Thanksgiving at the Ranch

You gotta love Thanksgiving in Texas. We spent it at Possum Kingdom with Steve's sisters, Jen and Mindy, and their families. The kids got to go on a boat ride around the lake. They got to wear special wet suits that their uncle Steve said only worked when you peed in them. Zach tried it out and agreed that he was much warmer! Brad and Zach drove four-wheelers by themselves for the first time and everyone shot big rifles at skeet for the first time.

Lucky Number 7

7? Can my baby boys really be 7? Wasn't it just last week that Steve and I were up at night, each with a little bundle tucked in our arms? Wasn't it just yesterday that started to walk, talk, read, run, love?

There is something special about these boys. They exude hope. They still assume that everyone will be nice and that everyone in their class is their friend. They still like to snuggle with mom and dad. They still love to play with stuff animals who are their imaginary friends.

Zachary Hunter Lund loves to draw-- all day. He draws everything he sees or thinks about: video game screens, recipes, conversations in comic book form, how-to plans for inventions, plans and instructions for parties. He is detailed when he wants to be. He loves to play video games at his friend, Julian's. Mario Galaxy is his favorite game right now. He often says "and ya know" and stumbles on his thoughts. They seem to pour out of him and get lost in the rush. Zach is never bored. Zach is an optimist. Although 20 minutes younger than his brother, Zach is taller for the first time ever. He loves pizza, red, Build-a-Bear and getting Blue faces at school. His favorite book is "The Big Book of Questions and Answers".

Bradley Bender Lund is a really smart kid who knows that its most important to apply yourself. He always wants 100% on his assignments. He wants to follow directions and make good decisions. He is an amazing computer whiz and loves video games. Super Smash Brawl is his favorite game right now. He is the one I can count on to complete a job on his own. He remembers everything. He likes to read video game manuals and actually remembers what's in them. He loves blue, being first, pizza, Build-a-Bear, and Going Bonkers. He loves Cam Jensen books.

Holy Heroes Batman!

For the past six years I have given way too much energy to costume searching. Even worse, I spend a great deal of time manipulating my children into being who I want them to be. Lauren and I watched many Youtube clips of Wonder Woman and her Lasso of Truth. "Look how cool her crown is. It is like a boomerang! Wow! She can change clothes super fast! Boy, you will be an awesome Wonder Woman!" "Zach, you don't want to be Ben Ten. Several of your friends are going to be Ben Ten. There really should only be one Ben Ten. And look, Superman has muscles!"

I'm really into themes. This year, Superheroes. Last year, Classic Halloween: witches, dracula, and a bat. 2006, Peter Pan. 2005, A Toy Story. 2004, Cave girl with dinosaurs. I think this is the last year of the themes. The boys refuse to be Wizard of Oz characters and I don't want them to need therapy later in life because of their controlling mother.

We had some friends over for our Mystery Dinner and then went Trick or Treating around the neighborhood.

All that and Lauren wouldn't wear her wrist bands and boots, and Abby's cape went missing for the photo. Shocker!

The Pumpkin Patch

I got to go to the Pumpkin Patch in Flower Mound twice this year. Once with Abigail and her little boyfriends Asher and Gabe, and then back with the whole family. Second trip both camera batteries were dead. Don't you LOVE this picture of my sweet thing Abby?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!

My lovely Miss Lauren is 5-years-old! She wanted a Unicorn Flying Pony party and invited her fairy friends to celebrate with her. The fairies made jewelry, searched for the flying unicorn and ate unicorn horn cupcakes in our backyard.

Her favorite gifts were from her grandparents: tap shoes and a stuffed flying unicorn. Doesn't that sound like Lauren?

Apples and Ovaries

I had parent/teacher conferences this week. Zach and Brad's teacher shared the following anecdote:

Another teacher came in to read a story to their class. About half way through the book about apples, Zach's hand shot up. His face was serious and anxious, like he just remembered something he was trying to recall,

"I know what they are called! Ovaries!"

The two teachers were caught off guard and stared at each other, then busted up laughing. Indeed, at some point in the production of an apple, the pod is called an ovary. Only Zach would know that.

Early on, Brad and Zach have loved learning detailed facts and Steve and I made a very conscious decision to omit several female facts for fear of a Kindergarten Cop type discussion with their peers. Oh, what a righteous decision that was! I can just hear Zach continuing, "Apple ovaries are not the same as girl ovaries because..."

Apple ovaries is really as close as I want to get to sex ed in the 1st grade classroom-- taught by my 1st grader.

Shake Your Booty Y'all!

Could it be that after 6 years and 10 months of constant diapering (sometimes three little bums at the same time), that we may get a break? I don't want to get my hopes up but Abigail started potty training today. She caught on after just one drop in the potty. I didn't have to remind her to go potty. She would just call out, "I going pee pee" and would already be on the potty when I got to her. She even did a #2. Yep, that's right. Genius. I think I should clone her.

Of course, she only stays dry when she is naked... which could cause a problem when we go anywhere with a dress code. And she will only go on the potty chair. She screams when I suggest the humongous big people potty with the beautifully squishy Dora seat. I enjoy the Dora seat so I can't figure out why she wouldn't love it.

I rewarded Abby with M&Ms each time she went but her favorite reward was the Potty Dance with Mommy. She likes to boogie to sassy country music and shakes her naked behind. Quite the cute picture.

Those are band-aids on her arm: Scooby Doo and Fairies (our first-aid kit is now empty).

Tomorrow is another day and hopefully once again diaper free. Do you think it is ok to bring the potty chair to church?

What Is Your Role?

I just came across the photo from June, taken at the Science Museum in Dallas. It's really a study about how we all have our roles in life. It's important to find our niche so society as a whole can function properly. This tribal specimen clearly delineates their roles so that not everyone is ever happy all at once and not everyone is pitching a fit all at once. Their roles shift from time to time because, after all, eventually, everyone must be the "nose picker."

I WON! Now Show Me the Money!

Did you know that the Baltimore airport is infested with mice? At midnight they seem to patrol the gateways with a feverish delight. I know because last week I had the privilege of going to that fine city to contest a parking ticket; actually two. Steve got two tickets one weekend in 2003. Yes, I said 2003. We paid the $46 and went on with our lives. Then 4 years later, Baltimore sent a collection agency after us saying that we didn't pay and now owed them over $1500!!!!!

If you have spoken to me in the past year, you have heard about this thorn in my side. I have spent way too many hours on hold waiting for idiots who pretend they can help me. After a year of fighting with these morons, I finally got a trial.

I approached the judge with a thick folder of receipts, cancelled checks, and names. The judge didn't even ask me anything. He looked at his papers and said, "This is ridiculous. Not-guilty."

But I couldn't let Baltimore off that easily after the psychotic roller coaster they locked me on. I said,"Don't you want to hear just how 'ridiculous' this has actually been? You will gasp."

The judge said that because I flew from Dallas for a parking ticket defense, I could take all the time I wanted. I felt like I was tatteling on a bully and it gave me a bit of satisfaction.

The lessons learned here are for everyone:
1. Get a receipt of payment with any ticket you receive.
2. Check that against your bank statement to see that they cashed the check.
3. Always request that the officer be present at the trial.
4. Never sleep on the floor of any airport anywhere.
5. Night cleaning crews at airports like to sleep across the seats and watch TV. No wonder there are mice...
6. Never visit Baltimore- ever.

Quotables

After church last Sunday, I had a meeting. When I came home, the kids were swirling around my legs begging for food. I asked Steve what they had for lunch. "A protein bar and a banana." 'Nuff said.

If you look at my profile, I have a new picture. Abby brought that Polly Pocket and said, "Mama Pocket. That you Mama." Oh... if only I had Polly's clothes, too.

Lauren was throwing a little tantrum the other day because she didn't want to go to preschool. She kicked and cried and fussed, "I don't want to go because Hayden (her cute little girl friend) will be wearing pants and I do not want to look at pants ALL day!"