And it's STILL not Haloween...

We made these powdered candy tube thingies that Veronica LOVED. Here she is taking a swig.

Kissing cousins!

Veronica and Roma got their faces painted for the first time! Veronica never used to want to do it. So I was surprised when she sat still for it...but she did!

Story time!

Here we go!!!

More candy!!!

Don't tell Mom, but I stashed more candy under my hat!

Time to go!

Then, as if that wasn't enough for one day, we went to a Haloween party that night at Chris and Katie's! By the time we took photos, Veronica was out of the tomato and into her pjs. She did great! Jason and I were War and Peace. Check out Elizabeth as Wednesday! So cute!

Haloween is a two week event.

So today, Deirdre and I are taking the girls to the Tinley rec center for their big Haloween party. Here are some photos of us getting ready to go! I'll post more after we get back!

Happy October!

October is usually one of my favorite months. It finally got cool around here and we are all grateful! Since we went to the pumpkin farm last year in 80 degree weather, I didn't want to repeat that uncomfortable day. So this year, we waited until it was about 75 instead! Oh well. The wind was whipping so hard it almost knocked Veronica down several times. We went to this dismal little farm out in the boonies out this direction. It was a little "Deliverance" with a guy who looked like a girl in overalls. Bengston's really is more fun but it's like going to Disney World it's so expensive! Veronica loved the pumpkin patch and she had a good time all around. Here are some photos!

Veronica was making friends with the other little girls and playing pass the pumpkin! It was really cute.

Now, Haloween is coming and Jason talked me into making her costume instead of buying it like normal people. But I'm glad I did. It turned out soooo CUTE! Veronica is going to be Bob The Tomato. And here she is!!! (Of course you should picture this with red tights and a red turtleneck...)

Here's a video of her. I am singing her favorite song but watch for the way she's looking at me, like-what are you doing, mom? You're embarassing me. lol

Deceptively Delicious!

Folks, Jerry Seinfeld's wife is a GENIUS. She wrote this cook book that in TWO DAYS has changed my life. Deceptively Delicious is all about pureeing veggies and sneaking them into your child's diet! Veronica is so picky about eating. She would survive on buttered noodles and donuts if I let her. So far, I have made brownies with spinach (which she loves) and the best macaroni and cheese I ever tasted filled with cauliflower, spinach and squash!!! I kid you not. It's the best dang mac-n-cheese EVER. Veronica ate her entire bowl. That NEVER happens. I actually don't even have the book yet. I saw it on Oprah and just started doing it. Whatever I'm cooking I put veggie puree in it! She says to just match the colors. So if it's dark, go with a green veggie, if it's light go with cauliflower, etc. Right now, Veronica is wandering around munching on her spinach brownie on top of the world! And I don't have to feel guilty she's eating it! If Jerry Seinfeld should suddenly stop being funny, his family will be set for life because of his ingenious wife. What a blessing! My child is EATING!!!! For some reason, Veronica stopped eating veggies a while ago. Then I hear this doctor on Oprah (same show) say it's not uncommon for them to do that at her age because she has tens of thousands MORE taste buds than we as adults do. This causes her to be extra sensitive to strong or yucky flavors. This is why kids like bland things! There is even a recipe for chicken nuggets dipped in broccoli! If you don't own this book go get it! And get it on Amazon. It's $14 and at Borders it's $24!!

Sorry Sorry Sorry

I know you've all been waiting for me to post new stuff. I apologise for being such a slug, but I have a lot going on. I'm in real estate class (which I recently got the highest grade in the class on my midterm...yay me!) I am totally booked with jewelry parties this month AND I have a sick child. 104 fever for 3 days. It finally broke today so you can imagine I haven't got time for much! I'm so sick of the Veggie Tales we have, I went to the Blockbuster and got new ones. Poor child is so beside herself with the sickness that she screams for "Bob" the tomato to make her feel better. Thank God for Veggie Tales. At least they're teaching her about God and being kind. We've decided we're going to be Veggie Tales for Haloween. I think Veronica is going to be a French Pea. So anyway, to the photos!

These photos are left over from the Dells vacation. Veronica loves the merry go round! And there I am finally! I'm always the one behind the camera it seems!

These goats were so nasty!

I just love these photos. She had such a good time on vacation with both of us. It was so nice to have family time all together.

And here she is having a blast with finger paints. I'm not exactly a hyper-clean mom. I figure why wear a shirt when you can paint your body! She's Braveheart Baby!

Is she talented or what???

We were all invited to a wedding outside and Veronica had a wonderful time. She met a little boy her age and they were so cute together!

Her absolute favorite thing to do was climb up and down this bench.

Pretty girls all dressed up!

Kiss for Daddy through the stairs!

Who's Daddy's Girl?

Flying Baby!!! Veronica kept screaming AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN!!!

The wedding was a lot of fun. I didn't get photos of her dancing because the camera ran out of batteries. (Of course.)

That's all for now! Enjoy!

What we did on our Summer Vacation

I've been so bad. But I have a very good excuse. We went to the Wisconsin Dells last week and brought a stomach bug back with us! Oh joy. So for the last week we've all been too sick to care about photos. Don't you just love travelling? It seems like eating out every day, 3 times a day, should be a nice thing in theory. But when tried, is nothing but an intestinal crap shoot (pun intended). You find yourself wondering which piece of lettuce in your salad will be the one to bring you to your knees.

Fortunately, we survived. This was the first family vacation we've taken. It was so much fun to actually have everyday together as a family without the daily bustle. Veronica had a blast.

Our first stop was Galena, IL. Here's Veronica coming down the grand stairway of the famous DeSoto House. Abraham Lincoln walked on those stairs! So did Ulysses S. Grant and several other muckety-mucks. I daresay, our little peanut is cuter than any of them. She gives good face doesn't she?

She's the sweetest thing in the world (when she isn't having a screaming fit) but who's counting?

We just love her so much. She's so much fun to be around. What a little person she is. Why is that surprising? Afterall, she is a person, but it's a trip watching her become this little entity with very strong opinions!

Several twizzlers and two movies later, we finally arrived in the Dells! Veronica loved swimming in the baby pool with her Daddy! She was doing it all by herself!

Ah, the Aloha Beach Hotel! There were bugs larger than Veronica, but hey, it's Wisconsin. I fancy myself fond of photography, even though I know nothing about it. Here are a few things I found on the grounds of our hotel I found interesting.

One of the best things about Wisconsin is the trees. I've always loved treetops. The evergreens are so huge and so tall. I have a lot of photos from several states that look just like this...

I call this one "Rhapsody in Bark"

"Parking Lot Flowers"

"Wisconsin Rocks!"

"Quack"

"Grass, Man"

untitled for lack of imagination

We took Veronica to this sad little "petting zoo" which was more like a prison for animals sentenced for bad behavior or something. It was so depressing! But she liked it.

"Psst...Larry, now's our chance. While he's not looking...grab the phone and call PETA!

Veronica was determined to hug a duck. She kept chasing after them shouting "HUG...HUG...HUG...HUG"

Here she is in a one room schoolhouse. If this photo is any indication of future behavior in school...we're in trouble.

Then of course, there was dinner every night. The Dells is like Las Vegas for kids. Everything talks, blinks, shouts, screams...it's insane. The above photos were taken at Crabby's (an all-you-can-eat crabfest.) There was a wait, but Dells restaraunts are prepared with all kinds of things for little ones to do while waiting...like scare the crap out of them with giant alligators. It took me almost the whole half hour to get her that close to it. Dinner was kind of like dining in the Pirates of the Carribean ride. They advertized a "Live Pirate Show" so I expected some swashbuckling actors or something. But, no no. This is the Dells. There were giant animatronic pirates shouting things at eachother over our heads. Annoying? Yes. Live? No. And it wasn't enough to hold Veronica's attention. All she wanted was Buzz. (Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story...favorite movie of the week) So Dad, we tried to hurt 'em but we failed. We only got through 2 platters of crab legs and a few oysters. We were planning on going for at least 3 platters, but the Bean had other ideas.

"Take me home! Those pirates are lame."

There are more photos and I'll post them soon!