Merry Christmas!

Hopefully everyone had a nice Christmas!

We were so lucky that Ryan's Granma Mac paid for us to all fly back to celebrate an early Christmas and to meet the kids newest cousin. I will post all those pictures later, too many to sort through right now!

I know you've all been holding your breath wondering if Santa came through on the remote control ceiling fan and you can all breath easy.....

Ta Da!

And although Karson was hoping to have it installed immediately, it was done the next day thanks to Ryan, cause with my track record it would be done next Christmas.

Also, when asking Karson's teacher where I could find a special "green thing" bobblehead that Karson so loved, she said that she knew he loved it and she would give it to him.

So awesome of her! But I think the underlying message that she really meant was this, "Oh, please take mine, so then he won't sit and stare at it all during class instead of listening to me."

And what of Aubree and her T-Rex, you ask?

Not only did she get a T-Rex, but a "Broccoli-asauras", a Pterydactyl, and a Kevin from Up, which isnt technically a dinosaur, but looks kinda prehistoric.

She also got an MP3 player and they both got way too many other things to bore you all with.

Last year Santa left a cool skeleton in the fish tank, and this year he left Sponge Bob's Pineapple house.

Aubree's already making requests for next Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like........

Happy December!

We put the tree up last Saturday, and the kids have made their Christmas requests.

Karson is hoping for a new ceiling fan with a remote for his bedroom, a Scentsy candle and some special Japanese bobble head that one of his teacher's has in her room. Good luck to me on that.

Can anyone guess what Aubree wants? It's hard, you never know with her.

Yes, a dinosaur. Particularly a Monty Rex that walks and roars and other such fun things.

Ryan has requested a new iron that doesnt leak and burn holes in his dress shirts. Seems reasonable enough.

I would like a clean, dust free house and children that only have to be asked to do something one time.

I know, neither of those things exist, but it's nice to hope.

Aubree turns 6!

Our beautiful Aubree Olivia who was born on November 14, 2003 has now fulfilled her personal goal of reaching the age of 6, which apparently is the official "I'm not a little kid, I'm 6" age.

Any question as to why our blog is called Lizards & Vacuums is now answered.
(at least the lizard part)

Aubree asked for a "real live" lizard for her birthday. The "real live" part is because she has about 17 non-real lizards and a clarification needed to be made.

For those squeemish about things such as reptiles, maybe scroll quickly through the next 2 pictures.

We'd like to welcome Ally to the family.

Speaking of lizards, well sort of lizards, Aubree wanted a Dinosaur cake for her birthday.

Not as common a cake choice as one may think.

We did find one after several disappointing visits to other bakeries.

The girl taking our order asked Aubree if she wanted the cake to be more "girly", Aubree just stared at her with a vacant look while Karson consumed all 5 pieces of the tester cake in about 45 seconds.

Aubree also had a big surprise when her Grammy flew down from Utah on Friday!

Aubree chose to take her friend Bella to the Artful Potter to paint pottery for her birthday.

Then she had 2 other friends come over to the house to have cake and ice cream.

She got tons of gifts, and especially loved the Wall-e from Grandma Mary and the Cupcake Baker from Grammy Coral.

Thanks to all those that contributed to the growing mound of toys in Aubree's room!

Thanks to Grammy for coming down to spend Aubree's and my birthday with us!

Halloween

We began the festivities with the annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

It is sad to say though that I have looked at some of my other friend's blogs and the Pumpkin Patches that they visit are actual farms with pumpkins growing, thus "Pumpkin Patch".

Ours is set up in the K-Mart parking lot.

And lucky us, we drive by it EVERY time we go to and from home and EVERY time the kids say to Ryan and I "Look it's open, when are we going?"

This is certainly not why we waited until 3 pm on Halloween Day to take them though. (ha ha)

Lucky for me, the kids are big enough to go on every ride by themselves!

It did look fun though if you like going around in little circles while going around in a bigger circle.


Nothing says Autumn like a big palm tree.

The kids got to pick their own pumpkins to carve.

We then got home and put on the costumes.

Aubree had pronounced her chose of costume about 2 months ago.

A "red dragon with wings and horns and a tail"

God Bless Ebay.

Karson on the other hand said he didn't want to dress up this year, that he "wasn't really into kid stuff". Yeah, we know. So I found something super easy, a Pumpkin. But I told him this is his last year as something cute and edible. (you may remember last year he was a candy corn) He said this is his last year trick or treating and he will be staying home to "be in charge of handing out candy." You really couldn't find a better person for the job.

I never dress up, but this year I was a dead mom.

I know, clever. You can use it next year.

Ryan really went out of his comfort zone of his usual baseball player, and was a hockey player. This crazy guy, always trying new things.

Aubree's pumpkin that she did no work on herself whatsoever, but she's proud anyway.

Karson did draw on his face and I carved it.

More props to model with....

Our Group of Friends off to trick or treat!

Karson gets his Bobcat

I don't mean to harp on scouting, I mean it seems fun and all, but gheez what a bunch of silly men and boys!
Karson had his first run at the pinewood derby crown that unbeknownst to me is pretty darn coveted.

Somebody else has to be in every picture.

There were several heats and Karson won 2 of them.

I was just happy he won anything and Karson was thrilled!

He won "best design" and here you can see how proud he was.

He also got his Bobcat patch.

Apparently the "ceremonial" thing to do is hold the kid upside down and paint lines on his face like whiskers.

Karson would have nothing to do with this and I certainly don't blame him.

He'll be glad to have a Mom that doesn't force him into embarrassing situations like wearing sombrero's at a Mexican restaurant while they sing loudly in Spanish for your 14th birthday.

It still haunts me.
Just for fun, this last picture I posted for those of you who haven't seen Karson in a while, the boy standing next to him is the same age.

Yep, he's a big kid!

Yes, they do still exist.

Ah, the Drive-In Movies!

How I remember them with fondness during my childhood. It always meant a big bag of of home-made popcorn and falling asleep halfway through the movie.

We took the kids to the one and only drive-in left in Las Vegas, which happens to be on Rancho and Carey. Those of you locals understand what I'm saying. For those of you out of towners, let's just say it's not the nicest of neighborhoods.

But the kids had a blast! We went with our friends Jeff & Serena, his kids and his sister's family. Our kids spend most of the night getting up and down from the roof of one car or another. I'm sure the people behind us loved our parenting skills.

Here are Aubree and Robbie giving their critique of "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs".

I was on the 2 mile trek to take Karson to the restroom.

Jeeves! Bring the car around....and bring me my tea and bags of money!

Ahhh, such a long day of ordering people around. It's very hard work to be so beautiful and powerful and important. I need my beauty sleep! Please NO ONE bother me!

No kidding, she was sound asleep with this mask on when I got home from girl's night last night. But this morning, apparently the middle class girl came out and the sleep mask was flung onto the floor.

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Ok, raise your hand if you love The Wizard of Oz!

ME TOO!

Now, raise your hand if you wanted with all your heart a pair of your very own ruby red slippers.

ME TOO!

When I was a kid my all time favorite time of the year was when they showed The Wizard of Oz on tv, and I would have killed for a pair of those sparkely red shoes!

Those yellow brick road enthusiasts may understand my out right anger when about 7 years ago I saw sitting so innocently on the little girls shoes section at Target, a pair of RED RUBY SLIPPERS!

Why was this magic not available when I was a little girl?

Or could this be another Cabbage Patch instance where they were available but my mother refused to be a part of the madness.

Don't answer, cause I don't want to know.

Well, although Aubree has only seen bits and pieces of the greatest movie ever made and has no recollection of the shoes, only "scary" monkey's (this from a avid Jurassic Park fan) she announced she wanted Red Sparkle Shoes.

Here she is looking very Dorthy-ish.

I know, I wish I had a pair too.

The Watcher in the Woods

Ever feel like you're being watched?

How about now?



She's waaaaatching youuuuuu! Bwaahahahaha!

(just getting in the mood for Halloween)

Another Day, Another Dollar..

It seems like just yesterday Aubree lost her first tooth.

(it was)

Well, Saturday was a 2-fer, Aubree lost both of her bottom teeth!

3 Things in 1 Day

Normally I like to post one occasion at a time, so as not to overwhelm or make others jealous of our family's constant state of excitement.

But, after yesterday's thrill ride of a day, I couldn't pick just one thing.

We have been happy to have Ryan's parents and Grandma visiting from Worcester, MA (Pronounced Woosta. Or, for all those west-coasters, Boston.) this past week and we have all loved having them here!

They have been very hot for some reason, I mean, it's like only 101, that's nice weather!

Monday morning Aubree was downstairs eating breakfast with a jacket on because the a/c was too cold for her. (set at 74) It's funny what your body gets used to.

Friday was 9/11 and the kids got to wear patriotic clothes instead of their uniforms to school. Ryan's Dad asked if it was Boston Red Sox Day at school.

I don't think they have that in Nevada, but they should!

This is the best picture I could get of Karson because it was after he was told he was grounded after school for having to be told 5 times to get dressed.

The next excitement for the day was Aubree lost her first tooth! It's been hanging on for dear life for about a week now.

Then, exciting thing number 3 for the day, we went to the Silverton Lodge where they have a gigantic fish tank..........

....And Mermaids!

Conversation with Leo & Aubree in front of the tank:

Leo: Aubree, are you going to be a Mermaid like her when you get older? Aubree: Um, no.
Leo: Why not?
Aubree: Because, I'm not a mermaid, I'm a human. (Look of concern for his mental health)

Thanks again to Leo, Mary and Jackie for coming to visit, we loved having you!