Short Hair

Ta Daaaaaa, here it is...

I wasn't sure which picture I liked better. I like and dislike both for different reasons...hence, 2 pictures! You tell me.

MBA Mariachi

Before coming to UT Ben organized a talent show for Cornell's Business School...The Johnson Jollies. He also performed. And so, in preparation to head to Mexico...Enjoy the MBA Mariachi!

And Finally...The Macy's Day Parade

We spent this passed Thanksgiving in NYC. Because of the crappy economy we were able to score a great priced hotel on Priceline right in the city. Ben's brother, Nate, works and lives right in Manhattan. His office is right in Times Square and we were able to watch the parade from inside with bathrooms in close proximity, a catered breakfast, and heat. It was the best way to watch the parade!

Here are some of the views.

For Thanksgiving dinner we went to Virgil's BBQ in Times Square (pause for giggles) with Ben's brother, Nate and the Waltman's. Amy and Nate ordered the 'Thanksgiving meal' which they say was great. The rest of us got something BBQ. Mine was fantastic!

The day after Thanksgiving we went to a matinee performance of Mary Poppins. We all loved it and Luke didn't look away once. Caleb slept through the first half and yes, we had to buy him a ticket. He took a very expensive nap! At the end of the show Mary Poppins flies over the audience and I said to Luke, "Wow, Luke! She's flying!" He said to me with a tone that was completely exasperated, "She's just on ropes, Mom." He was not impressed!

Sorry again with the month long delay. And finally, Yes, I did cut my hair off. Pictures will follow shortly. It is the shortest my hair has ever been and I'm liking it. I have had no regretful days. Phew!

And Finally...the Halloween Pictures

Here is my costume winner. Caleb took 2nd place in the Johnson school costume contest and won us gift certificates to Purity Ice Cream. Notice the smeared eye make-up...it took much bribbing to let me paint his face, but so worth it! Is he not the cutest?? The cutest part, really, was his legs. The costume's pants are rather tight fitting, and we don't own any little boy clothes that are tight fitting. It was so cute to watch his little chicken legs and dippered butt run around.

Ben was highly disappointed in Luke's uncreative choice of SpiderMan. He told Luke, "1 in 4 boys is SpiderMan, don't you want to be something different?" To which Luke told him AGAIN that he wants to be SpiderMan.

Here is Luke's progression of head wear throughout the Halloween week. At the first party, Ben's school party for families, he wore the costume mask.

To the next party, the church trunk or treat, he asks me if I can paint his face like SpiderMan. It didn't take long for him to realize those masks are ridiculously uncomfortable. Here is how it looked by the end of the night.

Finally, on the day of Halloween he decides that "sometimes SpiderMan wears a headband." He wasn't willing to sit for the 15 minutes it took me to paint his face or wear the suffocating mask and so here he is as SpiderMan/Rambo.

Also this year Ben and I made a costumed appearance...we were able to con friends into watching our boys after trick or treating so that we could go to the Johnson School party. It was fun! Ben's pirate hat didn't fit his big head so without me standing beside him Ben got mistaken for a rocker because Yes, that is eyeliner around his eyes.

Ey, Mady!! Sorry about the throw back to October, but better late than never!

Proud Mommy Moment

Luke has taken a gymnastics class for the past year and a half and we will be missing the last few weeks of this session because we're leaving to UT next week. He has been making them up this week and has attended 3 classes, 2 of which were with a different teacher. Today after one of his make-up classes the teacher came up to me and said that she really enjoyed having Luke in her class the last few times because he was such a good listener, so well behaved, not to mention adorable. Although Luke was within listening distance she was talking to me for my benefit...not to me in order for the child to over hear and feel proud. Do you know what I'm talking about? I was surprised with myself when I suddenly felt my throat go tight with pride, I can only imagine the crying boob I'll turn into when someone might tell me he is such a good missionary, or an honorable date for their daughter.


Luke really is a great boy (definitely adorable) and I've seen him listen and use kind words, so why is it he so easily tunes my voice out???

Lastly, tonight as we were getting ready for bed I was singing 'Once There Was a Snowman' to Caleb while I was brushing his teeth. I overheard Luke singing along and these were the words...

In the sunny mountain, mountain, mountain
In the sunny mountain, small, small, small

I said "no, Luke, it's in the sun he melted, melted...you know like snow melts to water." And he says with total exasperation, "no Mom, in the sunny mountain!!" He totally thought I was pulling his chain like I do when I sing the Thomas song starting with...

They're 12, they're 2, they're 6, they're 10
Shunting sticks and hauling clothes

They think I'm hilarious because they know these aren't the words to the song. Now when I'm really trying to tell them the correct words they still think I'm teasing. Whoops!