Happy Halloween weekend!

I'm back to work tonight for the weekend, but am happy that I do get Monday off.

I can take my little goblins out Trick or Treating!

Last night we carved a couple pumpkins, Lila thinks they are pretty awesome!

I hope everyone has a great Halloween weekend, whatever your plans may be!

Enjoy that candy, my friends!

I have no clue who the Dracula is, I guess you Have to have 5 characters in this one.  Ah well, who wouldn't want to join our fun?!

it's been a good day

This makes me happy!

My baby and her buddies, watching the world go by!

Please pay close attention to the sparkling shine on my storm door,

I do like to keep a clean house, you know?!

Updates

Lots of stuff has been happening around here.

Some really important, and some not so important stuff,

little bits of info, I thought I'd share.

In no particular order...

1) I now have a 3 year old and an 18 month old.  Eeesh... how the heck did that happen?

2) Terrible 2's don't hold a candle to the 3's... (please let this phase be over quickly)

3) Above mentioned 3 year old is back to getting up before 6, and I'm not enjoying it ONE bit!

4) I baked for the first time using Choboni greek yogurt instead of oil... worked pretty good!

5) I love Pintrest.  This is nothing new, it's just a good thing!

6) We celebrated my Grandma's 80th Birthday this weekend.  Pretty awesome huh?

Grandma, Grandpa, and their 6 children!

7) I have a special friend that needs good thoughts and some extra prayers today as she takes a big step in having a baby! (XOXO)

8) Miss Kaiya rock-starred her way through another surgery and is now home again with her family!  There has continued to be little "hiccups" in her plan to stay home, but hopefully now, she'll be there for a few months until the next planned step in her treatment!  Go Kaiya!

9) My best friends' sweet girl turned 1 and celebrated her birthday yesterday.  I'm so sorry I missed it, I'll bet it was so fun!

10)  My husband is awesome.  This again, is not new,  but I am reminded because of the next update!

11) I now have walls in my basement!  Thanks to my husband, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and some great friends, my basement is one step closer to being complete!!  So exciting! (pictures to follow at another time!)

Okay, so I'm done now!

Happy Monday everyone!

A year and a half!

Elaina Grace

Hmmmm?

What do I say about my little 18 month old?

Well, she's cute!

Don't you agree?

She's also quite a stinker!

A feisty, independant, tough, little girl that likes things to go HER way!

But a snuggly, affectionate, honey-pie, that loves to hug and cuddle as well!

Elle loves to play with her big sister, read books, dance to music, and cuddle her baby.

She has a blankee, loves to be outside, and likes to help us feed the dogs.

Her vocabulary is getting better each day and although "No" is still her favorite word, 

we are getting more and more out of her!  Ha!  

She's not one to be left behind, and has a determination that's unmatched!

Miss Elaina, we love you!  You certainly keep us on our toes!

Missing Fall

It's no secret that fall is my favorite time of the year!

Birthdays, anniversaries, cool weather (which means jeans and sweaters), and the lovely colors!

This year, however, it's been a weird fall for me.

I feel like I've missed out on so many of the things I love.

Yes, I've been apple picking, 

and yes, I took the girls to get pumpkins...

but still.

For many of the lovely, sunny days, I was working,

or just coming off a shift.  I don't think I've gone out to actually just ENJOY the weather,

and now I look out the window and the color is gone.

The leaves are down, and it's cold.

Not just cool, but "need a hat and coat" cold.  Bah!

I do love me a good Halloween, and then....

well, the holidays are right around the corner!  Always something to look forward to!

I'll get another chance to enjoy my fall again next year! 

Pumpkin Pickn'

Today, well...

it's simply Gorgeous out!

70, sunny, lovely fall breeze!

Aaaaahhhhhh, just my kind of day!

(really too bad I have to muck it up, by heading into work tonight, but anyway...)

Since it's such a great day out, the girls and I decided to go get some pumpkins!

We first stopped and got some pots of Mums, big beautiful white ones,

and some small bright yellow and deep red!

Then we hit The Big Yellow Barn to collect our pumpkins!

The girls of course wanted to pick the first 2 they saw, 

and Lila I think had more fun towing the wagon than anything.

We got 3 lovely pumpkins and a straw bale to set up with our flowers.

Now, the girls are sleeping after our fancy lunch of Mac n' Cheese with hot dogs,

and I'm going outside to assemble my fall decor!

Happy Fall everyone!

Looking for just the right one... (after a discussion about why we don't pick the mushy ones.)

Lila's 3rd Birthday!

What a great day!

Lila and I spent all day together, just the two of us!

Daddy was at work, and Elle went to daycare, so all my focus and attention

could be on my special Birthday girl!

She got to sleep in (7am), I was amazed!

Milk with sprinkles and Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast!

(Thank you Stacey for the cute idea!)

We baked her cake together (and by bake, I mean threw a box cake together)

We went shopping, then had a picnic outside on the grass while waiting for her appointment.

Wearing her Birthday crown!

Playing in the leaves during our Picnic!

Then she walked in like such a big girl and got her hair cut for the 1st time!

She did pretty well, but the cape was decorated in underwater critters, and she kept wanting

to look down and check out all the designs! Ha!  I was so proud of her.

(I was also proud of me, since I managed to refrain from tearing up.)

not too sure about it at first...

Such a big girl!

We stopped and got some Papa Murphey's pizza to share for dinner,

then home we went! 

She took a nice long nap, and I went to work on her cake. 

Wasn't real sure about the look I was going for, but she had picked out her decorations,

and for reason unknown to me, she was zoned in on Tinkerbell... so here's what she got.

Don't judge me... I'm no Cake Boss.

Doesn't matter, because when she woke up from her nap...

she caught sight of the cake, and lit up like a firework!  

You would think I created a masterpiece, she was THRILLED!

My parents came down and Ryan and Elle were home soon after.

We let her open her presents, and all had some pizza (her favorite).

Decent picture of girls with Grandma and Grandpa.

Our attempt didn't go as well.

Then of course it was singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing out candles.

(we actually did this a couple times, since she loved it and I was trying to take pictures!)

Yes, I realize our baby has the fire starter, and you better believe she stuck it right in the frosting!

Yummy cake!

She played with her new toys and had a fun evening.

Both Daddy and I tucked her into bed, and once again, I was very proud of myself

for keeping my composure as she snuggled in and says

"I love you Mommy!"

Oh baby girl,

I love you too.

How can it be? ~ Today you are 3!

 3 years ago today, my world changed in a way I could never have imagined.

I became a mother.

I remember holding you for the first time, looking at your scrunched up, chubby face,

and being amazed at what your Daddy and I had made!

You have grown into a beautiful little girl.

You are loving, and sweet, and emotional.

You are an early-riser, love chocolate milk, and have taken a fancy to wearing "crowns".

(aka headbands, set on top of your head.)

You are wonderfully creative and never fail to amuse us everyday with 

something you say or do.

Lila Kate Volovsek

You are wonderful!

Thank you for changing my life for the better!

To my first born, 

Happy Birthday!

Busy Fall Weekend

WOW!

The weekend flew by (apparently Monday did too, as it's already well into Tuesday), and we really had a fun, productive couple of days!

Friday night, the hubby and I went out by ourselves for the anniversary dinner while the kidlets stayed with my parents. Dinner, movie, adult beverage... all great...

The best part of the whole deal though?  SLEEPING IN!

Yep, we're crazy fools and slept in until after 7am! (yes people, this is sleeping in around here.)

Then off we go to help my sister pack/move into her new apartment, errand running while the girls napped, then the 4 of us went to visit some special friends of ours!  Julie and I became friends through some "special" circumstances, and low and behold, her husband Brad and Ryan now work for the same company!  We all get along great, and this was the first time they have met the girls.  It was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again!  Julie, I love you woman!

Sunday was up and at em' early.  Some of Ryan's family came down to help do work on the basement.  Plumbing, electric, you know? The fun stuff.

His sister and niece came too, and all of us girls went on over to Emma Krumbee's and picked apples!  

The kids had so much fun!  Of course, Lila's favorite part of the day was getting to ride the pony!

I would have preferred it to be about 10 degrees cooler, but I know in a few months I'll be begging for warmth, so I'll just keep my mouth shut for now.

The girls are napping, I just pulled an apple crisp out of the oven, and now I'm going to fold a mountain of laundry!  I really need to get out and tackle the dead/dying flowers, but I'm irritated by the flurry of boxelder bugs... so I'll stay put inside for now.