I am depressed that a year has gone by and I am not back in the shape that I wanted to be in.  I get a strong push going but I don’t seem to be able to follow threw with it.  So instead of the old, very tired, New Years promises, this year I will work on my follow threw.

I also joined a class starting on Tuesday.  I will have to get up in front of people and sing once a week.  Oddly I’m more upset with how I’ll look then how I’ll sing.  But I have now figured out and proven that for a fact that doing nothing accomplishes nothing, just in case you were wondering…

So here we go again!

Chubby me coming out of hiding.

A joke I know, but I am an optimist!

Then several friends came over for pizza and and trick or treating. It was great fun and completely exhausting.

I think my youngest was a crazy perfect Peter Pan

My oldest was a Dementor from Harry Potter

My 6 year old, after being Batman for the last two years, branched out and was batman’s arch nemesis, Two Face. For weeks we worked on his costume, I bought two suit jackets at the salvation army and I cut them up the middle and sewed them together. Then a dyed one leg of an old pair of his pants and sewed two ties together. He wanted to dye half his hair but I drew the line, I was afraid he would take months to get out of his hair. I did use make up and tried to make a scary side as you can see he looked a little more like the Joker than two face.

Two Face

As the night wore on he redid his own face and just covered half his face with lipstick. I managed to get it all off before he went to bed. The next morning at breakfast we were all surprised to find all the make up back on. It was on his face, his clothes, his sheets, his wall. So much for that lipstick. Didn’t think I would have to be hiding my make up from my 6 year old son but life is funny.

Just as I finished scrubbing all the sheets my son started talking about how he really should have a cigarette to go with his costume. We explained cigarettes were not for kids and were dangerous. None of us smoke and I don’t think he has really been around it other than on the sidewalk. I didn’t think much of it til I saw him take an old cigarettes butt out of an ash tray on the way home from school. We had another long talk.

We have been letting him watch the old Batman TV shows from the 1960′s with Adam West. It turns out many of the characters on the show, mostly the bad guys smoke. Here I thought I was keeping him away from the violence of some of the darker versions of Batman. After the second talk I thought we had worked though it. Until I got an e-mail from his teacher on Friday.

Adam West and the cast from the 1060's TV series Batman

I thought I had gotten all of the butts out of his pocket at school but I didn’t. He showed some kids at the playground and the kids told the teacher. When the teacher asked where he got them he said not to worry because he bought them! Needless to say he got to talk to the principal. I guess they don’t much like 6 year old’s buying and smoking cigarettes! After a while he explained the truth. He got many lectures on the horrors of smoking and by the time I saw him at the end of the day he looked like he had been through the ringer. I am hoping this will be the end of it. If anyone has any idea on how to deal with young kids and smoking I’m open to hear it.

I think I’m glad Halloween is over for this year, can’t wait to see what Thanksgiving brings.

Yes I should have made the beds before I took this picture but life goes on...

We put up a sign to sell the crib in the lobby and less than an hour later we got a call, a couple expecting their first baby in the spring.  They bought the crib and  my oldest saw and burst out crying.  He can’t understand why we would sell something that has been so much a part of our life for so long.  I tried to explain about having 3 kids in a small two bed room apartment .  He was not ready to hear it.  The couple told me later it broke their heart to watch him.  I think I finally convinced him that it is better for the crib to go on and help another family in the building and told him we would visit the baby when he was born.  Now I need to make friends with the couple so they will let us into their home, meet the baby, and visit the crib.

Move forward little crib.

Good bye Crib you served us well and I will remember you fondly.

First step was this, getting back to writing.  Then I’ll see where I can go from there.

I did make 75 dollars at the Toy and clothing exchange and My oldest had a great time at a 4th grade overnight camping trip.  All the 4th graders their teachers and the principal headed out to NJ and had two days and one night of games and bonding.  My son had a great time

Here is my son and a friend with their new water bottles toasting the trip.

Here is Principal Bob Binder talking to the kids about what to do if they get car sick in the bus. He taught them all how to throw up into a paper bag, City kids!! It was one of the funniest things I have ever heard I wish I had taped it!

Oh and the triple bunk bed is almost done!  By next week all three kids with be in big boy beds!

Almost done!

Look I did it, now on to the next think on my list!

My 6 year old figured out how do a back bend it took him most of the summer he was very excited.

My youngest wearing what ever he could get his hands on.

I can't wait to get these out of my home!

Meanwhile my husband continues his work on the kids triple bunk bed.

It was a hot fall day

Not to be out done my middle child dressed up as different supper villains and made me guess which ones he was.

I think he is being the Penguin in this one

My oldest son was at a sleep over birthday party the night before and was pretty tired today.  His friend had 7 nine year old boys overnight for his birthday.  His Mom is very brave, I think that would have killed me!

These are the Lego charactors my oldest made while doing his reading homework. Not sure how he does both at the same time...