Lend me your ear...please

 *I had been struggling with a bad ear infection for about three weeks. Unfortunately, two weeks ago Lauren woke up screaming in the night, I sat up in bed and opened my mouth to say something to her ....and CRACK! Searing pain in my ear, and fluid trickling out of my ear. Ack! it was blood. Since then, all I've heard is a rushing waterfall or the sound of symbols crashing together in my ear, ...a crash with every heart beat. I lay in bed and tap my toes to the "music" to try and fall asleep amidst the noise. Fortunately, and no doubt due to a heartfelt prayer, in the last two days my hearing has begun to improve, the crashing noises much reduced, and the painful pressure and dizziness dissipating.

Whew! I have high hopes my hearing with return and so do my kids, and every other person that's tried to talk to me in the last two weeks that's had to repeat themselves 5+ times.

Anyway..that's what I've been up to. Hopefully serving as an excuse for my increased orneriness, and not making the kids their Halloween costumes.

  James and Lauren fight, fight fight! So when I see things like this I can't help but take a picture.
pic above: James giving Lauren a tour of the kitchen on his beloved plasma car. (Look at Bigfoot, my boy is going to be tall, or just have very very good balance.)

The other day, James was pushing Lauren around the kitchen very fast and crazy on a play car, Lauren was squealing, in fear and fun . I formed a road block and grabbed the car. Leaning over James, I pointed my finger at his chest and said sternly. "James, I want you to go slow and careful." James just looks up at me and says. "WELL, I'm not pushing YOU Mom! ..Running off faster than before, with Lauren squealing with glee."




 

 James taking care of Lauren: She didn't even ask me to help. She wanted James. He helped her in the swing, and pushed her for a long time before I had to intervene.

"Do you want an underdog, Lauren???", he asks?

"Yeah!" says Lauren.

"Um no." says Mom.

 Ellie's first grade class on Halloween. Teacher Ms. Hepworth.

 Ellie in the school Halloween Parade

 Barry sewed the girl's Indian costumes.(*see my excuse above) We were so pleased and surprised that Ellie requested to be something other than a Fairy Princess, I told her I would buy her a costume. After looking around, Barry decided he could make a better one, and I think it turned out great!
 Oh course, little Lauren wanted to be an Indian like Ellie, so Barry salvaged the leftover material and made her one too. James didn't want to be an Indian, he wanted to be a scary dinosaur.

 I think Lauren's expressions in these photos are so funny.