Trick-Or-Treat

Thankfully I was able to get Halloween off this year and go trick-or-treating with my kiddos! Harrison Indiana Jones was so brave; ringing the doorbell, bellowing 'trick-or-treat', even following up with a courteous 'thank you'. Gavin Incredible Hulk, always Indiana's sidekick, wasn't scared of anything! Afterward we went to G-Jo's house and ate candy and pizza until we were sick.

Man, I love Halloween!

Life Is But A Dream

I don't like surprises. I'm not a stick-in-the-mud, I just really get excited to think about things. If something is thrown on me last minute I been robbed hours of thoughts getting excited about what's going to happen. It doesn't take much to get me excited and 'thinking'- a date night with Steve, a family trip, someone coming to visit, I even look forward all week to a morning nap on Friday's when Grammy keeps Gavin.

This can sometimes be to my detriment because I will think about a situation and almost make it fairy-tale like in how I think it will turn out. Rarely is life a fairy-tale, right?

Last night we carved a pumpkin. As usual, I had been thinking and thinking about how wonderful it would be; listening to some spooky music while Harrison and Steve decide which pattern to use. The kids and I would take all the icky guts out and laugh at how funny it felt. Steve and Harrison would be busy carving our masterpiece, Gavin and I would make a tasty snack of roasted pumpkin seeds. Again dreaming, I thought this wouldn't take more than forty-five minutes, afterward we would have some popcorn and watch a little Halloween cartoon before the kids went off to bed.

.Reality.

Steve arrived home late-dream buster #1. He was tired and really wasn't feeling too hot. Nope, wasn't anticipating that, either. Never wanting to disappoint, after some dinner he got a second wind and agreed to continue. I cut the top off the pumpkin and got the kids excited about digging the guts out. Harrison developed an immediate phobia of the pumpkin innards and wouldn't have anything to do with it-dream buster #2. Gavin enjoyed dispersing the guts all over the table, floor,and back into the pumpkin. Okay, so maybe I should have anticipated that! I got busy baking pumpkin seeds and Steve was working hard on the detailed bat Harrison picked out. Before long I realized it was just Steve and I left in the kitchen. Harrison was playing with a cardboard box (really, what is the fascination with those things?) and Gavin had a batch of stolen cupcakes with the icing all licked off. Big, fat dream buster #3.

I would love to insert a great conclusion to this story, like, 'in the end, we ate pumpkin seeds, sang songs and marveled at the beautiful pumpkin'. But, no, the pumpkin turned out pretty bad, the seeds were a little too salty, and the kids really could have cared less.

Alas, I went to sleep thinking about more dreams.....like Harrison's upcoming birthday party. Yah!

Halloween Party

Our first Halloween party for the kids. The last time we had a Halloween party I was very pregnant with Harrison and dressed up as an XL electrical outlet, Steve being the 'male' socket--it was dreadfully embarrassing.

Four years later, being a mom is so much more fun than I ever anticipated! I look forward to many more kiddie Halloween parties, minus the electrical outlet costume.

The cupcakes Nancy, Mom, and I painfully decorated. There were way too many left over. Nancy says it must have been my baking skills and next year I'm off baking duty. Fine by me.

No Bergman party is complete without the nacho machine making an appearance. And besides, who doesn't like chips with hot gooey cheese?

We had some pretty impressive pumpkin decorating skills. Check out the one with multiple eyes, it's the 'all seeing pumpkin'. Don't mess with that one.


Griselda, the friendly witch pinata.

The bounce house was a hit! Especially when Steve jumped in and the kids tried to 'take down the big, mean monster'!

We saw lots of cute (and some scary!) costumes!

Steve, a.k.a. the Cotton Candy Man, made all the kids happy with this special treat!

Did I mention the kids really liked the nachos?

Being the 'hostest with the mostest' I barely picked up my camera! As more pictures are sent to me I will continue to update this post. Thanks to all you good moms out there who took pictures so I can have some memories of this fun evening...keep on sharing!

Dirt's Gross

So funny how kids see things. Harrison and I were looking through a Halloween magazine and came to this picture. He said "Oooh, Mommy, why dat man eatin' dirt? Dat's gross! We don't eat dirt."

He did not ask why dat man had no skin, nose, hair or had red eyes.

He Forgot, Okay?

Harrison went to time-out tonight after he took the sword match between him and Gavin a little too serious and hit Gavin across the eye. After he finished time-out and told his brother he was sorry with a hug and kiss we were talking....

Me: Harrison, what happened between you and Gavin?

Harrison: I forgot.

Me: You forgot what?

Harrison: I forgot to be nice.


**Now, you may be thinking, "Greta, what do you expect when you buy your kids swords?" These are boys, people, they were using a long ruler from their craft table! Anything that can be used for weapons of mass destruction are fair game.**

Oh Glorious Weekend

I have worked weekend nights for almost five years. I love that it allows me to feel like a 'stay-at-home mom' while still providing a solid income and sense of independence from my family. It is hard, however, to rarely have off time together as a family. I think this is something other families take for granted, two precious days to be spent bonding and making memories.

This weekend I worked only one night instead of my regularly scheduled two. The Bergmans took full advantage! After lunch we headed over to the local Log Cabin Village, amazing to look at a cabin no bigger than my living room that slept ten people! The next day we caught the dolphin film at the Imax. Gavin oohed and aah-ed while Harrison had his fill of popcorn and Sprite.

I'm so grateful for the time I spend with my boys.

Harrison probably wouldn't haphazardly spill so much water from his cup if this is how he had to retrieve it.

Walking through the fragrant herb garden. In a single-file line, please.

Harrison ringing the school bell. I'm thinking about getting one of these to wake the house up every morning.

If I do say so myself, my boys are great egg collectors. I think this would be their job if we lived on 'Bergman Bruiser Farms.'

Outside the Imax. Mean Mom made them all pose for this photo. They'll thank me someday.

Pumpkin Patch

Another year, another trip to the pumpkin patch. I just love fall!

Gavin really likes the donkey

Shanita helping the boys catapult mini pumpkins across the field. I find this to not be the best use of God's fruitful harvest...but the kids sure enjoyed it!

Oh, he was so close to picking it up!

I was a little nervous Geedge would try and leap out, but he sat tight and loved the ride.

A blast from the past!

Favorite Things

Per my fellow blogger and friend Fancy's request, I have posted things I heart. These things aren't new and exciting, but they are my very favorites.

This

+

Is a must to start my day. I must have two cups a day, one in the morning and the other during Oprah.


I love Orbit gum and this flavor reminds me of the beach.

I love these muffins! Only 100 calories and full of fiber and nutrients. Heat them up in the microwave for chocolatey goodness.






As a kid I would eat this candy until the roof of my mouth was raw.

These crackers dipped in the cream cheese are soo good. A perfect late night snack.

And I, like Fancy, cannot surprise you with a free gift of all these products. I can, however, promise if you are ever at my house all of the above items will be available for your tasting pleasure.

Big Wheels Keep On Turnin'

Proud Momma keep on clappin'...


This Big Wheel has been beat by the Texas sun for two years waiting for the day when my little guy's legs would grow long enough to reach the pedals. It's faded from a bright Radio Flyer red to a soft rose, the tall flag that once waved in the wind was broken long ago.

I had almost given up hope. But, on this glorious day something happened. Maybe it was the Indiana Jones boots, (a.k.a. Target Uggs) or maybe the empowering Spiderman boxers, or better yet, maybe he finally has reached the recommended age for a Big Wheel--I'm not sure, but whatever it was Harrison was screaming "Mommy, Mommy, woooook, I can do it!"


This is one of the best experiences of parenting. To watch your child accomplish, learn, or grow and see their raw and real excitement. Life is so simple to them. To a 3 year-old, a good day is defined by mastering the Big Wheel.

Why Does It Seem....

....like the minute I answer a phone call my children go buck wild? Prior to me saying 'hello' things can be almost picturesque, children giggling and frolicking about. I pick up and it's like 'Toddlers Gone Wild.'

What really does me in is my boys seem to save the most outrageous, most insane behavior for when I'm talking to a friend who doesn't have any kids. You know that friend? The one you want to make think your life is amazing being married with two small children. It's always following a loud scream that I get the best responses:

• Wow! I can't wait to have kids.
• Sure wish I could be you.
• Is that how it always is at your house?
• Gretch, there is never a time we talk that I don't hear someone screaming. (How do I respond to that?!)
• Children are gifts from God.

I was trying to catch up the other day with a friend I hadn't spoken to in months. The boys were behaving in the typical mom-on-the-phone fashion. After countless times of me giving them the stink eye and me silently mouthing 'behave!' I walked away to try and wrap up the conversation in peace.

Big Mistake.

I returned just in time to stop Harrison from pulling Gavin off the tall kitchen chair onto the floor. Gavin, who had pushed the chair in front of the wall-mounted oven, was trying to open the door and retrieve dinner!

The moral of the story is for the friends without children, save their phone calls for when the kids are safely in bed asleep.



By the way, I do think I have an amazing life, with an amazing husband and kids.

Minimum Monday

I'm often told I talk too loud and too much. To defend these statements is futile on my part. It's true. Terribly, terribly true. Today I'm turning over a new leaf, at least in the blogging world anyway. A picture can say a thousand words....or in this case, on Minimum Monday, just one.