Happy Halloween!!!

Well, after a week-long celebration of Halloween, it's finally here. I've got my favorite Halloween shirt on (that I designed, of course):

Eek, Boo, Mmm Halloween Jr. Jersey T-Shirt

I also went to the Halloween Parade at the Primary school today. So darn cute. Then (finally) trick-or-treating tonight. You know, I totally love Halloween, but I'm ready to take the decorations down and call it a day.

Did I mention that Tony went skydiving yesterday? Well, he did, and he thought it was incredible and awesome. I said that I will go on the next trip (when it's a bit warmer). If you want to see what it's like, you can see the video of our bartender Nikki skydiving for her first time.

Chloe is ready to go trick-or-treating right now. She really doesn't understand that we have to wait, and that there really isn't anybody home right now!

Haven't watched The Office or 30 Rock from last night yet. That's what I'll do tonight after the chickies go to bed. I hope you all have a great day!!!!!

Cafe Press makeover.

As you all know, have a few stores over at Cafe Press. Well, they've prettied themselves up. I think it looks great! Although there are a few minor adjustments that are needed, the navigation seems good, and I like the four products across. Once you log in there are changes, too. All the same stuff, but presented differently. Can't wait to go and play, but unfortunately I have to play restaurant owner right now!!!! More posts soon!

Well, yesterday was a crazy family day.  But it was all good.  After we did our regular Saturday gig of running to the restaurant so that they had change, we came home and got ready for the Rennerdale Halloween parade.  It was very cute, and the Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department always does a great job.  The kids were happy seeing all of their friends, and the costumes.  Oh, and of course the treat bags were very important.

After that we went to the Panhandle Trail for the night walk.  It really is quite cute!  They line the trail with a bunch of carved pumpkins, and have a bonfire on either end.  The kids get a treat bag, and there's hot cider and hot chocolate.  They tell some sorta-spooky stories by one of the bonfires.  It was a little chilly, and Chloe was at the end of her rope by the time we were done.  She had been awake since 5:30, so she just had to be fried.  She was also very "sirsty."

So, I've included some pics for all to see.  More posts later, I promise!  I'm actually getting better at this, and I've thought about some good subjects (other than MY kids, of course) to talk about!

Oh, btw, I discovered the smilbox.com website through another blog that I read (Because I Said So), and it really is cute.  You can use the free verson (like me), or you can pay a yearly/monthly fee to do it without ads and have it show full screen.

Finally, some pics of the kids

OK, it's just a few pics. And I did have fun using the smilebox thingie.

Make a Smilebox postcard

The pics are from our trip almost 2 weeks ago to Idlewild. We had a great time, even though it was pretty darn crowded. Oh, and that story about Chloe? I'm not sure where exactly she heard this (because it's not said in out house), but here it is. We were down the street at our friends' house, and Becca was showing off the fact that she now knows all of the colors in Spanish. Well, she got to black and she said "Black, Negro." No big deal. Well, Chloe looks at me and says "Momma, you shouldn't call people that. It will make them sad." I told her it's how you say the color black in Spanish. She didn't seem to care.

She's a little smartie pants. Look at this! Two posts in two days. Maybe it's the start of something. Maybe it's not. Anyway, I'm about to leave the house to go get ready for our big Halloween Bash at Downey's House tonight. I hope it's a success!!!!!

Time flies...

Well, time really DOES fly when you have 8 million things going on in life. So sorry I haven't written. Mom came up for a visit, running the restaurant, doing my online business, doing kindergarten homework, sometimes sleeping. OH, and the new seasons of my fav shows have started. I have found time for the shows that I like to DVR. They are, in no particular order, True Blood (HBO),The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Three and a Half Men, and new to the line up, The Big Bang Theory. New episodes of 30 Rock start next Thursday, and that will make it on the list too. the beautiful thing about DVR is that I can watch it whenever I want to and skip the commercials. Now I just have to get it in my bedroom, so I can watch before I go to sleep!!

So, here's what motivated me to actually write today. Another funny little Becca story. Last night we were doing homework. She had to glue pictures (or draw pictures) of things that started with the letter 'A' onto a paper. Her little brain was searching and searching for 'A' words. She's sounding it out 'aaaaaa.' And then she looks at me with her big, beautiful eyes. "Mom, I can't say that. It's a swear word." Of course I know what she's thinking. So I tell her "Well, go ahead and say it. Just this once. Because if it's at least a word that starts with 'A' I'll be happy that you figured another word out." Sh she says it "OK...ass." Then she starts giggling. But the kicker is what she asked next. "Mom, can you draw a picture of a butt on my paper?" Laughing, I tell her that I didn't think Mrs. Z would appreciate a picture of a butt.

I just went out and bought bags and bags of Halloween candy and hid it from
myself the kids. There's the preschool party (bags of treats for 11), then there's the kindergarten party (smaller bags of treats for 19), and then there's trick-or-treat. The really bad thing about all of this is that I'm going to get all of that candy back through my kids. Ugh.

I'm also gearing up for the Halloween Bash at Downey's House. Gotta finish getting my costume ready today. I think I have the tricycles for the tricycle races, got the ingredients for the pudding shots, got some spooky drink garnishes. Now I just have to make it through tomorrow. Got a nice 12 hour day ahead of me. Oh, and it's also Anita's (the co-owner) birthday tomorrow, so I have to go and get her a little surprise cake.

I have lots of thoughts racing around this crazy head of mine, and I really will get better at posting them. And all of the stories. OH, I just thought of another one. Gotta remember to talk to you about Chloe and the color black. See ya later!

Chantix Sucks!

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since I posted. Let me fill you in on the Chantix. Um, it was absolutely positively no good. Here's how it went:

Friday (Sept 5th) I started taking the starter pack, which puts the drug into your system gradually. Monday (the 8th) I went to work, and I don't know what was up my @ss that day, but I wore heels. Later that afternoon my knees were hurtin' something fierce. I chalked it up to the heels and the cooler weather. Wednesday I woke up (at the lovely, regular time of 6:40!!) and opened my mouth to brush my teeth. This crazy pain shot into my jaw. Sort of like an ice pick going into my ear. I thought it was odd, but I had shit to do. I had to get the troops ready. As I was drinking my coffee (smoking my cig), I remembered to take my morning Chantix. Literally, as the pill was going down my throat, a light bulb went off in my head. "Huh, I wonder if this crazy pain that's happening every 10 minutes is related to this pill?"

So, I hop online and check the Chantix website. No mention of jaw pain as a side effect. Well, then I Google it. I read stories about joint pain and jaw pain, and one man who complained of jaw pain, walked out his front door and dropped dead. Needless to say, I stopped taking the Chantix. I called the doc and told them the story. They called me back with "We talked to the pharmacist and he read the insert. There's no mention of jaw pain." Wow, thanks. But did I not tell you that I can read, and I already know that it's not listed as a side effect? So, I bitched out politely told the nurse that I would either call her in 2 days and tell her that it WAS the Chantix, or I'd call her in 2 days to look at my frickin' jaw.

Then I talked to my father, who reminded me that jaw pain is a symptom of having a heart attack. Which completely freaked my out and I totally over reacted and contemplated the fact that I could drop dead at any second. I drank a ton of water, took some aspirin and clung to life.

So, the point is, I guess Chantix does work great for some. But if you get the funky symptoms that I got, get the hell off of it. Quickly.

In other news, we (the kids and I) went to Rock the Quarry (a fundraiser for the Panhandle Trail) on Saturday. The kids had a blast, even though we got rained on a little bit. My SIL won $200 in the duck race, and we all ate too many snow cones. But the cutest thing was Chloe. She SOOOOO wanted to work at the 'Beer Store' that Aunt Mary and Aunt Missy were at. She sat in a chair behind the table and was just itching to help. She kept asking me if I wanted a beer, and told me that I needed to be her 'cutomer.' She did end up helping, taking money from the customers and handing back change. She desperately wanted to pour a beer, and reached her fat little hand up when Mary would pour a draft. It was just really darn cute.

And here is the whole thing that really motivated me to write on this blog tonight.

Yet Another Bush Jr. Jersey T-Shirt

Um, is that t-shirt not just hysterical? I saw it on the CafePress blog in bumper sticker form. I really don't buy political stuff (Well, except for my Onorato's a Jagoff t shirt, but that's more personal). I think this one might get bought.

OK, happy day!

What my kids say

Well, I thought I'd start posting some things that my kids say to me. Partially for entertainment value, and partially so I don't forget when I'm old and gray. So, here are some things I remember from the last week or so. Right now they're all from Becca. Chloe definitely has big huge conversations with me, but she hasn't started questioning the world so much yet. Well, except by asking 'Why?"

So, last week we're in the car driving to the bank and here's the conversation I had with Becca

"Mom, do bears eat people?"
"Um, well, not usually."
"Well, I think bears eat people, because people are full of meat. And bears like meat."

OK, point taken.

Then, one morning as I was getting Becca ready for school, this was the scene:

"Becca, come on!  You've got to get your outfit on and come down and eat your waffle!  And we still have to do your hair!! You don't want to miss the bus!"

Standing at the top of the stairs, with her hand resting on her hip, she says:

"Geez Louise, Mom!  You sure are one bossy woman!"

Um, ok.  Point taken again.

She also was kissed by a boy on the bus.  She had a half day that day, and got home about 12:30.  She didn't inform me of the kissing incident until 5:30!!!!  Um...HELLO!!!  Where where have you been all afternoon!!!!  I got the details, which were that she was kissed on the cheek by a boy that she DID like.  She thought it was yucky.  She no longer wants to marry this boy.

Chloe has been adjusting pretty well to Becca not being around.  The house is much calmer.  But I definitely can't wait to hear how Becca's day went when she gets home.

On another topic, I started taking Chantix yesterday.  My quit date is Friday the 12th, which will be the first day I'm at the restaurant during the new smoking ban.  There are a couple of girls at work who have started taking Chantix, too.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.