Checked Out

Sorry for the absence, but I've been on vacation. My mother-in-law came to visit and played the part of "Mom" while I painted.
Oh my gosh--if you don't have a mother-in-law you should really think about getting one {ahem Zach}. They are awesome!

Pictures of the rooms to come when they're finished (hopefully by the end of the week). In the mean time, please enjoy these instead:

Hallow's Eve '09

Yesterday was perhaps the funnest Halloween of my adult life. Why you ask? Because I got to relive my childhood and trick-or-treat with the same person I trick-or-treated with when I was a young'un--Adrea (better pictures to come when Adrea emails me her pix hint hint). And Gabby's costume was a success. She wore it to school on Friday and told me how "annoying" it was that everyone kept saying, "oh Gabby, you look so beautiful. . ." and "Wow, I love your dress." Gabby's teacher took her around to all the teachers, office workers and even the school nurse, telling everyone that Gabby's mom MADE the dress. In reality, Gabby loved every ounce of attention, she just likes playing it cool.

In Alex's enthusiasm, he jumped out of the stroller to ring each doorbell, frequently forgetting his trick-or-treat bag.

Oliver wore my favorite chicken costume (the one both Gabby and Alex have worn). Henry (Josh and Adrea's son) was Max from "Where the Wild Things Are."

And Ari (Alex's favorite baby in the whole world) was a Wild Thing.

Adrea made both costumes so she beat me out for mother of the month since I only made Gabby's. There's always next year though. . .
For dinner, we had eyeball soup, sandWITCHES, smokin' cider and pumpkin pie while the kids watched a movie (Noah permitted them to eat when we were all done).

Best holiday EVER!

Breakfast

Noah surprised us this morning by making us waffles.

Turns out Alex doesn't like waffles (even though he loves pancakes).

He does however love a mouthful of whip cream.

Costume Peak

I remember more Halloween costumes than I remember Christmas gifts. Maybe that's why I tortured myself making another costume for Gabby--because I want her to love Halloween just as much as I did and do.

That said, I have finally finished Gabby's costume with 5 days to spare!
It took me one weekend of staying up until 2 AM so she better remember it forever and be a good teenager, otherwise I take back all the late nights.

Aren't you just dying to see what Gabby looks like in the dress? Well you'll just have to wait...

Oliver Rejects Safety

Unless my memory isn't serving me right, Oliver is my most destructive child. This week, he has managed to break something every day. Today, he ripped apart a piece of foam covering a sharp corner--with his bare teeth.By the way I am still nursing this boy for reasons I can't explain. I know exactly how that piece of foam feels.

It's just so hard to get mad at a face this cute:

And in a totally unrelated note, our house in under attack by lady bugs.

Gabby thinks it's the greatest thing EVER!

What You've Missed Out On

Columbus Indiana is a melting pot and every year they celebrate that with a parade and lots of food (as all things should be celebrated in my humble opinion). Noah had the flu so the kids and I went it alone this time. Bonus: rain= short lines for food.

And then there's this--I bought the kids snow gloves which in turn became boxing gloves. Noah and I were snickering behind walls when the kids donned their boxing alter-ego attire (Spider boy vs. Kitty girl). Alex proclaimed, "This boxing is more fun than Wii boxing!"

Gabby got her first shiner (not from the boxing match) just in time for school pictures. She was creatively getting off our office chair when she some how got her foot caught in the arm rest, landing head first on a fold up chair.

We also bought pumpkins.

No Time to be Sick

A few hours ago, Gabby posed a question that made me cringe, "Mommy, whys is there so much water in the basement?" "I don't know Gabby, there shouldn't be any water down there."

The sump pump in our new home failed during a serious down pour. So, we bought a new pump which Sick Noah installed and we rented a Rug Doctor which Sick Noah used to soak up all the water in the basement carpet. Sick Noah is my hero.

And then because there was nothing sick Noah wanted to do more, he got to clean the carpets twice because a pipe connected to the new sump pump got loose and sprayed water all
over-- re soaking the carpets! Sick Noah was ecstatic and jubilantly declared words I haven't heard him say since his sailor days. Thank you Noah, I made you three loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread AND a loaf of wheat bread that will be hot just after you get home.