7 Quick Takes - #8

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We made it through Birthday Week!  Amelia is 3.  Simon is 1.  (And Owen is still 4...until March at least).  In between potty breaks, laundry, and cooking I have fleeting thoughts of how our family has changed in the past 5 years.  It baffles me really.  Even though there was a time when all three of our kids didn't exist, it's hard to remember that time.  I don't know quite how to say what I mean.  Having 3 kids is normal.  To think about life when we only had 1 or 2 though it did exist and was normal seems not normal.

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Ok, moving on.  Maybe it's the time or maybe it's my brain teetering on the edge of sugar coma, but that first take of mine was just too much. Anyway...Halloween!  Here in Northern New York has been pretty in the forties for the past several days.  Well, temps creeped up close to sixty!  However, it came at a wet, rainy price.  It worked out ok, but the it was a bit touch and go for the first hour of trick or treating.  

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Costumes!

Jack Frost

Full discloser.  I prefer homemade costumes to store bought ones. Actually, it's not so homemade vs. store bought.  I just don't want to run into several other kids with the same super hero costume.  So last year when Owen despreately want to be a Power Ranger I was a little bummed.  I was a little surprise at how cute I thought he was.  I mean, he's always cute.  I was just shocked that I was excited to see him dressed up as his favorite character.  I still prefer a less popular costumes.  Chris and I fully admit that we plugged this Jack Frost costume.  We had grand plans that we didn't fully execute.  I know for me it was fear of "messing it up".  Anyway, it's hard to see, but there is frost on the hoodie and Chris made the staff.  I am happy with how it turned out.

Ready for her school parade.

I bought this monster costume last year after Halloween.  This is an example of a store bought costume that I prefer.  I think it's adorable and she is less likely to cross paths with another kid wearing the same costume (though it is possible).  She actually only wore this to her birthday party and her Halloween parade.  For actual trick or treating she chose to be Snow White.  And yes she was beyond precious.  And yes we ran into other Snow Whites.  And no it was not the end of the world.  And YES I am neurotic and totally over-thinking Halloween costumes for these kids.

Simon was Frankenstein.  I had saved this from Owen's first Halloween.  And he was just a cute as his brother was four years ago. 

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Crossfit update.  So if you know me a little you about know my love for food and doing a whole lot of nothing.  Any time I do anything health related I am good for 3 months...Then I'm not.  So I hit 3 months and mentally I was/am/was having a hard time.  I didn't/don't/didn't want to do it any longer.   CrossFit is great.  Gracey is GREAT.  My problem is ME.  I let Gracey know that mentally I'm struggling just getting to the gym.  Once I'm there is not the problem.  So things seem to be turning around.  I had a great week last week at the gym.  The WODs were my type of WODs....Then this week happened.  I haven't been at all this week!  CWOC, Halloween festivities for the kids, All Saints Day activities and mass have clashed with gym hours.  I actually felt/feel/felt like I am coming out of this mental sump.  So I hope this unexpected week off does not hinder the up swing of this slump I was/am/was in. 

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Back to Halloween for a minute.  So I had plans with my friend to take the kids trick or treating.  We did.  Our neighborhood was difficult.  First, it was hard to see if porch lights were on because of how the houses and garages are laid out.  And more importantly,  only a few people were handing out candy.  So we drove to another neighborhood.  It was easier to see porch lights and there were more porch lights lit.  So I parked the car leave the hazard lights on, and move the car as needed.   Well, my van died. 

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I am looking forward to November!!!!  The hope is to be in NC for Thanksgiving.  As always, we are still waiting on leave approval, and nothing major popping up.  We haven't left New York since November last year.  We have only left Watertown once and that was to Niagara when my in-laws visited this summer.  I'm looking forward to seeing our family. 

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I am praying for our family right now, and I am asking for prayers if you will.  Without going into tons of details and what if scenarios, it is unclear which direction we are suppose to go.  I know where I want us to go, and I hope that is where we are headed.  But I don't know if that is truly what's in store for our family.  So yea, if you can help out with this vague prayer request it would be appreciated.  Sincerely appreciated! 

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Birthday week

Birthday week is upon us.  Amelia's birthday is Wednesday and Simon's is Saturday.  I almost feel like I should be 9 months pregnant and ready to pop.  If we are blessed with another baby I would like to give October a break...January has a beautiful birthstone :)

Anyway.  We are having a Halloween birthday party.  I suggested it to Amelia and she was all for it.  She loves Halloween.  She pick Halloween books year round.  I suggested it because it would give the kids another chance to wear their costumes.  Owen is being Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians.  Amelia is being a purple monster princess.  Simon will be either Darth Vader or Frankenstein. I think for trick or treating he will definitely be Frankenstein because it's a warmer costume.  It's Owen's first costume too.

We are going to try am make this happen.

2009 Owen's first Halloween

Amelia showing off her costume a few months ago

I have a few goals this week for the blog.  I am going to try and write Amelia's and Simon's birth stories (here's Owen's) along with some notes about what they are like as we approach year 3 and year 1.  They are both awesome additions to this family.  Their wild antics keep us laughing, loving, crying, yelling, and cussing (striving for sainthood is hard!)  But mostly they keep us laughing and loving.  A friend posted that with each kid your love is multiplied not divided.  So true.  I hope the love keeps multiplying.  These kids, Owen too, make me want to love more.  I don't think domesticity/parenting comes naturally to me.  Order most definitely does not.  But the swell of my heart watching each kid sleeping as a newborn to putting on their clothes independently is like a drug that I want more of.  The plan for our family is being revealed one day at a time, and we will do our best to happily accept whatever is in store for us.  Right now we are blessed with 3 wonderful children who fill this home with joy.

7 Quick Takes - #7

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Yay!!! I remembered it is Friday.  Well, only after thinking it was Saturday, but that doesn't matter.  What matters is is that I remembered to connect with Jennifer Fulwiler at ConversionDiary.com.  Yay, Nicole - 1, Life -7629243723818465!!!!!  Take that!  ;)

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I'm thinking about moving my blog...I know I'm using a free site, but they have added ads within the content of my posts and a big ad in the middle of my admin page.  It's annoying and hard to read.  So unless I figure how to remove theses ads I may look at other sites.  We will see.

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We are decorating for Halloween.  Amelia and Simon's birthdays are in two weeks.  (Let me just say I can't believe Simon is going to be 1.  But with Amelia I can't believe she is only 3.  It's a weird conundrum I am still trying to figure out.)  So we are having a joint birthday, and to make it easy it's a Halloween party.  The kids are thrilled and I am hopeful everyone will have fun.  So we are getting a little festive outside.  We have some tomato cages that we plan to wrap with lights at Christmas to make Christmas trees.  Well we figured we could be a white plastic over them and make ghosts.  We are short a few extension cords so they don't light up yet, but I'm happy with the turn out.  Some of the ghost have white lights some have red.  I may get some black felt to give them eyes.  Along the walkway are 3 black trees with purple lights and a light up jack o lantern.  What you do think?

Ghost family

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A few weeks ago I wrote a post about why we are considering homeschooling.  The more time that passes the more excited I become about the possibilities.  Not to say that it isn't also terrifying...you know, if I fail them they are the ones who suffer.  But hearing from friends and seeing their Facebook posts about homeschooling has me looking forward to next year.  Science experiments, art projects, reading, and field trips done together as a family.  I'm excited to cultivate a stronger learning environment for all of us.

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Even though I remembered it was Friday I am having a hard time filling all the quick takes. Just happy to be here, folks! Chris and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary! Check it out!

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The CWOC kickoff meeting when really well.  There was a lot of hard work to keep this group from fizzling away.  With 28 ladies at the kickoff meet, and a few emails of ladies who couldn't attend the kick off but plan to is awesome!  St. Micheal's parish is flourishing.  Great things are going to happen this year; I can feel it.

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Happy Friday, y'all.  It's all I got for today.  

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