Spooky Cake

The Kindergarten students were asked to bring a cake to the Mayboory tomorrow night as a fundraiser for the PTA. At first, this seemed a ridiculous request, but then Owen and I got excited to work on this project together. He was the brains and inspiration and I was the muscle. Thankfully we worked together without any tears. Lately, Owen has been very particular about how crafty things looks ( i can't imagine were who he got that from) and ends up crying if it doesn't look like he envisioned. For example, he asks me to draw things for him to cut out (pumpkins, bats, people, horses, etc) I am flattered that he thinks his mommy can do ANYTHING (like alter his Halloween mask that wasn't fitting) but sometimes I am not capable and sometimes we don't share the same vision. Needless to say, the cake decorating was actually fun. It was his *high for the day. He is so excited to take it. He wants to win it back.

* we have recently started telling each other our "highs" and "lows" of the day, at dinner. basically the best and worst part of our days. a friend gave me the idea. Owen actually contributes. It's hard to get much out of him these days. It's also fun if you have contributed to someone else's high. It's a funny reminder of just how drastically different our days are. I can't wait until Mason understands the question.

Not a Actress Double

Upon further review, I will not be looking much like my true comic villain. It seems as though her wardrobe is far from G rated and she is notoriously MUCH hotter than this 14 wk pregnant woman (who am I kidding, than my normal self too). Hmm... we'll all have to use our imagination on this one.

Have you guessed yet?

Costume Change

If MY Philllie Phanatic stays up past midnight 2 nights in a row to watch the Phillies beat the Yankees in the 1st 2 games of the World Series, he might be a zombie for Halloween. (This seems an impossible task considering I can't keep my eyes open past 9:30 most nights) I tried watching the Eagles play on Monday and ended up falling asleep on the couch by 9. The next morning, EJ said I kept him from cheering b/c he didn't want to wake me. Oops and I thought I looked more supportive on the couch :)

Go Phillies!

Dressing Up

EJ and I are trying to throw together last minute costumes for Owen's school's "Mayboory" the Fall festival. (his school's name is Maybeury, cute huh) I am actually working one of the games for part of the evening, so I thought I should dress up. I am not going to tell you who'll we will be, but I'll give you a hint. We will all 4 be characters from the same comic. Wait until you see Mason. Hilarious!
EJ and I will be the cheap homemade versions so we won't be very impressive. Although mine makes Mason a little nervous :)
A few weeks ago, EJ's mom sent a costume for each of the boys. We are working off her theme. THANKS MIM! The boys are so excited.

Mr. Big Stuff

Mason has been begging to sit at the counter with the rest of us. First, we've been working on basic table manners. The basic ones, like sitting on his bottom, not throwing food and his cup, etc. He has been doing much better so today at lunch, when it was just the 2 of us, I strapped our booster seat to the barstool. He loved it. Tonight at dinner he grinned the whole time. Maybe it was breakfast for dinner that caused the smile, but I am pretty certain he was super impressed with himself.

See the lonely high chair in the background? I am not putting it away just yet. Oh, and the body armor, otherwise known as his bib, will definitely be sticking around.

Not having to clean the darn high chair tray sounded so great. But then I quickly realized I will now be cleaning an extra plate, scrubbing the counter and chair and have more crumbs on the floor. Hmm... why did I think this was a good idea?

Just Because

He is so darn cute!

Potty Talk

Not sure I ever thought I'd be so excited to see a toilet. It's in and it flushes and it doesn't leak. My husband ROCKS! It's a dirty job and I am so glad I didn't have to do it.

Now, if Mason miraculously started using it, that would truly make my day :)

Guilty

I just want to set the record straight. I am guilty of delaying the bathroom by 1 day. Thanks to me the bead board was repainted today. I feel only slightly redeemed by the fact that I repainted it. I originally painted it bright white straight from the can. After installing the counter top it was much too white. I tried to live with it for 2 weeks hoping I could get past it. Part of it still needed painting so instead of using the original white, I repainted ALL of it "white whisp." Doesn't that just sound prettier :) You'd never know it isn't bright white unless the 2 were side by side, but it just looks so much better.
I know, I am crazy! But I just knew it would always bother me. And I am glad I did it. It looks great. Plus, EJ got the afternoon off and I got a break from the boys.
The toilet goes in tomorrow and we will have a fully functioning bathroom. The mirror will probably be missing for weeks b/c I haven't figured that part out yet. Good thing Owen and Mason don't have to curl their hair and put on make-up!
Pictures SOON!

FALLing

The leaves are among us. The invasion has begun.
The boys are more excited than EJ and I. The first bag has been filled.

Their pile wasn't terribly impressive, but just wait.
Remember last year when Mason lost his shoe?

Picking Pumpkins

Owen's Kindergarten class went to the pumpkin patch today. He was so excited for his first "big" school field trip. Mason and I joined the group as visitors not chaperone's. My head ached by the end and I wasn't even technically responsible for anyone. We had beautiful weather and the boys both had fun.

I prepared myself in advance that Owen might ignore me and Mason. And I was right. He was too concerned with sticking with his group. I can't really complain b/c he wanted to follow the rules. Mason and I tried to stay with his small group, but it proved harder than I thought. (I also couldn't get many pictures of him) He is growing up! As I drove behind the school bus, it hit me, as it often does, that I have a kid big enough for school. I did my best to let him do his thing, but I couldn't resist asking if he'd washed his hands after using the porta-potty. Sometimes you just gotta be the mom :)

Owen (right) with his small group and his teacher

"A Big One"

I liked this one in sepia better.

Baby Due

The newest addition to our family is due April 30th. I have to hold in laughter every time I answer that question. Who really gives birth on their due date? I guess the approximate date is good to know. Of course in my case, subtract 2 or 3 weeks and perhaps that is my due date.

Yes, the dread of bed rest and lots of extra appointments is constantly on my mind. The second time around, everyone tried reassure me it wouldn't happen again. Fortunately, I kept up the pace expecting to be reclined for the last month. But this time, I am not the only one making plans in my head. We learned our lesson. It is openly being discussed. Perhaps b/c others are tired of playing cook and house maid on my behalf. Not that I can blame them.

We know God will provide for us. We've seen Him do it more than once. We will just have to watch and see.

I had my second appt. today at almost 13 weeks. The heartbeat was clear and strong. Everything is looking good. However, with 2 preterm labors blazing my chart like a scarlet letter, the Dr, will be monitoring me much more closely than I'd like. She'd like to keep me from having to be on bed rest (yes, thank you) but I am not sure I like the alternatives. We may or may not have some decisions to make in the next 2 months (nothing too serious and she is not worried about the baby right now). Please pray for wisdom.

Still Sailing

Owen thought the ship should be painted. Hmm... wonder where he got that from?

Each boy had 2 sides. I think Owen wanted to cover the cardboard completely.

Mason on the other hand took the graffiti approach.

Worried

Is it normal to have thoughts about spraying down my child with Lysol before he re-enters our home after school? NOT that I would actually do this. Although I did spray his backpack on Friday. By Monday it had stopped smelling like flowers, phew!

Please, Lord keep us well. All this crazy flu talk is making ME crazy. (It's not in my hands. It's not in my hands.)

Sinking Ship

I think this was fun ;)

Owen got into it, but Mason couldn't help much. Like I said in the previous post, we had this huge box in our living room just begging to be used. For some reason it reminded me of the hull of a ship. So the S.S. Fogarty was created. It would certainly not withstand the high seas. Dad is always complaining that I don't use my degree. Maybe not for money, but surely it helped the making of our ship. Perhaps the Japanese Tea Room I had to construct in college, with just cardboard, helped prepare me for this very day.

The pirates were a little tired from our busy weekend, so we are lucky the ship hasn't been destroyed by their poor sharing skills. I don't give it much time. Cardboard and clear mailing tape is only but so strong.

Getting Away

We needed to get away from house projects/me watching the boys all weekend, so we joined my parents at their mountain house in Massanutten this weekend.

The boys spent all Saturday morning at the Water Park with EJ and my dad. It was quite a place.

Mason didn't really enjoy himself. "Too scary," he kept saying. Fortunately he was free so it didn't matter.

This was his expression the entire time.

Owen had a blast.

Mason was not excited about this one either.

Owen and my dad racing down.

EJ tried this wave simulator.

WARNING: Parental Discretion Advised. OUCH!

The boys took great naps while my dad and EJ went to the JMU homecoming game. JMU lost big time and it was cold and rainy. Too bad I stayed back to nap and take care of the sleeping children.

Now we are back and EJ is slaving away in the bathroom. But only until the Eagles come on at 4 :) (Never mind, they weren't on regular T.V.)

The boys and I have been busy building a pirate ship. Wait until you see pictures! (I may have missed my calling) We had to do something with the gigantic box our new vanity came in. It was just sitting in the living room begging to be played in.

Quotes about Baby by Owen

I may continue to add to this list and post it under his pic in the right hand column.

After seeing the 9 week ultrasound, Owen claims it looks like a boy. I said, "why, b/c it's bald?" (good guess). His response, "yes." (10.12.2009)

"I can watch the baby nurse if its a boy baby, but if its a girl baby I can't?" (10.12.09)

"I am going to come see the baby right after he/she comes. But you'll already know if its a boy or a girl b/c it will have a blue hat or a pink hat." (10.13.2009)

Passing the Baton

Several of you commented on Owen's quick processing and ideas of their bedroom changes. Well, he also figured out where everyone would sit at the dinner table and in the mini van. I thought nothing of his comments. It took a dear friend's phone call to point out how much he is like me. She used the world "practical" and I'd have to add the word "planner." Evidently he is so like me, that I didn't even notice it. It seemed perfectly normal to think of those things. After all, I have been thinking of them for months :)

I can only imagine what else I might be passing down to my sons. While those could be considered good traits, they do have their downfalls. By the looks of his homework he may not have gotten my desire for perfection. We can only hope, although I am sure it is not too late to ruin him. And let's not forget the nickname my mom and sister use for me, "Martha Stewart." I've been striving to be a "Mary" (Martha's sister in the Bible) ever since. Especially once Stewart went to jail :) Although I do confess to checking out her website on rare occasions.

We've been learning in church about our idols. Yes, we all have them and evidently a lot more of them than we even realize. I have been pondering the fact that we can pass down our idols to our children. Hmm... chew on that one for awhile. As if they won't blame us for enough of their problems. Just yesterday, Mason sat down and flipped through a Pottery Barn magazine (and not the Kid's PB). And Owen once said he made is bed extra special like a picture in a magazine. Oh, and the new bathroom. They still haven't figured out why we needed a new one. I can't say I have a compelling answer. They certainly don't care if the toilet is blue and the sinks are pink.
These should all be good clues for me. Thank you, Lord for my children who on a daily basis help me see my sins. What would I do without them? But what a treat that they don't hold them against me. Another good lesson to learn.

The Fogarty Brothers

Don't miss this one!

Funny questions and quotes from Owen coming soon!

It's In

We had some extra muscle visit today. And now we have a cabinet and counter top with sinks in the bathroom again! It's starting to resemble a bathroom. Hooray! It was a tight squeeze... phew :0

Breakfast treat

Came downstairs this morning to see this sweet sight.

Be still my heart! My 3 favorite guys cooking. What a way to start my day.

Just a Glimpse

Just in case you were wondering. Here is a little peek at EJ's handy work.

The walls are a light gray. And the floor "charcoal" hexagons. The beadboard will be totally white. Right now it has only been primed. The boys are using the tub, but it will be reglazed to white once the project is complete. EJ has a 3 day weekend ahead of him, so I may have more pics on Monday :)

I didn't think I'd fall for it, but the Wii is super fun. When my sister finally takes hers back we will all be sad! We don't play it that much, but even Mason has fun. Its so funny to watch others play. That is my favorite part.

Dough Boy

Lately, Mason has been very interested in helping in the kitchen. Today we made pizza dough. Fortunately his aim has greatly improved. All the ingredients made it where they belonged. Owen on the other hand can not be bothered with such tasks. He is changing so much (perhaps that allows me to enjoy Mason more). So I couldn't help to go back in time almost a year ago when he was just as eager. (Their hair is almost the same :).

Get it Together

Isn't it funny how we constantly strive to get it together or keep it together or at least look like we have it together? Well, I do this all the time. And lately I have not been doing any of the above. And it really bothers me. And then it bothers me that it bothers me. So on Saturday night after an endless day of projects for EJ, I needed to talk things out. I didn't say a whole lot and it wasn't a super long and great conversation. But somehow just telling him that lately I feel like I am doing nothing right in lots of areas of my life, made me feel better. We came up with some ideas to reset my priorities.
I know the point in all this is not to just get it together, because I never will. Since school has started our days and weeks look very different and I need to embrace the changes and make the most of them. If not for me, most definitely for the boys and EJ.

Today was a good start. Granted I was still in my pjs at 10 a.m. and as you can tell Mason was half dressed when I took these pictures. But things were checked off my list!

I've been wanting to do some "school time" with Mason. Today, was very basic but he loved it.
It's mostly to make me sit down and really interact with him. He is loving the extra attention.

Amazing what he can discover on his own without Owen around to tell him what to do.

Painting

Finally more progress in the bathroom. EJ has been working so hard but it isn't fun stuff and it can almost go unnoticed. Not very rewarding or worthy of photos. But we did finally get some paint on the walls. One coat down one to go.
Our vanity and counter top are waiting patiently in the living room! Maybe next weekend?

Awesome Night

We had a GREAT time at the U2 concert last night. We enjoyed a little picnic dinner in the parking lot before our 2 mile hike to the stadium. We arrived in plenty of time only to wait for the opening act to start and then wait an hour between the opening act and U2. The anticipation growing and growing. Its so funny how the slightest change on stage brings cheers. I can't imagine the feeling one must get walking onto a stage with so many people screaming. It's like that at any large event but something about a concert always gets me. Unlike sports the cheers are really for those 4 individuals. WOW!
The concert was fantastic. The much talked about set and lights show did not disappoint. It's amazing how far technology has come and what a lot of money can buy. It would have been nice to be a little closer. Only b/c the farther up you go the less enthusiastic the crowd tends to be. And you know how I like to rock out :) We definitely got our money's worth!

Such dorks!

From EJ's phone. Not the greatest.A quote by Jim Wallis from "Hearts and Minds", sums it up much better than I could.

"In fact, what I love about a U2 concert, headlined by the Irish tenor with the sun glasses, is how it achieves such a powerful combination of art and social justice, music and message; and all with such fun. The New York Times titled its review of the opening concert in Giants stadium as “Fun With a Mission.”

And it was. (I can't remember the last time we stayed out until 1 a.m. We were SO thankful this morning when Grandma got Owen on the school bus and let us sleep in. I could not move!)