"My head goes boom."

When Garett was getting super excited about his math last week, he couldn't stop calculating in his head. His little head was moving faster than his words and he was trying desperately to tell me how he was getting his math answers. When he finally got to the answer and was able to communicate it, he said, "And then my head goes boom!".

Black-Tie

Kevin and I went to the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Black Tie Event last night. Joe Frazier (Smokin' Joe) was there. There were lots of silent auctions, live auctions and live boxing by corporate men all in an effort to raise money for this charity. It was fun to see Kevin on the dance floor! You'll have to ask him about his fancy moves. :)

Feeding the cows

This is a cool slide made out of a cauldron at a little restaurant in Bowling Green called Chaney's. 

Aunt B's and Uncle Brad's farm

Country Life in Bowling Green with Grandma and Grandad Button

Young Rembrandts

Garett was proud of his picture and wanted to take a photo of it. This is a forest drawn with markers. He LOVES markers. They are totally cool- way more cool than crayons.

Halloween Night. Is this the first year I haven't made any costumes?

Voluntary chores

Is there any better sight for a mother than to look out her window and see her child voluntarily doing chores? Tate was raking leaves into one pile, loading them onto the Gator, then driving over to the "BIG" pile, and then unloading them. He went back and forth many times in an attempt to help me with the leaves. He is such a good boy. 

Boxes

Marissa is playing "house" in a box while I clean the garage.

Bobbing for apples

While Marissa was having a Halloween party at her preschool, the boys and I came home and got dressed in our costumes and did our own little parade. We made up scary stories and wrote them down. Then the boys went bobbing for apples. This was Tate's creative way of getting the apple out (using his feet and feeling soooooo proud of himself). Garett went straight for the apple- no stopping, no talking. He was purely on a mission. Their personalities were clearly reflected in their apple bobbing techniques.

Preschool Parade of Halloween costumes

Roofless

Ever wonder what our house looked like without a roof? I'm sure it was keeping you up at night wondering what on earth plywood would look like on top of our house. Well, the wait is over. Here it is.

Caramel apple-making

Museum of Science and Industry

The kids probably spent 30 minutes on this little steam room of the locomotive. They were in love with the cow/farming section, too. Marissa loved the water area (this is the first picture). We totally loved the U-Boat section where they had this massive U-Boat in the museum. This museum is enormous. We went on a "free" day at the museum and I decided (in keeping with the theme of low cost) to take a bus to the museum. Can you imagine taking a bus through Chicago (and having to change buses) with three kids? Well, it was very much an adventure. We all learned the art of asking for directions.

Marriott

We took a trip into Chicago and stayed overnight at the Marriott on Michigan Avenue. This is in a hallway by the elevator. The kids are now aspiring to be shoe shiners. They thought that was a really cool job.

Our Three Little Ghosts

This was a picture of the kids as ghosts going to "Boo" our neighbors with Halloween treats.

Home

Marissa was sitting at lunch. It was kind of quiet while we were all eating our lunch. Out of the blue she said, "I sure am glad we're home." I have no idea where it came from but I was very glad she felt that way.

Star Power...Dad Power

A horrible brotherly tragedy happened after the fashion show. This is dad reassuring the fashion girl that she is, in fact, beautiful and fabulous at being the star of the fashion show.

More moves

More fashion show pictures.

Fashion Show Moves

More fashion show pictures.

Fashion Show

Marissa putting on a "fashion show" for us.

Friends Gotta Hug

Garett loves to get in on the action with Trenton and Tate!

Good Ol' Friends

Our good friends from Kentucky stopped by for a visit. This is Tate, Garett and Marissa having a ball with Trenton and Ashleigh.

Dancing Queen

Go White Sox!!!

Kevin got tickets to take the boys to the White Sox game in Chicago last night. They had lots of fun and great seats! (Thanks Patricia!!!)

Princess Party

Marissa's little Princess Party. We did makeup, tattoos, hair, costumes, a piñata, and lots of cake and candy!

Pink Castle Cake

Marissa's pink castle cake for her princess birthday party with her friends.

Pink is in

Marissa and Lauren had individually selected outfits that matched the others. It was sooo cute!

Little Princess

Marissa fell in love with this Princess gown at the Disney store. Soooo, it was fun for her to open it up on her birthday. Dad bought her a box of 6 pairs of princess slippers which was a total surprise. That night after all the children were asleep- I went to make sure she was covered up. She was sound asleep in her gown and princess slippers!

Lunch with Daddy!

Kevin got to eat lunch with Marissa at the Rainforest Cafe on her birthday!

This is a picture of the kids before they gave her a very special birthday present: her very own Webkin. They both had one and really wanted her to have one like them. They pooled their money and handed it over to the Hallmark clerk. The clerk was pretty surprised to see a little boy buying a pink pony Webkin!