Don't get excited, because I'm not going to reveal what we're naming Baby Boy. I'm just telling you we're not revealing his name before he's born (insert evil laugh here).
A couple of my friends act like this little secret is going to put them in therapy.
Anyway, you may remember that we did not reveal Sydney's name before she was born, but we did share Lorelei's name. The reason we decided to keep the name a secret again is because Chet is gone, and it is nice for us to know something that no one else knows yet since Chet likely will not be here to share in Baby Boy's birth.
Anyway, like I said yesterday, Baby Boy is not getting his own room at this house, therefore, I was not planning on painting any name letters for him like I did for Sydney and Lorelei. But then after shifting around some furniture in the master bedroom to accommodate for baby gear, I was left with a giant white wall. So I decided to go ahead and do some letters. However, I am taking the easy way out this time around and simply using Mod Podge to affix scrapbook paper (actually, it's wrapping paper) to the front of the letters, rather than hand-painting them. Ain't no one got time for that.
Speaking of Chet still being deployed when Baby Boy is born, there is a remote possibility that he will make it home in time for the birth! As long as everything goes well on Chet's end and as long as Baby Boy doesn't decide to make an early appearance. Sydney was born at 39 weeks, and Lorelei was born at 39 weeks, 2 days. We want this one to keep cooking as long as possible (well, not too long) so that his daddy can be here when he makes an appearance in this world. So pray for that.
That's all for this morning -- I need to finish mopping the floor before the girls wake up. Happy Tuesday!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Washington D.C. and Stuff
The "and Stuff" part of this blog entry heading gives me creative license to write about whatever the heck I want and in a completely disorganized manner. Buckle up!
Last night, while watching the tenth-to-last episode in the 85-episode "Ugly Betty" TV series, I decided that I would blog this morning. I didn't have it in me last night as I lounged on the couch, wasting precious sleep by watching TV, then starting mindlessly at my phone for at least half an hour before hitting the hay, but I knew I'd have it in me come morning. I even decided, during one of my two allotted "snooze" sessions (does anyone really get up the first time their alarm goes off?) that I would blog every morning for one straight week. Not every day, but every morning. Because even though mornings are usually the height of my productivity, lately I've only been using my mornings to read. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but for the last few weeks I've had the energy to be productive throughout most of the day, and even sometimes in the evenings, so I haven't felt the same pressure to Hurry and Get Things Done as soon as my feet hit the floor. (I blame it on nesting, and I'll write more about that in a moment.)
Speaking of books, I'm afraid my reading frenzy is slowing down, and will come to a screeching halt as soon as Baby Boy arrives. I started the book War and Remembrance the other day, but I'm not sure that's the best book for me to tackle right now, what with the never-ending to-do list, Christmas in 9 days, the baby due in less than a month, and Chet's homecoming. I need to shelve it for now, and accept the fact that that reading is going to have to take a back seat for a while. Probably until Mother's Day.
I'm going to tell you about Washington D.C. before I totally lose you.
Remember in this post when I casually mentioned we were moving to Washington D.C. after the first of the year? Yeah, that's still happening. The original plan was for Chet to finish this deployment, for us to move to Austin, TX in May/June for Chet to start the summer semester in pursuit of his master's degree, and to have Baby #3 in a birthing center in Austin, far away from a military hospital (I can hear God laughing right now, can you?). Obviously, none of that is happening, other than the fact that Baby #3 is on his way. That's okay though, because, really, what do I know about making plans?
Anyway, before Chet deployed, he was approached by his XO (Executive Officer) about a possible job that needed to be filled in D.C. We politely declined the generous offer (ha!), but it kept coming up. Chet and I talked it over, and knew/decided that it wouldn't be the worst thing on earth for us to take a detour to D.C. before him going to grad school, but we weren't going to volunteer. It seemed as if the issue was laid to rest, until a few weeks into his deployment, when he got a phone call saying he was picked for the job. The next day we had written orders to D.C. (For those of you who are familiar with military orders, you know that this almost never happens. Usually you are begging for your written orders so that you can officially begin planning your next move, but a lack of government funds almost always prevents you from receiving your orders until the last minute. Unless, of course, you're in a situation where you're "volun-TOLD" to go to Washington D.C. rather than grad school.)
So, we're moving to D.C. Where are we going to live? Your guess is as good as mine! Even though Chet and I lived near D.C. for four years apiece, neither of us knows anything about living in the area, especially not with kids. Because of this ignorance, I was really stressed about the move for several weeks, but I am better now. I've exhausted the amount of Internet research I can possibly do about living in the area, and Chet and I have settled on a list of priorities that will help steer us toward a good home for us at this stage in our lives. And I hired a realtor.
Our main priority is for Chet to have the shortest possible commute to work. Traffic in the D.C./northern Virginia area is horrendous, so even if you live only 10 miles from the office, you'll be commuting 45 minutes to an hour (or more) each way, every day. And with three small kids at home, that's not something either of us can deal with right now. That being said, we have to balance a short-as-possible commute with a home that is not in a high-crime area and that is assigned to a decent (not spectacular) school for Sydney to attend (she'll start Kindergarten in the fall of '15). Those priorities sound simple, but it took us weeks and weeks to nail them down, and it helps to sort of have a mission statement in working with a realtor whose expertise I fully trust to help steer us in the right direction.
Here is our timeline:
1. Have baby/Chet returns from deployment (we're not sure of the order in which these two events will happen)
2. Chet, Ashley, and Baby travel to D.C.-area within the first two weeks of February to look at houses realtor has found and to sign a lease (girls will stay in MS with grandma)
3. Finalize moving details and actually pack up house to move (the moving company will pack up the house, but it's never as easy as it sounds)
4. Move to D.C. end of February/beginning of March (exact dates are a moving target at this point)
Fun, right?!
So that's all I know about D.C. at this point. I'll keep you posted.
I mentioned nesting earlier. Since Baby Boy is not getting his own room at this house (he'll sleep in the bassinet in our bedroom until we move, and because I want to keep a guest bedroom open for guests to come stay with us and help us survive these next few months), my nesting instincts have been focused on other projects. Christmas and moving are two areas in which I feel like I've been able to stay more organized than I normally might have had my mothering hormones not been in overdrive. I've also tackled some of those wishful thinking to-do list items. You know, the ones where you're laughing a little to yourself as you write them down, knowing that realistically you'll get to those items when you retire at the age of 65...if then. Anyway, it's been great crossing some of those things off my list, but I don't feel "done" yet. My problem is that I keep starting new projects, and I need to finish some up before starting new ones. Another reason I should not read "War and Remembrance" right now.
I hope I didn't bore anyone to tears. Here are some pictures of the girls:
Last night, while watching the tenth-to-last episode in the 85-episode "Ugly Betty" TV series, I decided that I would blog this morning. I didn't have it in me last night as I lounged on the couch, wasting precious sleep by watching TV, then starting mindlessly at my phone for at least half an hour before hitting the hay, but I knew I'd have it in me come morning. I even decided, during one of my two allotted "snooze" sessions (does anyone really get up the first time their alarm goes off?) that I would blog every morning for one straight week. Not every day, but every morning. Because even though mornings are usually the height of my productivity, lately I've only been using my mornings to read. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but for the last few weeks I've had the energy to be productive throughout most of the day, and even sometimes in the evenings, so I haven't felt the same pressure to Hurry and Get Things Done as soon as my feet hit the floor. (I blame it on nesting, and I'll write more about that in a moment.)
Speaking of books, I'm afraid my reading frenzy is slowing down, and will come to a screeching halt as soon as Baby Boy arrives. I started the book War and Remembrance the other day, but I'm not sure that's the best book for me to tackle right now, what with the never-ending to-do list, Christmas in 9 days, the baby due in less than a month, and Chet's homecoming. I need to shelve it for now, and accept the fact that that reading is going to have to take a back seat for a while. Probably until Mother's Day.
I'm going to tell you about Washington D.C. before I totally lose you.
Remember in this post when I casually mentioned we were moving to Washington D.C. after the first of the year? Yeah, that's still happening. The original plan was for Chet to finish this deployment, for us to move to Austin, TX in May/June for Chet to start the summer semester in pursuit of his master's degree, and to have Baby #3 in a birthing center in Austin, far away from a military hospital (I can hear God laughing right now, can you?). Obviously, none of that is happening, other than the fact that Baby #3 is on his way. That's okay though, because, really, what do I know about making plans?
Anyway, before Chet deployed, he was approached by his XO (Executive Officer) about a possible job that needed to be filled in D.C. We politely declined the generous offer (ha!), but it kept coming up. Chet and I talked it over, and knew/decided that it wouldn't be the worst thing on earth for us to take a detour to D.C. before him going to grad school, but we weren't going to volunteer. It seemed as if the issue was laid to rest, until a few weeks into his deployment, when he got a phone call saying he was picked for the job. The next day we had written orders to D.C. (For those of you who are familiar with military orders, you know that this almost never happens. Usually you are begging for your written orders so that you can officially begin planning your next move, but a lack of government funds almost always prevents you from receiving your orders until the last minute. Unless, of course, you're in a situation where you're "volun-TOLD" to go to Washington D.C. rather than grad school.)
So, we're moving to D.C. Where are we going to live? Your guess is as good as mine! Even though Chet and I lived near D.C. for four years apiece, neither of us knows anything about living in the area, especially not with kids. Because of this ignorance, I was really stressed about the move for several weeks, but I am better now. I've exhausted the amount of Internet research I can possibly do about living in the area, and Chet and I have settled on a list of priorities that will help steer us toward a good home for us at this stage in our lives. And I hired a realtor.
Our main priority is for Chet to have the shortest possible commute to work. Traffic in the D.C./northern Virginia area is horrendous, so even if you live only 10 miles from the office, you'll be commuting 45 minutes to an hour (or more) each way, every day. And with three small kids at home, that's not something either of us can deal with right now. That being said, we have to balance a short-as-possible commute with a home that is not in a high-crime area and that is assigned to a decent (not spectacular) school for Sydney to attend (she'll start Kindergarten in the fall of '15). Those priorities sound simple, but it took us weeks and weeks to nail them down, and it helps to sort of have a mission statement in working with a realtor whose expertise I fully trust to help steer us in the right direction.
Here is our timeline:
1. Have baby/Chet returns from deployment (we're not sure of the order in which these two events will happen)
2. Chet, Ashley, and Baby travel to D.C.-area within the first two weeks of February to look at houses realtor has found and to sign a lease (girls will stay in MS with grandma)
3. Finalize moving details and actually pack up house to move (the moving company will pack up the house, but it's never as easy as it sounds)
4. Move to D.C. end of February/beginning of March (exact dates are a moving target at this point)
Fun, right?!
So that's all I know about D.C. at this point. I'll keep you posted.
I mentioned nesting earlier. Since Baby Boy is not getting his own room at this house (he'll sleep in the bassinet in our bedroom until we move, and because I want to keep a guest bedroom open for guests to come stay with us and help us survive these next few months), my nesting instincts have been focused on other projects. Christmas and moving are two areas in which I feel like I've been able to stay more organized than I normally might have had my mothering hormones not been in overdrive. I've also tackled some of those wishful thinking to-do list items. You know, the ones where you're laughing a little to yourself as you write them down, knowing that realistically you'll get to those items when you retire at the age of 65...if then. Anyway, it's been great crossing some of those things off my list, but I don't feel "done" yet. My problem is that I keep starting new projects, and I need to finish some up before starting new ones. Another reason I should not read "War and Remembrance" right now.
I hope I didn't bore anyone to tears. Here are some pictures of the girls:
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| Reindeer Shirts |
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| Christmas Garb |
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| We went to see the movie "Frozen" with my friend/neighbor Sara |
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| Syd's footed pajamas -- she wants to wear these all day every day |
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| Listening to Daddy's voice read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" |
| Christmas PJs |
| More Christmas Garb |
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
30-34 Weeks
My dad said he liked it when I posted several belly shots in one blog post, because it's easier to see the progression. I took that as, "Ashley, there's no need to blog every week!"
Here are my belly photos, with a few "outtakes", from the last five weeks:
Here are my belly photos, with a few "outtakes", from the last five weeks:
| 30 Weeks (we see you Sydney!) |
| Goofballs |
| 31 Weeks |
| 32 Weeks |
| 33 Weeks |
| Syd's snazzy new outfit (like me, she loves the word snazzy...she also calls the poofy things on her shoulders "angel wings" and the bow on the front of her shirt "a dog bone") |
| 34 Weeks (I feel like I look gigantic here...I blame the too-short shirt) |
Sydney
I'm not even going to mention how long it's been since my last post (18 days...oops).
Anyway, I was at the computer, taking the time to update the reading list and the Christmas background on my blog (you're welcome), and Sydney asked me to help her do a puzzle (a fairly complicated 50-ish piece Cinderella puzzle where all the pieces are either navy blue, midnight blue, or royal blue). After informing me that Cinderella loves sparkles, she said, "Whew, this puzzle hurts our tummies." "It does?" I asked. "Yes. That's why you've got a big belly, girl." Huh?
Sydney, Sydney, Sydney...where do you and all of the preschoolers of the world come up with this stuff?
Anyway, I was at the computer, taking the time to update the reading list and the Christmas background on my blog (you're welcome), and Sydney asked me to help her do a puzzle (a fairly complicated 50-ish piece Cinderella puzzle where all the pieces are either navy blue, midnight blue, or royal blue). After informing me that Cinderella loves sparkles, she said, "Whew, this puzzle hurts our tummies." "It does?" I asked. "Yes. That's why you've got a big belly, girl." Huh?
Sydney, Sydney, Sydney...where do you and all of the preschoolers of the world come up with this stuff?
Friday, November 15, 2013
21 graces
I think it is high time for another Sydney edition of the "21 graces" series. My poor, sweet daughter has been testing the limits lately; probably because I haven't blogged about her in a while.
1. Showing me a stuffed cat and dog: "This is my cat Liley and my dog Crinkle." Two minutes later: "What are my cat's and dog's name again?"
2. "When I am 16, I can have coffee also." (Does that mean she thinks I'm 16?!)
3. "Are we on Pass Road?" (Pass Road is one of the roads that leads to the Navy gate. I'm not sure I've ever talked to her about that particular road, but she really likes it.)
4. Me, as I'm fixing her hair in the mirror: "Sydney, what color is your hair?"
Syd: "A little bit white and a little bit brown."
5. Sometimes when she's in an agreeable mood she shouts, "Yes, ma'am!" as if she's in boot camp. Sometimes I request she say, "Aye aye!", but not very often.
6. Sydney describing when to use and demonstrating the "stop, drop, and roll" method. Thank you, Preschool.
7. When asked where we are moving: "Washington D.C.!"
8. While talking to Chet on the phone: "Daddy, you have to wear clothes when we move -- not work clothes, regular clothes." (I think she meant she didn't think he should wear his uniform.)
9. While listening to Fox News in the car: *GASP* "Mommy, they said Washington D.C.!"
10. "Lorelei's grandma is Didi and my grandma is Grammy." (This was not long after Syd and I flew to Baltimore for a wedding; Lorelei stayed with Didi in TX.)
11. Me: "Sydney, what did you do at school today?"
Syd, after a tired pause: "Stickers. Gummy Bears. Trees. Snowflakes." (Um, o-kay...)
12. Just as she was laying down for bed: "My flower pillow smells like chocolate...like a sheep."
13. I spilled some milk on the floor and she said, "Don't worry, Mommy, we can clean it up. I'll get a napkin."
14. "Baby hug!" as she hugs my belly. (I didn't invent this, she did.)
15. "That baby is so cute!" about pretty much any baby she sees.
16. "That would be so cute for my baby brother!" about pretty much any baby item she sees.
17. Unprompted, and for who knows what (the possibilities are endless): "I'm sorry, Lor." *Hugs her sister.*
18. "Watch me twirl, because I'm good at that now!"
19. "Did you see me bow? I'm like a ballerina!"
20. "Oooooh! Look at that!" about absolutely everything she laid eyes on at Hobby Lobby.
21. "Thank you for taking me to the CDC!" (No, thank you, Sydney.)

1. Showing me a stuffed cat and dog: "This is my cat Liley and my dog Crinkle." Two minutes later: "What are my cat's and dog's name again?"
2. "When I am 16, I can have coffee also." (Does that mean she thinks I'm 16?!)
3. "Are we on Pass Road?" (Pass Road is one of the roads that leads to the Navy gate. I'm not sure I've ever talked to her about that particular road, but she really likes it.)
4. Me, as I'm fixing her hair in the mirror: "Sydney, what color is your hair?"
Syd: "A little bit white and a little bit brown."
5. Sometimes when she's in an agreeable mood she shouts, "Yes, ma'am!" as if she's in boot camp. Sometimes I request she say, "Aye aye!", but not very often.
6. Sydney describing when to use and demonstrating the "stop, drop, and roll" method. Thank you, Preschool.
7. When asked where we are moving: "Washington D.C.!"
8. While talking to Chet on the phone: "Daddy, you have to wear clothes when we move -- not work clothes, regular clothes." (I think she meant she didn't think he should wear his uniform.)
9. While listening to Fox News in the car: *GASP* "Mommy, they said Washington D.C.!"
10. "Lorelei's grandma is Didi and my grandma is Grammy." (This was not long after Syd and I flew to Baltimore for a wedding; Lorelei stayed with Didi in TX.)
11. Me: "Sydney, what did you do at school today?"
Syd, after a tired pause: "Stickers. Gummy Bears. Trees. Snowflakes." (Um, o-kay...)
12. Just as she was laying down for bed: "My flower pillow smells like chocolate...like a sheep."
13. I spilled some milk on the floor and she said, "Don't worry, Mommy, we can clean it up. I'll get a napkin."
14. "Baby hug!" as she hugs my belly. (I didn't invent this, she did.)
15. "That baby is so cute!" about pretty much any baby she sees.
16. "That would be so cute for my baby brother!" about pretty much any baby item she sees.
17. Unprompted, and for who knows what (the possibilities are endless): "I'm sorry, Lor." *Hugs her sister.*
18. "Watch me twirl, because I'm good at that now!"
19. "Did you see me bow? I'm like a ballerina!"
20. "Oooooh! Look at that!" about absolutely everything she laid eyes on at Hobby Lobby.
21. "Thank you for taking me to the CDC!" (No, thank you, Sydney.)
| She removed all of the black olives from the bowl and put them on her plate. Thank goodness she didn't eat them all. |
| Acting like our neighbor's dog. |
| Proving she is in style at Victoria's Secret. |
| Plopped down like a vagabond in front of the library. |
Saturday, November 2, 2013
26-29 Weeks
Today I am 30 weeks along in this pregnancy, but I've neglected to post the last four weeks of belly pictures (my neighbor Colleen always takes my picture on Sunday, so tomorrow she will take my 30-week picture). Here they are:
I look ginormous in that 28-week picture, but I blame the shirt. Even though the truth is I can barely bend over anymore.
I really have nothing to report on the pregnancy front. I had my 28-week appointment two weeks ago, and everything was fine (no gestational diabetes -- hooray!). I still plan on posting about the day we had the gender-reveal ultrasound, and about Baby Boy's name, but I'll save those posts for another day when I'm sure I won't have any more brain power than I do right this moment (ah, procrastination).
In other news, I had a glimpse of my possible future the other morning. It was Friday, October 25th, when Sydney was supposed to dress western for her fall carnival at school. She doesn't have many western outfits; in fact, only one shirt. This shirt:
It's a t-shirt with Willie Nelson's face on it, and says, "Have a Willie Nice Day." I mean, how cute is that?! But Sydney can't stand t-shirts. I usually choose her school clothes the night before, and I knew I should have mentally prepared her for the t-shirt, but I decided to wing it (wrong choice). I wanted her to wear the t-shirt, jeans, a belt, different boots than these, and a red bow, but I knew I would need to do a lot of compromising in order to get her into the t-shirt. The compromises were the skirt, pink tights, and Uggs (she didn't care about the bow, but once she chose the pink tights I decided against the red bow). But before we reached this compromise there were lots of tears on Sydney's part, and near-tears on my part, and this ridiculous argument with a 3-year old over fashion preferences was the glimpse of my possible future. I hope not though.
Here's the only other picture I got at Sydney's fall carnival (I dropped Lorelei off with the babysitter and accompanied Sydney to school so that I could volunteer at the event):
This is Sydney's tired, cranky, hungry class, right after all of the festivities ended and right before lunch.
I hope everyone's having a great weekend!
| 26 Weeks |
| 27 Weeks |
| 28 Weeks |
| 29 Weeks |
I really have nothing to report on the pregnancy front. I had my 28-week appointment two weeks ago, and everything was fine (no gestational diabetes -- hooray!). I still plan on posting about the day we had the gender-reveal ultrasound, and about Baby Boy's name, but I'll save those posts for another day when I'm sure I won't have any more brain power than I do right this moment (ah, procrastination).
In other news, I had a glimpse of my possible future the other morning. It was Friday, October 25th, when Sydney was supposed to dress western for her fall carnival at school. She doesn't have many western outfits; in fact, only one shirt. This shirt:
It's a t-shirt with Willie Nelson's face on it, and says, "Have a Willie Nice Day." I mean, how cute is that?! But Sydney can't stand t-shirts. I usually choose her school clothes the night before, and I knew I should have mentally prepared her for the t-shirt, but I decided to wing it (wrong choice). I wanted her to wear the t-shirt, jeans, a belt, different boots than these, and a red bow, but I knew I would need to do a lot of compromising in order to get her into the t-shirt. The compromises were the skirt, pink tights, and Uggs (she didn't care about the bow, but once she chose the pink tights I decided against the red bow). But before we reached this compromise there were lots of tears on Sydney's part, and near-tears on my part, and this ridiculous argument with a 3-year old over fashion preferences was the glimpse of my possible future. I hope not though.
Here's the only other picture I got at Sydney's fall carnival (I dropped Lorelei off with the babysitter and accompanied Sydney to school so that I could volunteer at the event):
This is Sydney's tired, cranky, hungry class, right after all of the festivities ended and right before lunch.
I hope everyone's having a great weekend!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Nothing Specific
Why am I such a bad blogger lately? It's not like I've been lazy -- I keep busy and am productive much of the time. I just haven't carved out time to blog lately. That might be okay, except I feel guilty about it, and I'm constantly writing blog posts in my head. Therefore, I shall blog.
Today is Thursday, which means I am extra tired. And because it's Thursday, the girls are in bed a little earlier than usual, and I am eating a bowl of Crispix for dinner. I'm having a light dinner because I had a late lunch: Rotel dip and chips. Perhaps I should write a what-to-eat-when-you're-pregnant book. No?
I really don't have much to say, although there is a long list of blog posts I should write in order to catch you up on our lives. Things like Lorelei's 2nd birthday (heck, Lorelei's birth story!), the ultrasound where we found out baby's boy's gender, visits from family, etc. But I'll save those for another day (ha!).
I'm sure many of you saw the family pictures I posted on Facebook recently. There are many more, and I'm really happy with how they turned out. I'll post all (or at least most, since there are a couple I'm not crazy about) soon, but here are three good ones (that I didn't post on Facebook):
Here is Sydney's school picture:
And the girls in more Halloween garb:
Speaking of Halloween, October is drawing to a close, which means I am quickly burning out on all things Halloween. (Click HERE to read my Halloween rant from last year.) There are way too many "fun" things scheduled in the next few days that I feel like we have to participate in, and I'm ready for all of it to be done. Too much fun makes me cranky.
I hope everyone had a great Thursday!
Today is Thursday, which means I am extra tired. And because it's Thursday, the girls are in bed a little earlier than usual, and I am eating a bowl of Crispix for dinner. I'm having a light dinner because I had a late lunch: Rotel dip and chips. Perhaps I should write a what-to-eat-when-you're-pregnant book. No?
I really don't have much to say, although there is a long list of blog posts I should write in order to catch you up on our lives. Things like Lorelei's 2nd birthday (heck, Lorelei's birth story!), the ultrasound where we found out baby's boy's gender, visits from family, etc. But I'll save those for another day (ha!).
I'm sure many of you saw the family pictures I posted on Facebook recently. There are many more, and I'm really happy with how they turned out. I'll post all (or at least most, since there are a couple I'm not crazy about) soon, but here are three good ones (that I didn't post on Facebook):
Here is Sydney's school picture:
And the girls in more Halloween garb:
Speaking of Halloween, October is drawing to a close, which means I am quickly burning out on all things Halloween. (Click HERE to read my Halloween rant from last year.) There are way too many "fun" things scheduled in the next few days that I feel like we have to participate in, and I'm ready for all of it to be done. Too much fun makes me cranky.
I hope everyone had a great Thursday!
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