Thursday, October 31, 2013

No Tricks for Our Treats

No pic of twins today. Since it's Halloween, they needed to wear a Halloween shirt and since we made the decision long ago to not "participate" in this "holiday" they had to go plain jane this morning. (If they had been dressing up today like last year instead of just the t-shirts, we would of let them do that. Please do not ask about the logic behind that....) I'm sure you can guess the reasons we decided not "celebrate" this "holiday" and since I too grew up with a daddy for a preacher or, a preacher for a daddy I guess that should say, it doesn't bother me that each year they are a little put out with us for making this call. I do remember how it felt to be the odd one out every October 31st ( and James and I had a nice heart to heart about it this a.m.) but I also know that it didn't scar me for life and I certainly don't have any pent up emotional problems towards my parents 30 years later :)

But and however, even though we didn't do the costumes and the trick or treating, my mom always made sure we got to partake in the candy overdose of this time of year. Candy corn and candy pumpkins were of course my fav cause it is the only time of year (usually) you can get them! So, Olivia and I went in search of afore mentioned items and a few other sweet treats. Stopped by Wally World 1st only to find that they had already removed the Halloween candy and put out the Christmas junk. SERIOUSLY??

We went on to Walgreens where we found what we were seeking and a few other of their favorites. So, no worries y'all!! Even though our kids wont be out trick or treating in cool costumes, they will have a nice sugar high this evening just in time for bedtime :)


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Raise Your Hand

Do you know what Justin Beaver looks like? Audrey posed this question the other day: "Raise your hand if you know what Justin Beaver looks like."

I raised my hand but it wasn't to answer her question, it was to ask my own: How do you know who Justin "Beaver" is? Her answer: I just do.

This whole scene was hilarious because on the one hand I was like "you are 6" and on the other hand all I could hear in my mind was Dwight Schrute asking "Who is Justice Beaver?" (You Office fans out there are sharing in my laughter right now!)

I am not looking forward to their tween/teen years because unfortunately the members of my immediate family can tell you about the phase I went through when I wall papered almost every square inch of my bedroom walls with magazine photos of JTT. Raise your hand if you remember JTT!!


Today was twin day and this was the best we could do!
It's HARD having boy/girl twins at times like these. Couldn't
convince Audrey to wear camo and made James hopping mad
when the suggestion was made for him to dress like a princess!
I am not ashamed to admit that my creativity is limited to a camera
lens and the occasional table spread. But they were happy with it
and in the end that is ALL that matters today!!



Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Facebook Status

Do you ever have things happen during the day or have thoughts that run through your mind and you  are like "oh that would be hilarious to put on Facebook?" No? Well I thought it would be funny to post a few of my recent mind updates: note these updates have happened in my mind over the course of several weeks. they did not all take place in a single day. i'm not THAT sad :) but lets not point out the fact that i actually remembered all these mind updates.....

1. Hello there young mother. Did you miss the memo that leggings are NOT pants?

2. To the old lady of darker colored skin than I at Wal-Mart: I did not appreciate you hollering across the parking lot at me to tell my 2 year old that she is indeed old enough to walk and that she should get down and give her mama a break.

3. James told me I looked like a village person this morning when he saw me in my old, ragged flannel shirt that I have been wearing during the cold months since I was in high school. When I asked what a village person was he said "you know. somebody that is really poor." Well son, if I haven't tossed it by now not even your comment can make me part with it!!

4. Should I be embarrassed or proud that I had on the exact same boots today that a student of my husbands was wearing????

5. Treating myself to a nice oreo blizzard this evening. Wondering if Kerry Miller Johnson has had one lately? note: this is what I like most about Facebook. being able to tag people in your thoughts and have them be notified instantly. i probably wont ever know now if kerry miller johnson has indulged in our shared treat lately :) or be able to taunt her with it hehehehe!!!

6. Posting random, weird, hilarious e-cards and laughing uncontrollably at myself for being the genius that found it and shared it with the world!!!

7. Olivia is the worlds best photo bomber. She almost broke her neck trying to get in the picture this morning!

Today is mismatched day! See the sequin skirt Audrey finally got to wear?!




Monday, October 28, 2013

Yee Haw

Today starts Red Ribbon Week at school and today was Cowboy/Cowgirl day. James was PUMPED about today and as he was getting out of the car he told me "I been waitin' for this day for so long!" LOL, bless his sweet little heart!!! Audrey squeezed her feet into her pink cowgirl boots from last year, promising that they weren't too tight. I'll be interested to see what shoes she has on this afternoon, since they had to take their tennis shoes because Monday is a P.E. day. She wasn't too excited about today because she had her heart set on wearing this sequin skirt that someone gave her. I have to appreciate her love for all things sparkly and girly but we had a long conversation about how it's the kind that you have to wear leggings with because it borders on being too short for a 6 year old. And what if some one saw your rear-end on the playground?? That remark just sparked the question of "What's a rear-end?" (and at this moment we are clean out of leggings, tights, socks and any thing else that could be considered cool weather attire for one's legs and feet.)

We have several cowboy hats around here and Olivia loves to put one on and say yee haw and then throw the hat in the air. I wonder just where this child gets her personality from. Every one here at my house is always so dull and boring. As the picture below demonstrates. Dull and boring.




Not pictured below are: Olivia's matched socks, Audrey's hat on her head and James's other cowboy boot and both of them actually on his feet. He had to dig the other out from under a pile of junk in the back of the van and he got stuck on the back of the seat. Oops!


Friday, October 25, 2013

Spotlight Award

Wednesday marked the end of the 1st nine weeks of the school year and report cards were sent home. James and Audrey both received all M's (mastered) and both got excellent remarks on their conduct and progress in school!! This morning the 1st Spotlight Awards assembly was held and we had been informed by their teacher that Mr. Moore, the music teacher at school, had chosen James to receive the Outstanding Music award but that it was a surprise!!

Olivia and I went up there for the assembly and got to sit close to the front and across the aisle, one back from the Kindergarten class and James just happened to sit on the end of the row. We sat through about 20 minutes of perfect attendance (which they missed by 1 day due to their allergy tests!), honor roll, reading programs and a few more for Kindergarten and 1st grade. By the time the music award came up, James had heard so many names that weren't his, when they did call his name he said out loud "James Mizell???!!" and bolted from his seat and ran to the stage. It was so cute and I am so glad I was close enough to him to be able to hear him say that. Haha!! He was pretty shocked and pretty proud of his award and our librarian offered to laminate it for us. Sweet!!








Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Time Out

I am one of those people that has a serious love/hate relationship with Facebook. I love it one minute because I get to "keep in touch" with family and close friends. But the next I am seriously hatin on it because I sat down for "just a second" and the next thing I know it's been 15-20 min and I've accomplished nothing but finding out what so-n-so had for lunch or reading about how so-n-so thinks America and everybody in it is going to hell in a hand basket.

I have a lot going on right now (who doesn't?) and need to get rid of the distractions of some stuff so I can focus on what I need to focus on for the present time. I am enrolled in an on line class for manual exposure and it seems like every time this week I have sat down to read the pdf or watch the videos or read the forums, my fingers automatically check Facebook first and POOF!!!! What little quiet time I have during the day (and night) has disappeared and I've accomplished nothing. So frustrating!! I think I have a serious problem but I wont take the time to dive into that subject. Talk about wasting more time!!

I have deactivated my account for the rest of the week and maybe even for the month. We shall see. There is really no point in keeping up with Facebook so much any more because I have made the decision to seriously limit my picture share on there. And aside from the fact that I can get instant feed back on Facebook, I enjoy blogging more any way and the pictures usually look better on here than FB. If I can keep my posts short and to the point :) There's another of my problems right there!! I also set myself up a Flicker account and have added a few of my photos on there and plan on doing more at some point. I'm not exactly sure how to find someone on Flickr but you can try to look me up!!

TTFN!!




P.s. I just tried to "look myself up" on Flickr but it took me to a page that has 2 pics of Jon and I at a church meeting in Illinois about 10 years ago. STRANGE!!!! if any one knows how to "search" for someone on flickr, please by all means enlighten me :)

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Goodbye, Goldie

Our school had their annual Fall Festival over the weekend and even though it rained and everything had to be moved inside down different hallways through out the school, there was a good turn out. Olivia got to take her first horse ride, my husband was pied in the face a little over 100 times, Audrey got her face painted and James won a goldfish.

It was so crowded in the elementary hall that I was not really paying attention to the "Go Fish" game James wanted to play. I know, I know. The name should of tipped me off but I just thought he was going to be fishing for a prize or something because I couldn't really see what was going on. Much to my chagrin, he won a gold fish and we got to tote it around for the rest of the night. James was SO EXCITED because he's been wanting a pet of some kind for a while now but we just aren't on bored for any of that yet. I have enough to feed and clean up after as it is and most of Jon's experiences with pets when he was little were slightly traumatizing.

Any who, we got Goldie home and in a temporary dwelling place and transferred him to a fish bowl yesterday. James was excited to put this little castle he had painted in there. Well, this morning when I got up I found that Goldie had departed this world. Oh boy, I was so nervous for James to find out. #1 because I didn't want him to be sad and #2 I didn't want to get blamed for his 1st pet kicking the bucket. I knew he would say it was my fault because, well, I'm mama and most things are my fault if they go wrong just because I'm the easiest person to blame!! Well he came in the kitchen and saw Goldie just floating there and said "Hey look I guess Goldie is still asleep." I just smiled at him and then he said "Or is he dead?" I had to break it to him then and surprisingly he din't start crying! He took it like a champ, scooped the dead fish out with his hand and went a flushed him down the toilet. Then came back and said "I know why he died. Cause you wouldn't let me feed him last night." See????

Well, he wasn't angry just matter of fact. But I gently reminded him that DADDY(!!) didn't let him feed Goldie last night because he still had food floating around. When I told him that gold fish just don't live very long usually that seemed to satisfy him. All in all our short lived pet ownership went well and maybe just maybe we will be getting us another one some time soon. Maybe.

Disclaimer: I had to help out at Jon's pie booth for awhile so James tagged along with one of his buddies and they got their faces painted so that why I have no pics of J getting his done. Audrey tagged along with one of her friends and that's why I have no pics of her on the horse. My mom brought Olivia about 5:30 and while I was helping at the Kindygarten booth I was able to snag a few pics of her doing some stuff. James racked up and won a fishing pole, a 2 liter drink and the goldfish. Not to mention the amount of candy they came home with was like Halloween!










Friday, October 18, 2013

When the water bill comes due. . . .

Lately when I am in the kitchen (which seems to be all the time this week) she wants to be in there with me. So I usually give her a "job" to do to keep her busy and out from under my feet. She loves to help me "wash" dishes and even though it can get a little messy (but it's just water, right?!) she adores it and will stand there for 30 min sometimes, like she did this morning. And this morning I figured I'd better snap some pics to remind myself why it's OK that the water bill is so high when it comes due next month :)



What's in the food processor, you ask? Zucchini. It's feeding my new obsession for Zucchini bread.


This was totally caught on accident as I was just trying to catch a shot of her cute tooshie :) I didn't even know the water was there until I pulled these up on the computer. Cause all I heard as I was taking the shot was "Uh-oh I spilled it mama." Pretty cool catch if I do say so myself! And see what I mean about messy? Oh and I assure you it was WATER and not, you know. . . .even though it looks like it :)



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Mangos and Pink Ones

I always seem to forget things when I sit down at the computer to blog. Things that I specifically want to document; I guess because there's always so many! Yesterday was no exception.

 Olivia has a nose like a blood hound (just like her mama and her big bro!) and is always picking up on new smells. So she always will ask "What's dat smewin?" As in "What's that smell?"

So I will answer her and she either says "Oh I wike dat" or "I don't wike dat."
Example 1: I wipe down our kitchen counters with a vinegar/water mix. She always comes in and says "Mama, what's dat smewin?" And I will answer "vinegar" to which she crumples her nose and says "I don't wike vinegar."
Example 2: I will be putting on perfume and she comes into the bathroom and says "Mama, what's dat smewin?" I say "My perfume" and she says "Oh! I wike perfume."
These are just 2 examples. We have conversations like these all.day.long.

Yesterday she was reading a new book from the library and kept coming into the kitchen where I was to ask me what something was that she had never seen before. And she always left the room saying "Oh I wike dat." It was presh.



Today when I put her in her chair for lunch, my necklace bumped her in the nose and she said "I sure wike your pwetty neckwace. She makes big comments like this a lot.

She calls Flamingos "Mangos" and Penguins sounds like "Pink Ones."



We went up to the school earlier today to help bag candy for the Kindergarten booth at the Fall Festival this weekend. When we were finished up one of the moms left before any one else and Olivia tells her, "Bye tanks for coming to help."

Her favorite game to play and by far my LEAST favorite, is to run and hide under her bed from me when it is time to change her diaper or her clothes. She thinks it's hilarious and wont stop doing it. I hope her daughter does the same thing to her one day :)



When someone does something she doesn't approve of like take her seat or her book or whatever, she spouts out the most indigniet "HEYYYYY" you can imagine.

When she tries to talk over you (which happens A LOT in this household) and Jon or I tell her to be quiet that it's so-n-so's turn to talk, she depressingly says "OhhhhKayyyy", drops her head and goes back to eating or doing what ever.



She randomly will tell me "I wuv you so much" followed up with a tight squeeze and and a kissy sound. See? See why she's just the best thing since sliced bread???

And when she hugs you she ALWAYS rubs you on your back. Sweetest thing ever.



She does not allow the door to her room to be open while you are singing her songs for nap or bedtime.

Even though her screams can traumatize you and she can cock an attitude faster than she can say "Hey!!" we love her so much and are so thankful and grateful the Lord blessed us in giving her to our family. This Mizell bunch wouldn't be the same with out her. It wouldn't be the same with any of our little wild indians. We have some pretty amazing youngins.





P.S.
The picture below is a great example of why it has to be like breathing to you to always check (or change back) your point of focus. Ahhhhhhh!!!!! It's cute any way but I almost can't look
at it because of how even more cuter it would be if her body was in focus in stead of the patch of grass behind her. . . .






Wednesday, October 16, 2013

And she says "HUMPH"!!

Olivia has started doing so many new things and saying such big words lately I felt the need to document some things. She's growing way way way too fast and feels so big in my arms at night when I sing to her now that I just want to freeze time. This age is exhausting but so fun!

She stomps her feet and folds her arms and says "Humph it not fair" at any given time. 

She has a bad habit just in the last week of spitting when she gets angry but I've just about got that one "Nipped in the bud."

She still asks for that juice cup first thing in the morning and I still give it to her but we don't take it with us any where any more and she drinks water out of a big girl cup at supper time.

She all of a sudden developed a taste for pickles and now asks for them all.the.time.

She hums 50% of the time lately. Especially if she is concentrating on something or just enjoying her self playing with her toys.

She still loves to read.

She still thinks she is as big as James and Audrey and any other kid she is around. Resulting in a mother who should be skin and bones by now. (get it?!)

She is still the life of the party and has really started making us laugh by making funny noises with her voice while she is talking.

She is scared of loud noises and runs and hides from them if she can. Although Audrey got her to stand still and not be scared of the hand dryer in public restrooms any more which is huge for her.

She still naps and sleep like a champ at night. I had a mild panicking thought the other day when I realized she is inching closer and closer to cutting that nap out.

She loves sparkly things and music and hair accessories. She still talks all the time about being 3 and being able to go dance like Audrey.




She figured out how to swing on her belly the other day and it's just the best thing ever to watch her do it. To watch those short little legs swinging in the air, almost able to touch the dirt.

She was riding in the barbie jeep with Audrey the other day and started begging to drive. I told Audrey to let her at least try it and to help her. Well they switched sides and Olivia took off. She was driving all over the yard; I was so amazed!! Then Audrey had to go in the house so James took over for her. As she was running she shouted over her shoulder "James be sure to press the gas pedal for her!" I laughed so hard. It looked like little Peanut was driving that thing and the whole time her big sister was gassing it up for her. Hahahaha!!!!

She loves to talk on the phone to who ever and loves to play Starfall on the computer. We make pumpkins and dress turkeys and watch flowers grow, just like I did with the twins when they were her age. Remembering things I did with them when they were her age makes this whole growing up process even harder. I look at Olivia and then look at James and Audrey and it almost takes my breathe away. It's happening so quick.

The best thing she's started doing lately is an obsession with hugging and kissing a hundred million times before she goes to bed. I sing our usual songs and put her in her bed, cover her up and say good night. I get almost out the door and she shoots up and says "KIIIISSSSSS!!!!!" So I go back and she throws her arms around my neck pulling me down and kisses me twice on the mouth, then hugs my right side and then kisses me again and then hugs my left side. She does this about 10 times and sometimes, when it's been a long day, I secretly wish she'd hurry up or not feel the need to do it so many times. But I know it wont last forever so I stand there and let her. She also does it with her daddy when he puts her to bed so you know he loves that.





We went to a pumpkin patch with some friends last Sunday afternoon and had such a fun time! Olivia especially. Imagine that! She got to jump in a bouncy house (thankfully there no other kids than our little group in it at the time) and paint a pumpkin. She loves to paint and hummed the ENTIRE time she worked. I need to let this child paint more.





Friday, October 11, 2013

WARNING: Picture Overload

If I could only eliminate the need for sleep, bathing, eating and if I had a speedy jet plane that could transport me and my kiddos to where ever we needed to go in an instant, I could be Super Mom. Or Super Woman. Or, I could just be proficient and productive 24/7. But since I cannot escape any of these things, I guess I'll just keep doing what ever it is I've been doing and hope that at the end of the day or week or month I'll have something to show for it. Maybe I should just have my self cloned 10 times and I'd be set.

Any hoot. These last few weeks have been busy with a capital B and I have been lazy with a capital
L A Z Y. Those two things do not mesh well together. Not at all. Especially when you've got an extremely energetic 2 year old with you all.the.time.

Last time I promised some pictures of the ideas I had in store for James and Audrey's 6th birthday so here ya go!! I had so much fun coming up with the ideas (some from pinterest, some my very own!) and Jon and I had the BEST TIME EVER making them come to life!!!! These are totes going to be family traditions now for every birthday!! (I am the worlds worst at remembering to charge batteries on my camera's. Had to use the small one early in the morning resulting in some blurry pics. My sincere apologies!!!)













I had been working with Olivia for the last few days to get to her to believe and accept the fact that it was James and Audrey's birthday and not hers. Something that is quite hard for a 2 year old to wrap their mind around. But I made some progress the day before and so when i went to get her up to go upstairs and wake up J&A, she was SO excited!!!! She was all into it and sang HB to "J&A" and not "me" haha!! But around the time of the gift unwrapping she started to derail and by the time we sang HB with the candles in the pancakes, she couldn't take it any more and started BAWLING her eyes out. It was pitiful and hilarious all at the same time. If I had had the video camera rolling (we really gotta invest in one that's NOT in the camera we r taking pics w/) I am 100% certain that we could have one a sum large enough to pay for her college education. It was that good.









After our morning festivities we rode to school in a "painted" van and even though we didn't get many honks (Note to Self: put the word HONK on the BACK of the van next time!) they still thought it was the best thing ever!! They wore little badges all day, Olivia and I took cupcakes to share with their class mates during recess, they got out of school early, they got to eat Japenese food (the fire place as they say) and then they got to go do a little bday shopping at Target. It was a blast of a day and they both said it was the best birthday they have ever had. Now that is what Mama's like to hear!!!









I swear, as soon as they turned 6 years old, they have grown 3 feet. It's amazing how much they can change in the blink of an eye. They seem so big now. *Sigh*