PAY DAY and Halloween!

October, I swear, was 90 days instead of 31. UGH!! We both get paid once a month on the last day. You would think I would be able to budget money accordingly but by the middle of the month, we are plum out of money!!! Today, besides being absolutely gorgeous and 60 degrees, is pay day!!!! We can now start eating something other than breakfast foods for dinner and Ramen noodles. I'm kidding!!!

After picking up Bella at 1 to attend my elementary school parade, we came home for naps and then headed out for trick-or-treating at 6 and then the high school football game at 8. To say I am tired is an understatement!!! Elisabeth dressed up as a cow and her best friend Megan went as a cowboy. Megan's brother Matthew went first as a creepy devil and then switched over to a ballerina :) Isabella went as a ladybug and announced to everyone who would listen, "I Bella. I a yadybuggy (ladybuggy). Trick or treat. Give me candy!"

Cute picture....bad hair on the Momma!

Swinging...her favorite past-time...

The sweet face.

The face only a mother could love :)

Elisabeth refusing to smile for a picture....I tried, people!!!

Last day of soccer....

and it POURED rain the entire hour. Soaking, cold, WET, rain. What a sucky way to end the season. And....only 5 of the 12 members of our team showed up! I was pushing for it to be canceled but the other team thought it would be 'fun'. Because our team was down so many players, the 3 coaches (Todd and 2 from opposing team) played for us. I wish I had had my camera!!! Poor guy had to play without his glasses and hearing aids/cochlear implant and in his Keen shoes! Maybe those are the reasons he let the other team score a goal AND he fell right on his butt! Luckily I had suggested to Todd that he wear his rain pants and jacket we bought him for Father's Day last year... but Elisabeth had on shorts, leggings, long-sleeved shirt, and soccer shirt. She was SOAKED....hair dripping, nose dripping, socks/shoes. The good news-THEY WON!!! WHOOO HOOO!!!

Mommy's Diapers

Isabella was going potty (aka using the toilet) and noticed a box of pantyliners on the floor.

I: What's that, Mommy?
Me: Nothing.

I: What's that, Mommy?
Me: Don't worry about it.

I: Mommy, what's that?
Me: They are mommy's.

I: Mommy's diapers??
Me: Yes... mommy's diapers. (LMAO)

I: Bella doesn't need diapers.
Me: No...you don't :)

Happy Birthday, Liam!!

Uncle Aaron bought Liam fish for his fish tank :)



Liam turned 3 years old today!!!! YEAH!!! We haven't seen him in a year and can't wait to give him tons of hugs and kisses at Christmas time:)

Sweet girl....

Every evening, I read Isabella a few stories and then say her prayers with her. Last night, I was laying there kissing her and she said "Prayers, Mommy!" so we close our eyes and folded our hands. I always start with, "Dear Jesus, thank you for a wonderful day! God bless........." and then she picks it up with... "Mommy (yup, I am always first :), Daddy, Biss, Bella, Uncle Aaron (she ALWAYS says him right after she finishes our family-and she has only met him 3 times and hasn't seen him in a year!), Uncle Shane, Jennifer, Liam, Lucy, Father...". I stopped her there because I didn't understand who "Father" was?? She calls Todd "daddy" so I know it wasn't him...I asked her to repeat what she said and she said "Father and Mother", got up from her bed and pointed to the picture of her birth parents on the wall (we frequently talk about them and I always refer to them as Father and Mother and us as Mommy and Daddy). How sweet is that?? I started to cry....and then I got Todd crying when I told him :) What a nice way to end the night!

Liam and Lucy Update

Liam's 3rd birthday is on the 22nd....Pap Pap sent him a present :)

Every mother's dream....a gun-wielding toddler. He even has the face to match!!!

At the pumpkin patch....

Uncle Aaron (my other brother) with Lucy....

Yellow bus rides, homecoming games, and sleepover attempts :)

Isabella's first bus ride on a yellow bus just like the one Elisabeth rides.


No seat belts!!! WHOOO HOOOO!!!

Isabella attempting to 'sleep over' in Elisabeth's room....

If you could see Elisabeth's face, it is screaming, "THIS IS NOT WORKING...GET HER OUT OF HERE!"

"Get WHO out of WHERE????"

Making cut-out pumpkin cookies...


Friends from town who adopted 2 kids from China (the 2 on the right) and twins and a baby from Vietnam.

Attempting some "Lion" therapy...

Notice the grip I have on Isabella's arm....she was yelling, "NO picture with the lion!!"

Elisabeth with Megan - they have been friends since they were 2 :)

Isabella realizing that flour does NOT taste good!


It has been a VERY busy weekend and it is only Saturday night!!! We went to the PSU homecoming parade on Friday night, slept in on Saturday then made cookies before we caught a bus (highlight of Isabella's year!) to hang out with friends before the game started. After Bella and I got home, we slept for an hour and then got up and went to church, picked up Elisabeth from Megan's house, had dinner, and now we are watching Saturday Night Live-which I am NOT understanding at all. WHEW!

Pain in the neck!!!!

No...I am not talking about Isabella ;) Two nights ago, I decided to fold my large body into one of our smaller chairs. I thought it would be work if I sat sideways, curled my legs up, and turned my head to watch TV. In trying to make that position work and not look like an idiot (Todd, who never notices ANYTHING, started laughing at me)...I pulled something in my neck! I have been in so much pain, I can't stand it!!! I even went for a massage which didn't help. I did get about 5 loads of laundry folded, though---worth all the whining I did :)

Elisabeth had another soccer game..which they won!! Tonight we are going to see the PSU homecoming parade-it will be about 3 hours long! UGH!

Pumpkins and Witches

Poor Piper:(

It hasn't been a good month for our family of dogs :( Piper, my sister's French Bulldog, started throwing up a few days ago and refused to eat. Knowing his history of eating (he once ate 1lb of fudge that we forgot to hide when we left him in the car and then stupidly, when we drove back to buy more we left it in the car again and he ate that pound too!!), he even refused to eat!! Rebekah took him to the vet's where they did x-rays and found something lodged in his intestines. He had surgery yesterday at 3 where they discovered a peach pit!! He was recovering well until last night when he spiked a fever of 109 degrees. Poor baby. I think he is on the mend now:)

Grandparents and Pumpkins

I will send 10.00 dollars to the first person who can guess what Elisabeth is feeling in this picture:)!!!!




Todd's parents arrived from Florida late Friday afternoon. Elisabeth knows them well but Isabella has only met them a few times....it didn't take her long to warm up, though:) We celebrated Todd's birthday at a local Mexican restaurant and then went by the State High football game to see the band march in. The lady who is the Little Lion mascot is one of the teachers I work with-Isabella HATES the lion....she is absolutely TERRIFIED. I tried talking to Jenny but Isabella kept screaming bloody murder. We are going to have to get that girl some lion therapy :)

On Saturday, we went to Elisabeth's soccer game. Eventhough it was the first game the team lost all season, she did an amazing job. I couldn't believe how she played!!! By the time she got off the field, she was bright red, hot, and none too happy they didn't win! We then headed off for some lunch and to Way's Fruit Farm to find a pumpkin. Little did we know that Sarah Palin was also there making an unexpected visit while traveling from Johnstown to State College:) We must have just missed her!

Carole and Ron left today after church and a quick bite to eat. They also managed to fit in some pumpkin carving:)