Another Snow Day!

Yes, it's true. We have another snow day....for Kendall AND for Barry.

So, you might be wondering....what are we doing to keep busy around here?

Well, of course, we've been a bit lazy. Nothing wrong with that! But you can only rest so much... especially with Noah around! So, here are some of the things we've been up to so we don't get cabin fever ( no pun intended!)...

Plenty of snuggling on the couch and watching TV. Noah's new fave is Wheel of Fortune. Go figure.

Kendall played on the computer for a while yesterday, and then did a little sewing craft. She made this little bunny...isn't it cute??


Last night we decided that we should make Valentine cookies. I baked them and Kendall decorated them. Noah and Barry pretty much just ate them...kind of like in story "The Little Red Hen". Remember how it goes?

"Who will help me plant the wheat?
Not I!
Who will help me harvest the wheat?
Not I!
Who will help me bake the bread?
Not I!
Who will help me EAT the bread?
I WILL!!!"

So anyway, here are our cookies! Very festive, don't you think? Kendall was quite proud of her decorating!


Barry, of course, had to get out and clean off the driveway...which is actually considered playing in the snow, if you know Barry. Like I said yesterday, any reason to start up that tractor! While he was out plowing, Kendall got suited up and played in the snow until she was frozen. Then, of course, hot cocoa was in order...extra marshmallows please!


I finished two scarves and worked on another scarf I'd like to finish and also finished a cross-stitch I've been working on. I also managed to read a little bit of Stephen King's Cell . Today I am hoping to get some laundry done and also work on my year-end records to finish them up so Barry can finish up our taxes. I've also been cooking. Beef and Noodles, Lemon Greek Chicken earlier this week and Stuffed Peppers are on the menu today. YUM. We've definitely been eating good!


Noah has been doing lots of playing. If we can find Kendall's old snow pants and boots, we may see if we can all go outside today. He'll totally dig that!

Snow...What a concept!

Well hel-lo, winter!

After a slow start to our Ohio winter, the real stuff in finally here. Up to a foot of snow by tomorrow morning...Barry's work is closed today, and so is Kendall's school. I will probably be cancelling my day as well. But really though, we have no basis for complaint...we had 60 degree weather all the way through January, for heaven's sake! I think that this all makes for a fabulous day to play in the snow and make Valentine cookies. And, of course, at some point Barry will have to head out to plow the driveway. (And he's not fooling anyone either...he loves to have a reason to fire up that tractor!)

Nothing else too exciting has been happening around here, really. Kendall missed school all last week. Our schools were closed due to severe cold Monday through Wednesday. Then (of course) she started throwing up Wednesday night, so she missed Thursday and Friday as well. I'll tell you what, I am ready for this stomach virus to get the heck out of Dodge! Noah is on his third bout with it...UGH! At least she got outside for a little bit to make a nice little snowman on Tuesday. Even though the snow was too dry to pack, I still think she did a fabulous job, don't you??? (And by the way...yes, it was negative wind chill and she doesn't look dressed that warmly, but I assure you she just went back out for this picture. She was out there maybe 30 seconds dressed like this - and bundled up quite a bit more while she was out building her snowman!)

A Big Bowl of Yarn

So here it is...my big bowl of yarn.

This Christmas, I made scarves for all the women. Maybe you got one! And if you did, I really hope you like it! Well, what's leftover is here in this bowl. Yarn scraps. But I have an idea for these balls of leftover yarn....

I am going to make some crazy striped scarves...just for myself. And maybe some funny hats. Because you know what? Of all the scarves I made, I made none for myself. Of course, last Christmas, when I started this knitting thing, the first scarf I made was for me...and I still love it! Although, it does indeed look a bit worn, so it's probably good that I'm doing this little project for myself!

Speaking of scarves...can you believe the change in the weather? Time to bundle up!

A WILD Weekend!

Well, the big birthday weekend is over.

The Clay Cafe was a success, and as you can see from the pictures, it was a rockin' good time! I was so impressed with each of the kids' plates...they were so creative, yet they didn't stress out about not getting it "perfect"! To me, that was especially cool, since I tend to get all worked up if something isn't turning out the way I think it should! But not these kids...they were ROCK SOLID. They decided how they were going to decorate their plates, and got to work immediately. Of course, we won't get the finished products until Thursday, and I can hardly wait to see the finished products. Riley and Kayla both painted horses on their plates. Kendall made a cupcake plate, as you can see in the picture, Devin painted an army helmet and Zach painted 2 light sabers crossing. Sophie painted a pink plate with a flower in the middle. They were all great and really colorful!

Then we took Kendall's cousins back to our house for a sleepover. OMG. It was CRAZY in this house! They ran around, screaming like banshees, played hide and seek, went out in the snow for a bit, played video games, and then settled down for a *very* short bit to have some pizza. Noah was having a blast chasing the big kids around...and they were very careful of him and really nice about letting him play with them. After we got the little man to bed, I sat down with the kids to play Whoonu. That was fun, but I think I was asking a little much of the kids to sit still and play a game for half an hour. SERIOUSLY!

The next morning, they were all up by 6:00 AM. UGH. We sat them down for a movie and tried to keep Noah sleeping for a little bit. And yet, the wildness continued!!! Turning 6 is a major reason to celebrate, I tell you!

Those kids transformed this house into a bonafide army bunker. They draped every blanket in the house over the railings, used pillows for sand walls...heck, they were even having strategy meetings. And there was LOTS of screaming and running. We just tried to stay out of the way and make sure no one was breaking the rules or getting hurt.

By 1:00 the whole family was here to have lunch, cake, and ice cream. And let me tell you what...my darling little daughter was POOPED. She was trying to keep it going, but by the time we opened presents, she was just staring at the wall, zoning out. We had to keep reminding her that she needed to finish opening her presents. And, of course, we were awaiting the over-tired meltdown. Thankfully, we never had to witness it. Check out that last picture...is that one tired little girl or what?

Alas, we made it through unscathed. And now I have a whole year to rest and get ready for next year...

Finally! An Update!

Geesh! It sure has been some time since I've posted! Things have been busy around here, as usual, so here are a few updates...

SNOW!
Ohio finally got some snow! Not a whole lot, mind you, but enough to get outside and play in. Kendall and I headed out on Sunday afternoon for some snow angels and a walk around the pond. She really wanted to go sledding, but unfortunately, our property is pretty flat! Then we came in for some hot cocoa. YUM! Actually, I think Kendall is more into the marshmallows than the cocoa...but whatever! Noah didn't get to romp around outside with us, as I don't have any boots for him yet. Guess I'd better get on it! He won't want to stay inside watching for long!

A LIFE ENDED TOO SOON...
Last Wednesday, we lost a part of our family.
My aunt Missie was killed in a terrible car accident on her way to work.
She was 35 and had 4 small children and a wonderful husband, who will miss her terribly...as will the rest of us.
She was truly one of a kind, and the life of every party. Always laughing, always smiling... always joking about "The Captain"...
And now leaving us all to reflect on our lives and how to make the most of every day we are given...because it can all change in one single moment.
Take the time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you - today!

BIRTHDAY PLANS!
Kendall is turning 6 on Sunday. 6!!!! How does a year go by so quickly? We are doing a low-key small party this year, since I didn't have time to plan anything great with Noah being sick most of December. She has invited 5 friends to come to the Clay Cafe to paint pottery on Saturday. Then her cousins are spending the night for some sleepover fun! On Sunday, the whole family is coming for lunch, cake and ice cream. How fun! The kids will be wild, and that's the way we like it!

OVER THE HEDGE
Have you seen this movie? Sheri has been telling me for a while now that we HAD to see it. Well, it came via Netflix last week and we finally got he chance to watch it. Oh my goodness...the squirrel, Hammy, is so much like Kendall. He talks a mile a minute, has more energy than you can imagine, and has a thought train that most people aren't quick enough to follow...
Check it out! It's hysterical! www.overthehedgemovie.com

ACUPUNCTURE
I now have my acupuncturist, Brian, working out of my office on Mondays. It is going so well! He has been incredibly busy, and people are so happy with their results. Plus, driving to Dublin beats driving to Delaware any day of the week! He is also working in Minster on Wednesdays at Jeanne Bergman's office.

Spread the word about acupuncture...it's amazing! You can check out his website here.


That's it folks...a little update for January. Look for the birthday party pictures soon!

Lazy Sunday

What a great day to be lazy.

It is kind of dreary outside, just rain...no snow. We have no plans. I have spent my morning starting some laundry, cleaning up the house and playing with the little ones. It is definitely a no makeup, no hairspray day! And Barry and I are just sitting down to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Noah is napping, and Kendall is playing some computer games. We watched Memoirs of A Geisha last night...WOAH! Talk about getting crazy! Two movies in one weekend! That hardly even happens!

Friday night was great! We went out for a nice dinner...and then came home for some restful sleep. I slept until 8:00 with NO interruptions. I didn't move all night...and boy, did I need it! The kids did fine at Miss Kathy's...even though Noah didn't get completely settled until around 3:00 am, Kathy said it wasn't bad. He just couldn't seem to get into a deep sleep. He did sleep late though! When we called at 9:00, he was still sleeping!

Yesterday I got to have brunch with Sheri while Barry picked up the kids. What a treat! Ricotta pancakes and organic sausage. YUM! Then I came home and played with the kiddos some more! We really had a nice day. No cooking....pizza for dinner! And I'm happy to report that Noah's separation anxiety seems to be doing a little better...well, on and off, anyway!

So, anyway, I'm going to get to cuddling on the couch with my sweetie and watching my movie. Hope you all get to have lovely lazy Sunday as well!

Give the Kid a Break!

My poor, poor, baby boy.

He's just had a rough month, as you can see from some of my previous entries. The bad cold, the stomach flu, the ear infection, separation anxiety, and the insomnia. And now, we can add something else.

How 'bout a severe reaction to the antibiotic? My little guy is covered, and I mean COVERED in red spots. He doesn't seem to be bothered by them, so I am assuming they don't itch...but he looks a wreck. Don't you agree?



I am hoping this latest episode will clear up without too much trouble and we can be on our way...and back to the world of regular sleep. The little guy is really having a time of it. He's been sleeping with (or should I say ON) me for the last couple of nights. And to say the least, we've not been getting much sleep - either one of us! But overall, he really seems fine. He has been playing like crazy and chasing the cat, just like any other day!

Enter Miss Kathy....

Miss Kathy has volunteered to watch the kids for us tonight so we can have a night out with some friends. AND, to raise the bar even more, she is keeping them overnight! I thought she was nuts at first...and of course my reaction was, "Are you SURE???"

To which she responded,"It's fine. It will be FINE. It's one night of my life...so what if he doesn't sleep? We'll be ok!"

Well, how can you argue with that? And who knows...maybe he'll surprise us and sleep like a baby for her. THAT would be awesome. I can tell you one thing for sure....

I'M GOING TO SLEEP LIKE A ROCK TONIGHT. I can hardly wait to get home. Can you believe that? I am not even thinking about the great dinner we are set to have, or all the fun people we are going with. All I can think about is getting home, putting on comfy pjs, and snuggling down deep in my bed for a solid night's sleep. AHHHHHH.......

THANK HEAVENS FOR MISS KATHY!!!!

Happy New Year, Y'all!

So it is now officially 2007! Happy New Year to you!

We had a nice New Year's Eve. Nothing too exciting, of course. Sheri came out to join us for dinner and chit-chat. We got the kids to bed and just sat up talking...until 2:00 am. But hey, isn't that what New Year's Eve is all about? Getting together with friends and just doing what you like to do? So that is what we did. Good food, good conversation, fleece blankets and ice cream. Now that's a good New Year's Eve!

Also, I have a few other things to report....

Noah has an ear infection, yes. He also is having separation anxiety. And let me tell you....
THAT is a lethal combination. Although I think he is feeling better, he still wants me to hold him and carry him all day long...and the screaming that ensues when I try to sit the little bugger down so I can, say, GO TO THE BATHROOM? Well, it's not pretty. But we're working on it. If you have any tried and true ideas, I'd be happy to hear them!

Barry did get a deer this season....YIPPEE! It still needs to be skinned and cut up, but there it is, for all to see...hanging in our shed.

Noah is not scared of the spring horse anymore....NOT A BIT, as you can see in this picture! He and Kendall have been playing "Ride 'Em Cowboy" every day. That was definitely a great idea! And check out those matching jammies....red for Noah and purple for Kendall. A good gift from Dad and Taffy.

We got the house de-Christmased yesterday. Usually, this would not happen so quickly, but for some reason, this year I was just done with it all. I'm not exactly sure why, but I just WAS. Anyway, our tree had gotten so dry that Barry decided to cut all the branches off so they didn't drop all their needles going through the front door. The result was a very sad looking tree...but it did fit through the door!


I haven't yet finalized my New Year's Resolution. I'll let you know when I do. I've got some ideas though! And I'd love to hear YOUR resolutions!

Hope you had a wonderful New Years doing what you love to do with people you love! Bring on 2007!

A Very Merry Christmas!

The guests are all gone, the food has been eaten, the trash has been taken out, and the dishes are clean. The kids have spent an entire day doing nothing but playing with their loot. Christmas is over (even my returns are finished!) and a VERY merry Christmas was had by all here at the Kuck cabin.

The weekend started off with the Kuck family Christmas on Saturday. Everyone was here by 12:30 for lunch and then, of course presents. The kids really made out like bandits, let me tell ya! But, as is always the case, the moment they wait all day for goes really fast...and everything is opened within 3o minutes! After we got the mess cleaned up, we just sat back and watched the kids play until our guests started filing out the door.

Then on Saturday, Mom & Joe and Jess & Luke showed up for dinner. The food was great, and there was PLENTY OF IT. We were all sitting around afterward lamenting how much we had eaten and why on earth we couldn't have been stopped! But, of course, that didn't stop us from having ice cream a little later! HeeeeHEEEEE! Kendall could barely wait to start opening her gifts again...I'll tell you what - that kid was on a roll! And of course, she is feeling pretty spoiled because she got just about everything she asked for! Noah really could have cared less about Christmas this year. He's been sick with a cold and it really caught up with him this weekend with all the excitement...he was a super snotty mess. Snot rockets every 15 minutes, a yucky phlegmy cough, red eyes...the works, you know? He just didn't feel good at all. Then after we did gifts, he started burning up while sitting on the couch with good 'ol Aunt Jess. During the night, his fever broke, but not until he finally fell asleep at 5:30-6:00 am. Yeah, you heard that right. IT'S NO JOKE, BELIEVE ME!!!! We were up all night. UGH. Merry Christmas to us!

Of course, Kendall got up at 8:00 or so, ready and willing to go. So we went ahead and let her open her gifts and decided to let the little one sleep. We knew he'd be just as happy to open his gifts after getting some rest. Kendall went crazy when she saw the Radio Flyer spring horse Santa brought for her and Noah! She and Grandma Cindy quickly found a suitable moniker for him...SHADOW. So now Kendall and Shadow are fast friends. She can hardly walk through the room without jumping up on him and taking a ride. She was even watching TV while riding him earlier today! Noah is not too interested up close yet. He has been checking out how that horse works exactly...you know, checking the springs, the hooves, even the mouth. But he is not too keen on jumping up there just yet. You see, that would require him to let go of me for 30 seconds...and THAT is not about to happen! My adorable little son will not let me out of his reach, especially now, while he is under the weather. So, give it a few days, and I'm sure he'll be fighting his big sis for a turn to ride the range with Shadow. Some other highlights of the kids' gifts....

The Shake 'n Go Racetrack...great fun for both the kids (and Daddy too!)

The 2 in 1 Saxophone-Trumpet that plays very festive songs. Kendall picked it out for Noah, and it too is a favorite for both kiddos.

The Colorforms set Kendall got. I guess it shows that kids always like the simple stuff.

All of Noah's toys that involve cars. That little boy is totally into cars right now. All we hear is "VOOM, VOOM!" as he is pushing them across the floor...

Easy Bake Oven...need I say more?

The dolls that talk on the phone and jump rope, and the light up dinosaur that roars while walking across the floor. The kids love them, and I just want to steal their batteries.

Those are just a few off the top of my head. If your gift isn't listed, it's not because the kids don't like it, it's just that I'm too fried right now to remember all of them...or because in this great room full of toys, they just haven't made their way to it yet. No worries, folks, we'll get there by the weekend! We have LOTS of playing to do!

So anyway, Mom & Joe and Luke all left on Christmas Day and then Dad & Taffy rolled in. We had more yummy food and more great gifts, and MORE playing! And, after quite a struggle with little man, some sleeping. Sleep is GOOD. REAL GOOD. We stayed up late, watched The DaVinci Code, and then we all crashed. After breakfast this morning, Dad & Taffy headed out (it IS hunting season, you know!) and Jess and I took the kids to Wal-Mart to take care of the returns/exchanges. So it's all done! And Christmas was a success! Now I am looking forward to maybe a glass of wine and getting my butt to bed. Hope your Christmas was full of family, fun, and food too!

Now it's time to get to work on that New Year's Resolution!!!

Preparations have begun!

Yep, that 's right, the holiday preparations have officially begun! I have wrapped all of my gifts, done my grocery shopping, cleaned my bathrooms, and have my list made for tomorrow. We have family coming in on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday...so it's a good thing to have a plan of action! Tomorrow I will finish my cleaning, get a couple of things made and into the fridge/freezer, and make another batch of cookies. Snack food is important at any gathering!

Then, I will turn on the tree and sit with my honey on the couch, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the last moments of peace that will exist in this house for the next couple of days. I DO love the holidays and all the preparations...but a peaceful moment to enjoy and reflect upon the season is always nice too, and I am really looking forward to it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season! May you have a special moment of peace as well...

I Must Have Been Really REALLY GOOD!

So I must have been really, really good this year! Today when I got home from work, Barry announced that he knew it would ruin the surprise, but he had to give me my Christmas present right then...because it was going to become obvious real quick what it was.

AND GUESS WHAT???

I got the only thing I asked for! All I wanted this year was some wireless high-speed service (actually, I would have settled just for high-speed...no wireless). And unfortunately, out here in BFE, that was proving to be a little more difficult than we thought! You see, there is no cable out here, and no broadband. Basically, no nothin'! But being the diligent little worker that he is, Barry found Sprint PCS and their wireless service. Now, it's not HIGH-SPEED, per se...but it IS about 15 times faster than the dial-up crap that I had until today!

I am in heaven! Here I sit, in the great room with Barry and Kendall, just typing away! This is toooooo cooool! And I don't have to wait 5 minutes for each page to load! You see, the dial-up was getting me down, BIG TIME. At our old house we had roadrunner, and to go back to dial-up was heartbreaking! My online Christmas shopping took forever this year...and was making me crazy! Not to mention tying up my phone line! But no more!

As usual, my sweet hubby came through...and made my Christmas FANTASTIC!!!! Isn't he the best??? All girls should be as lucky as me!

In the Christmas Spirit!

The holidays are right around the corner, and we are definitely in the Christmas Spirit. Although this picture of Kendall finishing up the tree is from a week ago, it is just one part of the festivities going on around here. Presents are being wrapped, last minute shopping is being finished up, Christmas cards are almost done, and the decorating is finished. And Christmas carols are being sung all day long!

On the agenda this weekend is cookie making and getting food into the freezer for when all of our family is here over Christmas weekend. Maybe we'll even hit the lights at the zoo! We can't miss that...it's a yearly tradition! We are so excited that all of our family celebrations will be at our house again this year. We love having people in our home!

Here's hoping that all of your holiday preparations are going well and you are able to take a moment to enjoy your family and the joy that comes with Christmas....if you let it!

Your WHAT???

Just a quick Kendall story for you all.... (And yes, Miss Kathy, this is one of those that will make you smile if you are having a crappy Monday!)

The other night, Kendall needed a bath, so I told her to run upstairs and start her bathwater. When Noah and I went up to check on her, Noah was insistent that he get in the bubbly tub with her. He thinks he is big stuff when he gets to take a bath in Kendall's tub! So I figured what the heck....put the kid in the tub and let them play! One less child I have to bathe later...

So I'm cleaning up Kendall's room, watching and listening to them play, when I suddenly hear this:

"MAMA!!! Noah just put his foot on my wiener!"

(What?!?!?!?! Oh, dear God.)

"Kendall, you don't HAVE a wiener..."

" I don't???? Ummm, ok....then Noah just put his foot in my crock!"

"Your what? Your crock?! ? Do you mean your CROTCH?"

"Yeah, that's it! Noah put his foot in my crotch!"

So this is just your everyday conversation here at the Kuck house. Wieners and crocks....and lots (and I mean LOTS) of giggling!

Fat & Happy

Turkey Day is over, we are finally home, and the Kucks are all feeling fat and happy! After 3 Thanksgiving dinners in 3 days, we were definitely ready to be home. AND ready to stop eating! Don't get me wrong here...the food was fabulous! And no repeats! We had venison at my dad's, ham at my in-laws, and turkey at my mom's. So I guess you could say we had a nice variety of meats this weekend! And hold on to your hats, ladies and gentlemen....I, Jennifer R. Kuck, was not really down with the desserts this weekend.

YES, I KNOW YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!

But alas, it is true. I did not have one single piece of pumpkin pie. I did, however, have some pumpkin pancakes for breakfast on Thursday...and pumpkin muffins for breakfast on Friday. Hmmmmm....I guess I like pumpkin, just not the pie! At least this year, anyway. In fact, I don't think I really ate as much as usual....but never fear! I'm sure between Barry, Kendall and Noah, someone made up for my lack of appetite.

So here is how the tour of Thanksgiving celebrations went:

We went to my dad's on Wednesday late in the afternoon and had dinner and spent the night. On Thursday, we had a lazy morning and then got cleaned up and headed to Gary & Luanne's for dinner. (I suppose I should mention here, before my brother or sister does, that I managed to get completely shitfaced drinking margaritas with Taffy before we headed to Gary and Luanne's...) We had dinner at Gary & Luanne's, let the kids play and stay up late, and then we headed to my mom's. We spent the night and then had dinner on Friday around 4:00. Stayed up late watching movies and then hit the Reindog Pancake Breakfast this morning so the kids could see Santa. And of course, the Chris Cakes are always a hit! For those of you who don't know, Chris Cakes caters pancake breakfasts...and they are fun because they flip your pancakes at you and you have to catch them on your plate...a total blast for the kids, as I'm sure you can imagine!

On with the tour.....So, we came home from the pancake breakfast and Jessie, Noah and I took a walk around the lake while Mom took the girls to the parade in town. Soon after, we took off for home...tired, stuffed to the gills, and ready to be home.

So here we are. And I must say, we had a beautiful day to come home to. We actually got home and didn't even bother unpacking. We said a silent "Thanks!" for the great weather, got into our old clothes and headed outside to work and play.

Tomorrow the plan is to plant some trees, go pick out our Christmas tree, and start decorating the house. How I love to be home!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope you are all full of turkey and done with your Christmas shopping....HAH!

Pet Peeves

I don't know if it's a case of the Mondays or not, but here are some things I have found particularly annoying today...

1.) What makes certain young men think that whatever music they are listening to is so cool that EVERYONE within a 5 mile radius should hear it too? And not just hear it...NOOOO, we need to FEEL it! Seriously....do these kids not worry about their hearing??? I am sitting at Cosi today eating my signature sandwich (the TBM ...that's tomato, basil, mozzarella, for those of you who don't know) and these kids pull up and I swear, I could hear nothing but heavy bass. UGH. My van was vibrating. Whatever.

2.) People who stand in the middle of the aisle at the grocery staring at one section of food, like maybe the pasta sauces. They act totally oblivious to the fact that they are standing DIRECTLY in the middle, and no one with a shopping cart has a prayer of getting around them. And even better...they act like they don't see you! You actually have to come out and say "Excuse me" and then they don't even look up at you, or say sorry or even acknowledge you are even there....they just keep staring at the pasta sauces....because, well, really folks....pasta sauce IS that interesting! Lord have mercy....

3.) Christmas lights and music in full swing by the second week of November. It's no wonder so many people commit suicide around the holidays. By the time Christmas finally gets here, you are so sick of "Holly Jolly Christmas" you can barely take it!

So there you have it, ladies & gents....the holidays are definitely here!

Undefeated!

Yeah, that's right...The Bucks are UNSTOPPABLE!

As my dad would say...

"Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it", Michigan!

Just a few quick updates

EGGS!

We got our first eggs this week...and boy was it exciting! Really, I think we had all given up hope! Our chickens just wouldn't stay home...even after Barry clipped their wings to (supposedly) throw them off balance so they couldn't fly. Yeah, that didn't work so well. They still got out and headed over to the neighbors! So now we have a higher fence, and that seems to be working. Kendall could hardly contain herself when we found the first egg - a blue one!





BIG BOY HAIRCUT

Noah got his first haircut today. It was time. Aunt Jessie kept making fun of his mullett. I still maintain that he did not have one, but she and Danniel both insist that he did. Anyway, he would not hold still for anything! I had to have him sit on my lap, facing me and hold his head still so Danniel could safely do the cutting. And I must admit, a lot more hair came off than I thought was there! He looks so cute with his big boy cut, but I do miss the little curls in back! I guess he is growing up after all....



GO BUCKS!

The city is alive with the sound of BUCKEYES! This town is out of control! They were already preparing for the street closures yesterday...and the Johnsonville Brat grill is all set up in Dublin. That thing can grill like 1500 brats at one time...isn't that insane? Scarlett and Gray are everywhere to be seen, and all you can find on the news and the radio is talk of the BIG GAME. Will we be there?

No, we will not. We will be watching in the comfort of our own home, with beer, snacks, and the bathroom less than 20 feet away...with NO lines! And to be honest, that is just fine with me. If we had been lucky enough to have tickets, you can bet your sweet a** we would have sold those suckers!

I am Officially....

I have made yet another huge step in the life of a mother. I am now "officially" the parent of a school-age child. I had my first parent-teacher conference last night, and I was NERVOUS!

I don't know why...Kendall's teacher had already told me she was doing great, reading like crazy and getting along with the kids in her class. But one little fear I had was confirmed...

Kendall is a talker, AND a leader.

That combination is deadly in a classroom of 23 kids.

So, we had a discussion with Kendall last night about choosing to focus on her work instead of talking to the kids at her table. And even though we understand that she likes the kids and wants to be friends with them, it isn't always appropriate to be giggling and goofing off. And do you know what she said to us?

"But I can't help myself!"

Yeah. This is what we're dealing with. So, we had to get busy with some positive reinforcement. If we see major improvement in a 2 week period, she gets the Math Missions Leapster game she wants so badly. And if not...

then there is going to be some major privilege reduction going on at the Kuck house.

And if this is a sign of things to come, Kendall's teacher said that she was as good as gold today. Who says bribery doesn't work???

A Fabulous Fall Weekend

Wow! We had a great weekend, and one that was perfectly suited for some nice fall weather!

On Friday night, Kendall spent some time looking through the toy catalogs, preparing to begin her Christmas list while Barry and Noah sat on the couch and read books. I was content to sit in my chair with a nice fleece blanket and work on a secret project (Yes, it is a Christmas gift, and no, I am NOT saying who it's for!) After the little man went to bed, we had game night. Barry, Kendall and I played My Pretty Pony Memory...and it took her just one game to get her groove on, and then she was on a roll. She beat me both times! Of course, Barry is no slouch either, so she was having a tough time beating him, but she was still happy just to beat me. Friday night game night has been out of commission for a while, but I think we are bringing it back. We have a lot of fun, and when we do it regularly, Kendall really learns that it's ok to lose sometimes. And we all know how important that is!

On Saturday, we got up and made a quick trip to Wapak for a Relay for Life fundraiser that I was doing a bit of chair massage for. It was kind of a letdown, and I think we were all disappointed that there wasn't more of a crowd, but I guess we'll just take what we can get! While I was there, Barry and the kids went to his brother's house and let the cousins run around and play for a few hours...and let me tell you that they were tearing it up! I got there around 1:30 or so and they didn't even look tired yet, so we hung out a bit and then headed home so we could listen to the Buckeyes game on the radio. How sad is that? We couldn't even get the darn game on TV....maybe someday we'll come on into the 21st century! But for now, satellite would not be good for us. 100+ channels? No way, dude. We'd all be parked on our butts in front of the TV, and we DEFINITELY don't want to start that. We're doing just fine with 4, 6, 10, 28, 34, and 53, thank you very much. Six channels, and still we watch plenty of TV!

When we got back on Saturday, Sheri came out to have dinner with us...Teriyaki Salmon, rice pilaf, carrots and last but not least....Apple Raspberry pie. YUM. Sheri and Kendall went through her art box, checking out all of her latest creations, and then Sheri played the piano with both kids. Noah thinks he is big stuff while sitting on the piano bench. He just plays along like he's been doing it forever....and he never BANGS on the keys....Thank Goodness!

Sunday was just a nice morning. Both kids slept well Saturday night, and we all woke up refreshed...so I suggested brunch at First Watch (or as Kendall calls it - BIG WAFFLES) with Aunt Jessie. It was SOOOO GOOOOOD. I could eat there every week and never get tired of it. Their Belgian Waffle is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Afterward, we ran to Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries and then home to get some work done outside. When the work was done and we had eaten supper, we headed out for a nice fall walk around our property. It was really a great day for some nature immersion! Kendall found all kinds of stuff to suit her fancy, and had a million gazillion questions. I swear, she talks NONSTOP! Sometimes I just have to ask her to use her "superpowers" to be as quiet as she can. And yes, it DOES work. Just a moment of peace, that's all I ask... So enjoy the pictures of the weekend...and hope yours was fall-tastic as well!

PS... How do you like Kendall's band-aid on her nose? No, it's nothing...TRUST ME. She bonked her nose on Noah's hand, and of course...it needed a band-aid. Whatever.

More Halloween Pictures

Here are a few more Halloween pictures...for those of you who asked.

Here you see little Mr. Noah giving me some flirty eyes, Kendall with her Halloween haul, and one of our pumpkins (the only one that was ready for halloween!)