The kids had a fantastic time running around at the park. They got to play with some dogs at the park, and with lots of different kids. We had a picnic at the park which was really nice. Later we took the kids on a hike down a trail near the park and they really loved that. The boys had never been in the "woods" before and so when we told them they were in the woods they both went "WOW!" They were fascinated by all of the trees and bushes and birds. Didn't see any other little woodland friends but the kids had fun exploring the trails, checking out the foliage, and checking out the little creek. They had a really fun time.
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| Managed to get a photo of Keegan AND Marshall together |
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| Another cute one of the boys, Kams said "no pictures mom" so I said, ok. |
I worked on teaching the kids their directions and how to tell North, East, South and West. I had Kamilah guide us through the trails using the directions using the setting sun as a guide and thinking about which direction the park was in and which direction we came. She's quite the little hiker I must say! She isn't afraid to explore the trail and lead the way. Her brothers happily trot along right behind her. Kams got her first taste of hiking over the summer when my little sister was visiting. We hiked through the same trail, just the other end of it. Kams had a fantastic time that day and just seems to be right at home in the woods. Though, Kams is the only little girl I know who chooses to go hiking in dress shoes (with little heels on them). She refused to wear tennis shoes to the park today she had to wear her FAVORITE shoes. Silly girl. Good thing they are only for play because they are covered in mud now. Can't wait to take the kids back down the trail again! I think when we get a really light snow (eventually?) we'll take the kids down the trail and see if they can find animal tracks in the snow. And maybe set out some natural bird feeders for the birds and maybe leave some carrots for some of the other animals.
But with weather in the low 70's on the 2nd of December, I don't know if we'll ever get snow. I think we're in for another dry year. Which will not be good for the farms around the area. We barely had any rain this year! I have a bad feeling we're headed to a drought this summer.
I received a pleasant suprise tonight while cleaning out my desk. Not sure how it got placed in my desk, as my desk is fairly new, but I found my missing Mp3 player that I got like waaaaay back in early 2007 right after finding out I was pregnant with my daughter. It was an "el cheapo" even way back then and now? It's certainly NOTHING fancy compared to what is out there, with with all those Iphone and Ipods and Ipads and all that I stuff I couldn't begin to use even if I had one. (I hate touch screens and I notice all that stuff has touch screen, YEECH!) So I was thrilled to find my long lost mp3 player that I haven't seen since my daughter was born. Never had time to use it after she was born. We've moved like 4x since then so I thought for sure it was a goner, never to be seen again. But to my luck, the bottom door of my desk, happened to house my little treasure! No idea how it got in there but boy oh boy was I glad to see it. Sadly, it didn't have any of my sons stored on it anymore. So I'm going through old CD's (yep I still have those) and putting them on my Mp3 player. Man, do I have some old stuff too. I have a very WIDE variet of music I love to listen to as well, so my play lists are always interesting to say the least! This stuff is my "cleaning house" music. The husband keeps offering to buy me a new one but I'm a cheap skate and it isn't something I "NEED" so no, we're not buying a new one. That's wasteful. So now I have found my old one bought way back in the day, and it works so I'm good to go! Just needs some new head phones and that's not an issue.
So tonight now that the kids are asleep I'm jamming out to some old tunes. HA! One happy Mama. It's the little things that make me happy and put me in a good mood. I just love my music. Music and books have always just allowed me to go somewhere else, leave reality for awhile and just float in another world. Music soothes my soul and always fits my mood. There's a song out there for every moment of my life, no joke. I could never ever just choose ONE favorite song, not gonna happen. But if you ask for my favorite song to fit a certain situation, or mood then I could do that but an all time fave? Nope, can't do it. Same with books! I can't pick a favorite book either! Too many! Maybe a favorite author...maybe.
So our Elf on the Shelf, whom the children named Toffee, is already on strike and he has been sitting out for maybe 24 hours now. Why is he already on strike? Because the kids have been nothing but NAUGHTY. He just sits on the shelf with his little elf arms crossed watching the kids all day in stoic elf fashion. He REFUSES to do anything fun at all until the kids cool it, he's already reported to Santa. I'm pretty sure Santa isn't happy. I know I'm not.
- They refuse to go to bed at night.
- Fight with me of a morning to get ready for school.
- Argue over what they are having for lunch.
- Marshall keeps getting into my desk and taking out everything he KNOWS he isn't supposed to have.
- The boys keep fighting HORRIBLY
- Kamilah keeps back talking and whining all of the time. (Though atleast she HAS been cleaning her bedroom, without being told so that's good).
- The boys keep pulling the mattresses off their beds and yanking off all the blankets and sheets, MULTIPLE times a day as soon as my back is turned.
I seriously think Santa is bringing them nothing but ROCKS and STICKS for Christmas.
They could care less that Santa could possibly NOT bring them anything. They just keep on fighting, arguing and being otherwise...naughty. It's driving me nuts. They are normally pretty good kids...but WOW these last 3 months...they've steadily gotten worse and worse. This Mama is out of ideas and is at her breaking point. I'm ready to just let them fight it out and whoever comes out alive is the winner. That's what my Mother always threatened to do to me and my sister and our friends when we were little.
Hopefully they will get it together before Christmas gets here. We shall see.
We put up a string of lights on the front porch tonight, or I should say I put up a string of lights on the front porch tonight. Then to my dismay I found the cats have somehow managed to tear up my pretty blinking lights on my Christmas tree so now our tree has no lights on it. THAT is why I'm getting a freaking pre lit tree next year. Dumb cats. No idea what they did, but I am NOT happy about it. Who do those fur balls think they are? My Christmas tree is NOT a play area. Or a napping zone. I am nost definetley NOT pulling everything off the tree just to put on new lights. NOT happening.
I'm sure the neighbors laughed at our pathetic Christmas lights on the front porch. Their place is lit up like a freaking air port (glad I don't have THEIR electric bill!). It looked cute at first, now it's just looking a bit gaudy and over done. They keep loading more and more stuff onto their house and yard. Thankfully I don't have to see the front of the house, I only see the back of it which doesn't have as much stuff on it.
Not only do they have a million Christmas lights, they also leave every single light in their house on (you see it everytime you step outside our front door so I'm not spying it's just very noticeable when you go outside to let the dogs out to go potty at night). Again, I am glad I do not have to pay their electric bill. We practically live in the dark at my house. We do natural sun light during the day, and at night only minimal lights, as needed. Heat sat at 70 or 72 all year (cept in the spring and fall when we usually don't have the heat or AC on at all and just have windows opene/closed as needed). You get cold, put on an extra layer. You get hot...deal with it.
Christmas lights get plugged in as it gets dark, and get unplugged once the kids are asleep. But that's just us I guess!
Kamilah found a pair of hill billy teeth that were a part of her Daddy's Halloween costume. She thought it was hilarious to run around the house wearing them most of the morning. I found it hilarious, but a bit disturbing. So glad her teeth are not REALLY like this!
I guess I MIGHT find something silly for Toffee to do tonight, though I dunno if I SHOULD because Keegan is STILL not asleep, I keep having to go tuck him back in. *sigh* After we came home from the park both boys literally walked in the door and clonked out asleep a few steps in the door! They ran out a TON of energy. I think Marshall is finally asleep, but Keegan...nope. Kams was out hours ago. Should be a JOY getting Keegan up and ready for preschool in the morning.
Anyway for now I have some last minute things to do before I go to bed. Good night!
Mae
