Halloween Night: A Success!!!

Well - another Halloween full of trick-or-treating, fun with family and friends and WAY too much candy has come and gone for the Blankenship children. This is the condition in which our boys came home after their eventful evening. I especially LOVE the picture of Jack! Don't you think the bone necklace and googly eyes add a nice touch? On the way back from seeing their baby cousin, the boys fell asleep in the car. Ashley ran in the house and got me (as I was home sick) and said, "Come quick - - - you HAVE to see this one!!!" As usual, they did not disappoint! It's a nice thing when children have so much fun that their little bodies just crash from the exhaustion!

Happy Halloween!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

My Little Monsters!

Are these little guys just so flippin' cute or what??? (I know. . . I know . . . I'm quite the biased Mommy), but I think they are just too precious for words! They were ready for Preschool this morning - after being VERY sweet and singing "Happy Birthday to Mommy" and telling me how much I'm loved, and how beautiful I am, and that I'm the best Mommy in the world! (Can't tell you how great all those kind words felt). My 15 year old daughter (not in the pictures because she was already at High School) was equally sweet and even let me have the day "off" from making her lunch! A nice treat for a tired Mom. The little boys have parties at Preschool today, a neighborhood street party and cookout this evening and then "Trick Or Treating" after that. What a fun day to be a kid!

My reward is that I have much of today to celebrate my birthday in my Pajamas - resting and trying to feel less "monster-like" from this sickness I have.

Have a Happy Halloween everyone! So far - it's shaping up to be a very blessed day!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

The "Girl Ghost"!

Our little Jack - the almost 5 year old - is a riot. Last week for letter show and tell at Preschool, he brought a picture of him making a "Funny Face" for his "F" object. Since his teacher made a big deal about him using his letter twice in his object, he was determined to do it again. So - after much searching around the house, he brings me this little ghost and insisted that I put a bow on it so it would be a "Girl Ghost." You gotta give it to him - - - the little guy is quite creative. So, with great pride, I made the ghost a girl and happily sent it off to preschool this week. I just love these children!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

My Halloween Birthday!

My Birthday falls on Halloween - - - and what a fun thing that is! As a kid it was awesome - I always had the perfect themed costume party. As an adult and a parent, my special day seems to take a backseat to ghosts, goblins and trick-or-treating with my sweet children.

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However . . . my Mom and Dad always make an effort to make my special day just that . . . SPECIAL! One funny thing that they always do is give me a silly "Halloween" themed gift. Over the years I've received "Pumpkin Patch Pete," "Sir Laughs Alot," witches and bats that shake and squeel at the sound of a clapped hand, a Black Cat that sings "Black Magic Woman" (my 2 year old's favorite), and this year a clock that makes creepy sounds and a skeleton named "BOO" (dubbed by my boys).

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My parents also make a point to send me Birthday flowers with a halloween flair. I think the year that the arrangement had black dyed carnations with cobwebs and spiders was a bit over the top, but this year, they sent this beautiful arrangment - in a cute Jack-O-Lantern shell. I'm very grateful to my sweet family for always making me feel important - even when my birthday is a bit overshadowed!!

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. . . just another day in the life . . .

Trunk or Treat!

Our church has a WONDERFUL tradition in the Fall called "Trunk or Treat!" Kind volunteers decorate their cars, vans and SUV's in the church parking lot, and then all the children get to "Trunk or Treat" for candy. Our little guys had a BLAST tonight with all their friends at this fun event!

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This Halloween marks a real step in Mommy development for me: I allowed one of my children to dress in a commercialized character costume! GASP! Jack was a Transformer - "Optimus Prime" to be exact - complete with a polyester uni-suit and plastic mask. Ashley was very upset! She claims that I NEVER let her wear something "tacky" for Halloween. "Oh - the horror," I thought! I used to spend hours making sure she had beautiful costumes each year - often including a matching costume made for her American Girl doll, Samantha.

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It's funny - as you look back. Kid's always are intruigued by what they perceived they didn't have. Evidently those plastic masks were pretty alluring to my sweet daughter. I'm just glad I've grown to the point to let my kiddos dress up in what THEY want and enjoy the fun of a whimsical holiday! (And what I've learned is that the kids have a great time, I don't have stress, and my buget LOVES the new costume approach!)

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Happy Halloween (early)!

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. . . just another day in the life . . .

"Ryan . . . DON'T cut the cheese!!!"

My youngest little boy is a destructive little fellow! At dinner tonight - after he had dismantled his sandwich with amazing force - he decided it would be fun to slice his cheese into tiny strips with his new "big boy" knife. After he finished HIS cheese, he moved onto his older brother's slice. After saying "NO" a couple of times, my dear husband says in a loud and stern tone, "Ryan - DON'T cut the cheese!" . . . Immediately, he and I (and our 15 year old daughter) just laughed our heads off. So, now our two little guys run around saying, "DON'T cut the cheese!" and think it's the funniest thing they've ever said. If they only knew!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

My funny boy!

This is my pal (and 4 1/2 year old son) Jack! This kid just cracks me up. He definitely is the one of our kids who has the magnetic and "dramaculous" personality! About this picture: Every week in Preschool, the kids have to bring an object and a picture of something that starts with a letter of the alphabet. This week is letter "F". I have decided each week to resist my urge to give suggestions, but I instead allow my little guy to pick his own things. Well, last week for letter "E" he wanted a picture of an "eyeball". Very creative - not the normal and expected "elephant", etc.! Well, this week, he wanted his picture to be of him making a "Funny Face"!
I loved it! So, here he is - and I couldn't be prouder! I just LOVE this kid!!!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

"I'm Your Present!"

My littlest boy just came up to me after he was rummaging through the gift wrap closet, and said, "Mommy, I'm your present!" No truer words were ever spoken. Our children - even with all the hard work, the inevitable challenges, tears and sleepless nights - are the most amazing gifts that God could ever give us!

I am thankful for the gifts of our children and thankful that they realize how special they are to us!

The Mess Factor of Little Boys!

THIS (see above picture) is my usually very neat bedroom - after less than 5 unsupervised minutes with my two little boys today! I was setting up the bounce house in the backyard for them to play on (and let them expend some pent up energy), and when I came back into the house, THIS is what I found!!!

What is the deal with the destructive capabilities of little male children?? Our daughter would sometimes have a messy room, and I admit that both my husband and I have stepped in excruciating pain on a stray Barbie high-heeled shoe in the middle of the night. But THIS? . . . I don't know how they are created to cause such chaos is such a short period of time. AND they ENJOY it so much! When I found them, they were UNDER this pile - LAUGHING - and said that they brought in clothes from our closet and tore up the bed "so they could have something to hide under and jump out and say 'BOO'!" (Well . . . then that makes perfect sense.) Then - and this may be my favorite part - they said "Mommy - boys will be boys!" (a phrase that my sweet husband taught them and one that they use generously).

Being the neat freak, maybe these little guys are God's way of "breaking" me of my controlling habits. Or . . . maybe it will just break me period! (-: You gotta love little boys - even when they did THIS to your bedroom!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

The Blankenship Kids Do The Pumpkin Patch!

One of the most fun things about Fall is visiting the many Pumpkin Patches in our area. So, with the beautiful cool weather after the cold front blew through, I picked up all the kiddos from school today, found a local "Patch," and we had a blast! The funny thing about the Pumpkin "Patches" around here are that they aren't just a garden or farm with pumpkins. (Honestly, most of them have the pumpkins shipped in and occasionnaly even have the "fake" pumpkins placed in the garden among the pumpkin vines! - - - GASP!!!). These "Patches" are like Autumn Amusement parks, complete with blowups, wood carved creatures, picture posing areas (see above), and bounce houses!!! Wow! I don't ever remember having such entertainment options during October when I grew up - but I guess that was just "the olden days!"

The kids had a great time together! Even the 15 year old really had fun - after being up almost all night annotating "Lord of the Flies."

We are very blessed to live in an area with so much fun to be had by our family!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

Brotherly Love!

My two little boys are almost 2 1/2 years apart and they are the best buddies in the world! They play hard, laugh a LOT, beat the living daylights out of each other and one could never live without the other one! Now that the youngest is 2 1/2, they are beginning to really enjoy doing things together - and really enjoy each other's differences. I am so blessed by each one of my kids, and I can never imagine my life without each one! I am so glad my little boys will always have each other and that male bond that starts so very young!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

Self Portrait of a 4 Year Old!

This is a self-portrait created by my hysterical 4-year-old son - while he learned about "Wonderful Me" at Preschool. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture, because it seems to capture the essence of this little boy. He's adorable, but with a little bit of the "devil" in that grin! Even the crazy hair on his head, the "unibrow" (no he doesn't really have one) and the plaid shirt that he wore to "school" that day make the picture just TOO FUNNY! My husband loved it too - but said a part of him found it disturbing!

I love to see how our little boy views himself - not just how he looks, but about all the talent, and specialness and promising future he has ahead of him! Isn't that really one of the most amazing things about being a parent ??? . . . getting to watch your children's self-actualization and growth.

This is a preschool art project that I will keep to my dying day - because looking in that little construction paper mirror is like truly looking at a real picture of my little boy!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

My "Mini Me"

It's amazing when your children finally grow up to the point that you actually begin to see glimpses of yourself in them. Our daughter turned 15 over the Summer and it blows our mind that we just have 2 1/2 years left with her at home! She was on a church youth retreat this weekend and she told one of my good friends (who was a chaperone) "I'm just like my Mom" - in reference to the amount of primping time required in the mornings. (Imagine that . . .) When I heard that I just laughed, because - more than either she or I care to admit it - we are VERY MUCH alike. It's probably why I LOVE and ENJOY her company at some times, and also why I WANT TO JUMP OFF A CLIFF out of frustration in dealing with her at other times!

But when looking at the big and long term picture, I am so blessed to have my beautiful, smart, spunky, driven, competitive, hysterically funny, dramatic and very feisty daughter! If she doesn't kill me along the way, I know she will be my dearest friend when she has her own life as an adult! What an awesome prospect for both of us!

. . . Thanking God for my precious daugher . . . just another day in the life . . .

"Teddy" Visits the Blankenship Family!

What a blast Preschool is for our little boys! Over the past two days our little Jack has had a visitor to our home - - - "Teddy." Each child in the class gets to bring Teddy home and chronicle their adventures over a two day period. So, we just finished our Teddy "visit" to the Blankenship home.

Teddy met the other bears at home, went swinging in the yard, posed on the front porch, and went to the high school Homecoming Parade! - And those are just the pictures that made the page to add to the Preschool class book. *Note that we did NOT include the photo that Jack took of Teddy going to the potty in the church nursery restroom this morning.

I must say we are sorry to see Teddy go. Imagine the adventures we could have with him over the weekend!

. . . Just another day in the life . . .

Introducing Joe Biden!!!

Well here is my precious two year old - resembling a certain current Vice Presidential Candidate (note the sneer and the white hair) - HA! HA! Why - you ask - does my youngest little guy look this way? . . .

Well - he comes down from bed on Monday morning - preceeded by a distinct smell (or should I say "stench") of eucalyptus. My husband and I look up and our youngest boy has decided to utilize vasaline and mentholatum rub as hair styling products! The question ran through our minds, "Who wakes up and decides that would be a great idea???" Just for anyone who may wonder - these two substances DO NOT wash out of hair - even after using every clarifying and stripping shampoo, baby shampoo and Dawn dishwashing liquid!

So - we call our boys' hair "stylist" and Miss Martha says that the only hope we have is to wash his hair several times a day, and between each time, douse his entire affected area with baby powder - to hopefully absorb the "products". Hence - the above "look" that our boy is modeling!

All will be happy to know, after three days of that process and a shortly cropped haircut, our little guy looks pretty much back to normal - - - and just in the nick of time, as his very first Preschool School Portraits are early next week. Boy . . . am I releived about that!

. . . Just another day in the life . . .

Welcome to the Blankenship Family Blog!!!

Our family's life is so fun . . . so crazy . . . so entertaining . . . so much going on - that we thought it would be fun to chronicle our happenings. We hope this blog will help you keep up with, enjoy and experience our never dull life!