"New Moon" for the Mommies!

My girlfriends and I have been waiting 12 long months for this...

And it is finally here!!! All this time I have been excited about the movie, but today I feel more excited just to go have lunch and spend some quality time with my girls! This poor movie has been SLAMMED in the reviews, but then again so was "Twilight" and the latest installment of "Harry Potter" and I ended up loving both of those movies. So I'm not too worried about walking away unsatisfied. Plus, all the fan reviews say it is awesome so I will stick to reading those :-)

I spoke with my girls yesterday and while Tara did not break down and buy a New Moon t-shirt...she is ready to support Linsey and I as we wear ours today. Ha! Don't worry...there will be pics to follow :-) Happy Friday everyone!!!

34 Weeks and A Honeydew!!

The Bump.com says Mr. Blake is the size of a Honeydew Melon right now.

Honeydew my ass! This little man HAS to be the size of a watermelon in there. I can feel his kicks and jabs from every angle and judging by the size of my tummy, I would say he surpassed the honeydew category weeks ago :-)

But I really shouldn't complain because other than a little sleeplessness (due to lack of comfort), I feel great! I still have some energy which I am using productively to finish little things around the house. You know, like setting up Christmas trees and stuff. Ha! The nursery is ready to go, the clothes and bedding are washed and put away AND I even started putting together my hospital bag. I know I have a little over 5 weeks, but I like to be prepared just in case this little man decides to shop up early :-)

Well there you go! My 34 week belly pic. Getting bigger by the day and loving it!

Time to Hire an Assistant

Any person who says that being a Stay at Home Mom isn't a lot of work is seriously smoking crack. This is by far the hardest (most rewarding) job I have ever had. Before I was a SAHM, I had no idea how much there was to get done around the house while taking care of a toddler. So, I decided that in order to get all of my responsibilities done each day, I would have to put Addie to work too.

Friends...I would like to introduce you to my new Administrative Assistant...

She will be responsible for handling all phone calls and paperwork (this includes grading my student essays)...

She has excellent message taking skills, so I knew she would be perfect for the job. Here she is writing down a message from Nana...

And here she is hanging up on a telemarketer. That's my girl!!

So you see...staying at home doesn't have to be stressful, as long as you are willing to put your kids to work. Thanks Miss Addie! I owe you a pack of fruit snacks :-)

Sorry Pilgrims...Jesus Wins

To quote my very good friend Kate..."Sorry Pilgrams...Jesus Wins". I know Thanksgiving is still a little over a week away, but I couldn't take it any longer. After a weekend of Christmas shopping and listening to the Holiday LITE...I knew it was time to put up the tree...

I typically put up two trees...one 9 foot tree in my dining room and this smaller pencil tree in my family room. But because I am bringing home a new baby just a few short days after Christmas, I tried to go with a minimalistic approach to my decorating this year. Well...as minimalistic as I can possible get :-)

So I narrowed down to one tree, which is no longer in my family room, so I had to really spruce up the fireplace mantel with some lights (which you can hardly see in the pic) and some other fun decor...

And come on, I couldn't go the whole season without putting up Addie's cute pink tree! (not sure why it looks so crooked in the pic)...

And finally, because I can no longer leave wrapped gifts under my tree (because a certain someone knows how to open them)...I decided to just use them as decor. I never know what to put on top of this china cabinet during the holidays, so I thought stacking a few gifts would be cute. Yes...I already have some of my Christmas gifts wrapped...

So there you go! A little sneak peak of my Christmas set-up this year. Its not my usual overhaul of decorating, but it is still cheery, festive and fun. I just love Christmas!!!! Anyone else set up a little early this year? I know I am not alone :-)

Fun Advent Calendar Stuffers for Kids

With December 1st right around the corner, I have been trying desperately to gather little stuffers for Addie's Advent calendar. Finding 25 items small enough to fit into the pockets of an advent calendar can be quite a challenge. But what I realized is that not every day has to be different. For example, you could buy this 10-pack of mini Play-Doh tubs for only $4.97 at Target and mix them up on different days! 10 days down...only 15 more to go :-)

Addie isn't quite old enough to grasp this concept yet, but Target is selling Giftcoins this year in packs of 5 for $25. Each coin can be used as a $5 Target giftcard and $2 of each coin is donated to St. Jude's!! It is a fun, charitable way to fill another 5 pockets on your calendar :-)

While all of these ideas are great so far, you may be thinking "Doesn't someone just sell a pack of $25 little toys?" and the answer is YES!!! Garent Hill sells an assortment pack of advent calendar stuffers for only $32!! And even if you don't want to buy this assortment pack, you can check out the pic for some great ideas :-)

Another perfect advent calendar stuffer that will always be big hit with every child (or adult) is candy. I saw some fun holiday suckers, M&M tubes, etc. at Target and they were all a $1 or less. And of course, lets not forget the dollar bins. Woohoo!

So...do any of you have any great ideas for advent calendar stuffers? The key is that they are small and affordable. I tried telling Eric last year that a Tiffany's necklace would fit nicely in one of the Advent pockets and he promptly reminded me that the calendar is for Addie. Ha!

Babies, Babies & More Babies!!!

Hi everyone!!! I have been waiting impatiently for my cousin to post about her two BEAUTIFUL, healthy little babies but I have a feeling she is a little busy right now. So I am just going to post and make a little announcement for her because I just can't wait any longer to show these precious little faces!!

So...without further ado...I would like you all to meet Presley William and Evelyn Mae!

The twins arrived on Wednesday, November 11th at 8:42 and 8:43 a.m. Little Presley weighed in at 8 lbs and was 19 1/2 inches long, while little Evelyn weighed in at 6.4 pounds and was 18 inches long. With almost 15 pounds of baby, my cousin made it FULL TERM!! She is my absolute hero!!! And the best part is that Presley, Evelyn and Mama are all happy and healthy resting in their own home today. I can't wait to see these little peanuts for myself one day very soon. So, if you would like to keep up the millions of pics my cousin will surely be posting, be sure to check out her blog. CONGRATS Kris, Jay and big sister Gracie!!!!

Oh, and if that wasn't enough baby excitement for one week, my old high school BFs Justin and Karianne just had their baby girl last night!!! She was 3 WEEKS EARLY!!! The best part? She had a surprise 30th birthday party planned for Justin last night but went into labor instead. Ha! They are all doing great and I am eagerly awaiting details :-) CONGRATS you guys!!!

I LOVE Weekends Like This

In case you all didn't know, Eric was on a week-long guys hunting trip about a month ago. This is something that him and his brother-in-laws and friends look forward to every year. And now that we have kiddies, it is the one thing that all of us mommies DREAD every year. We call it our "single mom's week". HA!

But in exchange for the fantastic trip the guys got to take, Dana and I decided that we were going to treat ourselves to a girl's day. Yes...day. Not quite fair, but we will take what we can get. So, my mom, mother-in-law and Dana and I are heading to the city for a fun filled girl's day of shopping and eating. I have been looking forward to this for months and I can't believe we are going to luck out with a sunny, 58 degree day in November. Woohoo!

But that isn't all the fun I have in store this weekend. There are actually lots of fun things going on. Like...

* I get to teach tonight. I know...that isn't really exciting BUT I  am introducing their final essay assignment tonight which means the semester is almost over. Woohoo!

* I get to spend a day in the city with my favorite girls tomorrow (minus Addie and Nia of course...but they will have fun with their daddies).

* I am setting up the rest of my Christmas decorations (indoor of course) on Sunday. I know it is early...but I don't care. I am ready!!!

* Word on the street is that my favorite Christmas radio station MIGHT be starting Christmas music this weekend too. That would really be the cherry on my Sunday :-)

So there you go...a little glimpse of my fun-filled weekend. Anyone else doing anything fun this weekend? Anyone else setting up Christmas decor like me? Ha!

All About Plaid

It is really a shame that plaid has to go in and out of style so quickly because honestly...I could live in it! You won't find one room in my house that doesn't have some sort of plaid accent (accept Addie's room because she has all polka dots...my other fav). And when it comes to clothes, I have always accessorized with plaid scarves and bags but this year...the PLAID SHIRT IS BACK!!! Woohoo!! I would love to be able to fit into this cute top right now, but it will have to wait until later in the season :-)

For now, I could satisfy my plaid shirt craving with this adorable top...

But I am not so sure that maternity plaid is the way to go. Ha!

So for now, I may have to just settle for dressing Addie up in plaid. I found this ADORABLE top for her and I can't wait to match it up with some jeans and her cute brown suede boots :-)

Is anyone else obsessed with plaid the way I am?

Tackling My First Turkey

When Eric and I decided to start our family's Thanksgiving tradition and host the holiday at our house, that meant tackling the guest of honor...Mr. Turkey. Luckily, Eric had lots of experience with the deep frier so he took charge of the small turkey. And my sister-in-law Diana, being the great cook that she is, tackled the big Turkey. Sweet! I just had to make it look pretty on the plate. I can do pretty.

But this year, I will be without my turkey chef. I am sure Eric will still deep fry something BUT I need someone to help me with the big turkey! I have never cooked one before! My mother-in-law Patti, who is also an amazing cook, offered to help me out. My mom also offered to lend a hand but when I talked to Eric about it last night he said "Babe...I think you and I should tackle the big turkey together. I think it would be fun."

I was shocked that he was taking such an initiative and then when he said "I saw a good lookin turkey on the cover of your Martha Stewart magazine", I remembered once again why I married this man. He knows me. He knows I was only a heartbeat away from running to grab that exact magazine.

So Martha Stewart Turkey it is!! I just hope ours turns out as pretty and delicious as this one...

So, it is official. Eric and I are going to tackle our first turkey together and make it special. And even though I have already downloaded the turkey prep video from MarthStewart.com AND asked my two moms a couple of questions...I am still open to any and all tips that people have to offer. Are any of you in charge of the turkey at your Thanksgiving? Have any great tips, recipes, ideas for serving, etc. that you would like to share? I am all ears :-)

Last Chance to Get a Cheap Coach Handbag!

I just want to thank everyone who has visited my Blog Sale over the past few weeks. It is great to finally free myself of some fabulous items that were not getting enough attention :-) But the sale can't last forever (and neither can the extra closet space) so I will be closing down the shop this weekend and moving the remaining items to Ebay.

But don't worry...there is still plenty of time to get your hands on one of the fabulous handbags I have left, like this Coach beauty here...

Or a great pair of boots like these Anne Kleins...

Some prices have been reduced so be sure to stop by one last time and avoid the fees and hassles of Ebay :-) Thanks again everyone!!!

Oh, and please be sure to stop by another fabulous Blog Sale my friend Nina is hosting. She has some super cute stuff too :-)

Just Another Reason to Believe in God...And Miracles

I don't know how many of you read MckMama's Blog, but if you are looking for another reason to believe in God...or in miracles...you have to go read about baby Stellan today. I have been keeping up with Stellan's health since he was first born and this little man has been through more in his first year than most people go through their whole entire life. And today was a VERY happy day for their family. Although, I think "Happy Day" is an understatement. Just read for yourself when you have time. I am still wiping happy tears from my eyes :-)

The Last Time I Waited in Line for 3 Hours...

I was rewarded with a very cheap lap top computer at Best Buy the day after Thanksgiving. Today I waited in line for 3 hours again but this time...I was rewarded with a shot in the arm.

I am not sure how every other county across the United States is handling their H1N1 clinics, but in my county, it is mass chaos. Hundreds of people trying to get vaccinated at once and ALL of them are considered "priority". There is no moving up in the line when almost everyone in the line is either pregnant or with a child. I showed up an HOUR before the clinic was even scheduled to begin and I was still number 435. Addie was 436. We stepped in line at 2:00 and I didn't get my shot until 5:00. But...now that I have experienced the chaos that is an H1N1 clinic, here are some tips if you plan to bring a child with you.

* Bring someone to help. I don't know what I would have done without my mom today. Actually, I do know what I would have done. I would have left and not been vaccinated. Period. Thanks so much for helping mama! I heart you. 

* Bring a shit load of snacks. Yes...I said shit load. I don't mean one pack of fruit snacks or a sippy cup. I am talking cheese sticks, animal crackers, juice boxes...whatever you got. Stock that bag full of food because in all honesty...it isn't just for the kids. My mom and I ate over half of Addie's stash. Ha!

* Don't wear cute shoes. Even if you think your ruffled Report flats are the most comfortable "cute" shoes you have...ditch them. Put on a pair of running shoes and call it a day.

* Make friends with the person in front or back of you in line so you can sneak off to the bathroom and not lose your place. Yes...a woman in line said that she went to the bathroom and when she came back the woman that was originally behind her complained that she was "cutting". Freaking grow up people.

*And last but not least...add 1 hour to your estimated wait time because even though the line might look like it is getting shorter, you will notice how many people are holding places for families of 5 or more.

So there you go. I am not sure if this will help anyone, but it is what I learned tonight. And even though the wait was SO NOT FUN, at least Addie and I are vaccinated and we don't have to worry about it any longer :-) Anyone else have experience to share about an H1N1 clinic they went to?

The Cutest Flower Girl EVER!

I know I am partial, but is this not one of the CUTEST little flower girls you have ever seen?

I am so happy my father-in-law was able to take these few pics before the festivities began yesterday. I love this one one of Adam, Eric, Addie, and my Mom and I.

And of course, this is my favorite shot. Tell me she doesn't look just like her daddy :-)

I know I have said it a million times, but I have the best in-laws anyone could ever ask for. Grandma and Grandpa Davis were not only there to help celebrate my brother's wedding, but they also volunteered to take Addie home with them after pictures just so she could play, have a nice dinner and get a good nights sleep while Mommy and Daddy danced the night away.

And let me tell ya...we did dance the night away :-) Hopefully none of those pics will surface though. HA! And speaking of pics, I know the photographer got some amazing shots yesterday so I promise to post more when the proofs arrive. Happy Sunday everyone!

Wedding Recap & The Few Pics I Have

Anyone who has ever planned a wedding or been a part of the planning process knows that there are 900 different decisions to make before the big day. Like...where to get married, when, how many people to invite, who should be in the wedding party, etc. And those are the big decisions. You also have to think about favors, table settings, cakes, etc. The list goes on and on. And while you can control and plan almost every aspect of a wedding, there is one thing that is 100%, completely out of your hands. The weather. No matter how many times a day you stalk weather.com or study the average temperature and rainfall of your area...there is no way you can plan a perfect weather day. You just have to close your eyes and pray really, really hard. 

So...when we woke the morning of my brother's NOVEMBER wedding, we were shocked, amazed and overjoyed when we looked outside...

It was sunny and 70 DEGREES!!!! We must have all closed our eyes and prayed at the same time because my brother and Meagan were given the most perfect, gorgeous wedding day anyone could have ever asked for.

So needless to say, the day was off to a great start. I also managed to fit into my beautiful maternity bridesmaid dress (with very little room to spare I might ad :-) And just for kicks, here is my 32 week belly pic :-)

I also lucked out with a good hair day! My side swept updo turned out just the way I wanted. Thanks Amanda...you rock!

And speaking of good hair days and just overall beauty...here is my new sister-in-law making her way down the isle...

You know I love a shot of the train...

Aww...the happy couple finally tying the knot. My brother looked so handsome!

And here is their gorgeous cake. If you can't make out the top, the bride figure is actually pulling the groom by his shirt collar AND they managed to find a toy Jeep (just like the one my brother drives and works on during all of his spare time). The cake was so unique...I loved it.

And here I am with my beautiful, talented seamstress (a.k.a mamacita)!

And with my other sis-in-law, Dana, giving Mr. Blake a little rub :-)

Now...as you all know from several Mueller weddings I have posted about over the past two years, my Uncle Jimmy ALWAYS rocks the accordion. And boy did he rock last night!

And finally...the bride and groom sharing their first dance as husband and wife.

Okay, I know you are ALL wondering about Miss Addie but don't worry...she was there and looking cute as ever!!!! But I only managed to get about two pictures with my camera (the rest of these are all stolen from Facebook) so I have to wait for my father-in-law to send me some of the shots he took. I promise you won't be disappointed. Addie looked like a little princess and she was SO GOOD during the ceremony! She walked down the isle with Eric and I like a pro and then sat like a little lady with Grandma and Grandpa Davis. She was excellent. She didn't make the reception because it was too long of a day, but trust me....she enjoyed herself :-)

So...I promise to post more pics as soon as I have them. Hope you all had a great weekend! I know we did! Congrats again Ry and Meagan!! Hope you two have a blast in Hawaii!!!

My Beautiful, One-of-a-kind, Maternity Bridesmaid Dress

Well...Jan (a.k.a. mama) has done it again! When she told me she could make a maternity bridesmaid dress that would coordinate with the dresses the rest of the girls are wearing...

I wasn't sure I believed her. It wasn't that I doubted her abilities...I just thought..."How the hell is this going to work?" She had no pattern, no instructions, and no way of knowing if it would all work out. But after lots of test-runs and a full mock-up dress, she was able to get the measurements just right. Ta Da!!!

Pictures are always a little deceiving, but when you see the dress on me, you will agree that it is about as close as you can come to matching the rest of the girls. And really, I think that is quite amazing considering the girls are wearing trumpet style dresses and I have a 7-month-pregnant belly. Ha! Thank you for all your HARD WORK mama! The dress is beautiful and I can't wait to wear it on Saturday!

So...with my brother's wedding only days away, I am afraid I need to take a little bloggy break. There is a lot to be done (including packing bags, steaming dresses, picking up tuxes, mani/pedis, attending the rehearsal dinner, etc.) and that leaves little time for coming up with creative posts :-) But have no fear...I will be back on Sunday with some wonderful pictures and a recap of the big day!

Super Cute Christmas Advent Calendars

If you all read my blog last year, I am sure you remember when I was on a serious mission to find the perfect Advent calendar to start Addie's Christmas tradition. I searched all of my favorite stores and had it narrowed down to one...

The Pottery Barn Kids Advent Calendar (this is this year's model)

And even though I am still a big fan of the fabric Advent calendar with pockets, I have seen some other awesome ideas for Advent calendars. Here are a few of my favorites.

This personalized Advent house is also from Pottery Barn Kids and I think it is a great idea for a table top or mantle display.

My Aunt Lori called me one night just to tell me how I HAD to check out this website she found called Garnet Hill. The one item she thought I would flip for was the Buckets of Joy Advent Calendar. Cute huh? You know...I honestly think you could make this advent calendar with some pretty ribbon and tin buckets that you can find in the dollar bin at Target.

Garnet Hill also has this adorable Hats and Mittens Advent calendar. I love how they are all different shapes and colors. I bet you could make this for yourself just by digging through the lost and found somewhere. Haha! But seriously, I think anyone could make this out of little hats and mittens ornaments that you can find pretty cheap.

Also from Garnet Hill, this Elf Advent Calendar is pretty darn cute! It makes me realize that you can pretty much sew pockets on anything and call it an advent calendar :-)

And finally, here is another traditional wall hanging fabric Advent Calendar by Hable. LOVE the cute pics on each pocket and like I said before, I am a big fan of this traditional style.

Which is why...after searching the internet for the perfect one last year...my mom decided to just make Addie her Advent Calendar! I was only able to fill it with Gerber Puffs and other 9-month-old treats last year. But this year...I already have an Advent stash of little toys and goodies to fill it with. I can't wait!!!!

My Final Decision About the H1N1 Vaccine

I wish I could say that I stopped reading article after article online regarding the H1N1 vaccine after my last post...but I haven't. I still keep up with the latest findings on both sides of the fence and now, after several more weeks of thinking, talking and weighing the odds, I have come to my final decision on the matter. I will be getting the vaccine for both Addison and myself. I know I know...I was totally against it a mere 3 weeks ago. But I have learned some very important information and these are the things that have swayed me...

* Multiple sources confirm that the ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine are the same ingredients used in the regular flu shot every year. It just contains a different strand of the virus. Several websites (including Dr. Sears...my go-to guy for vaccine information) shared the list of ingredients for all vaccines and it is true...the H1N1 vaccine is no different. This swayed my decision because initially I was worried about all the extra chemicals and ingredients that people were talking about. Turns out....they aren't using anything new.

* Most news programs are reporting the results of some recent studies regarding pregnant women and children who received the vaccine 21 days ago. The results are very positive and reassuring. Instead of listing all the facts they found here, I will just attach a link to an article I read this morning. Click here to read it for yourself. I know 21 days is really too soon to tell what the long term outcome will be, but if these tests show that pregnant women and children are protected 21 days later and showing a positive response...that's all I need to know at this point.

* My biggest concern is now about Blake. Once he is born, he cannot have the vaccine (children must be 6 months or older). So my only chance of vaccinating him is to do it while I am still pregnant. Sadly, I have read and heard way too many stories about infants losing their lives these past few months due to H1N1 and on the contrary to what many people believe, many of these infants had no prior conditions or immune problems. They were born otherwise healthy babies. That alone scared me into reconsidering.

* And finally, when I stepped away from the computer and started asking family, friends, bloggy friends and other acquaintances about the vaccine and if they planned to get it...I was surprised by the answers I got. It seems that everyone is scared and unsure about the whole thing, but the overwhelming answer was "Yes...I am getting it" or "Yes...I am taking my kids to get it". I was also shocked by how many people had personal stories to share about kids, adults, pregnant women, etc. that already had the virus and how awful it was. One of my friends and her son both just had the flu and even though they both managed to recover at home without a hospital visit...she said it was "the absolute worst flu she has ever had". I can't even imagine having to take care of a newborn baby while nursing myself or Addie back to health. And really...how would I even be able to care for the baby if I got it? Or what if Addie got it? How do I keep her away from a new baby and out of harms way? Not being able to answer these questions pulled me to the other side of the fence.

Now...I can't say that I will ever be 100% sure of my decision. But then again, I could never be 100% sure of my decision if I didn't get the vaccine because I would always wonder "what if?" But like many of you said on my last post...I have to make the decision I can live with. If I weren't pregnant and expecting a brand new baby in the middle of flu season, my decision would be very different. I can say without a doubt that I would not be vaccinating myself. I would probably still vaccinate Addie just to be on the safe side (and because she has had other flu shots and reacted just fine from them). And as scared as I am of this shot, I am even more scared about what this flu could potentially do with a new baby in the house.

So there you have it. Now, the tricky part is that once you decide to get the vaccine, where the hell do you get it? My cousin just took her daughter and nephew to a clinic last week and waited in line for 3 HOURS only to be sent away because they ran out. AND SHE WAS PREGNANT!! Where is the priority here? If it is so urgent that pregnant women and children get the vaccine, we should all be moved to the front of the line in my opinion. But that is another topic for another post. Ha! I see that there are a few more clinics in the upcoming weeks so once I bite the bullet...I will share my experiences :-) Oh, and even though it seems that I have made up my mind on this subject, I am still open to any and all comments you have to share :-) Anyone else change their mind recently? Anyone received the vaccine?

Wedding Prep for a Pregnant Chic

I was a blushing bride only 3 short years ago and I remember thinking about all the little details of the day. My dress, my hair, my makeup, my tan, my undergarments :-), etc. I was pretty prepared though. I found the perfect dress, I spent half a year on Weight Watchers, I spent lots of unhealthy time in the sun, I got my make-up professionally done, and I splurged on some wonderful undergarments from Nordstroms. I felt beautiful that day.

Luckily, being in a wedding as a mere bridesmaid has one huge advantage...no one is looking at me. Everyone will be looking at the bride, which means that in all honesty...it doesn't matter how I look. BUT...pictures last forever and wedding pictures are always the ones that stay in frames for years and years to come. So...with that in mind...I decided that I better try to make the best of what I have to work with this time around. And all I really have to work with this time around is hair and make-up. Ha!

I went out on a search of celebrity hairstyles (as I always do) because I have been loving two particular looks lately (1) anything with braids and (2) the side ponytail/bun. Both always look so cute on celebs. Here is a pic of what I am going for...

I have a little more bang than she does but I still plan to wisp it over to the side. I think this is such an elegant, soft look. Hopefully it looks as cute on me.

As for make-up, I am adding one very important touch...fake lashes. I wore them for my wedding and they made such a huge difference in pictures. MAC is my favorite because they look so natural on.

Now comes the hard part. Here is a picture of the bridesmaid dresses the girls will be wearing...

Gorgeous right? Well sadly, after lots of brainstorming and several phone calls to the designer...it was determined that there is "absolutely no way to turn this into a maternity dress". The company does make some maternity options, but they look nothing like this dress. So...I hired Jan (a.k.a mom)...master seamstress....to make a maternity dress out of fabric we ordered from the designer. The top will look the same (sweetheart style with fabric pleats) but instead of staying fitted around the bodice, mine will flare to an A-line dress with an empire waist. My mom has been working SO hard on this dress and I just can't thank her enough. So even though I will be sporting one extra large accessory that day, all of the girls will look the same from the bust up :-)

Now...regarding my bust down...I have purchased another necessity for the day...Mama Power Spanx nylons. The dress is long and I doubt anyone will see my legs, but these bad boys suck everything in nice and tight so there isn't any extra jiggle in the back.

Pretty different from the undergarments I wore on my wedding day. HA!

So...now that all of that is settled...I get to focus on the fun stuff. You know, like FINALLY having an excuse to go get a mani and pedi!! That is scheduled for later in the week but I can't wait. I better bring extra money for the tip because the girl working on my feet has her work cut out for her. Haha!

Our Halloweenie Recap

It's a good thing we had an extra hour of sleep last night with the clocks changing because we ALL needed it :-) Addie was on a Halloween sugar high for a good part of the night, and even though Eric and I were suppose to stay up all night watching scary movies, we passed out on the couch around 9:30. HA!

But I think it is safe to say that Addie had a FANTASTIC Halloween!! It was so much more fun for us this year because she really got into her costume and the whole trick-or-treating experience. Here she is in costume #2...

Our little butterfly :-)

And here is Mr. Nolan in his pumpkin costume...

And Nia Beanie in her kitty costume...

And here is Nana Davis with all three of her grandkidies...

Yay! Our first house! Trick-or-treating had officially begun.

Aww...brother and sister with their two cute little kiddies. Dana and I are so glad we got the girls these warm costumes because it was CHILLY yesterday! The girls didn't mind though :-)

I am sure all the running kept them warm :-)

And even on Halloween, the girls practiced the art of sharing...

And stealing...

This is the extent of my costume this year. I like to think those horns are always there...just hidden under my hair. Ha!

And here is Nana Mueller giving little miss butterfly a hug before bathtime. I would say our night ended with a bath, but she answered the door and passed out candy in her jammies for another hour after this. And then chased Howie around the house for another hour after that. You get the idea :-)

And here is our Halloween loot (at least the part I will let Addie have. Eric and I have our own stash :-)

We had SUCH a fun Halloween and we hope you all did too. Now...you know what this means...Christmas is on the way!!!

My Little Hula Girl

When my Aunt Kathy came back from Hawaii a few weeks ago, she surprised Addie with this authentic Hula girl costume complete with coconut bra and everything!! When I saw it...I knew she HAD to be this for Halloween. It isn't practical for outdoor trick-or-treating, but it was PERFECT for her Baby Bees Party today!! I tried getting a few full-body pics, but she just couldn't stand still in this thing. She just wanted to Hula!

We did manage to slip her socks on before Baby Bees, but not without a fight. See the face?

Not my best picture, but she would only stand still long enough to take one if I was holding her.

Or if Grandma was. Here they are stretching out before class :-)

And here she is jumping around again to the Halloween song.

The mini rollercaoster was her favorite activity today. But it was a little hard in the grass skirt so that came off soon after.

And here is Addie with her two cute teachers. They are both so much fun :-)

Now it is time for us to gear up for the big day tomorrow. We have another costume and another fun filled afternoon of activities. I love Halloween!!!!