Leaves

"Leaves are falling, gently falling, falling to the ground"  A line from one of our Music Together songs.  There is something so peaceful and so wonderful about leaves blanketing the ground during the Fall.  I think perhaps it is the most perfect time of year. 

This little kid might just agree with me....

 Pure Joy!

Happy Raking Everyone!

Like Family Post Op

A few days after I posted the first Like Family blog, Aunt Tara come into town after being on call all night at the hospital, for another "like family" member's baby shower.  It was great to see her...as always...as she is the closest thing to a "sister" that I have!  This all might be getting slightly confusing to you if you don't know the inner (and outer) workings of this "like family" circle.  Look HERE if you would like some clarification...or maybe it will confuse you even more....who knows? All I know is that it is as simple as it can be to us...we love our friends like family.

 God Mommy

Uncle Terrence!

Just in case you were still confused about my double entendre title for this post

LOVE YOU AUNT TARA!

Like Family

There are some people in your life that are more like family than much of your own family.  This is why we choose these special people to be Godparents.....and God brothers and sisters too.  We call them uncle and aunt and refer to them as cousins and we wouldn't have it any other way.  We love them, so much in fact that we don't want to leave when the visit is over.  (This is the second time now that Jackson has thrown a full on screaming, yelling, kicking, tantrum because we had to leave somewhere he wanted to stay....)

Boys will be boys and some girls will be boys for a bit (and then resume their natural ability to nurture). This is for certain though, when the boys get together, CHAOS rules!

 CHAOS

 Buddies

 The only thing missing from this picture is Grace!

 The God Fathers

 The next generation

Momma Ella

And, speaking of Godparents.....We miss you Aunt Tara and a visit is LONG overdue!  We love you!!!!

Dog Days

Ah, a boy and his dog.....is there anything like it?  Lately Jackson has been thoroughly and intensely  obsessed with Zoe.  He takes pride in giving her nightly milkbone (sometimes morning and daily too), letting her outside to do her duty (to which he replies "Zoe's poopin"), holding her leash while we take her for a walk, sharing tidbits of his snacks & meals (to which he then cries heartily when she eats his cookie) and, the playing.  Now that is something entirely of it's own nature.  Disasterous in any sense of the word with many dogs....but not Zoe.  I do declare that we may just have one of the world's best dogs...she takes the abuse with a smile on her little doggie face and a hat on her head (well sometimes).

Just a little side note:  Jack is getting pretty smart too....he can now count to 12, BY HIMSELF, that put both Frank and I in a longstanding state of shock last night...and he obviously know all of his doggie parts....

Ah yes, there is nothing like a boy and his dog.

Halloween Triple Threat

This year I thought we were going to have a slight dilema in the costume department.  It started out that, in August, I found this really great Elmo costume at a consignment sale for $3.  Sold.  Elmo is a favorite and I assumed it would be a no brainer.  Wrong.  Trying the costume the first time = crying and "NONONONONONO".  Trying the costume for a second time = crying and "NONONONONONONONONONO".  Trying to try the costume for a third time = SCREAMING NOOOOOOOOOO before Elmo actually touched him.    Ok...plan B, flash forward to October.....we need a costume.  I happened upon a great pair of skeleton pajamas at baby gap that would be perfectly scary and comfy too for Halloween festivities.  Done.  Or are we?  That week Col & Mike (who have fashionably clothed Jackson since his birth) once again handed down bins, boxes and bags of clothes that their boys had grown out of (thanks also to the succession of boys preceding mine and to all who have contributed to this awesome wardrobe) and amidst it all there was.....it's a bird.....it's a plane....it's the perfect costume.  SUPERMAN! 

Well you just know where this is going to go.....more than one event = more than one costume.

 Scary Skeleton at our Halloween play date party

 The old standby

Skelewitch

Happy Bones

 Super crank

 my favorite face EVER!

 watching the Westmont parade

 Super Love

 Can Superman be contained?  He must.....

 Super Crash

Oh yeah....and remember that Elmo costume?

 He loves it now.....those are actually tears of joy

 Trick or treat

 Party pooper Daddy would not dress up

Miss Jenn's costume definitely took the cake though....

 

My only regret is that I should have dressed up as Katy Perry.

Elmo wants candy

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Home Videos

Recently I was smacked in the face with the reality that my son is growing up so, so, so fast.  And while I am savoring every moment that I can, I realize that I am still missing something a lot while I am at work.  Then I can across some videos that I took of him last year at this time and I cried.  I cried at the loss of my baby, I cried at how proud of my little boy I am, I cried at the dreams I have for his future, and I cried because I am so glad he is mine.  Sentimental tears....happy tears.....sad tears.....all of the above.  The purpose of this post was not to depress the hell out of you, but to cheer you up with these adorable videos (which I also realize I should be taking daily.....)

Boo At The Zoo

Last weekend Grammy and GrandPop came for a visit and we decided to visit the zoo for "Boo At The Zoo."  It was a zoo filled trick-or-treat extravaganza complete with costumes, candy and grilled cheese flavored cheese curls (which, while the thought absolutely grossed me out, actually ended up being pretty tasty) and a lots a ton of people.  I decided that we should work our way through the zoo backwards to try to beat the crowds and.....it totally worked.  Plus....hooray for us.....all of the animals were out and about, not just laying with their backs to us (how we typically experience the zoo). 

Scary lookin' bear up close and personal

Super Serious Superman

 

 Grilled cheese curl face

Grandparents=Love