one SWEET deal..only with your help!

Its kind of embarrasing to ask again....but I found another reallllly sweeet photo contest, it ends November 15, and the grand prize winner wins the aweseme package below, and even the 1st place winner wins a cool photography course from the NY institute of photography, which would be amazing. Heck, I wouldnt even mind winning last..I've never won anything but a cake walk...and that was in 5th grade. So far I am in the top 10 and I need YOU to help keep me there! Its a bit of a process, and I hate to ask, but I would love to give our family a fun vacation like this. To vote...) Click HERE. You do have to register, its free and quick, then on the left tool bar, click on the view and vote. Bella's picture is in the best kids costumes 2-12..you will just click through the pages until you see her. On the bottom of her picture, It will say "rank this photo" Once you rate it, 10 being the best, it saves and your done!

The photographer of the best photo will win a spooktacular trip for 4 to celebrate Halloween 2009 at HERSHEYPARK in the DARK in Hershey, PA, "The Sweetest Place on Earth!"* Featuring a trick or treat adventure, the thrill of 10 roller coasters, and over 25 kiddie rides. Learn all about chocolate making and, of course, eat lots of delicious chocolate. The grand prize includes: •

Round–trip coach airfare**

Free round-trip transportation from the airport to HERSHEY Lodge

3 days, 2 nights deluxe accommodations at HERSHEY Lodge

4 two-day passes to HERSHEYPARK in the DARK

4 tickets to HERSHEY'S Really Big 3D Show at HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORL

4 tickets for the town tour on the Hershey Trolley

$300 in "Chocolate Currency" to spend at select Hershey attractions and restaurants

A deliciously sweet HERSHEY’s Chocolate basket

Thanks Sweet Life-ers!!!!

mourning the death of my lens...boo.

**First things first..THANK YOU to everyone that is voting for me on the parents photo contest! I really appreciate the help and thank you a million times over!**

My favorite of all time lens bit the dust yesterday. The day before a photo shoot that I have really been looking forward to. go figure. So for all the photogs, or not, who may be reading our sweet little blog, I am stuck with my kit 18-55mm, and you KNOW it doesnt even compare. I am hoping Santa clause will bring me another 50mm this christmas..or better yet an 85mm! Its hard to justify spending money on a new lens right now, so I am soothing myself by posting some of the last pictures I took with it, and dedicating myself to not giving up on my pursuit of photography just because I dont have the lens I want....or feel I need :) I will miss you dearly......sniffles.

This was a day that I realized, quite amusingly, how differently my boy and my girl are. It just seems so typical that Bells would give me a nice little bouquet of "flowers" and Moses would take up the whole root. I am so glad I had my camera out to have captured this..I love it. (pardon the quick snapshot, I wasnt really ready for what they did, I had to grab and click!)

vote for us!

Okay, I submitted my photo tonight, I decided on the Banner photo, although it was a close race between the Fly one. Thank you for your suggestions!! I was able to submit a second photo, so Moses got his moment with his pirate picture, i couldnt leave him out! Here is the link to Vote for us..PARENTS.COM CONTEST if you feel so inclined :) Once you click on the link, you click on "Recommended" The more recomends we get, the better our chances of becomming finalists!!

The more votes the better..happy voting!

contest!

I found a cool halloween photo contest, so I thought I would give it a try, why not right?! I can only submit one halloween photo though. If you were me, which photo would you submit from the ones I posted a few days ago? Lets say the banner would be photo 1 and then the rest would follow in number order. I'd like to submit it by Tuesday the 28th, so...which one do you think I should submit?

-revised- I am just going to add the pictures again, maybe I will be less confused this way and you can just list a number..thanks for helping me decide!!

1


2

3


4

5

6

7

8

9

kissing

I have alot of pictures of Moses and Bella kissing. I love kissing pictures, I think they are the sweetest. All of them up to this point have been random. I thought I would *make* them kiss each other for an impromptu photo stop last night at this gorgeous little fall spot...bad idea. The first few times, they were happy to do it, case in point, the pics below..but after that they really didnt want to and I got frusterated and resorted to bribery with M&M's, which didnt work out too well. Plus, Buddy was helping so much and I still couldnt get what I wanted. I walked away feeling sort of lame for even trying the idea of making them do something, I should just stick to candid situations where I feel more comfortable anyway. I think these pictures are so sweet none the less. I didnt techincally get the focus right, but lets just say that was intentional, shall we :) I wanted to go for more of a vintag-ey fall look, I like it. And in case you care, I am trying out this new watermark, I think its cool.

witchy little woman and one grouchy pirate!

Tonight was a perfect night for pictures. It was warm-ish, the sunset was beautiful and my little witch was dying to get into her costume! We went chasing after some dear and they led us to a perfect little gem of a spot within a mile from our house...like I said, perfect night! There are so many favorites, I could'nt decide "witch" ones to share, so you get alot..sorry. Moses was a mess tonight. I managed to get 1 picture of him...one! Thank goodness it turned out cute, its probley the only one I'll be able to get of him, he doesnt hold still..ever! He wasnt happy unless he had the broom, even though he had a gun and a sword....maybe he should have been the witch.

Guess who learned a new trick.

There were 4 in the bed and the little one said "roll over, roll over" so they all rolled over and mom fell out. This might as well be our new family theme song.

If I was to look at this optimistically, I would say to myself: Self, this is fantastic! Whats one more in the bed, all snuggled up right next to me, warm and cozy! His sister came in an hour earlier because she had another "I-dream-what-I-see-nightmare", plus, its always nice to get woken up a second time by a little hand tapping my leg saying "up up", his 2am voice is so sweet. Crib shmib....a family bed is MUCH better.



In reality, I am a little less optimistic...its only a queen size bed. I do have to say though, there is little better than my little ones cuddling up right inside the crook of my arm and falling fast asleep. Safe and warm, just how I want them to feel... always.

dance line

Isabella is in a really fun singing, dancing and acting class. They have class every friday afternoon, its an hour of singing her heart out and trying to learn new dance routines. This year they are practicing for Enchanted. We cant wait to see how they will pull it together, the practices are so fun already! She always talks about her "moves" on the dance line, so naturally I couldnt resist taking a picture..or two of her on it. The next time we went to class after I took these, everytime she looked at me, she would have a nasty furrowed brow. When I asked her what was up after class she said "Your camera embarrases me when I am trying to learn my moves" End of camera. (for now)

finally, a fun family day...

without work or school...just us with no schedule. It was so nice! Isabella wanted to go bowling. I cant tell you how nice it was to just be together, having fun, not worrying about getting ready for work or studying for tests. And we realized that our kids are totally void of expression, as you can clearly see.





Thats what you call a STRRRR - IKE!

my mini drill teamer..a mini mandonelle!

Just to get it out of the way first...I wanted to THROW, as hard as I could my stupid video camera out the window last night. I had invisioned a cute video to share, especially with my mom who went to the same school...just a few years ago :) As soon as the girls ran on the field, the camera died..even though we had fully charged it!! *%^*&*%%^)&! Its still really bothering me, even after a nights sleep...if you couldnt tell. And, I should have just taken Bella's little point and shoot, I would have been able to zoom and get better shots....(insert grunts of frusteration) I'll know better next time.

As I was sharing my frusteration with Buddy, on the verge of tears mind you, he made a great point. This was such a fun and wonderful confidence builder for Isabella. She danced her little booty off out there and gave quite a performance to Rhianna's S.O.S. They practiced this week for over 6 hours to get their routine down, thats a long time for a 5 year old. We are so proud of her as naturally, she is a little shy. Afterwards, she was just beaming and so SO happy. Actually, I went to get her on the field afterward, but she refused to let go of her new high school friends hand. Which reminds me, when did highschoolers become such hotties? These drill team girls are the cutest thing ever! It was such a fun night, and even though I dont have the pictures I was really invisioning, I am sure this is one memory that will not be fading anytime soon and a check off the old confidence boost for my little Bella!!

Getting ready to go...

She asked some of the girls to sign her shirt...what a drill team groupie :)

caps!

Although it was minor little surgery, it was still hard to see Moses put under this morning. Photographically, I have to say, hospital lighting really stinks, these pictures are so grainy, but they tell the day, and isnt that what really counts? He did really good, and now, 10 hours later, he is back to his old self...except one tiny, or should I say awkwardly large detail...his two front teeth. I have to hold back the laughter looking at this last picture, do yourself a favor and dont peek, its worth waiting for :) Bella wanted to get him "pretty" for the hospital so she painted his toes while I was in the shower. I didnt really care so I put socks on him this morning thinking no-one would be the wiser. When I got to the post op room, there he was recovering, socks off, in all of his purple toe nail glory. The nurse said that lots of little boys have their toes painted, I'm not sure she convinced me, but I loved her for saying it.

Our hope is that he grows into these puppies, but even if he doesnt, he will still be the cutest boy on the face of the planet to us..and the happiest to boot!

Even at 6am fish fascinate him.

Surgery Room: As long as he had his nemo blanket, beebee and lion, he was good to go!

Post Op

are you ready for it?









are you sure?











brace yourself for undeniable bucky cuteness.....

Life as a Daisy....

The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.


Bella is officially a Girl Scout as of this afternoon. She attended her first day with her Daisy troop at a fun fieldtrip to the fire station. She soaked it up! Bella tends to be... shall we say.... reserved in new situations. She has to know what will happen, how it will happen and when it will end before feeling comfortable, but today she was in it to win it and rolled with the flow! She loved every minute of the experiance and has talked about it all evening. I love seeing her so excited to be a part of something so traditional. And seeing her give the GS pledge made me remember my days as a Brownie, she couldnt beleive I was that young once...geez...I'm only 30 something.


They had a ceremony to present her with her pinafore. Tucked in the pocket was a note for the girl presenting her to read. Hers read "Girl Scounts care of the earth" She likes that idea

I love that she knows the pledge of allegiance. I fear that pride for your country isnt taught much anymore.

Thats my kid. in the back. behind the other girls. When the fireman came out fully dressed in all his gear, she freaked a little..I expected it..but the Daisy's had her back.

The friendship squeeze. Really cute.

To cap it off, a good squirt with a real fireman...I mean hose.

Thats it from my Daisy..such a sweet one at that!