Pumpkin

I made my first "good" carved pumpkin this year. Here it is: Stormtrooper pumpkin. What do you think?

Bullying response

I recently posted a link to the video of news anchor Jennifer Livingston’s response to a bully on my Facebook page.  This is the response I received from a friend:

“This woman needs to get over it and realize people have opinions she won’t always agree with.  It’s up to her whether or not to share a personal email with the rest of the world.  She could of just deleted it along with the 5000 other spam emails we all get everyday.”

While I am a firm believer that everyone has a right to their own opinion, I wholeheartedly disagree with this one.  As a mother who’s third grader has already been subject to severe bullying at school, I applaud any effort to get the message out that this kind of behavior is unacceptable.  The fact that Ms. Livingston had the courage to publicly address the issue that she is overweight but that this kind of treatment of people is bullying and is not acceptable is to be commended.  I plan on showing this video to my daughter to drive home the point to her that bullying is not to be tolerated and that she can find the courage to stand up and call her tormenters out to the world.

I am finally finishing up about our trip to St. Louis.

Yes, I know I'm slow.

We went to Grant's Farm on the last day.  It's owned by Anheuser-Busch and admission is free.

They have Clydesdales, a safari that you ride through, and a small zoo.

They also have a petting zoo...Emmett didn't want to feed the goats.

 I put this next picture up just because I love the expression on Paul's face.

And that's really it for the St. Louis trip!  Maybe now I can get on with some real day-to-day blogging!

I had some requests for a copy of Katrina's new "chore chart" so here it is.  It is working very well for us so far.

Boba Fett

Taking a break from the vacation photos to say...he's so cute! I just had to have him!

St. Louis Day 3 part 2

After the Anheuser-Busch tour we took the kids to the St. Louis City Museum.  We had been told that the place is awesome.  The people who told us this were not exaggerating.  It was nothing but a giant playplace.  We were there for seven hours and still didn't get to see and do everything.  It was well worth the money and if we would have known how awesome it actually is we would have dedicated an entire day to only this museum.

 The view of the outside area from the parking lot.  All of this stuff is either to climb on or a slide.

 More of the outside area and some of the roof.  Katrina was at the top of the spire at one point and you can pretend to drive the bus.

 Can I order one of these for at home?

 Emmett and Paul on the 3 story slide.

 There's also a small aquarium inside the museum.  This is the kids inside the tunnel that goes through the shark tank.  I like the reflections in this one.

 Hubby and kids on the giant hamster wheel.

 I like this one because they're both actually smiling!!

 Deep sea diver Emmett.  I love his facial expression.

 Deep sea diver Katrina.

The roof....I did not get a good picture of the ferris wheel that's also on the roof.  Or the alternative to taking the elevator back down...a ten story spiral slide.  Need I say more?

St. Louis Day 3 part one

To start off our third day in St. Louis, we decided to do something more for the adults and less for the kiddos.

Tour Anheuser-Busch!

I didn't think they would...but they actually have Clydesdales at the distillery in St. Louis.  I didn't get any good pictures of the stables, but they're nicer than my house....

  I loved the old architecture.

 Paul and the kiddos in front of an old copper tub.  Notice Emmett's "smile".

 I like this guy.  I bet he'd be cool to drink with, if only I could get up there...

 They make you walk downhill several blocks on the tour, but when you get to the end they bus you back up the hill.  I thought that was a nice touch, especially as hot as it was when we were there.

 At the end of the tour, everyone gets free pop and pretzels...

 ...or the adults can each have 2 beers.  You have to bring your own sleeping toddlers though.

We were there for a couple of hours, so we were able to do something for the adults but it wasn't so long and boring that the kids were climbing the walls.  They did try to drive away in the antique beer truck, though!