alyssa *wink*) and scouring thrift stores looking for some characters and playsets for them to enjoy. Ohmygoodness, reclaiming your childhood is spendy! Makes me wish I'd kept something other than my old Barbie dolls.

The whole thing is a bummer because I'm not a collector and will end up getting rid of them once the girls have found a new favorite, but I can't imagine any parent investing in their kids' toys, knowing how quickly those fickle little minds move on. There should be a discarded toy co-op for vintage toy "emergencies" such as these. I'd buy into that. :o) We'll call it "What's Mine is Yours....Again!" I've got some Barbies to add.

******

Me Time Follow-up: I think I've decided on a headshot and will be printing and submitting to local agencies this week. Wish me luck!

What will you do this week?

Me, Myself and Time AND Some Mama Drama

It's a two-fer day! I had to follow up regarding last weeks' challenge (keeps me honest) but Peri had a first, so I have to share that with you too.

Jim was away fishing for the weekend, so it was just me and the girls. Friday night, Peri came out of her room around 11pm, bawling. "Peri, what's wrong?" "My tooth! Look!"
She opened her mouth and showed me her first loose tooth. "It's okay, Peri, it's supposed to do that. Remember the Tooth Fairy show we watched? Your baby teeth fall out and new ones come in. It won't hurt, I promise." She continued to bawl and didn't believe me that it was normal and wouldn't hurt. I eventually got her calmed down and back to bed.

About a half hour later, she came out again, "Look, Mommy, my tooth!" She proudly held it out for me to see. "Did you pull it out yourself?" "Yup, I did." "Did it hurt?" "No, it didn't hurt." Then she couldn't stop smiling; she was so proud of herself. "And the Tooth Fairy will come and she'll leave me presents, like a new toothbrush!"

Not able to shop without the kids, I told her she would have to wait until Daddy came home so she could show him the tooth, because the Tooth Fairy keeps the teeth. So, tonight Peri will have her first Tooth Fairy visit and I'm betting she brings a shiny gold dollar coin, a spiffy new toothbrush and some fairy stickers. At least, that's what I would bring if I were her, which, I'm not.

******

So, last weeks' Me Time was about getting some new headshots taken so that I can look for an agent, and hopefully get back into acting. Being a bit pressed for time, I ended up having to do them myself, but I think they'll do for the initial submissions. I'm leaning towards #1, but thought I'd see what you all thought. Most of my friends seem to think either #1 or 4 (which by the way, isn't that close up, it just fit weird in the box). What do you think?

And, for those of you who haven't seen the movie Eat, Pray, Love, you must go go go! I admit, I never read the book, and probably never will, but the movie is fabulous and is great in terms of valuable life lessons (I've seen it twice). I love the part when Liz's character is asked to use a word that describes herself and she says, "Writer," to which her friend responds, "That's what you do, it's not who you are." Which sums up my whole personal goal of self improvement; to find myself and not be labeled only as Mom. It's what I do, not who I am.

What will you do this week?

Mama Drama Mondays: Wake Me When It's Over

This week, I was all prepared to do another Me Time post, but who am I kidding? This week, me time will be hard to come by. I am planning to go out tonight with the ladies, so at least that's something.

I just got back from the grocery store to stock up on soft/liquid foods because this Wednesday, my 3-year-old Ryah, will have a minor surgery. We don't know exactly what it is, but she has something similar to a cyst on the underside of her tongue and according to the doctor, it won't go away on its own and may cause other problems down the road. So, it must come out. This wouldn't be such a big deal except how many 3-year-olds do you know who will sit still while a doctor works in their mouth? Yup, she's going under.

This freaks me out!! I realize it's a simple procedure but the idea of anesthesia on a child worries me. You always read/hear about people who have had complications due to anesthesia so of course, I keep imagining the worst case scenario. When I spoke to the doctor, he said that normally, they try to gas children instead of using IVs but because she's having surgery on her mouth, he doesn't know if they'll be able to do that. The fact that he's willing to try is comforting and we're hoping that they can alternate gassing with doing the surgery. It may take longer to do the procedure, but it would be safer for her.

So, hoping for the best. I'm sure she'll be fine, but heck, I'm a mom and moms worry. It's what we do; I'm pretty sure it's in our job description. That and the ability to kiss it all better. Good thing I stocked up on chapstick too!

Mama Drama Mondays: A Moment of Panic

The County Fair was this past weekend and this was the first year we decided to take both girls. The last time we took Peri, she was about 18 months old, and she ended up being terrified and screaming bloody murder when one of the livestock pigs sniffed her foot. We thought we'd wait until she was a little older. When we announced where we were going, she got excited and asked if she could wear her cowboy hat. But of course!

We met up with some friends and the eight of us wandered through the exhibits and barns all morning long and then sat down for some of that "fabulous" fair food. Afterward, Peri said she needed to go potty, so she and I headed towards the restrooms. I heard Jim calling me and when I turned around, Ryah was falling over herself to come too. Okay, I guess we're all going.

Naturally, there was a line for the ladies room, so we waited; some less patient than others. The stalls were only big enough for one person, so I got Peri situated in one and I took Ryah with me into the handicapped stall, so she wouldn't wander off. After washing up, Ryah announced she had to go too, so she rushed into a stall that had just opened up. I could feel the glares from the line of women behind me. I apologized and wrestled her onto the seat (she's now terrified of falling in after attempting to use a porta-potty). Peri was wandering around behind me, or so I thought.

After taking care of Ryah, I looked around and didn't see Peri. I hurried outside and started calling her name. She wasn't there. We rushed back inside and I called her again. I thought she might have wandered into the changing area. One of the ladies in line, who didn't speak English very well, pointed at her head, indicating a cowboy hat, and said she'd gone outside. So we hurried back out and I scanned and called for Peri. Finally, I saw her slowly wandering towards us from about 20 yards away. I rushed to her and saw that she was about to cry. She said some little girl screamed at her and then hit her and it made her sad. I told her that maybe it was an accident (since she misinterprets all the time) but that it was no reason to wander off. Did she want a stranger to take her away from us forever? No. Then, please please please, don't wander off.

Peri was "missing" for about a minute, but it seemed like forever and definitely long enough for someone to snatch her if they wanted to. She is the type of child to get into the van with the puppy or take candy from strangers, so it's been hard teaching her about stranger danger. Thank goodness nothing bad happened, but now's as good a time as any to drill into our kids how important it is to stay close in crowded areas and to learn about stranger danger. Few things are scarier than that moment when you can't find your child and that's a moment I don't ever want to re-live. No mother should. Scary stuff and definitely an eye opener. Yikes!

Mama Drama Mondays: Hitched

A few months ago, I was driving Peri to preschool and noticed that the car in front of us belonged to another family in her class.

"Look, Peri, that's Sean's Daddy's car in front of us."
"Sean?"
"Yeah, I think that's Sean."
"Oh, I like Sean."
"Is he your friend?"
"Yeah, he's my friend. He's my boyfriend. He's my husband; like Corpse Bride."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I was literally speechless. Part of me wanted to just giggle and the other part was a little offended at not being invited to the wedding. Apparently, my 5-year-old had gone and grown up. That's one heck of a preschool! Marriage ceremonies at no extra charge.

Once I got to the school, I asked one of the teachers if Peri and Sean played together a lot. I then told her what Peri had said in the car and we both had a laugh. She said they did play together often and sometimes they would even dance together in class, kind of like square dancing, during song time. It was all just too cute. Sean didn't speak English very well and paired with a not-so-social Peri, they were a match made in shy heaven.

What was funny is that four other kids had paired off into boyfriend/girlfriend couplings also, but that they actually held hands. Peri and Sean were more like inseparable BFFs and I'm not quite sure where the marriage came in, but now that preschool is over, I think the marriage is too. They'll both be starting Kindergarten in different schools, but who knows, maybe their paths will cross again someday. In any event, I certainly wasn't expecting the whole boyfriend/girlfriend situation this early on and I couldn't help but think... "and so it begins."

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Mama Drama Mondays: The Camping Trip

I don't know what possesses people to pack up all the comforts of home so they can spend the weekend sleeping in the woods, but we did it this weekend. In fact, it was the first time our family has ever been camping. It dawned on Jim and me, on the way to the campground, that the last time we went camping was when I was about 7 months pregnant with our oldest (I should note that I slept in a camper for comfort reasons). Personally, I consider myself lucky that I've managed to avoid camping for the last 6 years, but I should have known my time was up.

So, with much reluctance, we dusted off the camping gear and fishing poles and headed out to Promontory Park on the Clackamas River. At least the forecast was going to be nice for the weekend, although, I might have canceled if I'd know what the forecast was going to be for my kids: annoying with an increased chance of whining. Ooooo fun.

We went with a group of people, but we had the youngest kids (the only other child was a 10 year old girl). Most of my attempts at adult conversation went like this....

"Yeah, I went and saw the movie and... Peri where are you going? Stay here.... I thought it was okay... No, you can't leave by yourself, someone needs to go with you.... If you liked the show you'll like the movie although... Ryah, stop running, you're going to fall again.... there were some cheesy parts in the movie but overall... ARGH, Ryah I told you not to run, come here.... What was I saying?"

I should say that the kids were okay, for the most part, but when they were stinkers, boy were they. I don't know how many times I had to tell Peri to quit wandering off by herself or screamed, "What is that? Don't put it in your mouth!" However, they were delighted at having top bunks in the yomes we stayed in (yes, this is roughing it for me) and they enjoyed fishing, or at least, pretending to fish in Ryah's case. Peri also loved "driving" the boat and we enjoyed a nice long trip down the river. In hindsight, I think I enjoyed the boat the most because it corralled my kids for a short period of time.

The important thing is that Jim and the kids enjoyed themselves and if I have to "suffer" once a year, I'll do it for them. Besides, it is kind of gratifying when your 5 year old catches the biggest fish on her princess fishing pole and your husband has to be proud and envious at the same time.


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Mama Drama Mondays: The Adrenaline Junkie

I could say that my 3-year-old is a daredevil, but that doesn't seem to tap into her need for a thrill. In fact, I think it's fair to say that my daughter is an adrenaline junkie.

I never had to childproof the house for Peri, but Ryah on the other hand has been curious from the start. If it can be opened, climbed on, jumped off of, she'll do it. Lately, she's taken to climbing halfway up the stairs and jumping down to the landing with a really loud thump. I don't always catch her doing it and I swear I'm just waiting for her to sprain her ankle or something.

Last weekend, Jim and I took our first big trip without the kids and my in-laws were kind enough to watch the chicklets. They took the girls to the local aquatic center for swimming and good times. Ryah likes to jump off the side of the pool in the deep end and my MIL had to constantly keep tabs on her because she'd just jump in when no one was around. When Pat would pull Ryah up she'd be all smiles and wanted to go again. She even tries to step to the side and jump in next to you so you won't catch her. She loves the thrill of it!

Then this weekend my neighbor was showing Ryah her garden. About 20 minutes later, they both came strolling down to my house and Ryah was carrying something. "Ryah has something to show you." A freakin' garden snake! She just picked it up and started playing with it by whipping it against the ground. By the time I saw it, it was dead. Not sure if she found it that way, but it looked recently dead. I couldn't believe it. After tossing it in the debris bin we asked Ryah if she was scared of spiders and she said, "yes." When asked if she was scared of snakes, she said, "no." Ack!

So, apparently I need to keep a closer eye on my adrenaline junkie or enroll her in a 12 step program. Yup, AA, Adrenaline Anonymous.







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Mama Drama Mondays: Oh Look, Lemonade!

Since the middle of April, my husband has taken two business trips; he's currently on his second in Israel. The first trip was for two weeks in Shanghai and the Israel one is for 10 days. He'll finally get home tomorrow. That's almost a whole month with just me and the chicklets. Drama doesn't even cover half of it.

I usually get comments of how I now know what a single parent must feel like, which is partly true, however, most single parents have to work to support their families and are unable to stay at home with the kids. So essentially, I've been on duty, at my job, 24/7 for a month. No breaks. Yeah, I don't envy me either. I wish I had an outside job just to get away from my kids for a few hours. The adult interaction alone would have been lovely.

For the past month, we've pretty much been shut-ins. I had all kinds of plans of taking the girls out places like the zoo and the park, but for the most part, the weather has been so inconsistent, planning has been a nightmare. Plus, the small outings so far, with the three of us, have been less than smooth. My patience has gone the way of the Dodo bird.

I did, however, start a treasure box. When the girls were good, I would put a surprise in the box for them to open each day. There was a movie/popcorn night, manicures/makeup, dollar craft projects from Jo-Anns, bubbles, coloring books and game night, to name a few. They started to look forward to it and would request "surprises." I loved watching the looks on their faces as they opened the box to find a new treasure each time. Always an enthusiastic, "Wow, look at that!" It's been going so well that I think I'm going to keep it around and turn it into a Mommy & Me Time box. It seems like most of the items are things that I need to do with them.

So a new tradition has been born out of what would have otherwise been the month from Hell. With how hectic things get, sometimes I forget to just stop and spend a few moments with the kids. I want them to spend quality time with me so the box will help us all remember to do it. Besides, what mom doesn't need to take a moment for a manicure or blowing bubbles? Good times. :o)

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Mama Drama Mondays: Project Runway

My oldest daughter is 5 and having her own opinions is an understatement. That girl knows what she wants when she wants it and if she doesn't, she'll let you know that too and stick with it. Oh yeah, she'll stick to her guns even when she doesn't know what she wants. And when it comes to clothes, I no longer have a say.

Oh sure, I buy the clothes, all cute and coordinated, but does she necessarily wear them that way, um, no. Once it's in the closet, anything goes. I've found that if I don't interfere with her getting dressed, she'll just do it. Granted, sometimes modifications need to be made according to weather, but generally, she's wearing clothes and that works for me. We all know what the alternative is when she doesn't pick out her clothing. :oP

When I take Peri to preschool, we're usually met with giggles from parents and odd looks from her peers, but everyone pretty much expects that Peri dresses to the beat of her own drum. They're usually tickled pink by her choices. And speaking of pink, no outfit is complete without it. Also, her idea of color coordination is usually, "Look, my shirt is pink and my skirt has pink." Never mind that they're completely different colors and shades of pink; if it's classified as pink, they match.

Lately, I've been documenting my future Project Runway contestant. Now you can all say you knew her when. I'm just waiting for the day when she becomes a trendsetter and what she wears today ends up on every girl next week. Until then, I shall continue to document and smile.

Yes, she's wearing two headbands.

Did you notice this is her favorite dress? Keep in mind, she wore this outfit when it was sunny and warm outside.

Over the weekend, Jim and I were working in the yard and asked Peri to go put some pants on to play in. She put on the outfit above and started to head out. "Peri, you need to wear pants." To which she responded by pulling up her skirt and revealing a pair of shorts. "I did!"








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Mama Drama Mondays: ASD

Today I had my first ever parent/teacher conference with Peri's preschool teacher. Is it just me, or does the thought of going to these feel like you're being pulled into the principals office?

As I sat outside and waited for my name to be called, it seemed oddly reminiscent of school office visits past. Not that I was a bad kid (I was too terrified to ever act out) but it was that same feeling when you are called to the office for any number of reasons. The first thing that goes through your head is, "What did I do?" Except this time, not only was I thinking "What did I do" but also "What did Peri do?"

I realize these meetings are purely informative but no one wants to hear bad news and so you sit there and wait for it. I was pretty sure she couldn't tell me anything I didn't already know. We made small talk and honestly, I wish we could have just done that the entire time. Because I knew it was coming. The inevitable was confirmed when she said she kept holding off filling out Peri's evaluation because she wanted to be able to put excellent on everything, but she and I both agreed that I would have questioned whether she knew which child was mine and did she even evaluate her. :oP

Peri is currently in an early intervention program to help with her delayed speech/comprehension. Over the last couple of years, she's made a lot of progress, but she still isn't grasping communication and relationships with peers as well as she should be. And a couple of weeks ago, her teacher there called me and mentioned that we may want to start evaluations for ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder). I signed all the paperwork and hopefully those evaluations will start soon. I know she'll test positive and I'll be relieved when she does, because as a parent, I can learn how to better meet her needs.

So hearing notes from both teachers only confirms that they're both seeing the same struggles with Peri. And that as a parent, I'll need to do things a little differently when it comes to how to best help Peri.

When the early intervention teacher told me about testing, she was walking on eggshells. Apparently, a lot of parents don't want to hear that there's something wrong with their child, especially if the word Autism is used. But what parents need to understand is that it has nothing to do with them and their ability to parent, and that understanding your child and their special needs can only make yours and your child's life that much easier. When you're all on the same page, the book makes so much more sense.

Is this a downer? Not at all. It's just a hurdle that my family and I will train together to jump. We're going to be Olympians by the end of this. I'll keep you posted on the progress. :o)







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Mama Drama Mondays: Ah-ha!

So my just-turned-three-year-old, to put it mildly (very mildly), is a stinker. I now fully understand the reason some people just stop at one, because there's never any bickering, sibling rivalry or contention until you add another. My house was so quiet before, and I didn't even know it. There's that hindsight again.

Ryah will relentlessly torture her older sister. At any given moment, you'll hear Peri sobbing and Ryah laughing at her. It's horrible. Ryah will take toys from Peri, while Peri chases after her yelling, "Give it back, Ryah! Give it back!" And there's Ryah, happily running away and just giggling. Peri hates loud sounds (which is Ryah in a nutshell) and at night, Ryah will scream at the top of her lungs, while Peri cries for her to stop, then Ryah will let out a hearty laugh and do it again. Seriously, she's a stinker. I have to roll my eyes when people say how cute she is. It's all for show. :oP

She's also a discipline problem, as I haven't yet figured out anything that works. She's the child that laughs while you punish her. She'll sit in timeout, but as soon as she's done her time, she's out and doing whatever it is again, that got her in there in the first place. I thought I would be doomed to wait until she's old enough to have things she cares about taken away.

And then she turned three.

So for Ryah's birthday (which was April 7th), we decided to take her to Red Robin for dinner then come home for cake and presents. We thought it would be fun to have the staff sing to her at dinner (plus we had to suffer it so many times, we thought everyone else should have to listen to the song again). They brought over the obligatory birthday balloon ears and she seemed kind of confused. Then they started singing.

Ryah put her head down and started shaking it. Then she looked up, slapped her hand to her face and continued shaking her head. She was embarrassed!! I had never seen that before! My three-year-old was being pubicly humiliated and I couldn't help but laugh. So that's it! All I have to do is take her to a public place and start singing Happy Birthday to her. When they were done, she was beat red. Of course, when we got home, we just had to sing again for her candles. And it happened again! Classic.

So there you have it, if you have a child, who doesn't respond to discipline, they may just need a loving dose of public humiliation. Apparently, it works! And it makes for great photos. Mwahahahahahaha. :o)









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Mama Drama Mondays: Happy Easter!

Tis the season for bunnies, baskets and a bounty of goodies. We don't usually do anything big to celebrate, but this year the girls got spoiled!

Jim and I don't eat hard boiled eggs (seriously, the smell alone should scare most people off) so I usually get the plastic eggs and fill them with candy. We also don't get to hide them outside because it will inevitably rain this time of year. In fact, we haven't had a dry Easter since we've had kids. That's okay. The Easter Bunny doesn't like to get wet either and prefers to hide the eggs in our living room. So, our kids have never dyed eggs. And you can't call it a travesty if they don't know what they're missing right?

Well, my friend Krystal talked me into doing egg dying this year ("Your kids are so deprived!"), but it was under the condition that she help. The girls enjoyed it and we'll probably do it again next year (as long as we have someone to send the eggs home with after they're found). Stained fingers and happy faces were worth the extra mess.

Then she and my friend Danny got into an Easter Basket competition to see who would give the better basket to the girls. All I got the kids were umbrellas, videos and mini Barbie Dolls (Krystal was shocked because she always loved getting huge baskets as a kid, and I was again missing the point of Easter). But they were more than welcome to do whatever they wanted to; I wasn't in on the competition. Danny went for a Hello Kitty theme and Krystal went for a candy filled, bigger is better theme.

And on Easter morning, the girls eagerly anticipated what the bunny might have brought them. The dining room table was all but covered with baskets, three for each girl! Thank goodness I didn't get them candy, we're set for a good two months. So who won for best basket? Let's just say no one knows kids better than their parents. Each girl went straight for her brand new umbrella. Maybe I was depriving my kids, but at least I got something right this year. :o)


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