Aunt "Trash" Comes to Beloit!

We were sooo excited to receive a visit from Tricia over the weekend. We did so much while she was here. Saturday morning we had a big breakfast, it was 70 degrees outside so we went for a long walk in the park. Later that night, Anna and Gabe hosted a big cook out with some of our friends and ended the night with a good movie. Sunday we went out for Mexican food after Mass, and then she helped out with Challenge missions. She even stayed all day Monday!!....I'm so sad she left, but it was a great long visit.

My Peanuts

I have so much fun with my kids. I'm so lucky, they make me belly laugh and give me all the visual entertainment I need most days. This Halloween was one such occasion. Nicholas was Charley Brown and Christiana was Lucy.

Halloween couldn't have been better. Lindsay and John, Samantha, Kristin and Jora, Anna and Gabe, Joe and Marci, Kathryn, Maris, and Kev, and all our kids and twenty strollers, trooped around town Saturday.

There was a full moon and warm weather, perfect for trick or treating; we finished the night with a big chili feed with our over tired and over-sugared kids, but it made for a great Halloween!

Funny Sayings

Two Months Ago:

Nicholas is screaming. He has a severe red rash on his bottom.

Me: "I'll make it all better. Let's put some cream on it."

Yesterday:

Me: "Nicholas, Daddy is very sick."

Nicholas: "You need some tream on it." He goes over to the diaper drawer. Takes out the cream. Opens and applies some to Andrew's belly. "There...all better."

Everyday:

At night...Me: "May Mother Mary watch over you and may the Guardian Angels protect you."

I forgot one night and as I was leaving,

Nicholas: "Mom, may guardan angels protec you."

Nicholas "I wanna listen to "Female Deer" mom. (Do Re Mi from Sound of Music)

Nicholas "I so tired." .... "Say me too, momma."

Me: Me too! (guess I say that a lot ; ) oops)

Two Days Ago:

Leaning over his carseat to Christiana, "I rode on a Combine Pudding" He was so excited to share his big adventure with her.

hmm...

So it is tricky updating a blog with a faulty camera and no computer. My camera won't take any memory cards and my hard drive crashed so I am borrowing Anna's computer for the evening. And who knows when or where it will get fixed. But if I'm true to my intentions for this blog, its purpose is to scrapbook the memories of my everyday life with or without photos. 

Funniest Stories This Week: 

Christiana: likes to stand on her head (with her feet still on the ground). That plump round bottom in the air is too much. 

Nicholas: Dances to Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire while attempting to sing too. 

Andrew: Is funny when he yawns, he uses every muscle in his face. I love to watch. 

Me: Shoot. Felt completely sore after doing 8 push ups. (well, I thought it was funny and laughed when I realized it the next day). 

Things that I am Thankful For this Week: 

Anna. I love having her here. 

Computers and Cameras are a luxury. 

Andrew and his work ethic. 

My house. It feels like home.

My Challenge team leaders...they truly are beautiful generous girls.

Summer Harvest Festival

Kansas small town living at its best. Our church had the big harvest festival so we took Nicholas to experience it. He was so excited to get a "ham-ba-jer". After getting through the food line holding two plates, two desserts, silverware, pushing the stroller, keeping the diaper bag over my sholder, adding mustard and ketchup, and finding a seat...we sat down, fed Christiana a bottle, shoed the flies away, and I think I ate. All I remember was this killer fresh cherry pie. OH MY GOSH.

The best part of the night was seeing Nicholas jump out of his seat in excitement after seeing balloons. That was all he needed. We bought him two balloons and he told everyone at the festival about them. I love his simple happiness.