My Lil' Punkins

Seriously, have you ever seen a cuter picture in your life? I love the color, love that Drew is holding a baby pumpkin by the stem, and, above all, love that they are sweetly holding hands. Sigh...



We had a fun visit to the pumpkin patch this year. Matt had the kids all revved up to pick out the perfect pumpkin and make a jack-o-lantern!! Really, a jack-o-lantern - be still their tiny hearts!! So, we made it to the pumpkin patch looking for one big pumpkin and two baby pumpkins.

The obligatory "scenic pictures."

They are finally old enough to stick their little heads through all by themselves!

Abby hugged so many pumpkins that day - she would have brought them all home with us, if only to see all of their "ooey gooey" insides!

Time for the big carving! They were so flippin' excited. I left all the details up to Matt - this seemed like a perfect "father/kids activity" to me. He did not disappoint...

Happy (almost) Halloween!

Y'all, It Was Bad Enough to Take Some Nyquil

And, that's pretty bad because me and Nyquil - we do NOT get along. Not since the hallucination incident of 1993. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

It all started Wednesday afternoon - a headache, sore throat, sore/achy muscles - the "oh no, I can tell I'm starting to get sick" thing. Thursday morning - same thing but each symptom a lot worse. By Thursday afternoon my mom was at my house, I was on the floor shaking with the chills and a 101 degree fever. Called the in-laws for reinforcements for Friday because I already knew there was no way I would be able to take care of my children. Straight to bed when Matt got home (with a Percocet courtesy of an unnamed source).

I stayed in bed all day Friday - hurting too much to even watch TV. Just laying in the darkened room and hoping the kids were behaving. The percocet was helping a little but not enough, and the headache had turned into a migraine and the fever was now 102 degrees. My mom and sister convinced me I needed to head to the ER for some serious meds and my mom got me there at 11:30pm. Thankfully, we were called back quickly and I was hooked up to some morphine which did nothing for the migraine. Strep test - negative, mono test - negative, ear infection - negative, urinary tract infection - negative, CT scan - negative. Next step was Delaudin for the pain and that finally put me to sleep so at least I wasn't aware of the constantpaininmyhead. The doctor came in to inform me that he had to do a spinal tap since I was exhibiting 4 of the 5 symptoms for meningitis.

Nice.

That too, was negative. They gave me another dose of Delaudin and then my little brother picked me up at 5:30am in the pouring rain. I was more than a little drugged. He said it was kind of like I had Tourette's.

Nice.

He took me back to my mom's house for a day of recovery (with more prescribed medication). My mom had to work that day, but this is what happens when I'm at home and I lay down on the floor for a bit of rest from the PAIN THAT IS IN MY HEAD!!!

Doesn't exactly have the same effect that the Delaudin did.

Anyway, fast forward to tonight. All is better except for a pesky cold that I have generously shared with my poor, poor son. We cannot stop coughing.

Seriously. Cannot. Stop. Coughing.

So desperate am I for sleep that I turn to my old enemy - NyQuil. This stuff makes me hallucinate and it tastes downright awful (Matt insists the liquid works better than the pills). I took it and slept for about five hours. It has since worn off and now the coughing prevents sleep. So, it's 4am and Drew and I have been up for hours now. The only sounds in our house are coughing, typing, and Curious George as the rest of the world sleeps because the annoying, constant, painful, constant, head-hurting, constant coughing is not keeping them awake.

Sweet Dreams...

There's Been Some Confusion Over the Subject

Lately, Drew has been really into knowing the days, the month, and the seasons - among a trillion other things...

Drew: Today is Tuesday.
Me: Yes, it's Tuesday, Drew.
Drew: But, what comes after Tuesday....and when is Saturday...daddy stays home Saturday.
Me: Wednesday is next - then Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Drew: And, it's October!
Me: It sure is Drew. What holiday is in October?
Drew: Halloween!
Me: That's right!
Drew: Is it fall?
Me: Yes, it's fall.
Drew: Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter. What is your favorite season Mama? And, why is it hot in Fall? Is it really still summer? It's so hot!
Me: It is fall and it is hot. Sometimes in Florida it stays hot for a long time, but it will get cooler soon.
Drew: Yes, I live in Florida. On Earth. Not in California. Daddy went to California on a plane far away. But, I'm on Earth. I hope I don't fall into outer space. Will you keep me safe so I stay on Earth? I don't think I like outer space.
Me: I'll always keep you safe, baby.
Drew: But, it's hot so it's not fall!
Me: Well, it really is fall but it just stays hot here for a long time.
Drew: Ok, so it's fallsummer.
Me: Fallsummer?
Drew: Yes. It's fall but hot so it's fallsummer. I hope it's not hot for halloween. I go at night and say trick or treat. I like to go outside at night. But is has to be fall to be halloween. Why is it so hot? Is it really summer, Mama? Tell me.
Me: Well, like I said, it stays hot here in Florida longer. But, I promise - it's fall.
Drew: Like summer? Oh, I know mama, just fallsummer.

Sure, ok. Whatever will end this cycle of conversation.

And, your welcome for that mind-numbing trip into the world of talking to a preschooler all day long. It's surreal.

But, he's right about one thing. It's mid-October and the weather is still hitting the mid to upper 90's with a humidity of 749%. I'm sooooo ready for a break from this oppressive heat - it makes me even crankier than usual.

Yesterday, however, we were getting in the car to take Drew to school. He walked around the back of the car, stopped mid-step, and exclaimed "Mama, IT'S FALL!!!!" I went out to the driveway to stand next to him, and sure enough, it was actually cool and crisp outside. Gorgeous. I anxiously awaited for the temperature to adjust on my car thermometer to see if we had made it into the 60's. Disappointingly, it stopped on 70. Maybe next week....

Abby and I came home and played outside - sidewalk chalk, catch, bubbles, big wheel, scooter, took a walk, etc. and we were loving every minute of actually being able to play outside without needing medical treatment for heat exhaustion.

I do take full credit for this recent turn of weather. This week I was fed up with Florida's refusal to accept that it is truly fall, so we decided to take matters into our own hands and do a "fall - type" craft to inspire the change of seasons. I took the kids for a walk to collect leaves that we later took home and painted. They had fun and I felt super-crafty and super-satisfied with myself for the rest of the day for being such a creative mom. Except I got the idea from one of Drew's teachers.

Details, details...

Here are some pictures from the day -

Too much fun!

How Many Days in a Week?

The beauty of two different schools = two different "days of the week" songs!

I guess they haven't covered this one yet with the 2 year olds! Gotta admire the effort though!

I Did My Part...

We are still mourning the loss of our beloved Gators this weekend. I had the kids all gussied up in their gator best - you know, doing my part to inspire the Gators to overcome all odds and beat the #1 team in the country. We fell slightly short of that goal, but my kids looked so darn cute that it eased the pain...just a bit.

And, my internets, I finally learned how to upload video. Just you wait - a whole new world of blogging has presented itself to me.

Just you wait...

My Girls

Truth be told, I'm an introvert. I re-charge my batteries best when I'm on my own and there is peace and quiet surrounding me. Don't get me wrong - I love, love, love the people in my life. However, it always seems as if I'm looking for that excuse to just have a few minutes to myself. Alone. Quiet. Peaceful. I don't mind the silence - I crave it. And, if something stressful happens, my very best friends would tell you that I retreat into my own little world and they have to pull me out of my little cocoon to talk about it. Once I'm talking, I'm good. It's just that connecting with the outer world is too much for me sometimes. (of course my husband would probably tell you that I never stop talking....but, whatEVer!)

On my mind lately have been my truly wonderful friendships that sustain me. As I continue in this life, I realize more and more how very important it is to have GOOD girlfriends that you can count on. I have these friendships in so many ways and without using any names (but with pictures!) I want to describe my girls...

Family, of course, is so very important and I am truly blessed in this department. My sister is one of my best friends. We are more alike than we are different and that can be good and bad. But, as we've gotten older we've become closer and closer and I am so proud of the woman she is becoming. I can depend on her whenever I need someone in my corner and I know she feels the same about me. We just share that wavelength. Plus, she is great with my kids and they love her!

My sister-in-law is just like a sister to me and one of the hardest working and loving people that I know. She is so thoughtful and supportive and I just feel so lucky to have her as a part of my life. The only thing that would be better is if we lived in the same city - we have so many things in common and it would be wonderful to share our lives on a daily basis - maybe, one day...

My playgroup girls are next. I met these women in my Lamaze class before I had Drew. Most of us became stay at home moms and the friendships began. Nothing connects you like having a child (your first child) be the same age. To illustrate my introvert ways: We had a little party when the babies were six weeks old so we could finally meet each other's babies. Drew was terrible in the car at this age (the party was across town) and we were so stressed with adjusting to life with a new baby that I told Matt I couldn't handle going to the party.

See, I just retreat into my own little world.

Thankfully, a few months later I joined in on a playgroup and I was hooked immediately. We are all so different but have such a strong link that we get along amazingly - going on four years now! We used to see each other on a weekly basis, but with all the kids in school it is few and far between these days. Whenever we get together though we have a blast and the kids love each other. And we all know we are there for each other when needed.

There are girls who now live far away and our lives have become more separate because of the distance. One, in particular, is still a wonderful friend even though we don't talk as often as we would like. We were roommates in college and there is nobody who can make me laugh like she can. And, there is no comparison to the thoughtfulness and compassion and empathy she has brought into my life. She is one of the best listeners I have ever met, and she is a friend in the truest sense of the word. I miss her so much and I really wish we could live closer. Our husbands are great friends and the four of us recently spent the day together and had SO MUCH FUN! I miss having her in my daily life.

My scrapbook girls - the treasures of my heart, these women are. I get alot done when I scrapbook by myself, but I have so much more fun when I scrapbook with my girls. Our leader is the most optimistic and positive person you would ever meet. She is gifted with generosity and overflowing with love and you can't help but be happy in her presence - and her life is filled with trials, believe you me. You would never know it though - she is that full of joy.

My most constant scrapbooking girl is actually a former teacher of mine. What can you say about the one person who inspired you to choose the career that you did? This woman was a HUGE influence on my life as a young adult and she is now a much-loved friend that I cannot imagine my life without. She has touched the lives of countless people with her faith and acceptance and wisdom and love. I, of course, am one of her very favorites. We all spent a recent 3-day weekend together scrapbooking with lots of other ladies and that is when I first began thinking about this post. I was working through some issues and began to tell the ladies around me (including the above ladies) what had been weighing on my mind. Before I knew it, they had all put down the stickers and photos and they were just listening to me - fully. I felt so loved and understood in only the way that good girlfriends can make you feel. I was just so grateful to have friends who cared about my world so much. It makes such a difference.

And then there is my scrapbooking girl who is the greatest Christian influence in my life. We have such a blast when we are together - no matter what we are doing. But, there are also these fantastic quiet times when I am able to seek her advice and guidance in a biblical sense. She is a light shining for Jesus in this world and it makes such an impact on my life. Our kids love each other and our husbands are good friends - it has all the makings for a lifelong friendship that I am so grateful to have.

And, I've saved a very special group of girls for last - the girls I've known the longest (and who still put up with me!) There are four of us and these are truly my girls. I am so fantastically lucky to have these girls who I've known for practically my whole life. We were best friends in high school and we are best friends today. We have a regular girl's night out and we have play dates with our multitude of children - with two more babies on the way! One of them is the one who was always there for me with "boy problems" in high school and we shared more secrets over a dessert called death by chocolate than I would ever care to admit. One of them is that one person who knows the best when I need to be pulled out of my little cave to talk about things that are stressing me out. She was there for me recently in a HUGE way that I will never, ever forget. She is a rock for me, truly. And, finally, there is the one I have been best friends with since I was five years old. We have been through it all together and she is the very best friend I have ever had. She is a generous person - beyond belief, and she has a huge heart. The sheer number of experiences that I can retrieve from old memories make me teary at how much we have shared of each other's lives. Oh, these girls are so nice to still love me. We were inseparable in high school and then all ended up at the same college. They stayed close, but I drifted away. Not on purpose, it just kind of happened. We all live close now, and they accepted me back into the group without a thought or judgement. It has been like this for years now. Watching each other's children grown and sharing secrets that only girls can during a night out. We've been there for the highs and the lows and we aren't going anywhere for a long time.

If you are still here with me at the end of this sappy post then I thank you for sharing in my celebration of my girlfriends. I could not be sane without these women in my life, and I want each of them to know how very much they mean to me.

Rock on, Sisters!!

Put on Your Dancin' Shoes!

Abby wants to dress up in her dance clothes every day and it's so cute that I just can't tell her no. These two went on forever - their energy is endless. I love the expressions on their faces. They were having a terrific time together and you know I took 462 pictures (give or take a few) so I felt that posting only 6 of them was showing amazing restraint!