handsful

Sweet because the kids got lots of candy…soggy because it misted, then sprinkled, and then rained on us!  Thankfully, we were still able to stay out for a long time and enjoy the the night.  This neighborhood has TONS of kids, and the streets were filled, bad weather and all. 

No pictures of us out and about (didn’t want to risk the camera getting soaked), but here are the ones we took before heading out.  The pictures aren’t great quality, not sure what was going on with the lighting tonight. 

Here they are, in all their splendor.  Who/what are they?  I’ll go into detail…

No brainer…Abbey is a ladybug! 

I’m betting you can’t guess this one, though.  Marley wanted to be dressed all in black and put a big reflective question mark on her shirt.  She’s a “What”.  She liked when people asked her WHAT she was…she answered… “exactly”.

Payton loves masks.  He added his afro wig that he got for his birthday (yes, he asked for it) and voila…he’s a mad scientist hippie.  heh heh…

The musician of the family, EJ, is Slash from Guitar Hero.  Rock on, dude. 

And, we round out the ladybug category with a smaller version…Lainey.  She had no trouble getting into the swing of the night, loved being strolled up to the door and spent much time perusing the offerings, taking her time to choose JUST the right piece.  She even waved off one lady handing her candy, motioning instead to see what else was in the basket she was holding.  She’s a 2 year old with opinions…yikes!  She tried a bite of Kit Kat, Reese’s Cup, and a few Smarties.   

Nice pumpkin on the right.  We called it the Florida pumpkin…sunglasses, baseball cap, and flip flops (hard to see, it’s sitting on them).  Not so fortunate pumpkin on the left…called “Shop accident”.  Ouch. 

Our crew, plus our kids’ friends Emily and Julianna and their friend Carrie.  Pirate, Jags football player, and rapper (I think that’s what she was!?)

Critical time of the night…making trades.  Think Wall Street on a slightly smaller scale. 

Now that tonight has come and gone, I know that the Christmas rush is going to be ramped up big time.  I’m preparing to see all those orange and black aisles replaced with red and green…probably tomorrow.  Why do I already feel like I’m behind?? 

No “real” reason for this post…just wanted to share some cute pics from daily life around here.  Hope you don’t mind ;) 

Guess who took this picture…

The photographer. 

She also captured Lainey doing something she does REALLY well…

Escaping.  See the gate?  It seperates the kitchen from the front room.  She learned how to open it (foot pedal) about a nanosecond after we first installed it.  So, we had to add a cabinet latch to it to keep the little lady where we want her.  Problem is, sometimes we forget to close the latch and when we do…well, see above. 

Not sure who captured this shot…Lainey in mid-forward roll.  Did I mention that she taught herself to do this about 2 weeks ago?  I’m just counting the days till she’s 3 and can be enrolled in gymnastics. 

Speaking of that, Marley has been taking gymnastics for over 3 years now and is in an intermediate class.  She LOVES gymnastics, it’s definitely her “thing”.  This week, she tried out for a pre-team class that would increase her practice time from 1 hr/week to 5 hrs/week and would also include some competitions.  She did her very best, and we’ll find out if she made it on 11/8.  We prayed about it together, and she knows there is a chance she might not make the team…she’s says she’ll just keep on improving in her current class and try again next year.  God might want her to do this now, or He might want her to wait…she knows who is in control. 

Love this shot of EJ and L.  She curled up with him to read before bed tonight.  EJ had a baseball game and they won…his team is currently in 1st place!  Before the game, Randy took EJ & Abbey and I had the other kids (EJ has to be there early for practice).  Buckling Lainey in her seat, she asked where EJ was (meaning, she signed his name and said “eee”).  I told her we were going to see him and she immediately smiled and signed “ball”.  I think she saw him in his uniform earlier and put two and two together…I still think it’s pretty amazing.  She’s a smart cookie. 

Lainey loves our hammock swing.  It’s on the back patio and the kids love it.  The big kids take her out there all the time, especially when it’s their turn to watch her.  We have certain times during the day – like while I’m making lunch  – that a big kid is “assigned” to play with her and it rotates weekly.  They take her outside or up to her room to play…she loves the attention and it helps to build their relationship (not to mention gives me a few minutes to get a load of laundry folded or dinner started!). 

Remember that we moved Lainey up to the bonus room and gave Randy her old room for an office, now that he works from home?  Last night, we finally took down her quilt and a couple of prints up to her new room to hang.  While it was down, I had to let her sit on it and get a picture :)  One day, we might let her use it on her bed.  Maybe. 

Honestly, is there anything cuter than a toddler in a blanket sleeper?? 

Taken on the way home from pumpkin picking…she doesn’t understand “smile” or “say cheese” but it works everytime if we say “stick out your tongue”.  Go figure. 

 

We visited our favorite pumpkin patch in town, sponsored by a local church.  Picture time!

Marley says “this one??”…Payton isn’t so sure. 

I believe Lainey found hers (no, we didn’t tell her to do this…she hugged several pumpkins!)

Ethan poses with our pumpkin buggy in the background.

This seat is a little bumpy…I had a hairbow for her, but forgot it on our way out the door.  Rats. 

Abbey loved introducing Lainey to her first pumpkin picking. 

Choosing a pumpkin, for Marley, is as critical as choosing a puppy. 

Payton wants a BIG one!

Lainey, did you have fun? 

I’ve been tagged by my wonderful cyber friend, Teresa!  Look on my sidebar, under CCAI-WC and both of her blogs are at the bottom…Teresa and her family adopted Carson from China about a year ago and they’re not done yet!  Little Molly will be joining their family next…that makes 3 for them, with big sister Meggie.  Check out her Teresa – Molly blog!  She’s a hoot, and one of those cyber friends that I truly hope to meet one day :)

Now, back to the tag.  I’m supposed to list 7 weird things about me…tag 7 other people to do the same…and let them know they’ve been tagged.  Here goes…

I have the honor of saying that I attended a Village People concert.  I was 12, and went with my “boyfriend” and his big sister.  I remember seeing two men who looked like they were very good friends, but didn’t think too much of it.  Naïve…

I’m obsessed with cleaning my ears.  I use a Q-tip once or twice a day.  I must have the cleanest ears in town.

I love Snickers candy bars.  That’s not the weird part…it’s the way I eat them.  I bite off all 4 edges of chocolate, and then bite off the end.  Repeat until it’s all gone.  I started doing this with a friend in high school, we thought we were cool.  Wonder if she still eats them that way?

I was born with a self-repaired cleft lip.  Let me explain…there is a scar above my lip that looks like a lip repair, but it’s always been that way.  My nose is also slightly crooked, especially if you look under it above the scar.  The doctors told my parents that what would have been a cleft lip (called a hare lip, back then) fixed itself in utero.  I could have had it removed/fixed by a plastic surgeon, but never saw the need for it.  And, to think, I now have a child with a real cleft lip repair. :)

I’m a 70′s music junkie.  I LOVE it all and can sing right along.  Our truck has XM radio and there is a station devoted to ONLY 70′s music.  Woo hoo!  I know my kids think this makes me majorly weird.

I love to read, and if I had the time would go through books like mad.  But, time I don’t have, so I end up starting books and then have a hard time getting back to them.  At the moment, I have 3 started and another in the wings.  I need some extra time, people!

I can NOT sit still and do nothing.  If I’m waiting, say for my daughter at gymnastics or son at baseball, I always have something to do or read.  I’m a huge list maker, so at the very least I’ll find a piece of scrap paper in my purse and start a list of things to do/buy/send, etc.  I hate wasted time.

Now you know my weirdness…impressed?  I’m now supposed to link to the 7 tagged people, but sadly I don’t know how to do that.  So, I’ll just choose 7 gals from my Ladybug Believers blogs on the sidebar…you can click on their blogs from there!

Angie – Janet – Erin – Kelly S – Melinda – Rebecca – Ruth :o)

Another month has passed, and Lainey has now been with us for 8 months!  A few tidbits on her now:  she can now do a forward rolll…she can use a straw to drink (most of the time)…she weighs about 32 lbs…she loves lollipops and clementines…she has a different “favorite” blanket everytime she goes to bed…she rarely wants her stuffed animals in her bed with her anymore…her favorite sign (and thing) is “cookie”…she is a total copy cat and imitates everything we do…and one of her favorite things to do is steal your chair :)

Like we told a friend today, she is our joy.  We wonder what we did for dinner table entertainment before she joined us…she’s a stinker and a ham and loves to make us laugh out loud. 

She loves playing “airplane” with her sisters…

Marley teaches her the fine art of computer games

Lainey enjoys EJ’s baseball game this morning

Nice hit, EJ

Stealing 3rd base…they won 13-3

If you want to compare Lainey now to other month anniversaries, look on the “Categories” sidebar and click on “Gotcha anniversary” to see them all.  :) 

Abbey and Marley decided to introduce Lainey to the fine art of dress-up today.  I was very surprised when they came downstairs, to see Lainey actually keeping the tiara on…she usually rips anything off her head about a nanosecond after you put it there.  Incidently, that tiara has some major history.  I wore it when I was 9 and Ball Queen for a local little league team.  Ah, the memories…

the gals all glammed up…Abbey looks ready for the prom, while Marley looks ready for the saloon. 

Thanks, Miss Anne, for the great “dress”!  You can’t tell in the picture that it almost hits the floor, but she loved it.  She’ll be growing into this tee shirt for a while!