Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Way to go Arby's!!



Kayla and I picked up Arby's for dinner tonight on the way home from soccer practice. We placed our order and then pulled up to the window to pay and get our food. As I was waiting for the food, I noticed that they had a clear plastic bin with a graph looking thing and a bunch of numbers on it. I usually get my hopes all up when I see this because I think the allergen information would also be listed. Not true!! All they turn out to be is basically how bad the food is for you. (Like we didn't already know before we even pulled/walked up to order) As if I am in my normal 'hopes up" mode, I pulled one out and to my surprise, it actually lists the allergen info too. I was so excited and a little shocked : ) Not only does it list the allergens it contains, it also has a code for menu items cooked in the same oil as other items that contain major allergens and a code for items manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts. This to me is ABOVE and BEYOND!!! I am so impressed that I tell the gal that is helping us, "Arby's is the first restaurant I have been to since my son was diagnosed with several allergies in May, that actually has an allergen info sheet readily available to it's customers." The fact that it was not only in the restaurant but in the drive thru was even more impressive to me. So WAY TO GO ARBY'S!!!

Now unfortunately, literally everything on their menu contains egg, wheat or both. If they don't contain those, they are cooked in the same oil. He won't be eating at Arby's anytime soon but I will definitely be going back! 


Monday, October 24, 2011

Pumpkin Carving 101

So going to spoil the surprise before I even finish this blog post but I am super excited about the picture(s) I am going to post. Pumpkin Carving 101 is the title of the pages in my scrapbook of Mykayla's first year "carving" pumpkins. (That would have been 2004!! Pure Craziness!) What an appropriate title for this years pics and a blast from the past. So without further babbling...2004

 (Kind of off because it is a scan of the scrapbook page I did in 2004.)

And 2011...
Notice the tongue sticking out in some of the pictures, she is such a Kinyon!!
Might I also add that Mykayla did almost all of the gutting and carving of her pumpkin. Daddy and I helped with a few trick spots, otherwise it was all her! I am so impressed!

She was all about the guts and glory!
The design

 That would be the tongue I mentioned!

And the final product! So proud of herself too!








Sunday, October 23, 2011

A perfect fall day at the pumpkin patch

Today we spent the afternoon at Carleton Farm picking pumpkins, racing through the corn maze and enjoying time with family and friends. While I don't have too much to "type" about this perfect fall day, I do have pictures!! Poor Michael was not feeling too well for much of the day but was such a good great trooper the whole time. He willingly sat on pumpkins and posed for pictures while sister and cousins ran through the corn maze.












Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Hopefully I didn't bite off more than I can chew

So I deleted deactivated my Facebook account a couple minutes ago and already feel some sense of relief. It will definitely take some getting used to not hearing my phone ding at every new comment or tagged photo but I think I will get used to it.

I have found something else to occupy my time for at least the next month or so...
At the beginning of the school year, Mykayla's elementary school PTA sends out the volunteer form for the year to which I faithfully (Ok, only for 3 years now) sign up for the same three events: Holiday Craft Night, the Scholastic Book Fair and Teacher Appreciation week. As I am filling in my volunteer choices for this year, I notice that the Holiday Craft Night needs a co-chair. So I email the gal in charge "just asking" some questions. Some of you may already know that this means "I have just volunteered myself for the co-chairing position" : ) She wastes no time emailing me back thanking me for co-chairing and being in charge of the 10 or so crafters for the night. Now while I knew this was probably what would happen, I suddenly realized maybe I bit off more than I can chew. For the past two years, I have simply come up with a craft, created kits for 50-70 kids to make the craft and then showed up the night of and manned a table of elementary age crafters. (My first year, I was 9 months pregnant with Michael. I was induced the next morning. What was I thinking?!?!)  That year I made JOY banners and last year I made 4x4 mini albums. I got a chance to talk to the gal in charge tonight at the PTA meeting and she was able to put my mind at some ease. I am looking forward to taking on this position and hopefully get some fun crafters to work with. Who knows, maybe this will be my contribution for the next several years (Which I would be ok with!) Michael will be in Kindergarten when Mykayla is in 5th grade. Hmmm, that means 8 more years or so...I think I will go year by year for now : )

Monday, October 10, 2011

Closing a chapter...

For the past 3 years, I have been on Facebook daily. I have enjoyed changing my status, posting pictures of my kids, catching up with old friends and classmates and seeing what goes on in everyones lives. I have grieved with people, celebrated with people and laughed with people on Facebook. I am sad, yet excited to start another chapter in my life without Facebook! I have made the decision to delete my Facebook page and concentrate on my family, friends and "real-life" relationships. I have tossed the idea around several times but have only in the last 24 hours thought very seriously about it. I tossed around defriending people, hiding people or just keeping a certain few but then those I would keep, I see and can catch up then. I will miss the funny quote statuses, the great pictures and the constant way of knowing what is going on in others lives. I will not miss the drama, the watching what I say in my status or the hurt it has caused people I know and love.

Now with all that being said, I am going to concentrate on keeping my blog updated (hopefully) daily and I hope you all will continue to follow me. I love keeping in touch with distant family and friends and this will be my way of doing it. May even do a daily "status update" on my blog : ) I also still have the same email that I have had for years and can always be reached at maemae_k@yahoo.com

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Learning from them, laughing with them and loving them more everyday!!

Yep! I am talking about my kids!! What a blessing they are to Adam and I! I was looking at my cell phone pics earlier this evening and found some great pictures that depict the relationship Mykayla and Michael have. Mykayla is an amazing big sister to Michael and he looks up to her so much.










Seriously slacking....

I have been seriously slacking on the blog posting front. Guess life gets in the way sometimes and that would be my excuse and I am sticking to it :)I am actually doing this post on my phone at soccer practice. See what I mean about life? Yeah, too many things to name but enjoying all of them even if they keep me from blogging. Maybe one of these days I will do a "catch up" post of everything. I say maybe : ) I do know that the next couple months have so many great events and things to blog about that I will be sure to be back up at it again. Just to name a few...Halloween, a big 2nd birthday and the holidays! My favorite time of year!!!

Also I have been having so much fun in my classroom lately, been debating doing another teaching/classroom ideas blog. What do you think? Let me know!