$5 Fleece......

One of my most favorite times of the year to shop is around the holidays, when there are tons of sales, AND when my children HISTORICALLY all seem to have simultaneous growth spurts. It is then that I am happy to exercise my bargain hunting skills and stock up on winter clothes that will hopefully last the next three months before the next afore-mentioned growth spurt hits. (On a side note, I threw out 4 pairs of shoes yesterday, every single last one of them sporting quarter-sized HOLES in the toe area. This would be thanks to the inherited trait of ALL of them walking on their toes...)

Anyway, my sister and I share the same love for The Children's Place, a kids clothing store that is often ridiculously over-priced in our opinions, but do manage to bring it down to a realistic level a few times a year. Like $5 Fleece time every winter! Cozy, yummy little pullovers and hats and scarves, and pants that don't fall off even the skinniest little tushies (like Ni'ke's). Everything fits, at least for awhile, and we rest easy in the knowledge that our kids will for a time be warm and quasi-fashionable.

It's too bad this picture isn't from the day that I forgot to lay their clothes out the night before school, which I'm in the habit of doing when I go to work at night to help with the morning madness that occurs between the time they get up and when I get back home... Ma-lak looked relatively normal b/c guys don't have that many colors to choose from and everything goes with jeans, right?? But the girls looked like they were headed for an all-night winter camp out, attempting to keep warm, had 2-3 layers of mis-matched clothes on. We're talking green pants with a yellow t-shirt and purple sweater, pink furry boots and then the colorful hats and scarves. I walked in the door and just cracked up!! Most of the cracking up was due to the bewildered look on Daryle's face when he said, "What?!?!? I thought they looked fine!!" Yeah, I let them go to school exactly the way they were...... Why not?!?!?!

School Stuff!!

Rea came home from school the other day, all smiles, and rightfully so! She was the Student of the Month at Meadowview Elementary! She begged me to get a frame for her certificate, and it is now proudly displayed on top of the tv in our bedroom where she thought it should be. :)??

And Ma-lak has missed NO school this year so far! I think Ni'ke has only missed one, and Rea two (one of them being today, thanks to a rotten head cold) but Ma-lak has made it there everyday! Hooray for perfect attendance!! If only perfect behavior came as easily....

Gone Toothless

Ni'ke was ecstatic to finally join the ranks of her older brother and sister - I guess teeth falling out is quite the coming-of-age event. It was always traumatic for me, at least the first few times... Ni'ke however came home from school one day last week with her missing tooth, neatly secured in this darling little plastic tooth-holder that looked like a tooth, compliments of her awesome teacher! I guess the novelty wore off quick because the next morning she came downstairs, handed me a second tooth, and said, "Here's another one."

The younger kids inherited David's old laptop and they are having a ball with it. There are so many fun websites with learning games and fun games alike for them to experiment with. It's a little shocking how fast they're picking it up.... I think I was a senior in high school when I actually got on a computer for the first time. My how times have changed! Daryle sets a timer for them and they all get to take turns a few times a day. Soon they'll be teaching me stuff, I'm sure!

Ya'shar

This little guy continues to crack me up on a regular basis... His latest thing is coming up to me and very sweetly putting his head on my lap or shoulder and saying, "Mommy, I just love you soooo much!" Funny thing is, when he does this it's USUALLY only when I have gum or candy or dessert in my hands....

Movie Fun

I took the girls to see "Tangled" the Saturday after Thanksgiving, what a hoot! Super cute movie!!

This -n- That!!

Nothing really special to blog about today, I'm currently on a lunch break at work at 0530 in the am, and it seems like I rarely have time to catch up on blogging at home, so.... This works!

We are counting the days till Thanksgiving!!! LITERALLY!! The kids put a big "X" on everyday that gets them closer to when their big brother gets home! : ) So sweet... Ma-lak's prayer before dinner last night went something like, "Lord, I'm glad it's only 6 more days till David comes so he can take us to the arcades!"

It's super cool this year that the kids have the ENTIRE week off next week. How relaxing.... No rushing home from work to get them to school! I have Tuesday and Wednesday off before Thanksgiving and I'm sure I'll spend the majority of that time cleaning and doing all the last minute grocery shopping that I'm putting off doing this weekend.... Looking forward to time at home just BEING..... Loving the growing contentment in doing nothing in particular, as long as I'm with my family. Thanks, Lord!

My mom had surgery yesterday morning to repair a hernia, and everything went without a hitch! She was back home that same afternoon, and my sister was able to be there with her for a few days to help her and dad out. (Miss you guys, wish I was there!) She's of course sore, and having a cold/cough doesn't really help when you've just had abdominal surgery, so please keep her in your prayers!

Hope this finds you all counting each and every blessing as a season of thanksgiving approaches! I'm reminded a million times a day, usually at work, that I'm so fortunate to have my health... Lord, please help me to not forget that or ever take it for granted!

On a fun note, the girls have begged and pleaded that I take them to see the new Disney movie "Entangled" when it opens next week. :) Oh, twist my arm! I love every opportunity for a mommy/daughter day, and it looks like a cute movie! And we'll have to throw in some black Friday shopping too, I'm sure, since I can't keep my children in clothing and shoes faster than they outgrow them! Here's Ya'shar's four-year-old philosophy on hand-me-downs: "Mommy, how come when Ma-lak keeps getting bigger his clothes keep getting smaller and then I have to wear them? I don't like it!" Hilarious!

Blessings to you all!

Mermaid 10K Run - San Francisco!

Here are a few pictures from a perfectly beautiful weekend! (I'll post the rest on facebook - it's a little easier!)

This was truly one of the most fun and relaxing and all-around enjoyable runs I've ever done! So close to the water we could feel the ocean spray on our faces as the waves crashed a few feet away!

And thanks to my family who got up REEEAAALLLLY early to come and cheer us on! I love you!!!

Me, Just a-Lovin' the Fall!!!

This really truly is my favorite time of the year.... Here's another Top Ten List of things I love about fall (because it's just fun this way!!)

10. You get to use words like "crispy" and "brisk" without sounding corny.

9. Time to turn on the fire place!

8. It just LOOKS beautiful...

7. I'm a scarf person, and it's time to break out the scarves!

6. The best food of the year is served during the fall.

5. It means we're getting closer to Christmas break and I like it when my kids are home with me!

4. I always volunteer to bake something with pumpkin in it for potlucks at work. Have I ever mentioned I like to bake??!!

3. No one makes a mean tur-duck-en like me husband.

2. Two words: apple cider. No wait, I don't like apple cider. How about: hot chocolate!!!

1. Trees. It's all about the trees!! (See the following post for reference!)

Sunsets, Sushi, and Somewhat Spoiled Sons

Here's a "hodge podge" of pictures that I've randomly taken from the last week or so!


We had a warm spell and the weather changed off and on several days ago, and I don't know if that's why, but we had the most gorgeous sunsets!! Our house faces north, so if you're not outside at the right time, you might miss a sunset, but I finally was able to snap a few pictures!

And speaking of things with perfect colors, I found the most beautiful tree.... I have some great memories from when I was a teenager of taking long walks in the woods and using up 2-3 rolls of film at a time taking pictures of trees with gorgeous colorful leaves! So when I saw this one I begged Daryle to pull over and take a picture of me with it. :) He's such a good husband, he humored me, which really says a lot because this tree was in none other than the Walmart parking lot...

So with all this warm weather it's been so fun to get out and about on my days off. And with the house almost empty of children Ya'shar is relishing the quality one-on-one time with mom and dad while the other kids are in school. Friday he said, "Hey Daddy, I have a great idea. Let's go eat some sushi but we gotta hurry because those other guys will be home soon and we don't want them to go." Well he's honest! So we headed to our favorite sushi spot and watched that little guy put away an entire beef bento box all by himself. Love that dude!

More 10K Pictures

Enviro Sports hired a photographer to take pictures of us during the run last weekend, which I thought was pretty cool cuz you can't really take pictures of yourself... :) The scenery was so breath-taking and I thought the pictures really captured it!