Halloween Revisited

I never got around to posting a photo from Halloween this year. So now that Thanksgiving is almost here, I will do it.

My kids dressed up as Spider Girl (it was Lucas' costume but I added a red tutu and a bow in the hair!) and a firefighter. They had a great time this year and went trick or treating twice. That means LOTS of candy for mom, I mean them;-).

The first time was at a Harvest Festival at the church that Lucas goes to school. They had a Trunk or Treat in the parking lot with 50 or so cars and about 20 bikers for Jesus giving out candy. It was a cool community event that we hope to make a family tradition.

The second candy run was on Halloween when daddy took them out for a half and hour or so around the neighborhood. They would have gone longer, but it started to rain.

But the best part of the day for the kids was giving out candy to our costumed visitors. Lucas was opening the door, grabbing the big bowl and handing out the candy himself. He did great. "See you soon," he'd say as they left. So cute!

Keep On Growing

I ran today, yet my pants didn't fit afterwards. My shirts are getting tighter and starting to creep up. And is that a rubber band looped through the button hole of my corduroys? What is going on??

I think that I've got a case of the baby flu. A 14 week case so far. Luckily, besides the waist (etc.) expansion, I feel pretty fine.

Ouch!

I zipped my expanding belly into my pants today. Does that mean that I should quit kidding myself by wearing normal clothes and pull out the maternity ones already?

I know that after I do, I will wonder why I put it off so long. They are so roomy and glorious.

I am definitely starting to look like a hooch in my regular clothes. The "she really shouldn't be wearing that" look.

On a side note...what do you think of the name Jolina for a girl? Lucas made it up and it combines my mother-in-law's name-Jo with a great friend's name-Lina. A friend just told me it sounded ethnic. Your thoughts?

P.S. Photos of the big belly to follow soon!

Sucky Times

Today, I realized that something has got to give. There are times in my day that really stink and something about them has got to change.

The most trying times, I find are meals and attempting to get my kids ready when we need to be out the door. Yep, those are really sucky times. The times where I hate the sound of my bossy voice. Where I am trying to keep control of the situation and am grossly unable. What can I do different?

Do I expect too much out of a 2 and 3 year old? I want them to eat their meals in a timely fashion and exhibit basic table manners. They just don't care about eating and are screwing around at the table much of the time. It makes me nagging and miserable.

And getting ready in a time crunch is equivalent to poking out my eyes with a fork. So painful and darn near impossible with a good attitude.

How can I be more easy going, less stressed and still get my kids to do what I want?