Gone

We just got back from the airport, we had to take Richie-Rich so that he could fly off to his next destination on his round the world fishing tour. The girls were not happy A.T. A.L.L.

We had a really great time with him and wished his could have stayed longer but we have vowed to fly to New Zealand to see him. We foolishly made that statement in front of the girls so you know it is going to happen. They don't forget anything.

I tried to get some more photos of him but all I got was the back of his head or if by chance he noticed me when he was carrying his rod case I got that thrust into the lens :( I have no idea why he is so anti-cameras.

He is heading to New York and a blog I looked at bright and early this morning from New York had lots of lovely snow photos on it. Good thing we went shopping yesterday and bought the man some jeans and a long sleeved shirt. It's going to be bloody freezing fishing in the snow.

I'm not above begging and that's what I had to do for this photo. I love the sideways glance!

Back of person!
Ditto
And this was Rosie when she said good bye to him and the drama continued all the way to the car. No guilt Richard....you just go right ahead and rip my kidlets heart out and march right on a plane......I understand. The least you owe for this is a decent damn photo. LOL

Jack o Lantern

I detest the smell and texture of pumpkin inners. Something about them really creeps me out. A few years ago I purchased a fake pumpkin from a craft shop and carved that and have been using it ever since.

The girls naturally love to have the real deal and love all the slimy grossness that are the pumpkins guts. Thankfully this year Rich-Rich was at the helm and I didn't have to touch even one snotty little seed. He found our pumpkin carving knife a tad wimpy and returned to the table with a knife that could behead a beast.....but all went well. He wasn't happy to see my little red camera make an appearance again so I chopped his head off in nearly all the pictures just to keep him chipper. Darn.

Such determination

egads
a helping hand

Barf

love that face
blech
Master pumpkin carver with wimpy knife



Thank you Richie-Rich for the help. The girls are already sad that you are leaving soon.

Phew, three posts in one day

Jacob and Richie-Rich have gone out for a while so I am frantically trying to get the blog up to date without being busted.

Last week Lily was chosen as "Student of the Month". This award has remained out of her grasp for many years. Nepotism comes to mind but that's a whole different story. Anyway, she was finally chosen for it and she was all proud of her little self. We were too.
The award ceremony took place this morning and I asked Richard if he would be so kind as to come along. He obliged. It means so much to both of them to have family staying with us. It's grandparents week at school this week and they are seriously sad that they can't participate so having Richie-Rich come to school this morning meant the world to her.

Two kids are chosen from every class and the character value for this month was respect. Lily and her bestie Adam were both chosen. Adam deserves a post all to himself because all we ever hear in this house is, Adam this and Adam that. I told his mum this morning that it's a good thing I really like her son as all I ever hear is his name. She replied, "likewise" and we both rolled our eyes and laughed.

Egads they are back...... better dash and hit publish.

Richie Rich look mortified at the idea of having to pose for a photo. I had to really plead for this one. He's such a good sport.Lily, Adam both beaming. I'm not sure who the other boy is but he looks rather bored.
Mrs Blanco the principal with the "little couple"


She looks really proud. Lilipop we are really proud of you too. You have the toughest 4th grade teachers out there and you were able to prove yourself. You earned it, relish in the limelight.

It's Halloweenie time, I'm allowed to be evil.

As we near Halloween I have decided it is all right for me to be a little tricky, verging on evil. I don't think my cousin knows that this blog even exists and he certainly has no idea his face is now plastered all over it. Of course he wouldn't know he is plastered all over it as all my photos have been taken from afar and the zoom pushed to it's limits. BWA ha ha ha ha

Last night we, no no no, make that I, decided we should force him to encounter the American tradition of the pumpkin patch. So we all innocently hopped into the car heading to a supply store for Lily to buy some more bits for school and once we were done I said, Oh I have a wonderful idea.

He wasn't impressed. He was fabulous at helping the girls choose their pumpkins and has offered to carve them with them today (photos to follow I am sure) and he even wandered around for a good 15 minutes until he noticed this little itty bitty baby, of 2 months old, dressed up as a witch, complete with huge witches hat, and he went off his rocker. I found him standing by my car shaking his head in utter disbelief. I told him he should be glad there weren't any dogs in costume. He just rolled his eyes.

I managed to sneak a few photos.

This photo was taken from a really long way away. It's my absolute favourite of Richie-Rich.

he's making sure it doesn't crush her. So sweet!

My little pumpkins

lets get this one
(i only had my phone with me and it doesn't take the best photos, hence the headless scarecrows.
sweet girl
No that wasn't our wagon but they would have loved to buy that many.

The camera dodger

Richard is not used to being around kidlets. I really wasn't sure how it was all going to unfold. I preached, begged and bartered with the girls to leave him alone, before he arrived. His sister, cousin Andie, prepared him for my new life, new since the last time we saw him.

Well, it was all a waste of time. He's fabulous with the girls but not with the camera.

This is Rosie's all time favourite game, Casher Casher. She has a little cash register that actually works, it scans items and makes up a price for them. It then adds everything up. It even has a credit card and a credit card machine. She always plays shop owner and you are at her mercy......for hours. The microphone on it works and you hear the words, Next in line please, all over the house.

This was Richie Rich's Mum and some more cousins being taught the rules of Casher Casher when we were in the UK this summer. EVERYONE is forced to play. She spent so many hours playing with the cash register this summer that we bought one back with us It was fun to pack that in a suitcase, with limited space.

Playing Cootie. He never looks at the camera but I take the photos anyway.
I have some lovely photos of the pumpkin patch to post next.

Absent

I am being a slacker at the moment but I am having to much fun to blog. My cousin Richard is here staying with us and I am not about to give up a minute with him. He's really good at dodging my camera but it appears I am even better than I thought with a moving target.
I'll catch up in a couple of days.