Trick or treat!!

Today the kids went trick or treating in our town...they made it 10 houses. You see, most people in our area hook up a trailer to the riding lawnmower and go house to house (some even ride up the long driveways). Not us. The kids and Mike walked (I passed out candy), and so did not make it very far on this cold, blustery Halloween Day. They still got their share of candy, and then it was on to Milwaukee. Traditionally, we stop at my Grandma's and Dad's (they live about a mile apart). This year we stopped by my Mom's and StepGrandma's. The kids went to a handful of houses there, too. Then after dinner we went to the village where our school is located (2 miles away). They have trick or treating at night. It is SO much fun. Not to sound like a big party pooper, but I've never really been into Halloween. But I also never got to trick or treat at night growing up, ours was always during the day. It is great out here. Everyone gets into it; adults are dressed up, ALL the kids are dressed up (even the older kids...unlike the teensomethings who come costumeless to the door and expect candy anyhow). Many people go all out decorating their yards. There are tons of people everywhere, and being a small village, we ran into so many people we knew from church and school, which I think is so neat. So small-town like. We now have candy covering our entire kitchen table, mostly chocolate. I wish it were sour patch kids...

Very much looking forward to the "extra" hour of sleep tonight!!

Great friends, good times...

My Scrap Store gals threw a baby shower for me last weekend that included delicious food, a beautiful homemade cake, games, and gifts. They are the greatest bunch of gals! SO thoughtful and sweet, I'm so happy to know them. (If anyone else has pictures, send them my way, please

: )

Pumpkin Patch, Friday the 23rd

pumpkin patch photography taken by Kaycey
Our school hosts a carnival-like party called Pumpkin Patch. Everyone was so excited to go, seeing it would be our first year at the school, and there has been talk about it at church since school began! There are carnival-like games and prizes, a chilli supper, a bake sale, silent auction, raffle baskets, and a pumpkin carving contest. Unfortunately, Maddie came home sick from school last Friday, and Cal had been sick since Wednesday (the 21st)--some sort of flu bug. Yuck. Kaycey and I were both put on tamiflu to prevent us from getting the flu. So far, it's working. I also had both the seasonal flu shot and H1N1 shot. SO here's hoping for a healthy winter!! Anyhow, so just Kaycey and I went to the Pumpkin Patch party; and she decided to take pictures to show Cal. She also played extra games to win prizes for both Maddie and Cal. She even won three real, live goldfish!! I guess we are now officially pet owners. We dug out our little fish tank from a box in the basement, and filled it up. Amazingly, the fish are even still alive!

fish photo taken by Cal

ready and waiting...

Diapers and wipes...check!

teeny, tiny lil hats all clean...check!

Some of the toys Maddie and I dug out of the basement baby toy boxes & cleaned off...check!

Baby car seat, all clean, belts adjusted, and ready to go...check!!

swing....check! (even though we couldn't get it working at first even after putting in brand new batteries...Mike gave it a good shove and all of a sudden it worked)

Baby Girl---21 days or less! (who doesn't quite officially have a name yet...Mike has recently decided just in case it's a boy we should have a name picked, too)

HINT: all potential girl names end in the "ee" sound

birthday fun

My birthday was over this past weekend. Mike and I don't typically exchange presents, but he & the kids did go buy a cake mix Saturday after soccer. It was rather amusing to see him make a cake! I have to say, if it weren't for my help, that poor cake may not have made it...but the cake making was a success! I love the look on Maddie's face, as if she is saying with her eyes, "Daddy, are you sure you know what you are doing??"

The kids then helped decorate it. Honestly, it was very tasty!!

Some things I was excited to get include an under-the-cabinet radio/CD player/mp3 output from Dad and Maria (seriously, I have music going all day now!!), 3 more chairs for the island from Mom (which Mike is putting together tonight, yay!), a tasty ice cream cake from Maggie Moo from my dear scrappin' friend :O) , and this from my sister...too funny!!

a new layout

stay tuned for another post soon.

FABULOUS finds!

***the store is called the Playroom Closet on 92nd and Greenfield : )

first of all, I found this stamp on Etsy (advertised on Ali Edwards' blog, and also on Liz Kartchner's some time ago--. I've been wanting an address stamp for a while; writing our long address is annoying : ) Problem is, I can't decide which one I want (they are the same price...) All her address stamps are so stinkin' cute, I better not look again at all of them, in case I throw a third one on the list of "I just can't decide..."

My fab finds at the resale shop included an American Girl doll outfit for $14.99 (retails at $30, plus the outfit I bought came with the snow boots which are part of a different set in the catalog)

Also bought this cute newborn sized sleeper for baby 4 for $2.99, tags still on.

And this cute dress for Maddie. After going through her closet this past weekend, she has oodles of summer dresses, but only a handful of fall/winter. I figured one more cute dress for $6.99 couldn't hurt. It'll be perfect for church and wherever else!!

Whoa!!

I went to this resale shop for the first time today, and HOLY COW! I have never been to such a great resale shop. I am all about resale, hand-me-downs, and rummages, etc. But this store was loaded--and everything was literally like new. American Girl dolls/clothes/furniture, name brand clothes & other clothes in MINT condition, shoes like new (even baseball and soccer shoes!), toys galore, books & movies up the wahzoo, strollers of every make and model, cribs, playpens, dressers, changing tables, playhouses, desks, play kitchens, the list could go on forever... I was debating over a playpen. Ours is ancient. I didn't buy it, yet...but I think I will go back and buy one of them. There were 3 of them out, between $45 & $55. They were all newer models (the ones that go for $100+ at Target) with the bassinet-like thing in it for a newborn to sleep in and the changing table/pad that comes off. They were all even neutral colors, and seriously, immaculately NEW. They looked unused. I almost bought a wooden high chair, too, for $28. Our high chair is missing...not sure where it is! Since Mike wants 8 more kids, we better stock up on the baby gear, right (lol!)? Oh, I am so excited for my finds, and plan on going to this store many times in the future!!! I'll post pics of my finds soon!

Got to get ready...I'm going out to dinner with a couple friends that I haven't seen since May!

He made it!

Okay, not that I didn't have confidence that my husband could run a marathon, but I was really nervous...he had never run a half marathon, and the most he ever trained for was 16 miles. he fully intended on doing the full training, but had major knee problems earlier Spring/Summer and actually had quit running for 2 months (by order of the Dr.) So he certainly didn't do the training he should have. But he had already signed up for the marathon and wanted to give it a shot. Here he is, just 100ft or so from the finish line.

He crossed the finish line still running! And I thought he looked great for just running 26 miles. Alot of people were looking like they were in pretty rough shape, be it medically or just because they were so emotional. I don't think I'll ever understand what exactly possesses one to run 26 miles for fun, but after seeing the people cheering, and all the runners crossing the finish line, I see the dedication and amazing mindset those people have (something I mustn't possess, I guess). So he got his "FINISHER, LAKEFRONT MARATHON 2009" medal. And while he doesn't think he'll do another one anytime soon (he's talking a couple years, maybe), he is now trying to convince me to start running and that I should do a 5K (3+miles or so). I'm not so sure this peep-loving, ho-ho eating, current junkfood-chocoholic can handle the thought of that.

on a roll

First of all, I've been caught up on laundry for a while. Or rather, staying caught up. That is so unlike me!!

Christmas shopping is in full swing...I usually don't shop till November, but figured I'd get started (and hopefully finished!) early. There really aren't a ton of people that we buy for--my parents, sister, grandparents, & our kids. Up until last year, we had the nieces & nephews on Mike's side exchange names. Mike's sister didn't want to do it anymore, which is fine...all the kids do get plenty of stuff already, and that'll be four less people to shop for (though shopping for kids is the most fun, of course!) I have to say I think I am pretty close to being done. Amazing! I do need to get a couple little things for the baby (not because I really want to, or that she needs anything, but the kids will wonder why the baby didn't get anything!). Think I'm done with Kaycey. She is the easiest kid on the planet to buy for. I'll probably put Mike in charge of something cool for Cal, though I got him a couple cool things already (an 8x10 framed picture off of ebay of Jeter & Ripken, for example). Maddie should be the easiest, but the only thing she says she loves and wants are more stuffed dogs. Like she doesn't have enough of those!!! Anyhow, so I have been very productive in the Christmas shopping. Even started the projects that will be gifts, too.

Looked at Christmas outfits, too, for the kids. Children's Place has the cutest outfits made to match each other. But I know they really don't need them. I know Kaycey will fit into her dress from last year (that she literally wore for 3 hours probably). Cal could use something. Maddie has plenty, too. But I couldn't resist this for the baby...most things I see that are newborn size look so big (I don't look at newborn size too often knowing they will wear the stuff for such a short time!!). Seeing that she will be just 6 weeks old, I'm thinking she'll be a little peanut yet. This outfit looked small enough that she won't be swimming in it for Christmas. I know she'll only wear it a couple times, anyhow. Good thing it was only $12 (from Toys R Us)!

26 7/32

That is the distance, in miles, of a marathon.

Good luck to Mike as he is running in his first marathon today! I plan on being at the finish line to give him a ride home.