Oh, how I wish I could.....

This was Ben's 4 school essay tonight. They are given a subject to write on and have to write 4 sentences. Ben's answer was:
Oh, how I wish I could be big like my friends. I will be big soon. I will be able to do a lot more things. I will be very happy and excited

NOT found in Ukraine!!!!

I completely forgot that I had these pictures on my phone & I found them this morning. We had gone to the Hallowe'en store a few weeks back and found costumes for Ben & Maggie. DeeDee was amazed at the stores since they have nothing like this in Ukraine. Ben's favourite holiday is still Hallowe'en and he just can't get enough of it. Luckily, he doesn't insist on me buying all of the trimmings that go along with it. The bad thing about these Hallowe'en stores is that they never have sales, they just pack up & wait for next year. I took pictures with my camera so DeeDee could let her family see what they are missing!!!! Here we have two-headed dolls-lovely....

I think this portrait's eyes probably follow you around the room

Why does Maggie seem to like this blood-covered child so much???!!!!

Fall has arrived

I took Ben & Tariq to the City Museum last night. We were there for 6 hours!!! They played in the ball pit almost the whole time. Of course, both of them got hit in the face & were crying at one point!!! It gets pretty crazy at night when there are a lot of older people around. I finally had to pull them out of there because I was SO COLD!!! When we got in my car, it was 60 degrees and we had to put the heated seats & the heater on. Fall has finally arrived.....
I bought Ben a bunch of Fall/Winter clothes yesterday. Since he's been on GH, he needs new clothes every year at this time, still catches me by surprise each time. He even got a new pair of shoes, usually I can't get him to look at new shoes and he desperately needs them. On his own initiative, he went over to the shoes & tried them on. He needed a size 3, I think his last ones were a 1, no wonder he's been wearing his crocs so much recently!!!!
I was cold sleeping last night because I had the windows open, even though I had Ben with me. I think I'll hunt out the comforter today!!!!

Ben & Maggie

As soon as I picked Ben up from school, he wanted to call Dad & talk to him. He wanted to speak to Maggie & they had a very grown up conversation. I could hear Ben telling her all about his day & that everyone at school had been asking where she was. He told her to have a great weekend and that we would have a present for her when she got back home. Then he said "I love you Maggie" before he got off the phone.
All the time, I am wondering why they can't be like that together at home. I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder!!!!!

Jurassic Dark

We finally got to see the dinosaur exhibit at the Botanical Gardens, just a few days before it is done-not like us at all!!!! It was pretty good, Ben& Maggie loved it. Most of the dinosaurs were in the climatron and it was very dark in there. Ben said it was the "best night ever"



They had a balloon artist that made Aliens for Ben & Maggie. Maggie's didn't last very long though!!!!
Ben got a really cool mug that has dinosaurs that turn into their skeletons when you put hot liquid in it-I'm going to have my coffee in it tomorrow!!!!!

Trip to the Magic House

The recycling exhibit at the Magic House is very cool. Ben had wanted to show it to me. We don't go to the Magic House very often, but the kids really like it there. There is so much for them to do now they have the new addition. There was an exhibit concerning the use of algae for biodegradable fuel. Ben really liked the stirrers in the cabinets
Maggie had a huge amount of fun with this old typewriter
Ben, Maggie & Dee Dee all were successful at getting the bubble pulled up over themselves
Dee Dee even had a go with the scientific stuff!!!!
Maggie looks really determined at driving this!!!!
and Ben spent ages serving us pizza

Ben's plans for the weekend

Sam& Maggie are going to Little Rock for the weekend. Ben gave me a list of his plans
1. Sleep in Mum's bed
2. Eat lots of junk food
3. Ice cream
4. Stay up all night
5. Go out to eat
6. Go picking apples
7. Go fun places
8. Read stories
9. Have very fun time
10. Go walking or running
11. Laugh all day
Not sure exactly what that says about Sam and/or Maggie, but it looks like it will be a busy weekend!!

What did you do last night?

Me?
I picked Ben & Maggie up from school. Dropped off some paperwork with a child and talked to the secretary about a PTO matter.
Took Ben & Maggie home & did Ben's homework.
Started some laundry.
Took Ben & Maggie to the park to play with their friends.
Went home. Made my own mayonnaise and chicken salad for dinner.
Fed Ben & Maggie. Ate dinner with Sam
Sam took Ben to gymnastics and I went to a 90 minute PTO meeting. Took the minutes (I'm the secretary)
Picked Darya up from her cross country meet & took her home.
Found out Darya had no minutes on her phone so Sam went to get her a new card.
Made lunches for the next day.
Picked Ben up from gymnastics.
Got Ben & Maggie ready for bed.
Put Maggie in bed.
Did Ben's GH shot.
Listened to Ben doing his reading assignment.
Went to bed.
No wonder I need to go to work to relax!!!!

Brentwood Days-the festival

We always go to the Brentwood festival, all of the rides are free. Every year it seems like there are more & more people there, so the word must be getting around. We can't complain because we don't live in Brentwood either, we are technically half a block away from it (and it is a constant source of irritation to me because we are much closer to their schools than we are to the Webster schools!!!)
The kids (all of them) love this dinosaur ride, it's a small roller coaster and they never get tired of it. You can just see Ben & Xavier here and Maggie riding with Nora here
Maggie will still go on some of the little kids rides, including the carousel. They are getting to the age where Ben & Maggie like different rides, but luckily Ben can go off & do things on his own while I watch Maggie
Ben loved this ride last year, but it upset his tummy a bit this year
They all loved the Vortex, I can't believe they went on this!!!! They did it several times
They are up at the top left in this picture!!!!
Here they are on the scramble, this one finished them off for the day and luckily they were happy to leave when I suggested it. It was really hot this year and I had had enough after 3 hours

We saw the fireworks at 9pm from the house, they were spectacular. I told the kids that next year we will go at night so they can see the fireworks at the end of the festival

Brentwood Days-the parade

This is always our biggest weekend of the year-balloon race & Brentwood Days always fall on the same days. I think Brentwood Days has to be the kids' favourite day of the year. They get to watch the parade, gather lots of candy and go to the festival afterwards. This year, Fred Bird was the Grand Master (not really sure why, but that's OK!!) We always walk up to Amy & Lucia's house to watch the parade. This year, Lucia was walking in the parade with the Girl Scouts.
Of course, I just had to post a picture of the Brentwood boy scouts walking. The Tiger Cubs look so small now!!!!
This is the Webster Groves Marching Band, Dee Dee has two friends from cross country that are in the band
Ben was in such a good mood that he offered to carry Maggie's bucket home for her!!!!

Balloon Glow 2010

We go to the balloon glow every year, along with all the other St Louisans who think that the photo opportunity is enough to outweigh sitting in your car for 2 hours on a Friday night. The weather was perfect for it this year and we had a great time as usual. Dee Dee (her new name) was very impressed with it all.... The kids like the Pepsi balloon the best
It is always a lot of fun to see the balloons get blown up, and this year we actually got to see them being taken down as well. The kids love to see it all happening

Of course, we had to buy the "obligatory" light sticks that the kids love & the adults hate!!!!
There didn't seem as many balloons this year, but they were certainly packed in close together

My favourite shot with the moon above the balloons....

Ciy Museum

Dasha came to the City Museum with us, so of course, we had to retake "the picture" with her in it. Thank goodness she is not afraid of heights. I was really impressed that she'd get up in the top of this thing, there is no way I would have done it.
I don't think the picture at the top of the blog is as clear as the old one, but it is still great. The praying mantis has been on the rooftop for as long as I can remember
Dee Dee got in the mouth of this thing in the cave, Ben is checking to see if she's still alive or has been partially eaten!!!!!


In the nose of the whale!!!!

Just hanging around.....