where did she get that brain from?

Pumpkin Pie was studying for her science quiz tonight when she came upon a problem...

Child: Mom, I can't find the answer to number two.
Me: (Reading question: "In which of the three states of matter does air exist naturally?") OK, what are the three states of matter?
Child: Liquid, Solid, Gas...(pause)...Oh, I thought it wanted to know which state in the United States!

Hmmm...did she get that brain from her dad?

I have RELAPSED

We had a great time last weekend. We had the privilege of keeping my nephew all weekend and took a trip to Dollywood (his first time and to celebrate for Sweet Pea's birthday). Since we have been so busy, we decided to be absolutely lazy this weekend.
On to the relapse...last Christmas, we purchased a Wii for the girls. You can guess who plays it the most though. I became addicted. I thought I kicked the habit and had stayed away for a little while, afraid that I would get sucked back in. Well, today, temptation was too much. I purchased the new Mario game. I didn't play it before the night service at church because I knew that I would end up skipping service. However, after church-it was ON! Matt and I have spent the last hour realizing that we do not believe in team work (you would have to play the game to understand). I am already withdrawing and thinking about how I will get my next fix. After music lessons tomorrow, me and the girls may need some "quality time."
Pray that I do not get sucked into Mario World!!!

Halloween and special birthdays

Friday night, we attempted to get ready so we could attend a festival at a local church. I failed at my attempts but I came away with a cute story. On the way home from school, Sweet Pea asked, "Are we going to the vegetable?" (instead of festival).
Saturday, we enjoyed some wonderful company for a nice dinner at home and the kids had a great time playing.
Sunday, we took a trip up to Norris dam after church so I could get some fall photos of the girls before all of the leaves were gone. After church (Sunday night), we ate dinner at Cracker Barrel with some friends from church. Sweet Pea fell asleep on "Tiff-Tiff" halfway through the meal.
Sunday was also an important day for my bestest. Kendra celebrated her birthday, although she wouldn't answer her phone so I could sing to her. But a tradition is a tradition...so I made up for it by singing, "A Very Merry Unbirthday" (from Alice in Wonderland) to her today. She shared a cutesie with me as well...apparently, she complained yesterday that I had not called to sing our traditional day after the birthday song. Her daughter informed her that I could not sing it to her because IT WAS STILL HER BIRTHDAY! Gotta love that half brain we share! Sunday was also our dear, sweet cousin, Val's birthday. She wouldn't answer the phone to hear us sing either. I wonder if people are trying to send us some sort of message?!
Wednesday is Sweet Pea's birthday and she is very excited.

Circus and Nephew

The Grand Finale- the human cannonball!
The circus- getting ready to shoot the human cannonball. My pictures did not turn out well. I took in one of the girl's cameras and the lighting obviously was not ideal.
What a cutie pants!

We had another blessed and wonderful weekend. Currently, we are battling an unfortunate circumstance but I know that God is going to work it all out. Just having that peace was enough to make the weekend great. Saturday evening, we enjoyed Cracker Barrell with our best friends before going to the circus. We had the pleasure of keeping my nephew Saturday and Sunday. He absolutely loved the animals and the clowns at the circus. He was a perfect angel for us all weekend (given his age). The girls were so well behaved and kind to him, which made me extremely proud. Sunday, our preacher started a new series of messages regarding tithes and offerings to God. Then we visited with my grandparents and returned my nephew. Sweet Pea asked if we could pay my sister so we could keep him. She thought $5 would be enough! We are looking forward to the week and hopefully will get to spend more time with my nephew soon.

Wonderful Weekend

I had the best weekend ever! We planned this trip several months ago and it was so worth it. The kids want to make this a yearly tradition. Our girls' birthdays are three weeks apart and my best friend's birthday, as well as her two children have birthdays within several days of each other. To celebrate this year, we went to the Wilderness Waterpark. We enjoyed the best company in the world, great food (because I didn't cook it), lots of playing in the water, and we did some shopping.

The girls added to their Webkinz collections and Sweet Pea added more pigs to her collection. We had to add the Webkinz to their accounts as soon as we got home. They could not wait!

In other news, Bailey had his "air bubbles" removed today. He is sleepy but is moving around really well. He has been jumping up and down on furniture and climbed the stairs. I promise that I have tried to keep him rather still but it is not working.

Pumpkin Pie celebrates her birthday tomorrow. She is such a diva! She finally picked out part of her birthday outfit this weekend- a mauve twirl skirt from Pampolina. Now we have to find a sweater and shoes to go along with it. It was so much easier when she would go into Gymboree and get an outfit with all of the coordinating accessories! She has a new piano teacher this year and seems to be excelling. She doesn't seem to mind practicing near as much as she used to.


The Christmas Oinking Pig

Sweet Pea's Webkinz

Pumpkin Pie's Webkinz (her volleyball team is named the cardinals)

Our view: I convinced my best friend to go down that waterslide with me. Ohhh that memory will stick with me forever- her facial expression was absolutely priceless.

The birthday cake- yummy!

The Aquarium

We took the girls to the aquarium today. We also planned to go to Dollywood, since the rain was supposed to end around 1:00. However, I ended up being miserable at the aquarium and we had to head back home afterward because I was literally puking my guts out the whole way home. Shout out to the Pilot station for the sturdy baggage that assisted with the long trip home. I've held down a little bit of food for the past hour so I think it is passing. I feel miserable though about the girls not getting to do more. We had also planned to shop for Pumpkin Pie's birthday outfit. I guess it will have to be put off for another day. Enjoy the pictures!

It happened

We woke up at 7:00 a.m. with Pumpkin Pie running a fever of 102. She says she feels fine other than a sore throat and congestion. She is eating fine and playing fine, even though she is confined to her room with a limited number of things to do. I guess we will be seeing the doctor for a third time in a week and a half. I'm afraid our doctor is going to think we are horrible with our kids getting so sick. I promise they are washing their hands frequently and I am going through sanitizing things often. I limit what they can touch and do and am keeping them confined to one area throughout their sickness. What am I doing wrong!