Some Fun

On Tuesday Melissa and Brevin were here to spend some time with us. We decided to take the kids into the city for a day at The Children's Museum. Now I am all for kids places and such but the fact that they call it the Children's MUSEUM is a bit much for me, it's more like an indoor playground. No matter, the midgets had loads of fun. I wonder if it says something about my sister and I that we were the only Moms there encouraging their kids to slide down the slide using the stuffed animals as a "slide helper"?- (they helped the kids go faster and fly further off the end). I mean are we nuts or do we just understand what it takes to slide like demons? I dunno- you decide. By the way no injuries were sustained.

So the kids ran amok and we sat and listened to the chaos and laughed at the things Ev and Brev say to each other- they are too much. As always the favorite was the "grocery store" and Lissa and I sort of sat around the corner and stayed out of view of the kids, because I didn't want to get stuck checking every kid in the place out fifity times and replacing the plastic steaks and sauasage links a gajillion times. (I have a feeling that I must be a horrible mother, though I'm not sure because I do play a hell of alot of Candyland).

When we got home, I tried to get some cute pics of the kids playing in the leaves but they were tired and troll-ish and were uncooperative to say the least. I did get 2 cute ones with them sitting on a haybale but I had to threaten to remove all traces of candy FROM THE UNIVERSE to get those.

New President

What can I say here that isn't being said by hopeful and happy people around the world today? Not much I guess.
I just know that for the first time- ever I feel as if we as a country, have done something right.
I cried last night.
It was the second time in my 35 years that an election has made me do so. The first time that I cried was when Jimmy Carter lost his second term. I was young. I loved him. I was worried that he wouldn't be able to buy groceries or have a place to live.
Last night I cried because I wanted so badly for this country to turn out and vote and make their voices heard and we did.
I know that Obama is just a man and that he won't be able to fix everything. For me this election was about choosing a REAL person, and a person who MAKES SENSE when he speaks.
I was so happy to tell Evelyn this morning that Whoa-bamma (as she calls him) is going to be our President. I am anxious to see how things will go from here.

Prince Charming versus Princess Anybody

Evelyn has been handling movies and tv quite well lately. She has watched Hocus Pocus a number of times and she can handle the goblins and level bosses in Zelda so I thought I would try to find other movies that she was interested in. This means delving into the world of Disney-partially.
I have been loathe to do this because well, those Princesses can be a bit much. And lets face it, they never come from "healthy" families and it's all a nightmare from a feminist perspective. I should not have worried.
We have just watched Sleeping Beauty. Evelyn loved it. She's all about the Prince. Not, as in " I love him I want him to be mine I have a crush on him". As in, " hey Mama he has a cool shield and where did he get that sword. I like his horse. " Then if Prince Phillip was not onscreen, I had to answer a gazillion questions about where he was and what he was doing. I am not sure that she even realized there was a Princess.

Disclaimer: I am not trying to be righteous or anything about the Disney Princesses or Princesses in general. I think it's okay for little girls to watch them and have fun with whatever aspect they want to take away from them. I just think that when you watch them as an adult female , inside you are going " what the hell?!?!?!" Take for instance Princess Aurora. She is given three gifts by her Fairy Godmothers- beauty, song and that she has to lay passively by in a sleep until her man bestows a kiss. Hum. Then she is spirited away to the forest to pick berries and "grow up" all the while maintaining her innocence and ignorance. Meanwhile Phillip is in the world getting educated and dashing about having adventures. Then when the plot really starts, she still just gets shoved off to the side and everyone around her does the work and she just gets to look good and sleep in a beautifully appointed bed chamber. I think that she has about 4 real lines in the whole thing. Even so, I really think it's alright to let your daughter watch these- in moderation as long you balance it our with a little Sarah Conner ( a la Terminator) when she's old enough. Or as long as she gets to watch Buffy kick some bootay. Or hell, Princess Leia. You know what I mean?
Right now though, Ev picks up on the adventuring, dragon slaying Prince and wants to be like him.
Good for her. I'm okay with that.

And let me just say if there are three fairy godmothers out there reading this and they want to bestow three gifts on me, here is my wish list
1 The thighs and ass I had when I was 20 - eternally
2 The ability to work at my Nursing Career and have as much time with Ev that I want
3 Higher income bracket

Cool A$% Christmas Present

Jodi and Evelyn and I were at Sam's Club tonight and I did not intend to spend a dime. However I was lured by the giant jar of pickles and the metric ton of cheap cat litter. THEN, OH Then did mine eyes see this
http://www.by-leisure.com/InventoryD.asp?loc=SSM&item_no=1150

And it just had to be bought. Now let me say, I got this at a huge, huge clearance price and did not pay that exorbitant listed price on the website. I could never have gotten it unless it was on a great sale. I could not bring it home though and we will have to wait until Wed to go get it, until then I will be completely freaked out that for some reason we won't get it. They only had 5 left and are not getting anymore this year. SO I hope that it is waiting at the front of the store and they don't sell mine twice and once to someone who could take it home right then. Oh if we miss this because I couldn't get it home alone I will be ummmm, put out- to say the least.
This is such a big deal for me because every time that Ev sees one of these playhouses, she wants one. Bad. Real Bad. Like squirm in the cart and sigh and wish and dream bad. This one seems small enough to fit in out microscopic yard and it's not plastic. YAY!!!!!!! This will certainly make me the best Mama ever (poo, I just realized that Santa may get the credit)well, no matter she should be happy happy happy.

Shorty

This is how we had Evelyn bundled up on our way to Vote. It was a bit chilly in the Land of Cleve that day so I wanted her to be comfortable. There she was being strolled about and all snuggled up, talking and giggling all the while. As we were entering the Board of Elections, this older gentleman looked at Ev, laughed and said " It's your world shorty!". Ha! It was too funny- we've been saying that to her ever since.

Um- One more thing

Billy Bones had a costume too.

Halloween Final

Well, we really used the month of October for Halloween purposes, I must say. Last night was the final trick or treat, the final she-bang and now we're all wrapped up.

Last night Aunt Jenny came over with Kate and Aden, we talked, they played, everyone ate and then we went on Ev's last candy acquisition of 2008. Eventually Jodi even made it. After trick or treat, Les built a fire in the fireplace and we adults sat and watched in amazement at the amount of candy Aden put away- it was a thing to behold.

After everyone left, Les and I scrambled around and gathered up all of the decorations and piled them up for storage until next year. I do love Halloween but I was okay to see it end this year. I feel like we really got our money's worth.