Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween. Blake's class, as well as another preschool class, did a parade around his school today for all the kids to see. Blake loved having his brother and sister there to watch him march and sing. I am just putting up some decorations for a Ghouls gathering before friends and family show up. Enjoy your evening!!!

I'm Feeling It

It finally feels like Halloween because we just started doing Halloween things:

We carved pumpkins this evening to avoid a last minute rush.

Silly costumes are being put together.
I guess this is what my kid would look like with hair.

Costume sewing session lasting until midnight.
Mommy = Mummy

Dirty Girl Mud Run

I got a group of friends to join me in my first mud run. It was held in Pleasanton and we couldn't have asked for better weather. I never thought I would be army crawling through mud with my friends, but we did it.  All while raising money for Cancer awareness.  Go team!

Pre-Race Nursing

Our team looking hotter than ever!

Our team up the first obstacle.

Our daddies and kids cheering the mommies on.

All muddy done.

Breaking

While Reade gets guitar videos, Blake gets breakdancing videos. Here is our inspiration:

 

 Here is his interpretation:
 

Here and There

It has been rainy. We headed to the YMCA to blow off some steam indoors (so did everyone else that day) so it was a bit wild:

Piper had her 4 month well-baby check-up today.  She is in the 85% for everything and weighs 16 lbs.  She got some shots so I am expecting to be carrying around a clingy baby for the rest of the day:

Sigh

This is my before dinner (the one I haven't made yet and might not get made) snack. Because I can.

In my arms witnessing everything.

Bloom

I have beef.  I just finished the book Bloom written by Kelle Hampton and I was so surprised to find out that people are in an up rage about her.  She gave birth to her second child, who has Down's Syndrome, and blogged and wrote about her experience.  It amazes me that people are treating her like she is a horrible person.  This is her story about how she reacted to her own situation.  It is out there for you to read and experience, but you can't tell someone how they should have reacted.  I found it to be a book that centered my emotions.  It grounded me even more into the world of mothering.  Her blog is being criticized for being "too happy."  You idiots.  Do you think she wants to post all the unhappy times?  Do you think it is fun to photograph pain?  It is hard enough to watch your kids in pain, let alone document it all the time.  Give her a break.

On Amazon.com

Her website Enjoying the Small Things

Footage

I forgot I took a video our first night, when it was just us:

Wild to Wet

The S.S. Piper got us through a great, first camping trip.  Having friends and family join in the fun made it that much more enjoyable.  The kids biked their hearts out and explored "treasure caves" through and through.  We learned what things were important (how could we have forgotten duct tape and a flat, plastic spatula?) and Andrew taught me how to dump the tanks.  I love our rig.

Ellyse and Jocelyn hanging in our RV.

Blake and Aiden exploring the tree caves.

Skyla enjoying her Coors Light that she says,
"Tastes like tortilla chips."  Ew!

The kids (Ellyse, Jocelyn, Blake, Aiden, Layla, Reade, and Piper.

The families.

And one great camp Grandpa.

Ahhh

Smelling fresh air with a hint of redwoods.  Meeting great families and enjoying our rig.

Breaking In

We are pulling down our camping gear and filling the RV to the brim.  Andrew is assembling the hibatchi grill.  Time to break this puppy in!

Over It

One by one, this family is getting over this cough/cold.  Andrew is last in line and worked from home today.  We made homemade chicken noodle soup so that our bodies can bounce back stronger (we hope).

Reade built tunnels out of the celery.

Veggies waiting for the rue.

The medicine cups have made their way through
the dishwasher and are ready to be put back into
the medicine cabinet.

Tea Party

I am ready for a tea party. I need to go buy some pretty skirts so I can wear these aprons my Nana just handed down to me.

My Nana color blocked this one.

She bought this one.

My favorite.

Space Day

Our bodies are not contagious anymore so we headed over to the Ames Exploration Center at NASA today.  It is a tiny, free museum just down the road from us.  There isn't really a cohesive feeling to the museum.  You kind of get the idea that the exhibits are retired presentations from somewhere inside of NASA sent here to live out the rest of their lives.  Good enough for my kids.

This was almost painful for Blake.
He wanted those helmets soooo bad.
His bike helmet will just have to do!

Month Three - Piper

At three months I:
* Say "goo" a lot
* Got my first tooth
* Laugh and smile all the time
* Crack up at my brothers
* Look just like a picture of my daddy
* Rolled over for the first time (back to front)
* Still get called gummy bear by my mom
* Get called fuzz head by Blake
* Easily fall asleep for naps and bedtime
* Wake up once at night to feed, but go back to sleep immediately
* Love to watch any TV that is on
* Am entertained by singing & dancing
* Do a high-pitched shriek when hungry or upset

My two month photo.

Sick Gardening

Another cold is cycling its way around our family. This is right after Andrew and Blake suffered through their first colds.  Yesterday was a miserable day, but today is better in that my nose stopped running constantly.  Now comes the hacking cough.  There were a few gardening tasks that I finally got around to completing.

1. Started picking our apples.  They aren't that great this year and half of the apples are rotten on the tree.

2. I had Andrew pick up some pavers so I could upgrade our walkway out back.  I added another bag of soil and planted isotoma ground cover in between the pavers so it will make a lusher landscape.

3. I finally picked all the remaining pears off of our tree.  Can you say baby food for Piper (frozen for later use of course).

Fun on Friday

An Estate Sale find.  It is a 6" grandfather clock with batteries.
Score!

My son made this at school today.
He said, "Look mom, it is me."

Another Car Post

Why does this make me feel more uncomfortable than leaving my children with a complete stranger off of UrbanSitter.com?

 

VW Wallet Saver

Nobody told me about this. There is a place called California Campers where you can rent VW campers for $100/day.  I bet Andrew wishes I had known about that earlier.  They are located in Redwood City.  Everyone march your bodies down there so you can join us for our first RV outing on October 19th-21st.  We have no idea what the weather will be like, but if it is good we want to head towards some redwoods.  If you need a bigger rig then go to Cruise America and reserve your RV now!

First This then That

Piper just keeps hitting firsts around here.

Getting her first tooth:
 

Rolling over:
 

October 1st

October 1, 2012.
I love October 1st. It is Pumpkin Day for me. I can't believe that I have real, homegrown pumpkins in my front yard.  Go Andrew!  I also love that those are his corn stalks.  The 90 degree weather took some fun out of decorating for fall.