Sidneyisms

The kids were asking questions on the way home from church about Satan.  One of our answers was that Satan doesn't have a body like we do.  Sidney responded, "So, he just has a head?"  Well that's frightening.  Makes me wonder what other things she processes with her small storage of knowledge.

Turkey Time

My kids have been singing a "Turkey Time" song and it's stuck in my head.  We try to keep our traditions alive as best we can during the holidays, but we have a lot of traditions we have broken over the years due to our many moves.  I think the one tradition we have kept has been going strong for 12 years now.  We spent our first Thanksgiving together while we were dating, and ever since then we have not spent a single one with the same people.  We have spent it with random family members (it's been 7 years since we had it with any family), various friends, alone, and at restaurants.  Let's see how long we can keep it going.

 

We've had a great weekend so far.  I think every week should have 4 day weekends.  We've gotten a lot done around the house and managed to have fun.  Something we started last year was this tree.  Throughout the month we added things we are thankful for.

The kids have been dying to rake up the leaves with Josh.  They spent hours raking and playing in the enormous pile.  We get a lot of leaves from our neighbor's trees.

 Their favorite part was burying Josh and watching him burst out of the pile.

 

We broke out the Christmas decorations and went to cut down our tree.  We can't figure out if Josh isn't allergic to any of the tree types, so we just got the same as last year and put it in a different room.  We don't get to see it as much, it's not by the fire, and it overpowers the room it's in, but he's not suffering like last year, so we'll make do.  Maybe we'll go back to a fake one someday.  We also went to the movies, our tradtion since I was pregnant with Sidney.

 This year Jayden got to help chop it down.

 Josh helped put on the lights and then stood back to watch me and my little helpers.  Poor guy and those dang allergies!

 

Hoping to Adopt

Josh's brother, Jake, and his wife, Lana have recently been approved for adoption.  Like so many couples who are trying to adopt they have been through so much to get to this point.  They are truly an amazing couple and will one day make great parents.  I would trust them with my own kids with no question.  Lana is one of my very best friends.  I never thought I would ever be this close to a sister-in-law, but what would I do without her?  She's the best.  And Jake is pretty great, I can't help but love him too!  He and Josh are very close, they are so much alike.

 

So I'm trying to spread the word as best I can.  Below is a link to their profile.  I know they'll appreciate any help in getting the word out, so if you know anyone who is placing a baby for adoption, or anything at all, please share this link. 

 

 https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27571174/photoAlbum.jsf

 



Muddy Buddies

They say Christmas comes a little earlier each year, and isn't that the truth for me!  I have been counting down until Christmas for 34 weeks, so the Christmas decor hasn't appeared soon enough in the stores.  When Josh got home from work tonight the kids and I had just finished making muddy buddies and were listening to Christmas music.  I don't care- I'm a little anxious and excited.  And aren't we supposed to have the Christmas spirit in our hearts year round?  I'm totally ok with Christmas music in July too.  Anyway, we had a fun little evening together.  Our nights lately haven't always been that pleasant.  I'm usually tired and just done with the day by the time bedtime hits and the kids are too.  Mostly it's me, I'll admit.  But tonight we were all in really good moods so we made one of our favorite treats.  Yummy!

And you're welcome for this picture.  Jayden asked me why I had chocolate on my shirt.  I had no idea, I can't see down there.  I keep underestimating how big I am and can't stop bumping into everything.  Everything!  It is driving me insane, I swear I have bruises on my belly.  What's also scary is how huge I must appear to my kids from their point of view.



Family Pictures

We had our pictures done by my friend, Katie again this year.  Here are a few of my favorites, I'm trying to limit myself to how many I put up here.



A Happy Halloween!

I love Halloween.  I love planning the costumes down to the last detail, making them, dressing my kids up, and watching them run from door to door collecting candy yelling thank you over their shoulders as they run down the driveway. I love pumpkins, and leaves crunching under my feet as we walk around our neighborhood on a cool October evening.  I love watching Sidney cuddle up to her daddy when we walk by the scary decorated houses, seeing all the little kids dressed as cute little dragons and monkeys and cartoon characters, and I even loved the teenager across the street dressed as some kind of grim reaper playing electric guitar on his roof.  So you can bet this is the one occasion a year I make sure to get some proper photos of my kids.  I always have grand plans to do some cute themed pictures for all the other holidays, but it usually doesn't happen.

 

First up is Batman.

 

I have way more of Cinderella.  She was a lot more excited about the pictures than Batman was.  Don't be too surprised she's not wearing pink.  She insisted her tutu underneath be pink.

Josh as Robin in his traditional t-shirt costume.  And I'm the Fairy Godmother.  Some people didn't get it at first.