Boo Who? Boo You!

This little priceless moment is brought to you just because it's too cute not to share.

This time of year always brings around so many different and fun activities to participate in, how do you choose which ones to go to. Luckily the choice is always made easier by who gets to come with you. Saturday was Boo at the Zoo with CeeCee, Ry, F & B.

(isn't B the Happiest and Cutest Owl you have ever seen - and F is an awesome robot!!)

And even though the thought of standing in one long continuous line just to get air heads and tootsie rolls, isn't high on my list of entertainment (I don't even think it's an option on Papa Bears), BB1 was having a ball and BB2 really like the tortilla chips and people handing out string cheese. And that my friends is all the really matters.

I think we left at just the right time, and lunch at Shivers was a great end to a good morning.

Next year (if I can convince Papa Bear to come with me again) I am bringing my own bag of candy and I'll just set it up with the kids that for each animal they see, they get a treat. Then we avoid standing in silly lines, we see the animals (isn't that what we pay admission for) the kids get their candy and everyone goes home happy.

We have also done The Haunted Train Ride on the Heber Creeper. BB1 and BB2 thought the train was pretty cool along with all the things you can look at outside of the train. BB1 was not sure of what she thought once the creatures and spooky people got on the train.

She DID NOT like the Werewolf and surprise, surprise, BB2 thought it was a kitty. Next year though - we will ditch the costumes and just dress super warm. Then we will be able to sit outside and really take in the ambiance of the canyon train ride.

BB1 had a Harvest Festival at her school and it was a madhouse of kids, all running around with tickets in hand to the various games and jumping castles and mega slides. The favorite of the night was the fishing booth. BB2 did not want to give back the fishing rod.

and yet there is still more to come - the pumpkin patch, trick or treating, playing in the huge pile of leaves it took me 2 days to rake up. . . may the fun never end!!!

Up & Down

Up and Down, Up and Down . . .
the people on the bus go
Up and Down, Up and Down
all through the town.

This is BB2's newest word/phrase. All day long it has been nothing but Up and Down, Up and Down, Up and Down, Up and Down.

Did I mention the totally cute actions of her bending down and popping up, while saying for the hundredth time, Up and Down, Up and Down, Up and Down....

I am loving every minute of it!!

Good 'ol Fashion FUN

Before our weather decided to take a turn for winter, we got outside for some good 'ol fashion fun with chalk. You won't be able to tell from the pics, but BB2 is COVERED in chalk. She is all shades of yellow, purple and blue. I guess she was thinking, what's the point of making a picture, if you can't scoot right through it afterwards? And I am pretty sure at on point she decided to see if the stick of chalk tasted any good.

The girls cooperated very nicely for me when I decided I wanted to make chalk outlines of them. They looked a little funny at first, but BB1 helped get them "dressed" and accessorized both pictures very nicely. The addition of hair really added to the overall effect.

We also took the girls to their very first Circus. Barnum & Bailey's was in town and we were able to make the last show on the very last day. Before the show started they let everyone go down on the floor for a little pre-show action (which is how we got to be so close) and the girls got to try on capes and clothes that the circus performers get to wear.

BB1 thought the pre show was pretty cool although BB2 was far from impressed until the puppies came out. Then she got really excited. I think she thought the elephant was pretty cool too.

BB1 was pretty proud of her White Tiger Snow Cone Souvenir cup (and no - you do not want to know how much the silly thing cost) but the smile on her face was worth any price. BB2 was pretty happy with the big bucket of popcorn we got the kids to snack on.

Papa Bear and I just sat back and took in all the energy and excitement of the place. Oh, how I love to people watch. It's been ages since I have been to the circus, and I have to say it was a pretty good show. By the end of the night we had 2 very tired little ones. I think they were both asleep within minutes of getting back to the car and heading home. All in all a very fun night!

Who do you look like?

So today, I was reading a blog site that keeps me highly entertained (http://www.mormonmommywars.com/ - in case you wanted to know) and one of the topics of discussion was how everyone seems to have a double in the world, or at least has been told that they look like someone else, whether they be famous or not.

In my single and earlier married years, I had people tell me I looked like Melanie Griffith. I can only hope they mean before all of the plastic surgery and botox, say pre-Antonio Banderas. One time, I had this guy come up to me in a restaurant in San Francisco (where I was on a business lunch) and he was so excited and animated because he thought I really was Melanie. When he finally realized I wasn't, he kept on saying that the likeness was so strong I should go down to the set of the TV show that Don Johnson did, (I can't remember the name, but he was a cop and it was based in San Francisco, I think he had a yellow car?!?), just to see if I could get on set. Needless to say I left my eventual run in with Don for another time, but the experience was funny to say the least.

I have also had people stop me and tell me I look like Reese Witherspoon and that one I will take as a full fledge compliment.

Well, one of the commenters on mommywars mentioned the following website, where you can go out, upload a picture of yourself, loved ones and the like and it will tell you who you look like. They even break it down to a percentage of how closely you resemble someone else.

**Warning** Proceeding to the following website will completely take away all of your spare time, so if you have kids, don't proceed until you are sure they have been feed (and even better are in bed) and you give your spouse fair warning that you will be unavailable for a while. Of course after the sudden outbursts of laughter and giggles that are sure to follow, he may just come and investigate what you are up to anyways. If your single, tell your friends you are staying in for the night. Just know that you have been warned.

http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/tryFaceRecognition.php?s=1&u=g0&lang=EN

So, after uploading a picture of Papa Bear, his most likely double is Claude Rains (yah, I didn't know who that was either) so I googled him and found out he was an English Theater and Film star from the 30's who was best known for his role as the Invisible Man. Pretty cool, huh. It also came back with John Travolta (I don't really see that one), Clint Eastwood, Matt Damon and Dennis Quad, who I can totally see. He has even been told by complete strangers that he looks like DQ , so there must be some kind of likeness and similarity there.



BB1 looks the most like Jodi Sweetin (when she was younger and on Full House) Dakota Fanning and Emma Watson. I've included the picture I used, so you can see if the JS comparisons measure up.



BB2 looks the most like Queen Latifa - hey, I didn't say it would always be right! I guess it's just the expression on her face. With another picture, she also came back with a match to Bob Marley. Go figure!



And just for fun, to see if the Melanie Griffith and Reese Witherspoon comparisons, hold up, i put in my pictures and here's the results.



I never would have guessed Kylie, but I'll take it along with Evangeline Lilly and Adriana Karembue (Slavic Fashion Model).

So do you agree? Disagree? and most important - who do you look like??

The Wonders of Kindergarten & Homework

The first week of school has gone by and I thought I should share some of the pictures we took that captured the moment.

The excitement that BB1 has of getting to school on the bus can not be measured. Nor can we measure the shear joy of her being able to be with her new friends and learning new things all on a daily basis.

Right now, in this very moment, the joys of Homeworks are at their peak. It is something that is looked forward to, nay even anticipated. It has even reached out and infected BB2, as even she will opt to sit still for 3 minutes and do her "homework" with Big Sis. I hope to keep that feeling and majic going for as long as I can.

Here Kitty, Kitty!

It's funny how different your two children can be and how you realize it in the littlest of things. BB1 is always very nervous and a little shy around any kind of animal. If you have a large dog, forget about it. She will not go near it and is jumpy and watches it's every move. BB2 is the exact opposite. She seems to love anything with fur and it can never get close enough. If she sees a dog, cat or bird she is equally excited for all. I love to see the excitement on her face. I hope she never looses it. Thankfully, BB1 is getting better when she gets around animals, so maybe BB2's enthusiasm will become infections and rub off on her older sister.

With all this talk of animals I should mention that BB2 has a new friend. He stands about half a foot high and weighs next to nothing, but he is soft and cuddly and loves to come over and explore in our yard. To be fair, both of my girls think of him as a friend, but BB2 gets especially excited about our neighbors new kitten. Every time she sees him through the window, she gets all excited and starts squeaking and laughing. It hilarious to watch as her attention can not be diverted once she has laid eyes on her cuddly friend.

Her newest word (that's what we are calling it) is "side" as in "outside" and sure enough if the kitten is outside then that is where BB2 wants to be. She has taken to standing at the door and saying "side", "side", "side" repetitively until I take notice and either tell her no, we aren't going outside (which she doesn't like - shocker!) or I pick her up and take her outside where she immediately wants to be put down on the ground and she makes a bee line for the kitty. You would think they had previously made plans to meet up because as soon as our door opens the kitten scampers right on over into our yard and comes right up to her, so I am pretty sure this love connection goes both ways.

Either way it's too cute and I fully encourage it, especially as it is not my cat. I don't have to clean up after it, or take care of it, or deal with it in any way other than watching my children lavish love and affection on it and go happily on their way. So until tomorrow and the next kitty rendevouz.

Time Flies

So BB1 has begun her official educational journey. Kindergarten has officially begun. No more assessments days or Holidays to hinder the learning process (at least until Thanksgiving), just five days a weeks for 3 hours, Monday through Friday, of learning and growing and reaching for new things and having new experiences.

One major development is that she is going to be taking the bus. This all came about at her insistence, not mine. In fact, I really had to be talked into this one as I was never a bus riding kid and really have no point of reference on which to rely upon.

So she will be taking the bus to school, but I will be picking her up. That was our compromise. Plus the fact that in riding the bus to school, she will only be with other kindergartners (she's in the afternoon session) and with me picking her up, she will avoid coming home with all the older kids and the drama and potential situations I am hoping to avoid at this point in her life.

I guess I have heard too many horror stories of things happening to kids on the bus and experiences others have had to deal with in terms of behavior issues, that I don't even want BB1 having to deal with it at this point in her life. I know they will come, but I want her to be older and better prepared and able to handle them, then I think she is now. I guess I am just trying to keep her as safe and innocent for as long as I can.

In many way's I can't believe that she is old enough to be going to school. One minute she was my little baby, snuggling up to me and falling asleep in my arms. If the next 5 years vanish as fast as the past 5 - and they will - it causes me to take pause and really try and plan for them, at least as much as I can.

Where will I focus my attention and where do I want to spend my time? What will I try to accomplish and what won't I accomplish? What new things will my girls discover and what new adventures lie in store along with what new lessons will we all take part in? What books will I read? What hobbies will I hone? What friends and family will I devote time and attention to? What stresses will I decide to make less burdensome? Will I be in good health and if not what will I change now, today, to make that possible? Will my reputation for honesty among my family and friends be stronger, or weaker?

Most importantly, what am I doing to ensure that I will be loved and respected by my children? Will I be deeper in love and in friendship with my husband? If not, why not? What am I willing to change or balance so that my relationships with others will be even better than they are now?

I suppose my point is that today I am embracing the fact that some things - like time - are completely out of my control. I accept that there are thing that I cannot change or even influence. But there are many things that I can control, change and improve. I realize there are many things I may never accomplish in this life, but I am going to try my hardest to make sure that I spend my time working on the things that matter the most.

It all comes down to time and how to use it. Life isn't about money or materialism; it's about living deeply and becoming what we "value". Now is the time to take a moment and define our values more clearly to ensure we are on the right course. Take a moment to clarify and just remember - time flies!!