Daylight Savings? What is that?

Daylight savings is officially a non event in a house with 2 little ones. Neither Bo or Anna slept an extra hour, they merely got up an hour earlier - do the math, it is a wash...Oh well. They tried.
That said our usually weekday morning, that begins for me at 7:15am, with a cup of coffee a shower, GMA and the opportunity to dress, complete with makeup before the kids get up shortly after 8am, didn't happen today. Instead it was 7:04am when Anna barged into my room and said, "mommy, get up!", this was followed by her pulling off my covers and shortly later I heard Bo screaming. Oh, these days are to be cherished, right? B/c before I know it my kids will care less if I am awake, they themselves will be sleeping until noon etc. etc.

Okay, so quickly, look to the right side of this post, you see the links? Click on the Coffin Family Blog, you MUST read what Sarah posted today, for it sums up my exact feelings about this so called "holiday" that occurs tomorrow. I did go trick or treating when I was little and I did enjoy it, but I was never anything scary, we did not PURCHASE costumes, we put them together, with things we already had. We did not decorate, but we did carve pumpkins, happy, cute pumpkins. However, I will say things have changed, and thankfully churches recognize this. In a day where kids aren't even safe in school...I refuse to take or send my kids out trick or treating. I have even not wanted to say the word HALLOWEEN. Anna doesn't know it, and she isn't missing out. She will dress as a cowgirl tomorrow, she will go to our church for a fall festival, she will get candy and play games. And, year after year this is what we will do. When she gets to school, she can learn what trick or treating is, but will just know it as something the others do, not something she does. She goes to her church for a much grander time, complete with games and her friends. (Bo too).

As I searched for the cowgirl hat for Anna yesterday, I was forced into Party America, a store here in Tulsa. Mind you I haven't ever really shopped for costumes in my ENTIRE life. I was totally appalled at the TODDLER costumes of devils, hard core ninjas, scary goublins. We are talking 2T here. And where did I have to go to find a simple hat? To the bday themed aisle, no one had thought it would be a good costume to sell for someone.

Back to my point - read Sarah's blog and say ditto for the Lyon family. I think if Jake had it TOTALLY his way we wouldn't even do the costume thing, just a fall colored shirt and a visit to the festival.

My brother came back this weekend, unplanned, it was nice. We did a whole lot of NOTHING. Made some good weight watchers recipes, watched a lot of football and played with the kids.

Speaking of, Friday night was AMAZING!!! Thank you Cindy Duke! We had free dinner, free sitting, and free football tickets! We (Jake and I) came home around 11pm to find our kiddos asleep. And when Anna woke up on Sat. she asked if Cindy slept on the couch?! I think she loved her.

Saturday, the Coffin family came over for dinner. It was a perfect balance of friends, good conversation, yummy burgers and we were even all in agreement that 4:30pm was not TOO early to start our evening and 7pm was not too early to end it. We both have 2 little ones and that 8pm bed time is critical for all of our sanity.

Okay, well it is time for lunch here. So real quick:
1. Cindy for babysitting and being such a great friend, after 6yrs of not talking a whole lot, she enters the room and it feels like we saw each other yesterday
2. The Coffins for being on the same page as us, so I am not afraid to be with them, with my kids, I am not afraid to leave my kids with them - we have a lot in common in general and then our priorities and ideas on our kids match up, so we make a good pair!
3. Anna's wonderful ability to play independently, as we are starting to turn off the TV way earlier in the day, she doesn't seem to mind. I was using it (I admit) to help me while Bo was so little and so demanding.
4. A trip out and about yesterday by myself, the BOYS watched the kids.
5. My new flannel pants from Old Navy, they are the perfect weight!
6. Leaves turning colors and falling all over the ground outside.
7. FINALLY finding that dumb hat for Anna's outfit.
8. Our amazing Sunday school class.
9. A silly new guilty pleasure on TV - it is on CMT, the making of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
10. A house full of healthy food (I start WW tonight!)