Thomas Channell

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you.

I'm back!

I know it has been forever since my last post. Here is a quick update:

Morgan and Taylor have birthdays coming up in the next couple of weeks. Morgan is turning 5, which I consider to be a milestone birthday. This is the year she will start kindergarten and she is officially a child now, no longer a toddler. Strangely enough, I remember my first day of kindergarten. My mom put me in a dress with knee-high socks and insisted on taking my picture before we left the house. My teacher was a stern looking older woman, with orange-dyed hair pulled in a tight bun, horned rimmed glasses and a pinched face. I do not remember her name.

Taylor turns 3 next week. The 3rd year is a tough year for toddlers. They are conflicted because they want to do everything on their own, yet get frustrated because they cannot. Taylor is already experiencing this and often resorts to hitting me, like it is my fault. All I know is that she is in for a rude awakening in July. For those who do not already know, I am expecting baby number three. I hope Taylor does some growing up in the next six months, because sometimes she still thinks she is a baby.

Greg is still working For Olssen Assoc., but he and a friend are currently working on a new business venture. You can check out CARGO MODERN by clicking on the link from my page.

Well, that's it for now. I will post pics of the b-day parties soon.

Music

I have been sort of trying to teach Morgan to play the piano. She tends to get impatient with me and vice versa. She can play a few songs that I taught her, and then she got creative and made up her own song called "Cats Wild".




This is what happens when Greg is in charge of music appreciation.

Halloween

Pumpkin guts!

Slimy hands.


Pumpkin carving artist.

Greg calls this his "punk rock" pumpkin.

Alice in Wonderland.


Hula girl Morgan with cousin and friend.
The gang.

November 14th!


Time for the Halloween post. Our Halloween was not all that great. We took the kids trick-or-treating and they whined and complained most of the time that they were tired of walking and their bags were too heavy. What?!? Whose kids complain about getting free candy? Oh, mine do. I'm taking all the full size candy bars and stashing them for myself when I need some chocolate therapy.

On to more exciting things. Only 12 days, count them, 12, until the new Bond movie! Hello Daniel Craig! Yes, I have a celebrity crush on him. Ok, not exactly him, just his Bond character. Now the question is, do I see the movie before Thanksgiving, or wait until that night when we all go see a movie. I do not know if I can wait that long. For those of you who cannot relate because you are too obsessed with seeing the Twilight movie, we can never be friends again.

Playhouse

Yes, bright orange!



Chalkboard wall.



Taylor "boogie" nose.




Greg has been working on a playhouse for the girls and it is officially finished. They absolutely love it and they are happy about helping out with the painting. Greg let them pick out the colors and then they helped him paint. It is a big hit with friends!

"Punkin" Patch

Indi, Claire and Morgan on swing.
Taylor feeding a pygmy goat.
Looking for pumpkins.
Hot and tired.

Today we went to the "punkin" patch, as Taylor calls it. Of course we picked the hottest day in October to go, again. Where else in the country would you go to the pumpkin patch mid-October and have to put on sunblock and consume copious amounts of water to survive the 90 degree weather? Needless to say, by the time we had tromped through the thorny rows of dry, parched pumpkin vines and picked out our pumpkins, the kids were ready to go home. They at least had fun at the petting zoo and swinging on the tire swings. We may skip the trip next year and buy our pumpkins at the grocery store. Oh well, it was an experience they will remember and hopefully when they are a little older, they will appreciate it more.

October

It is finally October. This is by far my favorite month of the year. For me it is the official kick-off for fall. I adore the colors, scents and weather associated with this time of year. Most importantly, it is the month of Halloween--my favorite holiday. Celebrating Halloween all month long helps me justify eating candy and watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas" everyday. Today is the day I can dig out the Halloween decoration box and set out pumpkin and spice candles. I only wish it was cool enough to wear fall clothing and cozy up on the couch with a cup of cocoa. Maybe next month. For now, I have my candy and "The Pumpkin King".