Happy Halloween!

Theme Thursday - We Create

I haven't had time to be creative with PhotoShop lately, but the other night I finally sat down and played with a couple of my favorite pictures from the last couple of couple weeks.

Harrison was very excited to find a worm in the back yard, he played with the little thing until, well, it's unfortunate demise. Even giving it gentle kisses (yes, kisses. What? Some people eat worms.) More to this story later...


There is nothing he loves more than a big empty room that he can run, spin and dance around in. He takes his dancing very seriously. (In fact, as I quickly type this he is dancing to the Chitty-Chitty Bang-bang soundtrack!)

I try to encourage creativeness at home as much as possible and Harrison brings many pictures home from preschool, most of which are self explanatory. The other day he brought home this with his artwork:


It was unmarked so I asked him as he sat eating a snack.

"Harrison what's this?"

He looks up at it.

"Oh. Yeah...That is paint."

Pause.
Then sighs,

"On a plate."

Paint on a Plate, who would have guessed?



More Theme Thursday at Land of K.A.!

Wordless Wednesday - Did you ever have...

He does.


It's Wednesday Already! More Wordless Wednesday here and here.

His Best Shot at Pumpkin Painting

Harrison painted pumpkins last year for Halloween and they lasted right into Thanksgiving so I thought we would do that again. This year we invited some friends including Alton and his Mama. Some friends weren't able to make it and other came later but that stop the fun!

You always have to start pumpkin painting with a snack of fresh pumpkin muffins - it's the rule.

Alton jumped right into the painting game; he wasn't shy about it at all- he can fling paint like nobody's business! I may find paint in obscure places for months! Oh, and don't let the lack of smile fool you, this boy was serious about his art.


Harrison, on the other hand, found that a two-brush method helped get the job done faster.


Alton began to wear some of the paint - he's gearing up for Halloween I suppose.

Harrison thought it was a great idea and followed suit. (See that oddly placed hair on the left side of the picture - purple paint. I knew there was a reason for keeping that fine toothed baby comb! It worked like butter!)

Did I mention we used Acrylic paint this year?

At least they're water-based...

This is my best shot even though the angle is too funky, all the upright pictures came out blurry. User error, I just don't know what I did. But how cute is this little friend?! A couple more...

Thanks for playing with us this weekend!



So did Alton's mommy get all that acrylic paint out? Find out here.



Then go visit Tracey here for more best shots!

Theme Thursday - How to Bake Pumpkin Muffins...

GET A MIX!

Seriously, some days in the kitchen with Harrison can be a challenge, so when he told me it was "time to make pumpkin muffins!" the other evening, I immediately thought I have a mix! And there is still the opportunity to break eggs and measure oil and water - and, of course, turn on the mixer.

We'll create them from scratch another day.


Harrison ran into the kitchen saying "There's the Super-Duper Pumpkin Muffin Maker!"

Meet the Super-Duper Pumpkin Muffin Maker.

He's getting geared up and feeling the egg-love!

When all ingredients are added, it's time to turn it on.

And make sure all is mixing smoothly.

Off to the oven!

Mmm, nice and warm to eat!

He gives them his approval.

Trader Joe's had a GREAT pumpkin mix that tastes great and makes it easy to bake with Harrison; but we're not done! We'll be baking from scratch soon!

It's pumpkin season, I love pumpkin season!

Wordless Wednesday - I'm Ready For My Pod-Racer Now

Young Anakin Skywalker wanna-be accosted a woman with a bubble-gum pink scooter and matching chaps to try on her helmet. She most-happily obliged.

Then he tried to commandeer the cycle - a no-go, there.



More Wordless Wednesday here and here.

Photo Story Friday - A Totally Ghoul Friend...

We went to Kmart the other day to check a price on some things, Harrison decided to ask a sales associate for help - he went to the first person with a Kmart badge.

Wait, that's not a person...

It's the blue-light special! No wonder he lost his head!

No, not that Harry...




This Harry.

They became fast friends.

And Harrison stood close by his new-found friend telling people that Harry "isn't real, he is just fake". He didn't want the cute little two-year-old girl that came in with her daddy to be frightened, nor the big biker dude with his biker mama chick. ( I thought about asking them to join in the ghoulish fun by posing for a picture with the two Harrys... Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda)

Then people started photographing him with Harry. Seriously, I kid you not! I turned around to see no less than three cameras pointed at them! Suddenly the two became Kmart celebrities together.

I Guess I shouldn't lose my head over his choice of friends.


Photo Story is Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Favorite Phrase Friday - Those Things He Says

Mmm, I made Eggplant Parmesan the other night and it has been a yummy leftover in the fridge to score for lunch! the night I served it for dinner Harrison says to me,

"You're a good eggplanter, Mama!"

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We went shopping and picked up some mini Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins, as well as other delicious fall foods, when we arrived hiome Harrison dug the pumpkins out of the bag to show daddy.

"Daddy look!" he crys, "Baby Jacqueline pumpkins!"

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And finally last weekend Harrison and I sat down to play a riveting round of Break the Ice. We set it all up and Harrison starts carefully tapping away on a corner cube.

I wait.

He rhythmically taps.

I wait...longer.

He taps patiently.

I began to squirm.

Wait, who's the child here?

He continues tapping.

I sigh.

He looks at me with a smile and says, "It's going to take a while, huh?"

I grimace - in a happy way.

He's Giving Me His Best Shot

Yesterday we went to see the tall ships that are docked in the harbor for a couple of weeks; there is supposed to be two of them.

There was only one.

It wasn't very big.

Nor was it really very tall.

And with all the wind, we didn't get to see it's sails - they were securing them in the shot below.

So Harrison decided to pose for me.

Seriously.
He said, "Take my picture, Mama!"

I took some pictures in the bright sun after I picked my jaw up off the ground.

(Check out that reflection of me in his sunglasses?")

He's mine, mine, all mine!

More best shots at Mother May I.

Favorite Phrase Friday #27

This morning, after a long sleepless night, we came downstairs to start our morning routine. I don't know about you, but for us, the morning routine always starts with using the bathroom. I walked into the bathroom and Harrison came in behind me closed the door and said,

"Okay. Let's do this."

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I was organizing and processing some pictures from the last few weeks when Harrison yells,
"I want to see the screwdriver mommy!"

What?

"The screwdriver, I want to see the screwdriver again."

Ugh. I have NO IDEA what he's talking about, logic is just not working for me here. Then he adds, "The screwdriver in the water with the salad."

Ah-ha!

Meet the screwdrivers.

And check out the 'salad' in his hand to feed the fish.

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Harrison has taken the initiative to pray for our meals lately. The sweet prayers usually start like this,

Pray Jesus,
For our food...
Soccer is tomorrow... (or "no soccer today")
Dukie doesn't play soccer...

AMEN!

And this evening as we sat eating our Tomato soup for dinner after Harrison prayed, he reached over and cupped his hand on my forearm and said, "Mommy, you make good soup. I like yours soup."

I slaved over the hot stove all day for that soup to hear him say that.
Okay fine, I bought it at Trader Joe's.

The Daddy Files - Discovering E.T.

Harrison and Daddy watched E.T. today.

After coming home and making lunch, I joined them to watch the end of the movie. Needless to say, Harrison loved it.

Who doesn't?

Heck, I even became all willy-eyed at the end of the movie for the ump-teenth time during the goodbye scene when E.T. says, as he touches Elliot's forehead, "I'll... be... right... here."

What a wonderfully fun, classic movie.


Later as Harrison sat playing on the sofa he asked,

"Mommy, do all nasty aliens have flashlight hearts?"



Nasty?

He's Going to be a Hair Stylist...

What does your child take to bed for comfort?

This day...

A mini flashlight and my hair styling tools.


Hey, at least he's not painting his toenails.




Wednesday Already!?! More Wordless Wednesday here and here.

It's Best Shot Monday - I S-cream!

We had a busy weekend that was finished off with an ice cream cone.

Saturday was spent at the Home Town Fair sliding, jumping, eating, petting animals, and riding ponies. Sunday was spent at the Police Open House and Safety Fair which included a tour of the police station and jail cells, a SWAT demonstration, police dogs, Karate show, lunch and...

a lot of time in the bouncer - Harrison doesn't really like the bouncer so we didn't stay for four hours and see all the demonstrations or anything like that.

In fact he was quite bored.

Don't you think?Bored to death, that is.

He may be the Energizer Bunny; but when he is ready for a break nothing stops him. He will lay down ANYWHERE.

Head over to Tracey for more Monday Best.