halloween fun

My children are nestled all snug in their beds, while mounds of candy dance in their tummies.

Halloween is officially over (unless some kids knocks on our door at eleven o'clock tonight). I can't believe how fast this month has flown by. I wanted to make a few more crafts and dip caramel apples, but have been under the weather and now the season is past. I guess there's always next year.

Sarah was a purple unicorn. She wanted to be a Pegasus, but I couldn't bring myself to cut the horn off a perfectly good costume (and apparently that's the only difference between a unicorn and a Pegasus--that and "life saving" powers). Emma was a pink flamingo (the same costume I made for Sarah when she was two years old--and I plan on making this baby get good use out of it as well). Emma would knock on the doors and say "tweet tweet, trick or treat", and was SOOO excited to have so much candy to herself, she just kept saying all night "Ooooo, mine!" :)

Front view of Emma holding up her goods.

Side view of Emma in her pink flamingo costume while at Aunt Felicia's house.

Sarah the purple unicorn holding up her goods: about 5 lbs. of candy!

So, when it comes to dealing with the Halloween candy from here on out what's best? Let them eat as much as they want and get it over with/get rid of it quickly...or restrict their eating to only a few pieces a day/making it last. Not for the sake of "savoring" the candy, but what do I try to avoid...dental cavities or tummy aches. I've heard it's best for the teeth to let them eat it quickly, but of course that would lead to nights of vomit clean-up. Ick! And we've already "been there, done that"!

In the past I've done my share of stashing bits away (for a future movie night) when they were asleep, but Sarah is getting old enough now to notice when something is missing. Suggestions?

long lost photos

Some pics from the last 5 months...

This is a "before" picture of Emma's tooth back in May. Her tooth actually grew in like this, but it slowly started to affect the nerve, so we decided to get her dental surgery to prevent anymore decay.

This is very early in the morning at the hospital. I think she is so adorable in her little hospital gown, though I never want to see her in another one again!

This is Emma's cute little mug a couple days after her dental surgery (her gums were a little swollen still). This procedure has made a big difference in her eating & speaking.

At the end of August Sarah fell off her cousin's top bunk-bed, while asleep, and smacked her forehead on a table below and needed 6 stitches. This is after she had to endure the *numbing needle* and, obviously, a terrible night's sleep.

This is after our second trip to the doctor and, after finding out that her stitches couldn't come out yet, I decided to take them to Leatherby's ice cream shop. That cheered them up!

I just love this picture of Emma! (at least now she can sink her teeth into some cold without it hurting.)

**Blogger won't let me download anymore for now, so I'll post the before & after of our basement later, as well as the ultrasound pics we just got.**

mixed emotions

I love this time of year! I am usually giddy with fall fever, baking and holiday preparations. However, this year I'm finding myself in a bit of a blue mood. It's unfortunate, but true, that I get a bit depressed when I'm pregnant or have just had a baby. They say this is "normal" ...whatever. (I refuse to take meds while pregnant or early nursing.) But this year it seems unbearable sometimes. I've been crying at the drop of a hat...at the thought of the hat dropping.

I have no doubt that some of this is due to extenuating circumstances that I have no control over. People that I shouldn't have control over (but previously thought I had) making stupid choices. And realizing some unpleasant truths about myself (eating humble pie doesn't taste so good). Then there's my *imagination* when I'm pregnant--it can really get out of hand! I have a tendency to imagine 15, very elaborate, steps into the future instead of living in the present. Anyway....

That all said, I am having a lot of fun doing Halloween crafts and homeschool co-op art classes (that I'm currently hosting at my house until mid November). Sarah is turning into quite the young artist! She is currently writing and illustrating her own princess book. Her favorite subject continues to be math (I wonder how she ever became MY daughter). Emma is constantly following Sarah and doing everything Sarah does, only re-doing it so that it feels like she did it "first". She's big into "me do!" They play surprisingly well most of the time. Although, this week art class is canceled due to a stomach bug that we've all had the pleasure of having. I'm running on such little sleep that I'm dizzy. And nauseous. And weepy.

Well, I finally got my palm to sync with this computer again, so I think I'll post some long over-due pictures from this summer. Nothing huge; for some reason I didn't get a single pic of when Kathleen & family were here or any of our camping trips, but better late than never.

**Blogger is having problems, so the pics will have to wait yet some more**

BTW, we found out that we're having another girl. The baby looks good & healthy, and aside from my stretching muscles and aching back this pregnancy is coming along fairly well.