Prentending to be SuperMom again

I've just volunteered to bring the Halloween Jello Jigglers for the Halloween Party at Jacob's school and I don't have the slightest clue what I'm doing. I think I should have chosen to just buy the little Halloween party favors instead. I know...your thinking "How hard can it be, it's Jello for goodness sake!". But that's just it...I do not have a good track record with Jello. I usually end up with a strange syrup despite the fact that I've followed the directions to the letter. Worse is the fact that they need to look like the picture. Luckily I have the Halloween cutters since my wonderful MIL brought them over to make cookies with the kids. I've been told that if you coat the pan with PAM before you pour the Jello in, they'll release from the pan better. I think this will be a project for when the kids are in bed. We have enough angst over cookie dough not releasing from the cutters. So much for SuperMom. I guess I'll have to turn in my cape.

Alright! Alright! I'm going to stop whining now and go attempt to pull this off. I'll try and post the results in a few days. Wish me luck!

I LOVE Fall

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away; Lengthen night and shorten day; Every leaf speaks bliss to me Fluttering from the autumn tree.

Emily Bronte

Oh don't you just love Autumn? All those beautiful colors, the warm days with crisp nights, Halloween and Thanksgiving. I think it may be my very favorite time of year.

The kids and I celebrated the wonderful fall day yesterday by jumping in a huge pile of leaves. It really was a lot of fun and the kids giggled the whole time.

Jack Be Nimble

Well our Jack O Lanterns turned out perfectly!

Jacob's is on the left, Hannah's is on the right and the morbid one in the middle is Daddy's.

Here's a close up so you can see it and all it's fascinating gore. We all agree it is COOL!

Pumpkin Pickin

This weekend we had a total blast. We went to a local farm and took a hayride to the pumpkin patch. It's sort of a tradition now. We've done this every year since Jacob was 2.

Once we reach the pumpkin patch we trek across the entire patch in search of just the right pumpkin. Not any easy thing to do. Some were just way to big and invariably a perfect seeming pumpkin from afar has major issues up close.



After our search is successful, we all head to the local diner for some much needed refreshment and then it's home to carve!

Has it been that long!

My gosh! It's been over a month since I've posted! I'm really not very good at this. Well at least I've returned with a great picture. It's a picture from this summer when we all made the trip to Camp. (Photo courtesy of Amanda). For those of you that don't know, camp is on Sandy Pond in Sandy Creek, NY. You wake up in the morning and walk out to the cool breeze coming off of Lake Ontario and see the beautiful scene of Sany Pond glistening in the morning sun. Take a deep breath of crisp clean air and then mosey on down to the dock and watch the geese swim while you sip your coffee. Are you jealous yet?

We're in the midst of our winter preperations here and just thinking about Camp helps chase away the looming winter blues.

Feeling the Need

I don't know if it is because today is 9-11 or because I'm feeling a sense of disconnection but today I woke up feeling like I need to do more. I need to volunteer my time. I need to do something. It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget that there are others who are much less fortunate than we are.

So right now I'm going to pledge that this year I will choose an angel from the Angel Tree and I'm going to look for a local charity or volunteer group in which I can include my family. Something that the children can participate in. It is important that children see that there are people who do not have the privileges that they do. To understand how lucky we are.

I'm open to suggestions for things apropriate for a 5 and a 3 year old...

Diaper Free!

I almost forgot to tell! Hannah is using the potty! I am so close to being done with diapers I can smell it (yes I intended that pun, forgive me). We explained that she can't go to pre-school if she doesn't use the potty and, whallah, she's potty trained. Go figure. I am sooo looking forward to NO MORE DIAPERS!!!! Yippee!

First Day of School

It's finally happened...my baby has gone to school. Where did the time go? He's just so grown up all of a sudden. He anxiously waited for the bus to come, understandable since it was 20 minutes late, and let me hug him goodbye but not while the bus was in sight. Then he calmly walked up the steps, chose a seat, and away he went. No tears, no hesitation, just curiosity. I'M SO VERY PROUD OF HIM.

O R I O L E S !

Phil and I took the kids to their very first ball game. Sounds exciting doesn't it? And it was untill the heavens opened and the rain came down. We got to sit in our seats but that was about it. We ended up running back to the car and heading home. The game ended up starting but there was no way we could've sat there for 2 1/2 hours with the kids. Not without spending our mortgage payment on stuff to eat. Any way, here are the 2 pictures I took before the deluge hit.

I SAW KEITH URBAN IN CONCERT!

Last Friday Melissa and I took the trek to DC to see Keith Urban in concert. I knew we were in for a good show but WOW! Not only is this man hotter than hot but he sings like and angel and rocks out like I remember the classic rock artists used to. I haven't seen a show that good since I saw U2 in college. I mean, this man can play guitar! I was mesmerized.


I clapped so much that my hands were sore the next day and I screamed so loud that I was hoarse. I felt like a teenager again.
So, for your viewing pleasure I put some of my fav shots from the show up here. Didn't I say he is hot?

Party Time - Hannah's 3rd B-day

Mommy watched the grilluntil Daddy took over. Lots of hungry people to feed!
Sydney showed us some of her cheers.

The Extra Special Dora Cake was a huge hit!
Everyone Sang Happy Birthday
Hannah opened tons of gifts
Ben & Jake had a great time swimming

Vacation Pictures for your viewing pleasure

Nostalgia - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I've been discussing High School memories with a friend of mine who ironically is a friend from college not High School. Apparently he had it very rough and was asking me if I ever thought "I remember that jerk! I should go back and take him apart!"

That totally was not me. I was a very shy kid that was convinced that no one ever wanted to waste the time talking to me. So usually my stuff is more like ‘oh why was I so shy! I should’ve talked to more people’. I still have to force myself to approach people. I’ll talk to anyone but I won’t make the first overture. I never want to put people out, which includes having to talk to me. People thought I was stuck up because of it. I found out years later that I was considered 'the biggest snob in the school'. It would comical if I didn't remember that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach from just making eye contact wih someone. What made it even worse it that I would have died if someone had realized how shy I was. I was supposed to be poised, in control, a leader. Yeah well.

Luckily I went to college away from home where nobody knew who I was. I could be someone totally new...and I was. I was out-going and friendly. I felt like I belonged and that people wanted to spend time with me. I've since regressed a bit and fall back into that 'shy' crap. It takes lots of practice for me to be out-going and if I'm not forced to work that 'muscle' I lose it.

So now I've bared my soul and my High School self wants to fall through the floor. But it's all about learning and growing right?

Celebrating in Style

Hannah has decided she'd like to have a 'Dora Pool Party' for her 3rd Birthday. I can't believe my baby is going to be three! As usual I'm pulling out all the stops. I've made the invitations (with the help of a jpg from NickJr), purchased most of the 'Explorer' goody bag treats and started my list of food to serve. Now all I need is an idea of what my darling daughter would like as a gift...oh and ordering the cake...can't forget the cake! I'm a busy busy bee but '3' is just so very special. We're gonna celebrate in style!

My favorite picture from 2007

Found a Picture

Found a picture of Jake at about 2 yrs old. Just had to put it up here because it's just such a great photo.

Now just to be fair to my little princess...

I know they are old but aren't they just delish?

Dream or something else?

Ever had one of those dreams where you aren't quite sure if it was actually a dream? I had one last night about Miss Angie. We had been talking about her at dinner last night, so part of me just thinks it was my subconscious talking. But it was so real and yet surreal. In the dream I knew she was an angel (or ghost if you prefer). She was hanging out of a window and having a debate with a man inside that I couldn't see. She asked me a question, which I cannot remember, and I answered. She turned to the man and said "I told you I was right" then turned back and asked me how I was. I said I was just fine. Then she asked when the baby was due. I told her I wasn't pregnant and she gave me a look and said "I Know". That's when I woke up.

So I ask you....dream or something else?

Mom? Can we get a dog?

We're back from vacation. Had a really great time in the sun and the surf. I'm mostly de-stressed now although nowhere near ready to return to the real world. I forgot to download the pictures so you'll have to wait another day for those but I did come back to find a very cute picture in my email. I'm calling it "Mom? Can we get a dog?"

It was taken when Melissa and Snoopie watched the kids during Uncle Ken and Aunt Jenni's wedding.

Vacationitis Part II

It's that time again. Time for the Coombers to head north to the wilds of upstate NY. I'm really looking forward to some fun in the sun with the kids. They are both finally old enough where we can go for a few hours and they'll entertain themselves with a sand castle and make friends on the beach.

It's also time for the Wheeler family reunion so we'll get to see everyone that we never see too.

Hopefully I'll return refreshed and full of great stories and pictures to post. I really need this vacation. I'm only half joking when I talk about being commited to a mental institution. I need some MAJOR stress relief.

You must go here and make a MushyGushy!

http://www.mushygushy.com/ or if you want to view mine...and it's still available go here http://www.mushygushy.com/view.aspx?gid=B742F36DBC814043A81CF40E5E404BD0

You'll laugh till you cry!