Tia's Halloween Party

Tia's adult-only Halloween party is really one of the hightlights of the year. It is such a great time. There is ton's of food, decorations, games, and of course everyone is in costume. Matt likes to pike our costumes. Last year we were superheros. This year we were Adam and Eve. Nothing like being in full spandex all night! Anyway, we had a great time and won the prize for best couple, so I guess it was a clever idea. The only problem was my leaves kept falling off! I'll have to figure something out if we ever wear these again. Matt didn't win the donut eating competition this year, but I won the huge jar of starbursts. We will definately have to keep this up wherever we end up. Thanks Tia- it was a blast!

Carving the Pumpkin

We love carving the pumkin. My favorite part is cleaning it out because the boys want to do it, but really don't want to do it. It is pretty funny. I always make them put their hand in at least once. This year Andrew was the one that was really grossed out. And this year Anubis kept trying to eat the stuff. All in all, it was a lot of fun and Matt's monster carving turned out really well!

A sad goodbye

Rudy, my family's dog, came to live with us last spring. He loved it with us in Cleveland (except the cold). The kids loved him and he loved getting lots of rubs and food scraps spilled off the table. He even learned how to tolerate Anubus. In the last month he started getting pretty sick. His siezures happened much more frequently, his joints were sore, he was having a hard time chewing, just to name a few problems. I could tell it was pretty bad when he started doing a lot of things that were out of character. He was old, but it was still a really sad day a couple weeks ago when he was put to sleep. We prepared the boys as well as we could. They were all sad. When we explained that it would be better for him because he wouldn't be in pain anymore, Matthew asked if we could put Anubus to sleep also. Andrew was ok once we said that Rudy's spirit would still be alive. When they came home from school Matthew wanted to know where Rudy's body went and could we go to his grave to make sure he wasn't still alive. So, it was overall very sad for them, but they handled it very well and learned some emotional coping skills. There were a few days that were pretty sad where the kids kept forgetting that Rudy was gone and Anubus kept looking for him also, but we've mostly moved past that. They still occassionally talk about him- especially Owen who doesn't really understand he is gone- and we all miss him. It was great to have him with us, even for a short time.

Owen's birthday

Owen started the day with Dunkin Donuts- we drive by the store everday on the way to school and he is always asking for some. He got to pick the day's activities and meals. His daddy made it home from an interview in time for his party. He had a few toys to open and he wanted more donuts and icecream for his party. I can't believe he is already 2 years old. Here are a few things that I love about Owen.

1. He is such a crowd pleaser. Everyone who meets him thinks he is so cute. He is very friendly and makes people happy.

2. When I take him to the gym day care and pick him up an hour later he always is so happy to see me and asks me, "Mommy, did you have good exercising?" He likes to know how others are doing/feeling. He is always happy to see his family.

3. He is a great eater. (Anyone who is a mom knows how great this is.)

4. He is sooooo ticklish.

5. When I'm gone he always asks where I am. He doesn't cry, he just notices I'm not there.

6. He is really smart and has a lot to say.

7. He sometimes sings to himself in the car.

8. He tries to tell knock-knock jokes.

9. He loves animals, especially our dogs. It is really funny that he is often telling Anubus what to do- "No, Anubus... Down Anubus... Kennel!"

10. He loves to snuggle and give hugs, but is also really tuff.

We love the zoo

I've realized that where ever we are going we may not be near some of the things we have been near while here in Cleveland- like the zoo. We love going to the zoo and will really miss it when we leave!

Labor Day part Dos

I read about this in a magazine so I can't take credit for the idea, but on Labor Day we have lollipops that grow. It is a tradition that we started last year. I show the kids some jelly beans and tell them they are lollipop seeds that I plant every year. Then on Labor Day the lollipops grow (I just put the sticks right into the ground). The kids look for them all day and get very excited about it (I know, you can tell by their faces... Why is it so hard to get a good picture anyway?). Last year we planted more "seeds" because we had some friends over to pick lollipops also. I think we will keep this tradition for a while. I mean, who doesn't like candy?

Labor Day

I know this is late, but for Labor Day this year we went to a beach on a lake. It was a bit of a drive, but it really was worth it. The weather was perfect, the water was warm, the lake beautiful, the friends were fun, and it was one of my favorite days we've had here. Of course Matt did lose his wedding ring in the water, but miraculously found it (we were wondering why the guys were diving under the water for so long). All in all, we had games, food, swimming, and great coversation- everything you need for a fantastic day!