Trick or Treat!

Last night we went to my mom's neighborhood and trick-or-treated and it was so much fun! Last year I was 8 months pregnant and Hailey was freaked out by the decorations, so I think we only went to 3 houses. That was a little disappointing because I love Halloween, but I probably couldn't have made it that far anyway. I was huge back then! I'll throw in a little picture of that just to spice up the blog :)

This year, Cam came and we made it about halfway down mom's street (a half an hour), so though I could have gone longer, it was fun and we all got some good loot. Hailey was an adorable fairy princess and Max was a dragon. Max is super cute because he is walking, but he has that Frankenstein walk, so it worked perfectly with his dragon costume. I dressed up as a cat (black shirt, jeans, tail, ears, drawn on whiskers and nose) and almost had to forfeit my costume to a fairy princess who fell in love (Hailey.) Luckily, she was distracted by candy and we continued trick-or-treating. Tonight our church is having its annual Fall Festival, so we all get to dress up again and play some games. It should be fun! Those of you who know me well will be amused by the fact that I was up until midnight last night making Mummy Cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes with white icing, gum tape and M&M eyes) for the cakewalk and have also been roped into working a booth at the festival. I feel much better about working the booth because it means Cam has to take the kids around (hee,hee), so I will have a full report tomorrow.

My camera is still broken, so my mom took pics last night and I may try to borrow it for tonight. I will post the pics as soon as I can :) I should be getting a new camera shortly, and Cam just got his new job assignment, so I may be getting that Coach purse after all ;) His new job includes another raise YEAH!! we desperately need it, but lots of travel BOO! Cam will be a member of the IT team that installs and teaches the inventory control system in all of the Napa distribution centers nationwide. He will fly to the DCs and be there for a week, and them home for a couple of days and then out again. I hate that he is going to be gone so much, but it is such a great opportunity for Cam to network and learn, that I couldn't let him pass it up. Plus, we get to stay here in Charleston for another 18 months, and I have a support system here that I wouldn't have if he was doing this somewhere else. Cam has been told that taking this job will help expedite his career track, so I am willing to take a couple for the team :) Don't think that I won't be asking for some help from others family that have been slacking off, though, and you friends out there might be seeing a little more of me once I become a Napa widow!

I'm BACK!

Hi all! I know it has been a month since I posted, and I am OK. :) Things have been crazy and I have been lazy. Plus my camera broke and it took me awhile to get any pictures loaded into the computer. Santa will be bringing me a new camera for Christmas, so that is happy, but he will not be bringing me the pretty Coach purse that I picked out online (yes Jenn I have succumb to the branded purse monster, feel free to laugh and feel a tiny bit smug:). The reason he will not be bringing my purse is not because of the camera, but due to the speeding ticket I got on the way to preschool last week. Those of you who know about my bad luck with driving will not be surprised to hear that I also rear-ended someone, in my mom's car, on the same day as the ticket. I was convinced by the end of the day to curl up in a ball and just give up!

Other than that crazy day, things have been busy, but normal, and I love being busy, so I'm happy :) Max is walking everywhere and Hailey is potty trained completely. I am so glad that that is over and I am wondering if Max really ever needs to learn. I may just wait until he is around 4 because I just don't want to think about cleaning poo off the floor again any time soon.

Here are a couple pictures highlighting the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

This is Max on his first swing ride on a visit to the park. Hailey hated the swings when she was his age, but he seemed to really like it.


I also took a group pic of the three of us and I was surprised that it turned out pretty good.


Hailey and Jonathan at the Pumpkin Festival. Hailey is just chillin' on her pumpkin and Jonathan is showing his some love.


My sister-in-law came to visit and we took her and my nephew to the Clay Center. Hailey, my MIL, and Wesely loved playing with the sand and water. Can you tell my MIL hates to have her picture taken :)


Last Saturday was Spooktacular at the Clay Center, so we took the kids and it was fun. I think they will have more fun next year when Max can get out of he stroller, but he looked pretty cute as a dragon, and he stayed smiley most of the morning.


Hailey enjoyed decorating her treat bag with Cam, so I would call it a success.


On Sunday we went to the Milton corn maze with our Sunday school class. It was fun and the kids did great, so I was pleasently surprised. The first couple clues are really hard to find, but keep going because it gets a lot easier. Hailey liked the baby pools full of corn better than the maze itself. Maybe we should get one for the porch?


So that is my month in mini-pic review. I will try to post more often, and hopefully none of you gave up on me and stopped reading my blog!

Hailey's Anatomy Lesson

Jonathan's mommy has inspired me to blog about something funny that happened the other night in the bathtub. Hailey and Max bathe together every night and generally get along well. The other night Hailey was helping me wash Max's back because he is in that standing at all times phase, and she was naming his body parts. I was paying attention , but I was a little distracted because it had been ONE OF THOSE DAYS. You know.

"Washing Maxie's back"
Mmhmm
"Washing Maxie's shoulders"
Mmhmm
"Washing Maxie's belly and button"
MmHmm
"Washing Maxie's 'gina"
Mm...HUH!
"Mommy, Max's 'gina funny"
Yes, it is. Actually that is a penis. He is a boy, so he has a penis. You are girl, so yours is a vagina.
"Ok"

Back to washing her 'gina.

Now I don't know where you all fall on the proper names for private parts, but I have always heard that it is best to call them the correct name, so that is what I am doing. It, however, does not make it any less funny to hear a two-year-old say 'gina. She still refers to his boy parts as a 'gina, so I am waiting to hear its real name soon. I think it will be pretty funny!

New Links

I just wanted to point out that I have added two buttons/links to my blog. Please click on the breast cancer one whenever you visit my blog (if you remember :), and check out the prostate cancer site if you have dads or grandfathers and urge them to have check-ups and have their PSA screenings and exams. My dad is a prostate cancer survivor and his life was literally saved by a coworker that forced him to take part in her wellness fair at their school. His PSA levels were high and that led to further tests which diagnosed him with prostate cancer. It was caught early and after a year of radiation and hormone therepy he has been in remission for 4 years. I thank God and my dad's coworker every day that it was found in time and treated so successfully. That is why I would love for you to click on this link and become educated for that special man in your life, and donate if the urge strikes you :)

Crafty, Crafty!

I spent last night doing Hailey's "homework," an "All About Me" poster for preschool, and I just wanted to show everyone that I can be crafty despite the empty scrapbooks. :) I think I am going to tell her teachers that Hailey did it, though, because despite my best efforts it looks like the work of a preschooler. I have convinced myself that I meant to do that :)

My little Mary Lou Retton

Hailey started gymnastics on Friday and she looked super cute in her new leotard. However, she was the only one in her class and she was crazy! She ran around bouncing from one piece of equipment to another and her teacher and I spent most of the time chasing her and trying to make her focus on one thing. I am not sure it would have been any better with more 2 year olds, but my goal was not one-on-one instruction, so this class may be short lived. I will keep you updated and would love anyone's input :)


This is Hailey yelling "Hello down there!" to her fellow gymnasts before class. One minute later, she fell while attempting to climb the padded bleachers and now has a rather impressive black eye.

Reprieve

Well, Cam heard today that his first placement will be here in Charleston!!! YEAH!!! We get to stay here for another 6 months to a year (approx.), and then we will be moved somewhere else when a service manager job becomes available. I am happy because I really wanted to stick around for the holidays and I love Hailey's preschool, so I am very happy she gets to stay. Though this means we will have to eventually move, hopefully we will have more say in the placement, so I am still pushing for NC or Louisville :)

I will leave you with a pic of the kids in the bathtub last night because I know you are going through withdrawl :)