Las Vegas for Beginners...

Really, I think we stumbled on to an underground Las Vegas Mafia plot. We discovered the Las Vegas training ground for kids. For the yahoos 8th birthday, we decided to surprise the kids and take them to this huge massive pizza amusement place.

We told them we were taking them to Asparagus World where they would eat all things asparagus, play pin the asparagus on the donkey and possibly met a veggie tale character. After a week of prep talk they actually were starting to believe and looking forward to Asparagus World and where planning what they were going to do first.

When we showed up in the parking lot of the pizza place Toby even said he could smell the dirt where they grow the asparagus. So imagine their surprise when we opened the door to Johns amazing Pizza and discovered Las Vegas training grounds for the under 13 sector.

The good news is that the food is eatable, the games keep the kids entertained for hours and they serve really cheap pitchers of ice cold beer which makes the flashing lights, noise and kid energy tolerable.

Take a look at the photos and you will see what I am talking about....

Swans & Thai Food in San Francisco...and no not together

So what do you do when the kids are out of school and you cannot work? You go to work with Dad and tag along to San Francisco. You convince him to leave work early and had over to the exploratorium and then off to Thai Food.

While Mr T and I enjoyed the food, the yahoos were entranced by the three swans at the Palace of Fine Arts. I guess I failed to know my yahoos had never seen real live swans. Yes I am a failure in Aviary introduction. Here are some photos of the quick trip and of the Swans.

Project Runway ... Watch Out Here Comes Noley

I woke up the other morning to find Noley modeling her latest creation. Noley is obsessed with peices of fabric and or toilet paper. She loves the stuff and we find it all over the house. She uses it to make beds, blankets, pillows and the occasional clothing. This particular morning we found it all over her. She took and tore the fabric a la flashdance and proceeded to create a backless ensemble.

Project Runway....Watch out!

Happy Birthday My Sweet Yahoos!!!

I cannot believe it....eight years ago today I was blessed with the surprise arrival of Noley and Tobbers. I did everything I could do within my powers to keep them in a little longer but Noley would have no part of it...it was "her way or the highway" and she had had enough and wanted to be out and free. They arrived via emergency c-section at 8:19pm (Noley) weighing in at 4lbs 2oz and two minutes later at 8:21pm (Tobbers) was removed weighing in at 3lbs 11oz. They were the size of our cordless phone.

I love this leaving the hospital photo of them. It looks like Tobbers is telling Noley about some secret.

Their second grade photos came yeaterday. They look sooooo grown up. Just yesterday I was cleaning poopy diapers......where did the time go????

To my dearest kittycat swing partner...

No matter the time that drifted between us...or the miles that separated us....or the different paths in life we chose...you will always be etched my memory as my best childhood kittycat swing partner. I don't know how many times we danced our unique dance but every time was special to me. Please give Nonnie and Grandpa a big hug for me.
May you rest in peace with the one you loved and looked up to for so much in your life...your Jesus...
My dear cousin Cathy >'.'<
1962-2008

What do you get when...

you rent a bounce house for the Street Halloween party and it rains???

Well did you know that when a bounce house gets wet it starts to bubble and when kids jump in the bubbles it makes more bubbles... Well in the typical street fashion, My Yahoos were the only ones brave enough (or maybe have a mom loose enough to let them) to take advantage of the large inflatable sitting in our driveway and have some fun. They bounced for hours and got a thorough cleaning... After jumping they begged to go jump in the Pool since they were soaking wet. THAT is where I drew the line.

Halloween Photos of the Yahoos

Here are this years photos of the Yahoos in their chosen Halloween costumes. Tobbers wanted to be a StarWars Clone trooper. "the Brown one Mom! Not the Blue one" MeiMei picked out her costume which was "Marie Antoinette" aka "Pink Princess with a Fan" ...and Noley wanted to be a Wood/Pixie/Fairy that wore five tutu's with one that lights up. Gone are the days of me making or hand picking their costumes... gone are the theme Halloweens or unique costumes. Oh well, at least they are darn cute.

Rockin All Saints Eve...

KC somewhere in the rules of Tomato family book there is a mention of "Be careful of what you send your WSM because it just might end up in print". Nice Halloween costume KC you would have fit right in to the all night Karaoke party going on till all hours of the morning. Yes, we managed to cram about 60 people in the Tomato house last night for a rockin all saints eve night of bad, bad outright frightening singing. It is amazing what a little black machine can bring out in people. I am also learning that Mr Tomato can not be trusted to take Tobbers to trumpet lessons because every time he does he comes home with a new Karaoke CD.....and I have to spend the next five days listening to him sing to it! Last week Ray Orbison, this week Elvis' Christmas......