The Big 1-0!

Aubri turned 10 recently and we crammed her birthday party in right before the last soccer game of the season.

Party Girl

Someone in our household recently turned 8!

Look at her expertly holding her jello shot while blowing out her candle!

Birthday Like a Ninja

Wood Shop

Saturday, when we went in search of project and cleaning supplies at Home Depot, we wandered into the middle of a kidlet wood shop. We were looking for cedar closet liner planks (for my musty English dresser).

How serendipitous!

Just Finding Out

Last night at dinner, the youngest family members found out something "new" about themselves. Emi was talking about a group of girls in her class and after she listed them by name, Scott asked her if they were all black (based on their names). Emi repeated the names of the 3 or so girls who were not black.

Then David chimed in with "That's weird" and when we asked him what was weird, he said that there were so many blacks in Emi's class. Then we moved on to discuss the various shades of brown in Emi's group of friends, and David started pointing at Emi saying "Emi's black", sort of teasing her. 

That's when Scott said "Guess what, David, you're black too." David looked surprised and said "What?!" We explained that because his birth father is black, he is half black. He looked confused even though he's always known his Papa Dave.

We explained the term "mixed" and that his Mama Bri is white and Papa Dave is black so he is "mix". I explained that I am also "mix" because Lola is Filipino and PeePaw is white.

‎So we were reiterating that he is half black when Aubri pointed at David snickering about his also being black. David said "I'm coffee with cream!" That's when we let her know that SHE is black TOO! The look on each of their faces when the realization hit was priceless.

By the end of the discussion, we all agreed that Emi is "milk chocolate", David is "coffee with cream" and Aubri is "kid coffee".

What TIME is IT?

O-Wi-O-Wi-O!!!

It might be a while before my mind and body have a grasp of time again. We hosted Aubri's camp themed birthday party a week and a half ago, just a few hours before setting the clocks back an hour.

And just as I was starting to get into my new groove a couple days later, I flew back two hours to the West Coast.

It was a little amusing trying to guess what time it was when trying to meet a connecting flight. It didn't help that the sky waitress for our first connect announced the time an hour ahead... We really had to hoof it (OJ style) to meet our connecting flights this trip, but it was all good. No time to blow money on airport food and gifts in Denver.

The Jet Lag caught up with me on Thursday but I limped along during the meetings and afterwards because I wanted to soak up the time (and shop and eat) while away from the family.



It was a great break away but I was so happy to be home on Friday with my family. That time was filled with picking up my sweet doggie from the vet and packing to go on an overnight camp trip with my littlest and her scout troop.




Monday was a really nice day to be off of work. It was in the 80's and the Autumn colors in my neighborhood (not necessarily in my yard though) were gorgeous.



Yesterday and today have been windy and chilly! Good weather to be back at the office...

6

Camp Life

So, we have another birthday party to host this Autumn and the theme is going to be "Camp Aubri". I am super stoked to make it happen too because pinata! She originally wanted a zombie head pinata and that morphed into a TMNT pinata until we discussed the rest of the party.... because the pinata only takes about 37 seconds to complete.

The plan now is to make a cool Airstreamer pinata. That will be a fun challenge and I think we are up to it.

I still fantasize about owning one of these things...

For the cake, Aubri has requested Chess Pie. Probably because it was my favorite treat at the ice cream store I worked at in high school, and I just recreated 2 pans of the golden goodness last week.

We found some really creatively decorated camp themed cakes online so we are loaded down with ideas.  Love the idea of putting her candle(s) in a little fire in the middle of the woods.

For takeaways/goodie bags (something I resolved to not do again and yet I am finding myself doing again!), we plan to have bandanas to hold pinata goodies and possibly camp gear.  It will be too chilly to swim, so Aubri has requested a bonfire and s'mores for her little friends.

I will try...

Not sure of any other activities yet, maybe a campy photo booth or scavenger hunt?

Girls Day In

The guys went to watch the Bedlam game and the girls stayed home to veg and relax.

Birthday Girl

Look at this cutie! I wonder what she was wishing...



She's 5 now. And so mature. And sweet and loving...and only ornery when she has to be....

And she says "please" and "thank you" and she scratches my back and helps me in the kitchen. It's no wonder that I love her!

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

Cut Short

David finally got his summer cut (at his request/insistence) and Aubri wanted her hair buzzed too.

Of course there was NO WAY I was about to cut off ALL of her gorgeous locks but she did need a haircut so I obliged her.

He looks so handsome!

Still a curly girl!

And this summer in between Ketiesha's hair appointments/dos, Emi has been working on caring for her own hair and it's been really nice. She can even straighten it herself if she wants. I think she's doing a terrific job.

Lovely twists

Happy Birthday, Baby (Girl)

The leaves changed when I went to NY and it's all of a sudden Autumn in Oklahoma!

 

I approve!

Today we celebrated Aubri's 4th birthday. Can you tell she was tired of smiling for the camera?

Birthday card from her lola....

She requested a birthday cookie and so she got.... 

I am so glad to be back home with my family.  It's been a long week away from them.  I think the weather followed me back from New York because soon after I got home, it got cold and rainy... I don't mind though because I am HOME and also, it's November!

I was reviewing some of the pics I took from the plane for David (he's got a split career in Aviation and Acting in his future) and I found this lovely one I captured on our ascent from LaGuardia. So beautiful and peaceful (made even more so with my foam ear plugs).

What I imagine it looks like on the way to heaven....

I hope you've had a wonderful weekend and that you are enjoying Autumn where you are, friends!

Things Kids Say

The other day while we were swimming, David was showing me how he could jump off the diving board and do the "toothpick" or "pencil" keeping his body completely straight with pointed toes as he jumped into the pool. Aubri, not to be outdone, said "Look at me, I'm a stylus!". Too cute! How many 3 year olds even know what a stylus is?


And a few weeks ago as we were driving around town, little Aubri was not able to keep up with her brother and sister who were calling out punch buggies and their colors right and left. In an effort to insert herself into the game she happily chirped "Punch buggy: no!" without missing a beat. Very creative little girl!


Yesterday, at my friend's son's b-day party, David was hungry and mentioned this out loud to my friend's wife. She came back with a suggestion of grapes and asked David how that sounded and from the pool, he immediately came back with "Grapes suck!". I was mortified! I had never heard David say "sucks" before and I assured the parents there (who were laughing at his comment) that he'd never said that before and then I (embarrassed) turned to David and asked him what he said. He said "I said 'Great Scott!'" and it did sound a lot like "Grapes Suck" if you were expecting your kid to say something punky and rude. But I know David loves grapes and he is a polite little boy especially in these type of situations. I told everyone that he was either getting really good at lying/covering up or he was actually telling the truth. I do believe he was telling the truth because he loves to say "Great Scott!" quoting from his Flip the Horse book.

Hmmmm...

Handwriting Analysis

My littlest one is a blossoming writer. I mean, check it out:

Aubri wrote a letter at the basketball game in February 2012

Yesterday she wrote all of our names down in her notepad. She said that there are pictures there too.  

Aubri's Jottings

Writing AND doing her own graphics.... I am so proud.

Unexpecting

(No, I am not pregnant...that would be cruel at this time in my life, don'tcha think?)

We recently added a new member to our family...

Konnichiwa, Gracie!

Gracie is a Japanese Chin who reminds me of a special someone we lost a few months ago. She looks like a pug dressed up like a Cavi....a mini Cavi.

Getting used to the leash...

She has been busy giving kisses and cuddling and trying to understand why her big sister Abbey doesn't want to play...



I wasn't expecting to get another dog for some time now but I am loving that little furball. She's quite adept at jumping onto the couch so we've decided it's okay for this little mogwai to join us on the couch ...for now. 

Breezy

Vernal Equinox

Today at 12:14am winter was officially over in Oklahoma and while I was sad that we didn't get any snow days this past winter, I am looking forward to springtime. And praying that we don't have an extreme summer like last year...

In addition to flowers, I am hoping to get some strawberries, watermelon, kabocha squash, tomatoes, snap peas, kale, cauliflower, basil and cilantro and hopefully some hops for Scott's home brew.

So far I'm very pleased with what I am finding in our yard.

My lavender grows back thicker each year...

Snacking on apples and sniffing tulips

I am so happy that our tulips are thriving! It was only 4 months ago that we planted the bulbs and because it didn't get really cold, I was worried that they wouldn't bloom.

First  Knockout Rose Bloom

Remember 6 months ago when things were starting to cool down just a bit?

September 2011

Vernal Equinox 2012

Welcome Spring!

What They're Teaching in School These Days

Exercising - David and Aubri from Nolita Morgan on Vimeo.

Weekending

What a nice weekend we had! The weather was perfectly delicious and confusing to the plants and animals in our yard. (I still have tadpoles in my pond! It's like they are never going to become bullfrogs...) Emi and I planted 100 tulip bulbs and we're crossing our fingers that we did this correctly...guess we'll see in February?

Some of us pretended to be super heroes.

"Wyatt" and Bobbie

It was so gorgeous outside today...my redbuds seem to think it's Spring again...

Unexpected...

We celebrated Aubri's birthday today after church. That was a nice time with the family. Sweet Aubri had a good time and got some fun gifts. When she opened up her Cabbage Patch Kid from Grandma Babe she shouted "My baby!". She carried her McKenzie around all afternoon...after Daddy was done playing with her:

 

Flurry

After the birthday party, the kids took over my bed...for a little movie watching.

Hobo Invasion...

Emi went on a bike ride with a friend and we "watched" Robots (Aubri and I napped and it was lovely).

Sweet Boy

Not ready for the weekend to end just yet...

Not a Baby Anymore

Aubri is 3 now and I can't believe it! She was just a round faced little baby when she came to us.

18 months

3 Years, baby!

Happy Birthday, Aubrianna!