Halloween part 2

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Let me tell you, we had some excited girls this morning.

They bound out of bed and dashed down the stairs like it was Christmas morning.

 

The girls right before taking Adison to school.

{I've noticed since updating to the new iphone operating system that my pics are blurry, anyone else notice this?}

Adison is a vampire, Ainsley is Aurora and Abby is a Pegasus.

Lee and one of her besties, Kailyn.

Aren't they precious!?!

Adison's school has a Halloween parade every year and I dress up the littles too.

At Adison's party after the parade they had a freeze dance party and had some yummy snacks.

Abby woke up on the wrong side of the crib this morning.

Homegirl was cranky!
This was the smile she gave me, ha!

The Good, the Bad & the Funny + a Halloween Party

The Good: this week FLEW by. Seriously, how is it Friday already? Such a wonderful question to be asking, so much better than, "Wow, how is it only Tuesday???" Halloween is upon us and the kids couldn't be more excited. Abby's costume fits, HOORAY! She is going to be a Pegasus and pretty cute one too, I will share pics probably on Monday. Adison has a school parade that day and I dress up the little girls for it too. Here is last year's post about it.

The Bad: hmmmm, I really can't think of anything other than this week was exhausting; wonderful, fun, busy, laundry-filled and EXHAUSTING.

The Funny: If you follow me on Twitter than you already heard the hilarity that was Ainsley the other night:

Good job daddy! Mommy, you didn't cook it, I'm not going to tell you good job.

Mama, I didn't get anything on my shirt. Know why? Because I'm a miracle.

Ainsley's Halloween Party!

Today, Ainsley had her first Halloween school party.

We sent her costume with her to school because the kids were going to do some trick or treating, she had a lot of fun.

By the time her party started they had their costumes off and were playing on the playground.

She was so excited when she saw Abby and I, I loved it!

When we got into her classroom, the kids immediately sat down to start their snack/craft.

They were going to make spider cookies.

Ainsley teacher was so nice, she even laid one out for Abby to make!

Abby was being really shy at first.

She didn't want to talk to anyone or have them talk to her, little stinker!

Lee was so excited to have Abby at her school, she wanted Abby to be wherever she was.

Abby was really into making the spider, too.

Here is a picture of the finished product.

It was super cute!

After the kids finished eating one of their spiders they then colored a Halloween picture.

Ainsley made sure that Abby was right there with her, she even got her paper and her crayon as well as making sure that Abby knew the rules.

After that they played pin the nose on the witch, it was so cute.

Then they had cupcakes, yum!

It was so nice to be able to watch Ainsley at school.

I was so impressed with how polite she was and how well she listened.

She did fabulously!
Way to go Lee!!!

Five Question Friday

 

1. Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets?

2. What time zone are you in?

3. What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

4. What is your favorite "wintry" drink? (It doesn't have to be an "alcoholic" drink!)

5. In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

 

1. Cotton, 100%. I just love a crisp, clean, cotton sheet. Can I go back to bed now? Ha. We do have a set of flannel sheets that I will occasionally put on the bed during the winter, but not very often at all.

 

2. Central time zone, right smack dab in the middle of it.

 

3. I don't think I could pick just one. The smells, the sight of the Christmas tree, all of the festive colors, the laughter, the music, my children's excitement. I love all of it, simply all of it. In fact, I am ready to put up my tree now, but I think I will have to wait another month or so.

 

4. Anything coffee. Right now I am drinking coffee with a cinnamon dulce creamer in it, oh my goodness so good!

 

5. The worst job in the world...I have no clue. Probably, for me, it would have to be something without out any contact with others. I think pretty much anything could be bearable if you have camaraderie with others.  

InstaFriday

Yippee! It's Friday!

I am so ready for the weekend!

We don't have ANYTHING planned this weekend.

 

Last Sunday after our walk in the woods and a few errand stops I noticed this big bug on my window.

This picture cracks me up though because it looks like a giant bug is attacking our town.

Ha!

I love this picture.

One, it looks like she is saying something funny.

Two, because she has pigtails.

Three, because those pigtails have gone awry.

Fall has arrived.

When my friends and I go on our morning walks, I can't help but stare at this tree.

It is absolutely beautiful.

Ainsley made this edible "eyeball" in school earlier this week.

It was so funny and at the same time gory that I just had to snap a picture and send it to K.

He got a good laugh at it too.

The funny thing though, is that when she got it out of the bag to eat it, her hands would get dirty, which would then lead to her needing to clean her hands, then repeat the process until she finally asked me to get it out for her.

Silly girl and her NEED for clean hands.

Speaking of Ainsley, here is my girl at the park yesterday.

She was so excited to play with her friends.

Hi Adison!

She was playing in these big bush/tree things.

The colors were beautiful as were the subject.

Last night, K made these beauties.

Yep, sweet potatoes on the grill.

I was a little unsure about them when he first mentioned the idea, but they were GOOD!

Time flies

I was going through pictures on my phone.

K had backed it up and told me that I had A LOT of pictures on there that I could delete because he saved everything on the computer.

As I lay in bed going through all of them {I had over 1300!} I was shocked at how quickly time goes by.

I got my phone earlier in the year, I think in February, so my pictures started then.

8 short months ago.

Months, not years or decades.

MONTHS.

Adison

 Earlier in the year

 Now

Ainsley

  Earlier in the year

 Now

Abby

 Earlier in the year

 Now

The transformation is shocking.

Shocking.

I know that we all say that time flies.

I say it all the time myself.

It seems like Adison was a tiny little newborn yesterday, somehow she is now 9.

The same goes for Ainsley and Abby as well.

Time is marching right along, whether I want it to or not.

It makes me happy to see the growth because it means they are doing well.

It also makes my mama's heart want to hold on to today for just a bit longer.

Ainsley's barn

Forever and a day ago, I told you about Ainsley's barn AKA treasure chest.

I also took the pictures of it forever and a day ago, but then we had computer issues and I forgot about it.

Yesterday I found the pictures and am FINALLY getting around to telling you about the barn.

 This barn belonged to my brother and I when we were kids.

When my mom moved I snagged it so quickly, so many fond childhood memories.

 The barn sat for a while unused.

One day {I'm not sure when exactly}, Ainsley took it over.

She is very possessive of it, K and I honor her need to have a special place to store things.

The other girls leave it alone as well {which is a miracle!}.

 Ainsley stores her treasured items in there.

At night, right before bed, she will often implore K or I to put something in there.

 She, unlike our eldest, doesn't like taking her toys to bed.

She is too afraid of losing them.

 For my memories sake more than anything I wanted to take some detailed pictures.

Jessie, Leapster game, pen, playdough toy and lizard bracelet.

 Squinkies, which she knows have to be put up.

Mama, they're a choking hazard.

 A flashlight, a Zooble, her kitty and "lipstick."

This girl of ours is a trip.

She is so particular about things and makes K and I laugh.

A walk in the woods

This weekend was a nice one.

The weather was gorgeous.

We, of course, had to get out in it.

On Sunday, we, along with my dad, took the girls for a walk in the woods.

My girls love to be outside.

To be able to look at everything and run.

While on the walk Abby and I were typically walking behind everyone else.

Everything is new and exciting to her.

Something to touch, jump on and look at.

With a cute little face like this, how could you tell her no?

 K snapped this photo of the girls, I LOVE it!

Okay folks, I feel like I have so much to share but I've got to get off of the computer.

Muah!

Five Question Friday

 

1. Where do you escape to when you've had enough?

2. What shows are you watching this fall?

3. What was the longest roadtrip you've ever taken and where did you go?

4. Do you plan on taking your kids to Disney World?

5. What is something people would surprised to know about you?

 

1. If my husband is home, my bedroom. If he's not, then the coffee maker. Coffee seems to make everything easier. If the kids and I have a case of cabin fever, we escape to Target.

 

2. We are watching: Castle {LOVE IT!}, The Closer, Big Bang Theory {Bazinga!} and Storm Chasers.

 

3. When I was a kid we would take our annual trip from Texas to Michigan...in the car. Yes, it was a L-O-N-G trip, but we made some fantastic memories.

 

4. I would LOVE to take my kids, hopefully some day.

 

5. I have two tattoos? I don't know...hmmm...I really can't think of it. Maybe that I've had six miscarriages. My life is pretty much an open book. 

InstaFriday

It's Friday, it's Friday!
I feel like doing a happy dance!

 

Last Saturday was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day.

I memory of our 6 angel babies and all others that left too quickly we lit our candle.

On Sunday we celebrated my niece's 2nd birthday.

How in the world she is 2 now is beyond me.

This is Adison, my brother and Abby.

The other day, while waiting for Ainsley to get home from school, our cat Zoe decided to wait with me.

She cracks me up, you know, when she's not eating Halloween costumes.

Sigh.

We got some vampire teeth when we went costume shopping on Wednesday.

Ainsley has been running around growling at us since then.

This rocking chair belonged to K when he was a child {sans the pink toile}.

K's mom made the sweet fabric covers for it.

Abby is finally old enough to sit in it and it just melts my heart.

She ate it

Yesterday, after Adison's parent/teacher conference we took the kids out to get Halloween costumes.

Scratch that.

We took Adison to get a costume.

Ainsley decided she wanted to be Tinkerbell again this year.

Since having two older sisters and not even being two years old, Abby was going to wear one of their old costumes.

Adison has known for a while now that she wanted to be a vampire for Halloween.

Sounds good, we just had to get one.

While there though, I think Adison's infectious enthusiasm must have rubbed off on Ainsley because suddenly she NEEDED A NEW COSTUME!

Please please please!

K and I looked at each other, smiled and said sure, why not.

Lee picked out an Aurora {Sleeping Beauty} costume.

Shocked, aren't you?
ha ha

Today while walking by the costumes something stood out to me.

What was wrong with the costume?
Probably nothing...I should check.

ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME!?!

The cat ate part of her costume.

Yes, I said THE CAT.

Ugh, so annoyed.

Not too surprising though.

This particular culprit has a history of eating things she shouldn't.

Plants, ribbon, string, ANYTHING PLASTIC and now Halloween costumes.

Yes, believe it or not this once tiny, precious kitty kitty is a Halloween costume eating fool.

P.S. I am NOT telling Ainsley about it.

She. would. flip.

Well, there's a first

Ainsley stopped napping when she was about 2 1/2 years old.

She would nap, but would then stay up until 10 or 11 at night.

That wasn't working, at all.

K and I then decided that we wouldn't have her nap any more but would instead put her to bed at 7.

This worked for the most part.

She would go to bed when we put her to bed but was CRANKY for the later part of the afternoon.

It was such a better alternative though to her late night parties.

Since turning 4, Ainsley has been having a rough time.

Jumping up and down, screaming, crying temper tantrums

Stubborn refusals

Arguing with her sisters {namely Adison}

Turning 4 has just been a rough transition.

Today was no different.

She came off the bus fine.

Was happy and silly for most of the afternoon.

The naughtiness started creeping in though.

Followed by the sassiness.

Then came all out sibling arguing quickly followed by disobedience.

Sigh.

I talked with her AGAIN about expectations and consequences and told her she had one more chance to listen and then she would have to sit on her bed.

She made it all of five minutes before it started up again.

Ainsley, you have to go sit on your bed for a little bit.

No!

Ainsley, I told you that if you started having a hard time again that you were going to have to sit on your bed.

No!
Ainsley Faith, you need to go upstairs and sit on your bed until I tell you can came downstairs.

NOOOOO!!

Finally.

Upstairs, on her bed.

Quietly.

After a couple of minutes pass

Ainsley, you can come downstairs now.

Ainsley...

Lee Lee...

Lee...

She likes to jump out and scare people, so I was expecting her to jump out at me.

I never expected the sight that greeted me.

Nada

A picture of K and I on our honeymoon back in 2000.

My creative juices are not flowing.

I've got nothing.

Much love, xoxo

me 

Monday monday

Abby at less than two months old

I totally shared that picture for my own delight.

Such sweet little baby roundness.

Yes, that's what I think of when I look at that picture.

Check out the chubola cheeks!

Okay.

Monday.

On Saturday K and I had the opportunity to be a part of Sharefest with our small group.

Our church gets together with other churches {I *think* 16 others this year} to help spruce up the outside of some of the local schools.

We had such a wonderful time.

It really deserves it's own post, which I will eventually get to :)

On Sunday we celebrated my niece's birthday.

She will be two on Wednesday.

I cannot believe it!

It was a really fun time, the kids had a blast.

Today we are back at it.

Ainsley had school today since both she and Adison are off on Thursday and Friday.

Parent/Teacher conferences will be held then, dun dun dun!

Just kidding, I used to dread them when I was a kid but I suspect the girls will have glowing reports.

Random Thoughts Floating Around My Noggin

I would really like to take the kids to the pumpkin patch this year.

I still have to get Adison's Halloween costume.

Right now she wants to be a vampire.

The girls were perusing the American Girls catalog earlier.

It was really cute seeing them.

I can't believe that Abby will be two in less than a month!
Eek!

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day

Today is a day I hold near and dear to my heart.

Today we remember the lives lost.

The lives that sometimes we are the only ones to remember.

Their time cut short through miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS or infant death.

Their lives matter, to us that are still here.

In our case, my husband and I lost 6 babies.

6 hopes and dreams for the future.

6 children that we loved and cared for.

Their death hurts, a hurt that doesn't go away.

A hurt that you learn to live with, to carry with you.

It's a hurt that shapes you into being the person you are today.

The scar that, while healed, never goes away.

Today, please join with me in lighting a candle at 7pm in your timezone.

Remember those lives.

My friend, Jennifer, wrote a beautiful post on her blog.

Please take the time to read it.

Also, Kirsten {Ewan's Mama} over at Team Ewan put together a beautiful tribute.
Please check it out.

Five Question Friday

1. Do you prefer your ice cream in a bowl or in a cone?

2. What three things do you love the smell of?

3. Giftcards or no? (In regards to gift giving...)

4. What sports did you play in high school if any and do you still play them?

5. Were you in band in high school? What instrument did you play?

1. It depends. If I'm at home I like it in a bowl, if I'm out I like it in a cone.

Confusing, yes.

2. Vanilla, coffee and new babies. 

3. Yes, but not for everyone. For most people I buy a gift, but for others they get a gift card. It depends on the person.

4. I played volleyball and loved it. When we moved though I stopped playing and really wish I had continued.

5. I wasn't in band, I do wish that I had learned to play an instrument. 

InstaFriday

It's Friday!
This has been the busiest week!

Since last Friday two of my three cupcakes have had birthdays.

Yep, I am now the proud mother of a 9 year old AND a 4 year old.

Wow, time flies.

My newly minted 9 year old.

I cannot believe that just 9 years ago she was a fresh faced little baby.

Pardon me while I cry a little.

Then I see the face of this 4 year old and it just pushes me right over the edge.

Seriously, time needs to S-L-O-W down when kids are little.

She was and is so excited about being 4.

Luckily this one {with the blurry action shot and wearing her sister's shoes} still has about a month left until her 2nd birthday.

I am going to be savoring each and every day of the next month.

Then she'll be two, next thing I know she will be four and then nine.

Yesterday, Ainsley saw a commercial for Hungry Hungry Hippos and asked if we could get it.

Lo and behold, we already had it!

After picking up Adison from school we played.

The kids had a lot of fun and so did I!
{Those are temporary tattoos on Adison's arm, a birthday present from K's parents :)}

Last night Adison had her 3rd grade music program.

We were too far away for me to get a picture of Adison so I took one of the little two.

Adison did an amazing job!