30 days of posting

I made it, today is day 30 of NaBloPoMo.
It was hard posting everyday and I have to say that a lot of my posts were quite boring, unexciting, and dull, but hopefully this will get me in the habit of posting more regularly so I will have something to look back on in the years to come. I will be able to be thankful for the good times I will be experiencing since these days are rough.
Then reality hits, tomorrow is December 1, AHHHHH! Time is moving way too fast!
So goal one: post more often, I think I got that down, now I need to post more pictures.

the fine line of Christmas

I want Christmas to not be about presents because I don't want Lance to get greedy and think that Christmas is only about gifts, but it is hard because I LOVE to give gifts. There are five love languages, ways people show love, and mine is definitely giving gifts. I love finding the perfect gift for someone, it just makes me feel so good. I also love to find the perfect gift for someone else to give to their loved ones. I would love to be a personal gift shopper, I love the hunt for the perfect gift and I don't need to take credit for my work. It isn't always about buying the perfect gift, I love to make things too. Every year my mom likes to give the teachers at her school a small Christmas gift and since it could get really expensive we usually make something, well sometimes I do all the making, but I love it. One year we made snowmen pencils. Last year I think we made two types of candy corn. This year I am still trying to figure out what to make, I need to get on that. Well back to my original thought, I need to find a balance between consumerism and my love for giving gifts because I know I could go overboard. Fortunately I am limited by money and don't go overboard there, but still I need to make Christmas be more about Christmas and less about gift giving. Even in church, we are filling stockings for children from Mexico, which is great, but it is still about giving gifts and not necessarily about time and acts of service. Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, I need to remember to give things other than gifts to those I love and my community. Okay, this post has been totally random, too many thoughts moving around this morning.

black friday

I did it, I am crazy.
I got up at six and was on my way to the stores this morning. The lines were crazy, we waited 25 minutes in line to check out at Target. The two things I had wanted to get were gone by the time we got there, go figure, but after a second trip to Target this evening, we got the $20 digital camera for Lance that I was unable to get this morning. Every year I say I will not get up early and every year I am a sucker and get and go. Lance stayed home with daddy, and Lily came with me, she was a trooper and did great. Well Lego Star Wars is calling my name, we have almost beat the game, yeah we are geeks. Happy Black Friday!

thankful thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

What I am thankful for this thanksgiving:
1- for Lily, my baby girl, and of course my little man lance and that both kiddos are healthy and generally happy
2- that Lily likes the new double stroller, with her being so particular I was a bit concerned that I would spend money on something that she would hate
3- for family and friends, because life is about relationships
4- for a part-time job that allows me to have holidays off, bring my kids with me, and allows me contribute when times are hard
5- for a day off and what a beautiful day it is, though it would be nice if it was a bit warmer

gotta see the bigger picture

I so easily lose sight of the bigger picture.
I always seem to think that whatever is going on is as good as it is going to get or that it will be the way things are forever, but things change.
I so easily lose sight of heaven.
Things right now are hard, but they aren't going to be that way forever and really they aren't that bad, we are healthy, we have a home and food to eat.
Things happen for a reason and God is teaching me something, I just need to be open to learning the lesson.
One thing I am learning is that material things really don't matter, especially now we are in the Christmas season. I want the best for my children and I can easily get caught up in the notion that Lance and Lily aren't going to be happy unless they have the must have items, but really they don't care, heck Lance has a blast with a kitchen spoon and a pot, he doesn't need a drum set. He doesn't know yet what the popular toys are and he doesn't need them to be happy.
I so easily fall into the trap that all that must have baby gear is essential, but for the amount of time babies are babies most stuff isn't worth the money.
I am also learning about how to handle money, and unfortunately the only way to really learn is to not have any! I have heard that debt is bad, it makes you enslaved to the debtor and I can honestly believe it now. I listened to a podcast the other day and Andy Stanley said there are two kinds of people, those paying interest and those making interest. I am a paying interest person, but I am moving towards making interest. I am learning to wait especially now when things are hard, a lot of time by the time I have the money for something I don't want it anymore.
The things I spend my money on are different too. I am not so much a clothing snob. I got a sweater last weekend at a store I would not even looked around in a year ago, but it would be silly not to have since it was exactly what I was looking for. I also bought Lance some pieces of clothing from this store, I use to only want clothes for him from more name brand stores, but I now know is silly especially since he is rough on clothes. I am much more willing to buy the store brand of products, especially if it is the Target brand or grocery store chain. I have been not as particular with hand-me-down clothes and buying things for Lily from Once Upon A Child. Buying Lily expense things is ridiculous since she seems to be the queen pooper and has bright yellow stains on everything!!!
Looking back over the last year, I can honestly say I have changed. I am not as materialistic, though I have my moments. I am not such a brand snob. I am much more open to free things and I have realized what is really worth spending the money on and what isn't. I am learning what is really important in life and more importantly how to keep that focus by not look at catalogs and compare what others have. I am thankful for the lessons I am learning though it isn't easy. I do want the best, but the best isn't always necessary.

how lame am I?

tonight because I didn't have evening swim practice we had dinner and a movie. we rented wall-e. what makes me lame? I fell asleep about halfway through, I can't even stay awake for a movie? I was out around 8:30, but Lance was awake for the whole thing, a tired 2 year old can stay awake, but me can't? sad

rolling

I put Lily down on a blanket to get time on her belly and went to get the mail. I opened the door, she was laying there on belly, retrieved mail (right by front door) and turned back and she was belly up. She rolled! I am sorry I missed it. I tried to see if she would do it again, but no such luck, maybe tomorrow.

sunday family portrait

Today was family portrait day. I thought that Lily was not going to cooperate, but she did great. Lance who I thought was going to smile and show off had meltdown after meltdown, it wasn't. I think we got a good large family shot (the 4 of us plus my mom, sister, and her husband), but I don't think we got a good one of the four of us, oh well, maybe next year. I am tired, today was busy and the kiddos haven't been the easiest to deal with. Lily did not want to sit during church and insisted on being walked around, but that got Lance all riled up so we left early, Jeff was running sound so he wasn't able to help. While I was getting ready for our pictures Lily screamed, then when we were taking pictures Lance was crying and throwing himself on the floor constantly. Then I went to a Pampered Chef party with my mom where Lily wasn't too bad, but now that we are home she isn't a happy camper because all day has been nap interruptous and she hasn't had a solid chunk of downtime. We still need to go to Target to get diapers and then we can call it a day. Oh wait, I still need to make coffeecake for tomorrow, type out the swim practice, and balance the checkbook. Then there's dinner and laundry folding, ahhh, will it ever end?

looking forward to the week ahead

I can't say that I have been looking forward any particular week in a long time (I guess since we went to the beach), but I can honestly say I am looking forward to this week.
Why?
Several reasons:
1- we aren't traveling so we will actually be able to stay at home and relax, haven't done that in ages (I was a wee stressed about the packing, traveling in the car with Ms. Screamer, trying to figure out where lance would sleep, and generally just being away from home with two kids)
2-because we were planning on going out-of-town and it a holiday we have no commitments this week!!!
3-Jeff has a whole day off and we have nothing going on (well thanksgiving dinner)
4- no swim practice wednesday-friday nights, so I will actually be home in the evenings
5- small group is breakfast monday morning and my friend Meredith will be joining us and with Lance hanging out with the other kids it will be a lot of fun
6- next week is the week it is officially appropriate to decorate for Christmas and listen to Christmas music
7-i think it is suppose to be a tad bit warmer so Lance can get some outside time in
8- this coming week is the official start to the Christmas shopping season and I hope business will pick up at the shop so we can get ahead
9- did i mention no swim practice, i am so burned out I badly need the break
10-my stress level will be greatly decreased due to a quiet week where I will hopefully get caught up on housework, i work best in the morning so if I don't get started early it doesn't get done
so i am happy it is turkey day and it will be low key

friday night tv and holiday plans

totally random:
there usually isn't anything good on tv on friday night, but we have discovered something that we are enjoying: Whale Wars on Animal Planet. I am not quite sure how I feel about it because I don't necessary agree with actions of both parties (the whalers and the protesters), but it has been very interesting so far.
i am excited it is friday and I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, maybe I can get something done, like clean the house.
Next week we were suppose to travel to be with Jeff's family for Thanksgiving, but something has come up and we aren't going unfortunately. I am kind of relieved that I won't have to pack up all the kid gear for two days, but I am sad that it is another opportunity that we won't see his extended family. I am looking forward to having several days with nothing to do, but I was looking forward to going shopping in a nicer, bigger mall, though we have no money, but looking can be fun. I am also happy that I won't have to endure 4 hours in the car with Lily who seems to hate the car, but we also won't be doing anything exciting for Thanksgiving.

thankful thursday- week 2

I am thankful for:
-my clothes starting to fit again, not everything like my favorite pair of jeans, but at least I can add three more pairs of pants to my microscopic wardrobe
-lunch from chick-fil-a, it was a splurge and it was good
-a free photobook thanks to oprah and my friend for telling me about it
-lindsay for waxing my eyebrows after lance's haircut- i don't have time or patience to maintain them myself
-that lance's haircut wasn't too traumatic
-tomorrow being friday and christy is coming into town!

baby it is cold outside

and I am NOT ready for winter.
Yesterday it snowed, well it flurried and I can honestly say I was not excited. I usually get very excited when it might snow or it is snowing, even it is a few flakes, but yesterday I wasn't celebrating at all. I am not ready for cold weather. We haven't had the money to get replacement windows so it is chilly in the house, I don't have many warm clothes that fit (who wants to wear a large sweater when nursing or trying to wear a baby carrier), I want to keep our heating bill as low as possible and not have to use much heat (though I HATE to be cold) and spring is months away and I would like to delay winter as long as possible. Oh and I almost forgot, the kids don't have winter hats and Lance currently HATES his winter coat so bundling up is not easy. Then there is my hair that gets all dry and static and my hands that get all dry and cracked. The only bright spot to winter is Christmas and I am not ready for Christmas. This year is suppose to be a cold one, can I survive? I would never make it in Canada.c

3 months

Though I sound like a broken record, I can't believe that it has been 3 months. Lily is three months old today. Wow, time is flying by. I can't really remember life without her, wait I can, I remember only having to get one kid asleep for naptime and one kid out the door, the ease of one kid, but I can't imagine life without her. It seems like forever ago I was waiting for her to be born and now she is smiling and making all kinds of vocalizations and well just becoming a little person and not a blob. She is growing so fast, I still really want a pause button on the remote of life.

fussy baby

Ms. Lily was quite a fussy baby today. I don't think she slept more than 30 minutes at a time today, usually she will sleep for an hour or two. She cried so much her eyes were puffy tonight. She did have moments where she was happy and content, she laid on the floor for five minutes watching the Hallmark snowmen do their song and dance, she allowed Lance to harass her in the Johnny Jump Up, and she allowed Lance to hold her so I could get some pictures taken so she wasn't horrible, but when she was upset she was mad. Lance also decided to make this afternoon a bit more chaotic by not taking a nap. As a result I didn't get much done today and messy house equals grumpy mommy. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

nothing real to report

today was pretty uneventful which isn't a bad thing
-we skipped church and went to panera for breakfast instead
-we went through every aisle of the toy section and Christmas section
-went home for nap, Lily was all for it, Lance not so much
-I got to go to the grocery store by myself
-made dinner for friend
-Lance and Jeff went to the skatepark while I got started on dinner and updated Quicken
-then we had dinner with our small group
and now we are watching the amazing race, not sure who I am hoping will win or lose

tired

away swim meet
2 hours
i drove separately from the team
good idea since Lily
SCREAMED
the last hour home
have bad headache
nerves shot
not looking forward to thanksgiving
4 hour drive to jeff's family, dreading it

thankful thursday- a day late

i am thankful for:
- two healthy children
-my mom living five minutes away and available for babysitting
- being productive, it makes me feel so good to get things done (today i have gotten 3 loads of laundry done, balanced the checkbook, uploaded photos for photo gifts, taken recycleables to be recycled, organized paperwork and hopefully that won't be the end of my list)
- for fridays- we have afternoon swim practice instead of evening practice, i will be home a little after six and not eight!
- library books that give us variety to read before bedtime

how bad are things?

really bad!
last year in the month of october, the store brought in $12,000.
this year: $5,000.
we had $7,000 less dollars to pay bills and get ready for Christmas.
and "they" say that this Christmas season is going to be bad, now the "theys" of the world were wrong about childbirth will "they" be wrong about the economy too?
kind of ironic, i was listening to a podcast from Andy Stanley about worry, and I found what I worry about, our store supporting us financially, now if i can just let go, but it is so hard.
it is a yucky, rainy, cold day and the forecast for life doesn't look much better. I know that things will get better, can we just hold out until they do?

naptime

Ever since Lilybean was born, well actually shortly thereafter Lance has decided that napping isn't always important and necessary and has made my afternoons difficult. Well this last week I have discovered how to get the kid to sleep. Jeff will be made at me.
Have him nap in our room on our bed with me (or least with me there at first).
Once he is asleep I can move him to his room but I don't always.
This is bad because he also wants to sleep in here at night, but I don't blame him. Jeff and I sleep together and Lily is in her bassinet right beside us, we are all here and he is banished in his room. Poor buddy.
Now that Lily is (actually was) only getting up once a night I think it is almost time to move her to her crib, but I have concerns.
Her crib is downstairs in her room, my bed and her bed are the furthest distance apart and I don't know if I am ready for the long trek yet.
Her room has horrible drafty windows and it is cold in there.
Did I mention it is so far away?
So I was thinking, I might get Jeff to bring her crib back upstairs and put it in Lance's room and then maybe he won't feel so left out. Just a thought.

was it something I ate

Or a bug? we may never really find out.
Last night Jeff came to pick up Lance at swim practice and he looked rough. He was pale and said that his stomach was bothering him. Occasionally when Jeff eats red meat he has some stomach issues so I didn't think too much of it. I was concerned because he did look so pale, but after checking on him later he seemed better. I got home from practice and he seemed fine so I didn't think that it was a bug or food poisoning. We went to bed and at 12:30 Lily got up to eat, I fed her, drank a large amount of water, and went back to sleep. I woke up at 1:30 and didn't feel so good, thought it was maybe all the water I drank. After about an hour I realized I had been plagued with whatever had been bothering Jeff earlier that day. I was up all night, it was rough. I was finally at 6 able to fall asleep until close to 8 am. I am feeling better now and I am thankful that whatever is the problem isn't as bad as it could have been (vomiting all night long). I was scared to eat anything this morning, but after toast and tons of water I felt better, though exhausted. I was able to get a small nap in too which helps, but I can't wait for a good night's sleep hopefully tonight. Since Lance has been healthy and Jeff and I came down with the funk within hours we think it maybe food poisoning, but you never really know. I keep thinking it might be the chicken divan casserole I made Sunday night so then I get paranoid and don't know if I want to eat the other casserole I made that night if it was the chicken. Also, I saved some of the Chicken Divan for my mom, should I have her eat it to see if she gets sick or not let her eat any since it may not be the casserole? It probably isn't the casserole since Jeff ate it twice and I had the funk worse. Okay, totally over thinking here and on a totally random note: it happened, I knew it would: Lance fell in the pool last night at practice.
Falling in was one of those things I thought would probably happen just once and it did and hopefully I pray it will never happen again. He is fine and fell in practically in the arms of one of the swimmers so she was right there to catch him. He is usually very good around the pool, but every now and then he gets a little too comfortable. Sometimes if the ladies don't get going fast enough I let Lance bop them on the head with a noodle. Last night he was trying to bop one of them and she grabbed the noodle and when he tried to move it he lost his balance and went right in. He was fine and definitely learned his lesson. It was kind of scary when it happened, one of those times when life seems to be in slow motion and you can't move fast enough even when you are so close. I kind of scared one of the swimmers because I shoved Lily into her arms so I could hold Lance after his dunk in the water and she wasn't prepared to be holding the lilybean, but I didn't want her to get wet. I love water and swimming, but I know how dangerous it is especially with small children and I wanted Lance to understand that you can't get to close and he is like me, he doesn't always learn unless he experiences it so last night he learned first hand. Last night was also a reminder that I need to review CPR on small children, it has been awhile. I also am thankful for the quick thinking of the head coach for pulling him out before he freaked out and the swimmer who caught him while he was falling, he got wet, but not fully submerged. So last night was not the greatest of nights for me and I survived, there will be worse, and hopefully much better.

melt my heart

There is a teddy bear in our house and this bear has become Lance's new baby.
Yesterday afternoon when we were trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to get Lance to take a nap, he would give the bear a blanket and have the bear lay down to rest, problem was it wasn't in the bed, but on the floor.
Today when I was walking around, patting Lily's butt, and trying to get her to go to sleep I noticed Lance was following me around and doing the same thing I was. It was very cute seeing him holding his bear the same way I was holding Lily and walking around with a bit of a hop to each step just like I was. So to have a little fun I got a diaper that Lily was to big for and a sleeper of her (a yellow one so the bear could be a boy) and helped Lance put both on the teddy bear. Lance didn't like the sleeper too much since the teddy bear's legs were too short so he quickly removed the sleeper. He also took off the diaper and put it in the trash, I guess the bear had a wet diaper. Lance tried to put his swim trunks on the teddy and got out a sweatshirt, but didn't manage to get them on the bear, I wasn't able to give assistance since I was still trying to get Lilybean to bed. It melted my heart watching Lance acting as though his bear was a baby. He put the bear in the swing and even put on the music for him. Lance pretending the bear was a baby gave me an idea to get him to take a nap. Lily was up way to early this morning so I really wanted Lance to nap so I could too. I decided to try and get Lance to get the bear to go to sleep in hopes in the process he might too. Lance, the bear, and I crawled onto Lance's bed, everyone had a blanket and a bedtime story. I tried to get Lance to read the story to his bear in hopes of finding a way to get him to try and talk more, but he wouldn't try and I gave in. We read a story and then laid down to sleep. Lance did not immediately go to sleep and was quite restless, I on the other hand was exhausted so I went into my room to lay down. Right before I fell asleep Lance came in and laid down too. Yes!!! Everyone asleep, one point for mom.
This also gets me really excited to take Lance to Build-A-Bear, I think he would enjoy picking out a bear and making it, I even might let him find an outfit for him though I cringe at what he might pick out.

i wish

I wish I had some money to spend. If I had money I would buy:
1- a new rug for our living room, I think the floor tiles would work with having kids because you can replace dirty areas and pick them up and remove them for cleaning
2- a vacuum that would actually suck in a good way
3- blinds that would let in the light but also keep some privacy
4- some new clothes that actually fit me
and of course the practical and much needed
5- replacement windows

getting to old

I am getting to old to be out late at night and I am sad at how pathetic I have become.
Last night the swim team had a meet down in North Carolina (about 2 hours away). The meet started at 7 and was over around nine. After the meet we headed to a restaurant for dinner. I felt old while my swimmers were skimming the menu to find the best thing to eat in the budget given I was scanning it looking for something that wouldn't give my indigestion or heartburn if I went straight to sleep. While I was struggling to stay awake the swimmers were joking around and some were even planning what they were going to do when we got back. They didn't think it was at all strange to be eating dinner at ten o'clock at night, to them the night was still young. They also weren't concerned that we were not going to be home until after midnight thus resulting in not being able to go to bed until late, then again, they don't have a two year old and a newborn to wake them up at seven a.m.. I tried my best to be social, but all I really wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed, I felt old. On the way home, the swimmers watched Step Up 2 and I dozed on and off, it was hard to stay asleep on the bus, I don't sleep well sitting up and despite being a large charter bus it wasn't a smooth ride. We got back at 12:45 a.m. and after opening up the building to put some supplies in I hightailed it home, I wanted to get to sleep as soon as I could. After feeding Lily, getting ready for bed, I snuggled down in the covers just to be jolted to sleep minutes later by a ringing sound. At first I thought I was imagining it, but after hearing it again my imagination started to go crazy because I had just realized the front door wasn't locked and I imagined a burglar. After realizing the sound was not from a burglar's cell phone I woke up Jeff to ask him if he heard the sound, I thought I could be dreaming again. Fortunately he heard it too and was able to figure out what it was. Lance has a toy cell phone that happened to be lying open in his room and was ringing randomly. Jeff, my hero, got the ringing to stop, locked the front door, and we both went back to sleep, and sleep I did until eight this morning. Lance and Lily must have gotten the memo this time and let us sleep in. Once again, I feel old for thinking that sleeping in till eight is something to get excited about. As a result of being out late last night I am struggling today once again pointing out that I am getting old. I am only 30, but feel more like a senior citizen, I miss the night owl I once was, one that could eat at all hours without having indigestion, could stay awake until late at night, could sleep in, could just have energy. Both kiddos are asleep, I should be too so I won't fall asleep at 9 and feel really old.

the bright spot of my day

today and i am grumpy because i am stressed, but there was a bright spot and I never would have guessed it months ago but in involved getting gas.
WOW! I got gas (thanks to my Kroger 1-2-3 rewards) for 1.856.
When I got to the station the gas light was one and I filled up for only $26.01.
A month ago 25 dollars would give me half a tank and now a full tank. It is so nice to not have to pay an arm and leg for gas. I can't even remember the last time gas was less than 2 dollars.
So there is my bright spot.

two things that never seem to end

1- Laundry
2- Dishes
I just wish I could have a break and not have to do dishes and laundry for several days. It is true I can go several days without doing them so I take that back, but the house would be a mess and I am a neat freak. Let me rephrase: I wish I could not have any dishes or laundry sitting around waiting to be done for several days. Yes I could go naked and not eat, but that doesn't seem like a viable option so I might as well suck it up and get some stuff done!
Also on my list: diaper changes!

i didn't stay up last night

I couldn't stay awake to see who won the presidential election- I tried, but my eyes would not stay open. This morning I snuck a peek on msnbc.com to see who won while I was feeding Lily at 5:30 instead of waiting for the Today show at 7. When I went to bed Obama was ahead, but not by much and it was still too early to call it one way or another. This morning I am excited that we will be making history by having the first African-American president, it is about time we have a minority as President. Him and John McCain brought an excitement back to politics (sometimes a little too much excitement) that I hope won't end with the election. I hope that Obama will really change this country for the good and I hope the negative things that have been said are not true. I am shocked though at how negative John McCain supporters are being especially on facebook, it isn't the end of the world. I am shocked that some people have lost sight that God's will is in the election and the candidate He wanted won. Also, how God's love and acceptance of people seemed to have flown out the window. I have read and heard so much hate coming from "Christians," over this election season it has really brought out the worst in some people. I hope that we can all move forward and not forget to love others and not judge them.

election almost over, thank goodness

I am thankful it is finally election day and all this craziness is almost over.
I am tired of all the negative ads, wait I am tired of all the ads in general. Every commercial these days seems to be election related. Then again, those ads will just be replaced with ads for Christmas and I don't think I am ready for that. hmm, which is the lesser of two evils? Christmas ads!
I am tired of all the mail that comes in about the different candidates. Does it even work, did anybody go and vote today based on information from a flier? What a waste of paper if you ask me.
I am tired of the sound bites and half truths that have been told from both parties, sometimes it is hard to know what is really true about anything political these days.
I am tired of people questioning my belief in God, intelligence, or fill-in-the-blank based on the political candidate I may choose to vote for.
I am tired of people thinking the country is going to go down the tubes if a candidate becomes president.
I am tired of hearing about how people vote based on certain issues that really don't matter, Bush who stood for certain values didn't do much to change the laws on several issues, is the next president really going to make _______ illegal or prevent ________ from happening?
I am tired of people just being so negative in general. This election has really gotten some people excited about politics, but it has also caused a dividing line in the sand when you don't always agree with other people. I find it kind of funny how some people feel quite passionately about one candidate and they don't understand how anyone could support the opposite when I don't understand how they can support the person they do.
I am also tired of the fact that our election system is set up in such a way that the popular vote doesn't necessarily determine the president, we need to do away with the electoral college so that every vote really does count.
I can't wait to find out who wins and I hope it is the candidate who I like, but if not, it will be okay, you win some, you lose some.

this week is

terribly busy
Monday- small group in the morning, then being interviewed by a friend who is a nursing student, then swim team pictures and swim practice
Tuesday-voting, storytime, swim practice, swim meet
Wednesday- speech, closing on our home refinance, swim practice
Thursday- swim practice and christmas decorating at Magnolia
Friday- away swim meet (out of state)
my week is filled with swimming, but I will get paid for all these hours devoted to swimming, maybe I will have enough money to get a new rug in the living room- fingers crossed

they didn't get the memo

Lance and Lily missed the daylight savings time memo. The one that says that the time is going to be moved back one hour, so everyone should get one extra hour of sleep. No, they decided to forgo that extra hour and get up at six this morning. Actually they decided that sleeping all night isn't wasn'ta priority at all and were up a few times last night, so not only did I not get an extra hour of sleep, but I got less then usual. Lily was up at 2 to eat, then when I put her back in her bassinet she started making tons of noise, scratching and grunting so I brought her in bed with me. She then got up again I think around 4 and ate and once again had a hard time going back to sleep. Then Lance was up at 5:30 and came into our bed. He then decided that six was a good time to get up for the day and started jumping on me. I tried to ignore him, but then Lily woke up and decided she was hungry, so I gave up the idea of sleeping a little more and got up. Before kids I liked daylight savings time, I loved that extra hour of sleep in the fall. Now I don't like it. Both kiddos were up before the sun and it makes for a long morning, it's only 9:30 and we have been up for over 3 hours and we still have an hour before church. In the positive corner, Lance and Lily will hopefully go to bed earlier. I don't know which is better, going to bed early and getting up early, or going to bed late and getting up later? Hopefully Lnace will go down for nap earlier than usual so we can do something fun this afternoon after nap since he sometimes is a bear before nap. Maybe I can get a nap this afternoon, probably not, but I can always wish.

light up the night

Last night was our second annual "Light up the Night." It was fun, not as much fun as last year because we didn't have as many kids this year, but it was still fun. What's the deal? We were ready this year for tons of kids and we just didn't have that many, it was very disappointing. We kept waiting for the masses to arrive, but they never showed up. In previous years they would seem to bus them into our neighborhood, but they must have moved on to better neighborhoods. We had more lights in our yard this year, more games for the kids to play, more candy to give them, more glo-necklaces to find in the leaf pile, more everything, just not more kids. One reason the masses of kids went elsewhere could be that no one seems to receive trick-or-treaters anymore, the next house handing out candy was 4 or 5 houses down in every direction. There were also a lot of churches doing "trunk-or-treat" in town which must be the newest way to do Halloween instead of old fashion trick-or-treating. Wait, why am I complaining, I now have tons of good candy left over! We did take Lance to a few houses in the neighborhood and after the first house he realized that trick-or-treating was a lot of fun. He would practically run up to the door (even if there were dogs) and hold out his bag. I couldn't believe how quickly he caught on to the whole, knock on door, get candy, move onto the next house routine of trick-or-treating and how he didn't complain with having to walk around when he was quite tired. This year, we went cheap with the costumes and all four of us got dressed up with what we already had around the house, no store bought costumes this year. I was Princess Leia (with bagels in my hair so I could get her side buns), Lance was a Jawa (sand person from Star Wars), but later we decided Obi-Wan was better, Jeff was Luke Skywalker with Yoda a.k.a. Lily on his back (I put her in all green and then taped ears to one of her hats, it was a stretch, but when she was on Jeff's back in the carrier it worked). I had a good time getting creative with our costumes and figuring out what we could use from around the house, bagels, belts, paper, etc. I will post pictures after I get them from Jeff's camera. So despite having few trick-or-treaters, we had a good time and we were able to have lots of games for the kids who came by our house to play hopefully making their night a lot of fun.