Back in the Saddle

…and back to blogging it is…

Partying like a rockstar with your mother (not yours, mine actually) equals one crazy week! There is always good times to be had when Jan comes to town, I tell you what. Outlet Shoppers Beware!!

There was much hanging out with the ladies (I love hanging out with my mom & sisters), what with Angie's bow party, eating, shopping (with no kids: my favorite. because I am evil), eating, messing up my sister Shelly's house, shopping, and the movies (I told you Jan knows how to get the party started in the ATX).

Quick side note: loved Dan in Real Life. It wasn't what I expected (I was thinking Michael Scott-ish), but it was even better! Go see it asap! (I enjoyed the music, too, because I am weird like that…check out Sondre Lerche, if you would like)

Anyway, then the time came when Angie had to fly back to I-dee-ho and leave us here to party without her miss her desperately.

Awww poo—it was sad to see her go. But fortunately, her departure was promptly followed by my Dad's arrival and he cranked the party up a couple of notches, if you know what I mean (actually, I don't even know what I mean) but it was fun having him here. My parents were able to go trick-or-treating with the kids for the first time and it was so stinkin fabulous to have them for the big event! We loved it.

And speaking of Halloween, why are my kids the biggest sissies on the face of the planet? So, we've already discussed how Brinley should have her own "Maury Povich" episode, and now I've got Braden trying to upstage his sister in the sissy department on Halloween, no less. I mean I knew Braden was afraid of "spooky stuff" like skeletons and vampires and stuff (what a baby, right? Just kidding, sheesh! :) But then he goes and gets scared of…wait for it…himself. Yes, my friends, my child was afraid of himself on Halloween. And I did not paint his face in blood or give him a skeleton mask. No. He was a Lion. He took one look at that lion's mane and ran for the hills. My mom chased him down and lovingly coaxed him to look at himself in the mirror at the nice lion/boy, but Braden covered his eyes and said "I'm scawed. I'm scawed." To which I replied, "You've got to be kidding me." Ok, not really. I did try to be sympathetic. But dude, he was seriously going to cut into my candy intake if he didn't buck up and wear the Lion costume, ya know? (I'm kidding. Only kidding...and "Mother of the Year" Award goes to...)

But it does make you question if Nolan and I are constantly jumping out from behind various nooks and crannies at our children with giant balloons or dressed as Lions, yelling "Boo!" by the way they are acting…come on, I know that's what you're thinking… :)

Fortunately, I married a wise man who sweetly talked to Braden and helped him understand that the nice people with all the yummy candy don't give handouts to little boys who are dressed like sissies, but only to little boys dressed as lions. See, Braden? And wouldn't you know it: we had a full-blown Lion on our hands. Ok, that's not how it went down. Nolan didn't really tell him that, but somehow he conned Braden into wearing his costume and we were good to go…

We went with the Dorothy/

(I like to call her Dot)

Lion/ (he's actually growling in this picture)

Homely Target employee/

(doesn't my daughter looked pleased to be seen with me?)

White Trash...er, theme...

(Nolan knows how to represent...it frightens me how well Nolan pulls off the fancy mullet look)

It's a somewhat non-traditional Halloween combo, but that's how we roll…

I have many more pictures to share so beware...