Half Day Play Date

 Tessa has become buds with an adorable set of little blond twins...and they're pretty funny to boot.  We snagged Ellie after school on a half day and had the twins come on over for an afternoon of fun.  It was unseasonably warm.  The girls dressed up and had quite the creative performance using the covered hot tub as a stage (the most use we've gotten out of that thing!).   I usually love play dates because it keeps the kids busy and I can get some things done.  But, I had to stop and take some pictures as well as endure several live performances once I paid them some attention.  

  R to L, Ellie, Gemma, Tessa and Macie.

 Miss Tessa performing her version of Shake It Up Chicago from the Disney Channel

 Ellie...looking like she might fit right in going to college in Ann Arbor.

 Macie

 Gemma

Watch out for this trio.

Sibling Smothering Session

 Mia hanging with her big sibs.

 Does it taste like sausage?

 Because they sure do look like little delicious sausages!

 No, silly! Those are my fingers!

 The bigs having Mia smothering session

 Rolling over training

 Nate tries the "get down to her level" and demonstrate approach.

 Mia thinks he's just silly.

 Tessa tries to physically make Mia roll with her.

 Mia quickly realizes this is NOT a good idea...

 Ugh!  You're squeeeeeeezing me!

 Mom, seriously.  They're SQUEEEEEEZING me!

Ok.  Asking for a rescue mission here.

Awwwh.  Ok.  They really do love me.

Fatty at Five Months

 Ummh? I'm hoping this photo shoot was pants optional?

 I love my woobie.  I can stick my chubby little sausage fingers through the holes.

 All smiles.

 All rolls.

Family Pic

For being someone that loves to take pictures, I sure have done a terrible job at getting organized family pictures of the Baughman clan.  Tessa got an assignment that required her to bring in a picture of her family.  Of course, I conjure up all these grand and creative ideas and get inspired to get a family picture taken.  I mean, we do have a new addition to the family.  The last and only picture of our entire family is about 15 minutes after I delivered Mia and the family piled in to the hospital bed.  I thought that would be weird.  So, of course, we can't send in a picture that doesn't include the entire family.  Does this family photo opportunity or project that I dream of happen?  No.  So, here we are.  The night that the picture is due...literally, a Friday night at 8pm. I'm balancing the camera on a table, setting the self-timer, bribing the bigs to focus and smile and the Baughmans all crouch together on the couch to look like a family.  And, I email it off to the teacher.  Not too bad.   But so sad.  And, do you think I could have at least put a little make-up on?  I'm no glamour girl.  Wouldn't you know that being a "B" family would land our family picture as the ONE picture that is frozen on prior to the slide show at the school function.  Good Lord.  All the families with their beach pictures or all formally posed by the tree or at a park and coordinating outfits...where the moms did their hair and wore make-up.  And, then, you have the Baughmans.  Sweatshirts.  Jerseys. On the couch. With their stunned, obese baby.  At least there wasn't a dirty plate of food or an empty pint glass in the background.  Keepin' it classy.

The Man in the Red Suit

 Yep.  I took (tortured) my children to Bronners in Frankenmuth.  Because Troy is a government employee he got off election day.  The kids didn't have school.  And, I amazingly, didn't have to work either.  Well, we packed up and thought we'd take a little day trip to Bronners after we did our civic duty and voted.  Most know that I love Christmas and everything about it!  We made a nice pit stop at the local brewery for lunch and then hit World's Largest Christmas Store!   It wasn't as exciting as I had anticipated.  Actually, I can see why I was tortured when my mom and my friends' moms dragged us there when we were in junior high and we acted like a bunch of brats and complained the whole time!  There are way too many things to buy and not as many things to do as I would have expected.  It is quite the Christmas spectacle.  I did appreciate all the Christmas music and spirit.

 

Tessa and Nate and the Man in the Red Suit....there was no live Santa.  SERIOUSLY!?!?  At the World's Largest Christmas Store!?!?  I was rather disappointed. And the kids were too as I got them all psyched about sitting on his lap and doing the ole spill your Christmas wishes to Santa gig.

 Not sure why Tessa wanted her picture with this creepy Christmas bear

We left with a little disappointment but a great selection of candy cane flavors that will last us at least until Christmas!

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat night usually means packing up from our country setting and heading in to the big city to collect candy and goodies from our good friends' neighborhood in A2.  We've made it a little tradition to order up some pizzas, indulge in some adult beverages, let the kids run amok and stuff themselves silly with candy.  My latest parenting strategy regarding Halloween is to let the kids eat as much candy as they want.  The sooner we are rid of it, the sooner we can all stop worrying/arguing about it and the cavities that will follow.  I have found that too-much-sugar-tummy-aches are a relatively good natural consequence.  I'm sure pediatricians and dentists and psychologists are out there rolling their eyes and tsk-tsking fingers at me.

 I'm also going to get some looks of shock and horror for letting my daughter dress up like a ZOMBIE CHEERLEADER.  I know. I didn't even know what a zombie cheerleader was until Tessa explained this to me.  Then, we go to the store and lo and behold they actually sell a premade costume called zombie cheerleader. I blame this all on kindergarten.  There must be some rotten influences there.  This is what happens when you're working full time, breastfeeding an infant, relying on your crock pot for dinners and trying to stay afloat mentally and physically.  I was at work and had to bust out early to get to join up with everyone for TOT so Dad got to do her make-up.  I explained "make her eyes look smokey and sunken."  Troy apparently interpreted that as make her look like a raccoon.  So, above is Miss Tessa.  My delicate flower 5 year old dressed up like a zombie cheerleader.  And, Nate.  Indiana Jones, with a real whip "that has blood on the end of it." Weapons and dead people.  Seriously. What is wrong with us?

 But then there is Miss Mia.  Who, of course, wore a sloppy seconds or thirds Halloween costume.  Very adorable little Strawberry.  Now that is sweet AND appropriate.  And, we've totally redeemed ourselves as parents.

Happy Halloween!

 

All the hooligans we took TOTing.  The dads stayed back with the babes and manned the candy bowl and cooler while the moms chased the kids around the neighborhood.

You'll see Nate as Indiana Jones, Johnny the Dinosaur, Tessa Zombie/Raccoon-eyes cheerleader in the wagon with Joey the real Raccoon of the night, Keira the kitty, Allie (who rebelled from wearing her intended Dora costume) also a kitty, Kayleigh as Dorothy, Kelsey as Boots and Mariah as Princess Merida.

 

Aarika and Joey Stovrigg

Cider, Donuts, Punkins...

Ti's the season for sipping on cider, snacking on warm donuts, jumping in straw mounds, running through corn mazes and carving pumpkins.  We love us some fall in these parts.

Dad and Mia staying cozy

Look at that holiday spirit!  Don't look at all those wrinkles on my face.  Focus on the obnoxious orange ponytails on top of my head. Good lord.  Get that woman some Retin-A.

Let's all be impressed and concerned that I am on top of the straw mound...with a baby.

Mia isn't too thrilled about being tossed into the straw mound

She is equally not thrilled about her sister smothering her while sitting in the straw mound.

Dad and the kids got out the power tools for punkin carving this year.

Very scary, huh?