How Big was the Deer?!

Big enough to leave that ass print in my van!!!

Driving out to Mom's on Sunday morning, a not so smart deer decided to run straight into my car. Now you can tell my the place that was damaged, I didn't hit the deer - there was no swerving involved. The only thing I could've possibly done to miss the deer would've been to speed up - she ran head first into the side of the van and bounced off and around and smacked her rear on the rear of the van!

Everyone in the car was fine - 3 feet forward on the van and we would be having a different discussion - it would've smashed in Marlie's door. And for you animal lover's - the deer is fine too - got up and ran away. The van - $2800 worth of body work later and it will be good to go - so in about 3 weeks. You cant see the hoof and head damage that she did to the rest of the van in this pic - but basically every inch of that side needs to be repaired and painted.

And while Jayson and I have joked that the girls probably won't be too up on reindeer this holiday - in an ironic turn of events - Marlie has begun singing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" as one of her new songs . . . no joke!

A Zoo Trip

Last year we had Dollywood Season Passes - this year we decided to replace those with a Zoo Membership to see if we would use that more . . . well we have definitely got our money's worth!

I would say that we go at least twice a month, if not more, to the zoo. And we have fun going to the members only events - hello Milk and Cookies with Santa in 2 weeks!!! It's just great to get out of the house for a few hours and have a place to run and see fun things. And with the weather being as awesome as it has been this year (perfect 65 degree day today!), it has made our zoo trips even better.

Now each time we go, we don't actually walk the whole zoo - Marlie gets to pick which part we are going to hang out in that day. Sometimes we just do the "animal walk" and see the animals - in the summer when it was hot, we would spend our time in the Kid's Cove by the water and the lily pads. This fall it has been a mixture of a few animals and the Wee Play Zoo. The Wee Play Zoo is an indoor play area especially for kids with fun activities. Well, our girls are very much girls, so they tend to gravitate to the "kitchen area" - this is the part that is filled with play food, but with a twist. There a several buckets with animal and food pictures on them - so to "feed the animal" you fill their bucket with all the food pictured on the bucket e.g. bananas and other items for a monkey. Marlie matches and picks out appropriate items - Samantha just tries to fill a bucket with as much food as possible!

So the girls had a great time today playing there - Sam also enjoys venturing off to the cash register/phone area and of course the vet area with the stuffed animals and doctor toys!

I can't see ever not having a zoo membership again for the next 15 years . . . .

For Mr. Crandall

Anyone who has been remotely involved in our life over the past 2 years knows how long/hard/continuously Jayson works.

Well I thought I would post the pic that he took of his proud work the other day. Next week he will be staining and sealing our fence - but before doing so - it needed a good wash . . . pressure wash that is. Jayson snapped a pic after his first 2 hours of washing - the difference really is amazing looking at our back yard now! So after several (I will guestimate 6-7) hours of work - we have a new looking fence again . . . hopefully the staining won't take as long!?!?

Anyway - just because I find it HILARIOUS - something funny also happened to Jayson . . . someone actually de-friended him on Facebook!!! And I'm not talking random high school friend - I am talking current person in our lives . . . removed Jay from his friend list! Now - there is a story around it, but that story in no way involves Jayson . . . and by the way, have you met my husband?!?! I always say, if someone doesn't like me, that's totally expected - but to not like Jayson?!?! It's ridiculous . . . truly . . . . but alas, I have learned my lesson about what you publish on the internet - so if you really want to know the story . . . just ask :)

Fall Weather

The girls and I just hung out this weekend and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather - on our deck and on Grandma's deck. It would've been perfect weather to go to the zoo . . . but alas, Saturday was free admission day - no thank you . . . we will go later :)

Anyway - Marlie enjoyed pouring "tea" for Sam and I - Sam enjoyed pouring water in my lap - and I enjoyed the view from our back deck. True - it would be nice to have a little more land around on our house - but considering we do live in a subdivision, we've got an enormous yard and a perfect view.

And the temps were perfect . . . 75 on a fall day in November!! Have I mentioned 1 or 2 million times how much I don't miss the weather in Minnesota?!?! :)

Truth . . . not Fiction!

Apple Day

I have gotten big into the nickjr website - they have soooo much stuff you can download and TONS of activity ideas . . . just something else to break up the day a little - plus I like that they have seasonal stuff!

So today was apple day - unfortunately, rain and craziness @ work totally shot down the option of going and picking apples . . .but that's okay.

We made an apple pouch (apple necklace if you're Marlie) and then Marlie made apple crisp!! She mixed everything by herself and poured it all into the dish - and kinda helped with the oven. And when Sam ate some she said "Mmm - and rubbed her belly" . . . to which Marlie responded - "I am glad you like it Sam" :)

note: the bite portrayed in the pic is not the bite that Sam got . . . that was Sota's bite!

Our Thankful Tree

So Halloween is over . . .time to move on to the next holiday - one that has a little more meaning involved . . . Thanksgiving.

We decided to go ahead and start working with Marlie on the concept of Thanksgiving and our first step was to make a Thankful Tree :) So on each of her leaves, Jayson helped her write things that she was thankful for.

I over-analyze everything in life - it's just how my brain works. But I think it speaks to how we're doing as parents when the first 8 things on the list of stuff to be thankful for are family members (including Sota)!! And then of course we tried to move her on to inanimate objects - and we got to swings and scissors. The dialogue went like this though:

Marlie: I am thankful for scissors (she loves to cut paper and shapes)
Jayson: I'm not writing scissors, that's silly
Jen: Why? She's 3 - what did you expect her to say??

Of course, with Marlie, I don't know that we would've been too shocked if she'd busted out something like "the roof over my head" :) hahaha But not today . . .

And to end with a quote "Happiness can come from the quiet nobility of leading a good life" - something important to remember as we enter a season that can be overshadowed by materialism rather than the real meanings . . . .