Mommy's Haircutting Salon Now Open

I have officially become a mom. I gave Sam his first "Mommy" haircut today. He hates me. And so much for getting the boys pictures taken for Christmas...insert sad sound effect here. He was actually pretty good. I tried to move fast and that made for a crazy lookin' cut. He was ok with the clippers at the hair place so I thought it would be the same here. Well, not so much. He was ok a the beginning but as I started moving around his head he got less and less patient and his lollipop was gone. So the screaming began. I only cursed a little and I did put him in the house to cry (I tried this experiment outside). Then Greg had him on his lap back in the barber's chair to finish up. I don't think it looks too bad. A number 2 clip is too short. Well, you live and you learn!

This is Charlie's reaction!

How Clean is Your Toilet Water?

Catchy title you say...I think my toilet water is pretty clean you say...I would never touch my toilet water with bare hands you say....

Well, let me tell you a little story. It all started when Charlie went down for his morning nap. I had moved my toothbrush and toothpaste into the guest bathroom so I would not disturb him as I was brushing my teeth. Sam has a fascination with watching us brush our teeth and then wanting to do the same. I think he just likes the taste of the kids toothpaste, he just sucks it off along with any water, repeatedly. Any way...I take this precious opportunity to jump in the shower (I shower in the guest bathroom...just because the master shower is like tomb size). Sam is occupied with Bob the Builder and Charlie is asleep. What more could a girl ask for?! I jump in and start hearing the pitter-patter of little footsteps in the bathroom. So I peek out. Sam is using his potty as a stepping stool to reach my mom's toothbrush. I think this is cute so I continue showering. I know he can't reach the toothpaste and what else could he do with a toothbrush? Oh, how naive I am!

I hear him banging on the sink with the toothbrush and then I hear him saying help. I peek out and he is trying to turn on the water, I know he can't reach it so I just ignore it and finish enjoying my warm cocoon of a shower. I turn the shower off, open the curtain and see Samuel flinging a wet toothbrush around. Now, how could he have done this you ask? Well, I am deducing that he dipped the toothbrush in the open toilet and then brushed his teeth with it?! The toilet seat was wet and so was his hand :) He brushes his teeth by sucking the water and toothpaste off of the bristles!

Wow--so what to do now? Wash his mouth out? Rinse it out? Re-brush with toothpaste? Give him milk and tell him to drink up? What is a mom to do? SO now I think, how clean is that toilet water?

Band-Aid's

The time of Band-Aid decoration has begun. Is this something every child goes through? I hope so. Sam has found every little scrape and scratch to put a band-aid on. He also needs a Dora AND a Go, Go (Diego) band-aid, one doesn't go on without the other?! In the picture above he actually moved his band-aid all over his forehead!

He is so cute when he says, "Boo, Boo". He is having good and bad days as far as being two. I can understand how some animals eat their young!

Halloween 2009

So here we are Halloween 2009. I swear my house is actually cool, as in temperature, but not cold. The reason I am wearing a tank top and shorts is because it was over 80 degrees today in Raleigh. Charlie didn't even have on pants! But Mama, you will be proud, he had on socks!


So my sister Anna bought all of these adorable onesies and a Halloween costume for Charlie. We went through all of them that day! In the above picture I had just finished feeding Charlie and he has to be upright for at least 30 min after he eats b/c of his reflux. In the next pic you will see why he has to be upright...if you look close his jack-o-lantern is multi-colored. And the reason is.....SPIT-UP, Up Chuck, Vomit or as some kids like to call it, YUCK! Poor Charlie. I don't think there is a day that goes by that he doesn't cover himself in spit-up. And poor me, (do you hear the violins playing?), I stink of sour milk all the time. I can't help it. Even if I have a burp cloth I still get it in my cleavage. wah, wah :(


We picked Sam's costume this year. He really didn't have a preference...at least I don't think he did. So he was a construction worker or as Greg likes to say, a GC. How official! He certainly has the attitude of a GC, my way or the highway.


Sam wouldn't stand with the other children to have a picture taken. He had to stand in front of them. Can you say Kastendike? Anywho, Ben was a knight of darkness, Sam was Michael Jackson complete with white socks, penny loafers, glasses and a glove, and Justin was some sort of ninja.


Poor Bill. He entertains his wife, Amy. She actually bought this for herself at Goodwill and then said she would be too hot so Bill obliged and put it on. Ho, Ho, Ho


And last but not least my little giraffe. He was NOT a brown cow...(brown chicken, brown cow) I couldn't help myself. He was actually supposed to be a lobster but because it was more like Florida around here at 80 degrees we had to opt for the less bulky giraffe costume. It actually had a detachable tail! He slept most of the way and we watched Sammy run up to house after house to get his candy. Sam LOVED it this year and it was so much fun to watch him try to keep up.


This was the only picture we could get of the boys together. Neither one was cooperative! Sam just wanted candy and Charlie just wanted a boob. So this is what you get :) Happy Halloween 2009 ya'll!

Not MY Child

Here is every teachers worst nightmare of a parent....not MY child....

My child did NOT eat cheetos for lunch today with a side of all bran crackers.

My child does NOT demand "pops" for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My child did NOT have a movie marathon yesterday that consisted of Lady and the Tramp (twice), Lion King, and Toy Story 1 AND 2.
My child does NOT know how to work the (re)"motes" to the TV and DVD player.

And last but not least my youngest child did NOT sleep with me on the couch the last 4 nights! I can't help it! Blame the reflux and his being so damn snuggly!

Not Me Monday

I am certainly NOT sitting here typing this blog while my oldest child watches Toy Story for the third time today and while my youngest is fussing under his activity gym.

I certainly did NOT give my child a Klondike bar after he refused to eat his delicious turkey dinner that Amy made.

I certainly did NOT secretly enjoy eating Reece's Pieces for breakfast the other day and I certainly did NOT reprimand my child for climbing over Amy's couch to get M&M's that were in a dish while I was NOT eating a Kit-Kat bar from one of her kids halloween bags.

I also did NOT allow my child to run around in a diaper this morning b/c mommy forgot to clean the inside of the high chair and got strawberry on his cute cords and refused to dress him in another cute outfit...so I did NOT just throw them in the wash and pray that we didn't have to leave the house!

Contrary to all ya'lls beliefs I am a good mommy...Just wait and see! Check out Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

The Wedding

Meet the newest Kastendike. No not Charlie. Lindy Gale Kastendike! She took the brave step and married George on October 24, 2009. It was a great weekend. Weather-wise not so much but it did clear up for the wedding. It was so much fun seeing family and friends and catching up.

Lindy was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and glowing! She was so cool calm and collected. I think her bridesmaids and friends were more nervous then she was!



Greg looked VERY handsome in his tux and he gave a good speech/roasting. I tried to curtail all the "I'm the best, George is the best" talk but a wife can only do so much! I am getting lots of compliments on my hair and I absolutely loved it. So thank you everyone! Wish I could put some effort into it everyday!

George and Lindy are on their way to London as we speak. They spent a few days in Key Largo and a week in Paris! So happy for them and we can't wait to see pics from the honeymoon!