What?!

Yesterday Ryan found this article--

HOUSTON,TEXAS —

Imagine a world without chocolate.

Screams from chocolate lovers are piercing, but the nightmare scenario could become reality.

Experts believe there will be a chocolate shortage this year. Most of the world's cocoa crops are in West Africa. That area is suffering from a drought and crops are being destroyed by two mysterious diseases that have scientists baffled.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working on mapping the cocoa trees' DNA to help find a cure.

Forecasters predict the shortage will cause prices to shoot through the roof.

Speculators say in 20 years, the average person won't be able to afford the price to satisfy their chocolate cravings.

Matt SampsellKIAH

November 11, 2010

How is this possible?!!! We always knew the end of the world was coming, I guess I just thought it would be a little more bearable.

And I have no idea how to break the news to my dad.

Our Library

Ry and I have spent the last few weeks cataloging the books in our library. We decided we would just feel better, if there was a fire or major disaster, having a list of what to replace. Also, we're total nerds and we've been dying for months to know just how many books we've accumulated over the years we've been together. Others think of a hot little sports car they'll own someday, but us, well you should just see the library of our dreams . . .

Anyway, the total surprised even us.

715

not bad, eh?

Tink Happy Tawts

Happy Halloween!!!

I find I always forget to take pictures of our house decorations, so here are a few--

(I'm oh-so-proud of the first one 'cause I made it myself! I know. I got the idea here. Also, check out Melese's version here.)

What with childbirth and work craziness, we didn't plan too much for Halloween this year and found ourselves making costumes the night of. Something we will try our hardest NEVER to do again. Seriously, we're sitting there, 7pm, Ryan sewing Reese's fairy shoes (he's such a better seam. . . ster than I am so I took the glue gun stuff and he got to sew), and wondering if Reese would really notice if we just threw a few fruit snacks in her bag and called it good. But, fortunately, we persevered and had a great time.

Reese and Sam were Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, respectively. :)

The Dynamic Duo

Peter isn't too sure about his get-up

Soooo excited! We need to train her better though, she came home with only 4 pieces of chocolate! Disgraceful.

A few days earlier, we spent the day with Ryan at the AWHC playing in the Corn Maze--

Steering the Spooky Pirate Ship

Getting cleaned up after the Hay Jump

Making her way through the kid's maze

Reese's favorite, the Hay Slide

What a cute little criminal!

Finally, here's a video of the return from Trick-or-Treating

A Monkey Plays Percussion In Satan's Orchestra.

Despite the creative title this is not a work of fiction, but an opinion on one of the villains from Pixar's Toy Story 3. For those of you who have seen the film, and I'm sure most of you have, you might remember the cymbal-playing chimp who monitors Sunnyside Daycare after hours. The matted fur, the bulging blood-shot eyes, and that scream that could shatter crystal, were all combined as this freakish little primate crawled out of the bowels of hell and onto our big screen; make this creature about twenty feet tall and we are ready for a truly terrifying experience.

Why do I bother to rant about all this? Because I recently took my three year-old daughter to see this highly anticipated feature. While I loved the rest of the film, having to hold my trembling little girl while she said "Dad, I don't like that monkey, he's a little scary" over and over tarnished the experience a bit. With that first piercing scream she was scared to death that the monkey was going to come back and get her. The only relief she got was the reassurance I gave her that Woody had tied up the monkey and he wouldn't be coming back. Then the devil-ape showed up again in the end and Pixar made a liar out of me. Oh sure they tried to tone it down by putting him in cheezy 1980's sunglasses, but if you put the devil in baggy shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, he's still the devil.

Once again, I have to say that I loved the film overall, and I will probably purchase it for my family after it's release on video; however, I know that, despite the family friendly nature of this picture, I will inevitably hear a shout from the living room "Dad! I want to skip the monkey part! It's a little scary!" then I will stop what I'm doing, and with a sigh wonder why the Pixar animators couldn't have used a He-Man action figure to monitor Sunnyside instead of Bobo the the Hell-spawned Chimp.

Calling All Moms!

Thanks to a little family get-together last week, I recently discovered this fabulous blog that has totally inspired me as a mom, and a person and, of course, Reese's full-time playmate. :0)

You simply must check it out- and get ready to feel like a little kid again. Half of his posts had me going, "Ooh! I want to play with that!" It's full of ideas, instructions, and templates for retro, homemade crafts and toys. They are just plain awesome and oh-so-easy to make.

Check it- you and all your little kiddies will love, love, LOVE!

Missing the 'Party Hat Aisle'

"I have to lay off dairy though. That's what my doctor threw in. As I was leaving his office, 'Oh, and uh, leave off dairy.' What kind of blanket sweep is that? 'And no more happiness! Away with you!' "

— Brian Regan

I'm only on day three of the 'no dairy plan' to help Sam (and, ahem, ourselves) out with the colic situation and I can't help sympathizing.

Ah well, back to my bowl of raisin bran and rice milk.

Frogs

The other day Reese lay on Ry's stomach on the couch. His stomach grumbled against her ear so she popped her head up and said,

"Daddy, there's a froggy in your tummy!"

A few minutes later, after she went back to snuggling, Ry let some gas slip. Again, the curly head popped up and this time pronounced,

"Daddy! That was a BIG froggy!"