Happy Halloween!

This year's Halloween was so much more fun!  Emma really wasn't excited about being all dressed up, until she saw all of her friends in costume.  She thought that was pretty funny.  

Every year, all the children gather in the cul-de-sac of the neighborhood for a group picture.  It's a fun time for all of the parents to take pictures of the kids with their friends.  Then we all go home to pass out candy or walk with the kids to trick-or-treat.  

 

This year we had some added bonuses.  One of the couples hooked up a trailer for a hayride.  Another family had a Halloween party for all the trick-or-treaters after they filled up their candy buckets.

What a blessing to be in such a wonderful community of friends who feel like family!  

                Hope everyone had a safe and fun night!  Happy Halloween from the Gordon's :)

What's going on.

What a week!

Last weekend was all about a baby shower, a fish fry, a baby dedication celebration and an afternoon at the pumpkin patch.  A glorious weekend indeed, followed by a long work week.  My momma came up to hang out with Emma all week, while a bit the bullet and went in for a long week of work for a short staffed hospital. I really tip my hat to all the full-time working mommy's.  I am a weenie.  I had my mom here for back-up to help with my chores and laundry, and I was still beat!  I also missed my baby. I think she was having too much fun with Nana to notice I wasn't around, though!

This weekend we are still busy organizing the house.  We never turn away free stuff.  The result?  A house FULL of really awesome free toys.  The only problem is trying to figure out where to put it all.  It's also getting cold out, so some of Emma's favorite outdoor toys are being brought inside.  I guess that is a positive to not having our basement completely finished yet!  Our sweet girl has her own indoor "outdoor" play area complete with slide.

We took a little break from housework last night for our annual chili cook-off "Oktoberfest" at our friends house. Everyone in our neighborhood brought a treat or a pot of chili to be numbered and graded for competition.  It is more fun every year as we see more and more children being added to the hood.  It's so exciting to know that in a few short years, Emma will be boarding the school bus with so many of her friends from the block.  Emma has a little "boyfriend" that loves her to pieces.  Almost literally.  We have to keep an eye on him or he will tackle her to the floor to cover her in kisses!  They have become close friends since his mommy, who is my very dear friend, started watching Emma on my work days twice a week.  Emma loves going over there, and I know they love having her!  I love that we have so many wonderful families and friends in our lives!

Here are a few pictures from our week!

With my bestie at her baby celebration!

Miss Harper at her dedication celebration!

 (Emma loves her Harper!)

 All the kids LOVE Dana 

Pumpkin Patch picture overload!

I can't even begin to explain how much I adore this girl!

It was all about Nana this week!

Just monkeying around at Monkey Bizness with Nana, Auntie Gina, and cousin James!

Her new favorite sitting place. She can open it on her own now.

Have a wonderful week!!

Funfetti

 *Sometimes a realistic mommy day needs to be noted.  I don't want to forget how awesome I can be at times. 

I really really like being home.  I enjoy having my weekdays to play with Emma to casually go about my chores without the hustle that is required during a full work week.  Spontaneous trips to the zoo, to the park, for a long walk... these are nice.  Every now and again, though, I realize that I have completely let my housework fall behind.  I notice we no longer have clean clothes to wear.  Dog fur that has moved in from the hidden corners, has now spread to the center of the walk way that sets sail through the air with the slightest stroll through the house.  The opening of any drawer or closet door reveals the denial of my neglect, as it has all been pushed out of sight, and out of mind.  And then there is that day that things will get done.  From the moment the eyelids open, the brain is in full motion and is yelling for the body to keep step.  Then there is the moment of that day, that you realize your brain is stupid, your body is tired, and you are in way over your head.  That moment for me today was funfetti.

I woke up this morning at 100 mph.  Changed the baby, dressed the baby, made the baby and the daddy breakfast.  I didn't even bother to shower...there was no time.  Jogging pants and sneakers were to set the pace for the day.  My house was trashed and I have a baby shower to throw tomorrow.  I had three different stores to make it to with a baby who wanted to go home.  (She is teething.)  I literally start sweating as I see her move around in her seat.  Time is limited before the wails set in, and I'm only at our first stop.  Eyes are darting for each aisle for the items on my list.  Singing songs that make no sense to a now screaming child works beautifully as a  siren for the senior citizens to move out of the way as we are in full-on sprint.  I pull a bag of Fruit Loops from my bag that I had forgotten about.  Win!  The kid is now smiling.  No sweat...  I've got this. This works for the next two stops.  Emma smiles and claps as I continued to throw cereal at her in the back seat all the way home. 

We get home and have a little lunch.  Then, nap time.  Aah nap time.  I make a diaper cake and set aside, as it is now time to tackle the house.  I start by sweeping up the dog fur, then I begin the moment of truth.  I empty each drawer and closet and move it to the center of the room.  I sort and pick and clean from the top of the mountain of stuff forgotten all the way to the bottom.  Each closet and room clean and organized, I begin to feel a bit important.  This is where it all starts spiraling out of control.  While giving myself mental high-fives for a job well done, I push the limits outward.  Emma is starting to stir, so after a diaper change and a snack, we head upstairs.  I have decided that this is the day to completely re-decorate the second floor.  Emma chants "mommy" over and over behind me while clapping and dancing as I push furniture and sort toys to make room for an extra craft/play space.  About half way done is when I realize that there really are more important things to be getting done.  Brett gets home, rolls is eyes at a house upside down, and takes daddy duty, as I frantically push everything into place.

Cupcakes.  I have still to make cupcakes for our party tomorrow.  My family belly ups to the bar to lick the bowl.  I'm calm.  I'm collected.  I'm tired, but the house is clean and everything is as it should be.  Then, Dallas comes inside.  He has rolled in something that won't be mentioned, that is now fuming up my clean house!  Into the tub the dog goes.  Gloves on, I take on a hundred pound pup, who's fur I have just spent the entire day cleaning and is now damp and all over my clean bathroom. One hand on the hose, one hand on the dog, I yell for the cupcakes to be taken out of the oven.  

I exit the bathroom with a dog that has had the full spa treatment and a twice cleaned bathroom behind me, to find cupcakes that have not been cooked properly.  Apparently, when I asked for the cupcakes to be taken out, I failed to emphasize that they should be done cooking.  This is it.  This is my funfetti moment. So here I sit, sipping my wine and waiting for round two of funfetti cupcakes to finish cooking so I can turn off my brain that doesn't know my body's abilities at all.  We are going to take things easy-peasy this weekend in honor of my broken body.  

Have a wonderful weekend!

Home, Sweet Home!

We have been home for about a week. The best part about leaving home, is  coming home, always. While we had a great time visiting people we love, I missed my people here.  We are back to work and daycare, family meals, our rocking chair, and our people.  They must have missed us too, because we were able to spend some special time with them throughout the weekend and into the beginning of this week. Women's Ministry, game nights, pizza and football, a baby celebration, and zoo time... Oh, how I love my people here at home!

 Below you can find some pictures of Emma being cute, and our zoo adventure with the Spears girls!  Have a wonderful week everyone!