Halloween & Fall - East Coast Style

Virginia in the fall is a lovely thing to see.

Eating apple donuts and drinking hot apple cider at an Apple farm.

Picking out fresh apples....

.....So my dad could teach me how to make a yummy homemade apple pie. (You are never too old to learn something new.)

Playing with our Bo.

Hayride

Getting ready for Trick or Treating

The costumes I surprised my dad and brother with, and forced them to wear. They are NOT designed for men who are over 6 feet tall. :o) It was awesome. They were super popular all night.

Our family

Getting the stash......

I also surprised Josh with a costume. Of course, if I am going to have complete freedom to dress my husband up it is going to be Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Favorite movie. Sexy Kevin Costner. But honestly, my Josh makes a much more yummy Robin Hood. Look at him. He is oozing sexy.......

Holidays are much more special when spent where there are red, orange and yellow trees, and with lots of fun family around.

Has it really been nine years?

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary. I was looking for some pictures to post from our last nine years together, but there are just too many. Lots of simple moments and great adventures and a few sad times too. The great thing about getting married young is that you grow up together.

Let's just say I still adore him. He is still my best friend. We still have great conversations over dinner. I still think he looks dashing. He still drives me crazy when he is late. He still brings me sliced cheese and ice water in bed. I am a lucky girl!

Testing testing

I set it up so I can post to my blog from my iPhone. Or at least I think I did. We will find out when we see if this post works or not.

And I wonder if it will post this video I attached of Maddie's dance moves? We shall see...

This is me

Me in Josh's Grandma's Dirndl at Swiss Days in Santa Clara. You know you all wish you were also doing the maypole dance. Admit it.

My dozen roses that I created in my flower arrangement class. I seriously love taking this class. It is the perfect thoughtless creative outlet class to balance out my law school.

Your mom only turns 51 once, so when she asks you to go to the Donnie and Marie show with her sisters you say yes.

Wear a Flower In Your Hair

I had no idea it had been at least two years since I have been to this great city. The weather is so incredibly weird here. I love it. My hair does not.

Chili in a breadbowl at the Wharf. A must.

Tickets to see one of our favorite bands, Jimmy Eat World. Necessary.

Riding a scooter all over the city. Vital.

Tickets to see the Giants get to the playoffs. Required.

Finally getting to wear my cute winter coat and drink a hot apple cider. Essential.

Sitting next to a lonely old man who talked to us the whole "romantic date night" dinner. Priceless.

Happy 2nd and 4th birthday to Ruby & Elena!

ChuckeCheese birthday parties are the best!

Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice

Maddie's pet school

We got a phone line in our new house, and Maddie thinks this old fashioned cord phone is the coolest new invention. She constantly calls her grandparents on it and when it rings she screams and runs as fast as she can to answer it.

We got out our Halloween decorations and for some reason Maddie loves this skeleton, whose name is now "Skelly." I admit, that is weird and creepy and I have no explanation.

Josh and I went to have lunch with Maddie at her school one day and it is adorable. She is so excited to get to have her own tray and go through the salad bar. She is so grown up.

She is definitely a little nerd like her mom. She gets so excited to come home from school and do her homework. I have never had to remind her or ask her to do it. In fact, numerous times I have tried to put her to bed and she says, "Mom! I have to do my homework first!"

Getting her Barbies situated in the new house.

Everybody just take a deep breath....

So.....we moved. I haven't had a chance to update my blog because moving makes you insanely busy for a while. Here are the birds in the car on our way to the new house. Half scared of the change and half excited for the new adventure. (sounds familiar)

Now, everyone just take a deep breath......We moved into a high rise. For some reason, this has made everyone....and I mean EVERYone.....freak out. Everyone just calm down. Take another deep breath. It's all good.

It turns out that we only have one little girl, who, like her mom, would rather stay inside and play or read or watch TiVo than play outside in the triple digit temperatures. I realize that YOUR family might not "fit" in a high rise, but our family, as it is right now, freaking loves it. And no, this also doesn't make us snotty or high and mighty either. We are the same darn family living in a nice little home that happens to be nine floors up. (Can you tell I have had to defend this decision to the death lately?) Our last home was beautiful and appreciated but it made me a little sad. That house was designed for a big family with little kids. Unless and until I have that kind of family I am going to live it up with all of the benefits of having a little family. And one of those benefits happens to be living in a high rise, which is something I always wanted to do. Turns out it is mine and Maddie's natural habitat, and Josh is easy to please as long as he has SportsCenter.

If you are one of those awesome people who send out Christmas cards, email me directly and get our new mailing address. We love getting them!

Some summer adventures of the Madeline

Petting sting rays at the Shark Reef.

Going to a celebration of Thailand's Queen's birthday with her Grandma Linda and friend.

Off road jeeping with her grandparents and great grandparents.

Starting up ballet again.

I finally took her to Disneyland again where we tried the Tower of Terror ride for the first time. Don't be fooled by how scared Maddie is in this picture. She made us go three more times.

My least favorite ride is Splash Mountain. There is nothing worse than wet jeans. So I tried to be "at peace" on the ride. Can you tell from Maddie's picture that it is her all time favorite!?! Gosh dang she is cute.

And being extra silly on silly hair day at summer camp.

Old School Vegas

Anybody who has been in Vegas a long time (before nasty Dunkin Donuts and Too Sweet Krispy Cream) knows that the best donuts are Winchells. Oh......how I LOVE Winchells! Josh and I used to get a craving and drive all the way across the valley to get them. Well, I just wanted to let everyone know there is now a Winchells at the southeast corner of Sahara & Fort Apache, right across the street from Cafe Rio. And the best part? It's a drive through. :o) Everybody better start going there regularly because if it closes down I will NOT be happy......

My Kindergarten Girl

Maddie is finally an official student. And she is very proud to tell you so. She is so smart and loves school and is a total teacher's pet and is super awesome, just like her mama. :o)

Can you find Maddie being shy when the school introduced the new kindergartners to the rest of the school? What a cutie pie.

A Mother's Heart

My cute nephew B, getting love from me and his Mama. He was born a month before Charlie, so he will be extra spoiled and loved by his Aunt Rachel, while a little part of me will always feel a very deep sadness while watching him grow up. I have a lovely sister who lets me love on this little boy as much as I want to. Unfortunately for B, he is too young to tell me that a little less love wouldn't be so bad. :o)

The other day, Maddie was playing with her Barbies all alone in a very quiet and empty house. I suddenly heard her sweet little voice say, "I just wish I had a brother or sister to play with me so I wouldn't have to play all alone." I had to close the door to hide my sobbing. After ten minutes I put on a happy face and went out and said, "I'll play Barbies with you Maddie! Do you understand that Daddy and I want a brother or sister for you too, and that we have been trying for a very long time?" She innocently replied, "Well maybe if you eat healthier food next time you are pregnant you will have a healthy baby." I said that I had to go to the bathroom and would be right back. I went back in the bathroom and cried a good cry.

My heart is still very tender. It doesn't matter how long you have a child. I only had Evan for five weeks and Charlie for almost three. A mother loves her children equally, and my heart is 2/3 sadness and longing and emptiness from my boys, and 1/3 full of happiness and beauty and sweetness from Maddie. I have figured out a way to keep living and enjoy life, but that doesn't mean the sadness is not still there.

But I picked myself back up, wiped my tears, and went and played Barbies with gusto until bedtime. And a little while later, when Maddie had the chance to go to Utah with her cousins, I jumped on it. Because when there are no siblings around, cousins are the next best thing.....