Today was crazy hair day

When I woke up this morning both Lauren and Lane had made previous plans of wearing a whole bunch of girly accesories in their hair for school.  Being the supportive mother that I am, I conviced Lauren to do something more unique, and flat out told Lane no.  Aren't they cute?  I totally should have made Lane Edward for Halloween, he looks so great with long spiky hair.  Lauren is sporting cones inside her pigtails.

Grandma JoAnn has a whole bedroom of dress up

JoAnn invited us over for dinner tonight with a few other families.  Lauren and little cousin Abby wanted us to take pictures over and over again of their extravagent costumes.  Here are a few:

And then it was a happy birthday to Abby, Haley, and well, ME!!!  JoAnn remembered that I like key lime pie and bought one just for my birthday.  All the nieces and nephews liked the pie too.  It was devoured!

Some reasons I love Lane

Lane has been really excited about starting Kindergarten and talking so much about his experiences.  It is a change from when he used to answer the question of what he liked best with "everything."  So some of his cute sayings are coming out lately that I didn't even know he had.

One of the girls in his class is also in Lauren's Jazz class, so when I pointed her out to him this week he said this: Oh she is a kissy girl.  I call girls kissy girls when they try to kiss me, and she chases me and tries to kiss me and one day she GOT me.  Then he even retold that story to Matt when I asked him to recount the story of his first kiss!  I love the new communication.

Today I did something nice for him, so he got real close with his big dimpled smile and said "Pay the Troll."  Then he said it again because I clearly didn't know what he was talking about.  Well, I did something for them earlier this week and told them to pay the toll by giving me a kiss.  I've been making them give me kisses this way and I've been getting a lot more of them, I just never thought I would get called the "Troll."  Anyway, he started making himself the troll tonight before anyone could enter a room.  He even tried to extract a kiss from Lauren, but she told him no.

We spent our Labor Day building a photography studio...

...well, at least a small one made out of cardboard.  The entire second grade will be displaying a whole community and Lauren picked out a photography studio.  Big surprise, huh? She wanted to call it Rockstar Photos, and REALLY wanted to make the roof have zebra print.  I thought, what the heck, it is a rockstar theme anyway.  So her building is so super cute with a zebra print roof, lots of windows, gold walls, a rockstar back drop, an umbrella light, and authentic brick walls :).

Taylor turns 2 - Big Boy Construction Party

This was one of the easiest parties I've ever thrown, but it still turned out great.  We were giving Taylor some construction trucks for his birthday, so when Wendy, thanks Wendy! gave us a kazillion toy tools that week we made it all a part of the party.  Think sack lunches without the sack, and a cake that looks like dirt.  Add icecream and hot fudge and Voila!  You have a construction party!

 Taylor Scott Joseph with Grandpa Scott

 Taylor's birthmom, Hannah, was able to come

 Lane with Grandpa Fred

 Do you think Grandma Rosy was really getting into the party, or just being torchered by Matt?  Maybe a little of both?

 I just love this angel face!

And Taylor thinks it is funny when everyone unexpectedly starts singing to him all at the same time.

Thanks, also, to Grandma JoAnn, Grandma Diana, Grandma Kathy, Cosette, and Kristen (aka: camera dodgers) who also made the party so fun.  Matt and I were there too, just on the other side of the camera :).

Homemade Stick Horse

Lauren had a first grade rodeo today.  They asked all of the parents to help make a stick horse and gave instructions on how to make one with a sock.  Instead we made this super cute one.  I have to pat myself on the back because I made this by simply looking at stuffed horse and cutting and sewing. Too bad I didn't mark a pattern to sell... So, sorry, no cool tutorials on this, if you need to make one, just have fun.  Now that I made this, I have another decoration ready for Taylor's Cowboy room.