Halloween...

 We had so much fun with Halloween this year!!! I am certain we had at least 5 Halloween events and Madeline had the time of her life at every one of them! She wouldn't wear her owl costume this year - she refused to wear it last year too. She won't wear any costume that goes around her head. Thanks to the Halloween episode of Dora, she wanted to be a bumble bee! 

  

Trunk or Treat at church

 

 

 On Halloween Madeline had a party at school. They asked the parents to come for the "party" if we wanted to so I did. It was me and one other mom, and it wasn't much of a party. It was a bunch of 2 year olds eating cupcakes. Madeline saw me and immediately said, "Mom, I not go yet. I gotta eat my pancake". Pancake = cupcake. I felt so loved! :)

  

When we got home, we got our own party started. I decided that this year is the year we are starting our family traditions. I want every holiday and birthday to be special. Before I picked her up from school I did a little baking. I was making this popcorn candy corn thing but I burnt the white chocolate so that was a bust!

Burnt white chocolate = not very appetizing

 The popcorn survived and nobody knew the difference...except me.

I also made candy corn cupcakes...I have to say they were delicious and SO pretty. I don't think my cupcakes have ever looked so good! haha

 

Madeline helped me decorate the table. She had so much fun setting out the plates, cups, and napkins. She also put one of her forks and spoons on every napkin. It was so cute! We had Frito pie for our meal to round out the healthiness! 

 

 After we set up for our party, and Terry got home we went trick or treating. Our neighborhood is so crazy on Halloween. It was insane how many kids there were. Madeline had so much fun though and wasn't scared of anything. One guy brought a real chainsaw and cranked it and people were screaming. I thought it was so funny. Madeline wasn't even phased by it - she was in the candy zone. She is normally kinda shy but she was saying trick or treat, thank you, and happy Halloween to everyone we saw! She loved seeing all the costumes, and her favorite thing was seeing dogs dressed up. It was so fun!

Even Gizmo loved Halloween!!!

After the second street Terry came home to hand out candy, and we went down one more street. Madeline would've never quit but it was so dark, and she already had so much candy! When we got home we ate and had our little party. Madeline was going crazy - she was running laps and throwing napkins in the air one minute, and the next thing I knew she was passed out on the couch. It was hilarious! She slept until 9:45 Friday morning  and she looked pretty rough when she woke up. I don't think she has ever had so much fun - even at Disney World. 

Halloween Carnival

Madeline went to our friends' Halloween carnival Saturday night. I really need to work on my picture taking skills! She had so much fun, and I did too. 

 

 Madeline and her buddy, Easton in the gator. He had his trick-or-treat bag next to him and when she walked up he moved it and patted the seat. So cute - I thought I might melt from the cuteness. We sure do love our friends. We started talking about us moving next year, and while part of me is ready to go, it is going to be SO sad to leave. Easton and Madeline were dedicated together as babies and are just a few weeks apart. They've been buddies since birth!

 

 Madeline may have had a little too much fun. I didn't think she ate that much candy, but about an hour after we got home she started acting really pitiful. About 20 minutes after that everything from the party came up. She felt so hot too so I took her temp and it was 102. It was so all of the sudden and weird but she still has a temp today so we've been cuddled up all day. I hate it when my baby is sick! 

 

Pumpkin Fun

We went to the pumpkin patch a couple of weekends ago. Well, there are two around here ( that I know of) and one of them is pretty good and the other is basically just a bunch of pumpkins for sale outside of a church. That's the one we went to - we are going to the better one this weekend.

Madeline was beside herself with excitement. She said, "Look, Momma, Halloween! It's everywhere!" I think one of the best things about this age is how exciting every little thing is to her! So sweet! Anyway, she picked out two of the smallest pumpkins they were selling, and she painted both of them a multitude of colors! 

30...and Trouble In Paradise

I am sitting in the airport in Orlando because guess what? My flight with American has been delayed for FOUR hours!!! 

I had the best birthday weekend. I flew in to Orlando on Thursday night around midnight, got up around 5 on Friday and we left for Tuscaloosa - also known as the greatest city on earth! :) Let me preface everything by saying I really thought I was an Alabama fan until I went to the game Saturday. But you see, apparently true fans have RV's that are painted in Bama colors and Alabama golf carts to match, they buy pigs to roast because we're playing the "hogs", and they have flat screens under their tailgating tents - which are of course Alabama themed. SO clearly, I am slacking as a fan! 

The game was pretty awesome. There is nothing like actually being there. The energy is electric and contagious! It was a sad game though...we won 52-0. While I love winning, it didn't make for a very exciting game. The stadium was probably more than half empty by the time the 4th quarter rolled around. 

How cute is the elephant the band "made"? I feel so nerdy saying this but I really loved the band - they were so talented! 

Selfie :) 

The highlight of my weekend was getting a picture with Big Al. Let me tell you - this doesn't just happen for everyone. He is a celebrity in Tuscaloosa! We happened to catch him right as he was getting ready to leave, and I told him it was my birthday and begged for a picture. He patted me on the shoulder like I was a 5 year old! Whatever - it worked! I was so excited!!! 

Of course the best part of my birthday was getting to spend time with my parents. My mom rode in the RV with us up there but didn't go to the game. I had such a good time with them - it was so weird that it was just me and them. I don't know if that's ever happened! It was great!!! 

To top off the weekend, Terry's team, FSU, won too. Now, let me give you some bad news. The BCS rankings came out yesterday. FSU had a major win Saturday and now they're #2. SO Alabama is #1 and FSU is #2 and there are talks that our teams will meet in the national championship. It's still early in the season but let me tell you - it may get ugly. I really love Terry but not enough to root for FSU in the championship should it come to that!  :) 

God is Good...

October 15th is always one of the hardest days of the year for me. It is Pregnancy and Infancy Loss Remembrance Day. I am reminded today of all the sweet little lives who met Jesus long before any of their families imagined they would. 

I always wanted to be a mom. I always thought I would have a lot of kids - at least 5 I would tell people when I was little. The life I envisioned for myself is not the life God has ordained for me. It has been so painful for me and something I still struggle to understand. I still remember each pregnancy test, the excitement and terror, and the dreams of what life would be like with a new baby. I'll never know what that life would be like. Occasionally, I will have a day where the grief of so much loss overwhelms me. 

I know in my heart though, that doubting God's plan and letting grief steal my joy is exactly what satan wants me to do. At one point, I thought the grief would destroy me. I had no place to put my loss. I had no baby, and, yet, I had no grave site to visit. One day I had a pregnancy test with two lines, and seemingly the next a whirlwind of ultrasounds and doctor appointments telling me there was no longer life where there once was. It is the strangest kind of grief - nothing tangible to hold onto, just the memories of what we thought would be. 

I always think of that verse - "weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." As painful as this part of my life has been, out of it has come my greatest sources of joy. God gave me the most perfect little girl, and I still melt when I look at her sweet face. I still get choked up when I look at her, and think about God's goodness in my life. The miracle of her. The goodness of women placed in my life who have walked this road before me, and had much greater burdens than I. The sweet joy of being a parent. The goodness of the reality of heaven, and the glorious reunion we have to look forward to someday.

 God is so good. Even in the hard things, He is good. 

Homemade Weekend...

We have been gearing up for Halloween around here! I LOVE Halloween!!! It is one of my favorite holidays - next to Easter I think. Or maybe Easter, Thanksgiving then Halloween. I digress. Well, while I was at work Friday night, Terry and Madeline were very busy making all these cute Halloween projects! The jack-o-lantern is on her door and the witch's hat is hanging in front of it. Terry will bend his knees and act like he's wearing it, and Madeline just laughs. So cute!

These are from the dollar tree like forever ago and somehow they've survived! I put them in Madeline's room and she loves it! I think this is the first season where she kinda gets what's going on. 

This monster is by far her favorite - it has beans in it and she sticks it in front of her face and growls at us. I love it! Terry is so creative! 

I am not as talented as Terry but I'm not completely useless. I made these pumpkin muffins Saturday and they were SO good! I also made some tissue paper ghosts and a spider, but I haven't hung them so I haven't taken any pictures yet. I'm telling you - we have been on a roll around here! :)

Finally, this has nothing to do with Halloween, but a friend recommended these to me, and I am pretty sure they've changed my life. They are not messy, and our clothes are so clean! I love them and definitely think they're worth the money. And this is coming from someone who was buying the absolute cheapest laundry detergent the commissary sells! You're welcome! 

Tumultuous Tuesday

Madeline had a fight with the corner of the couch on Sunday. 

She stole some candy off the kitchen counter and took off running when Terry asked her for some. She tripped and fell into the corner of the couch. She did her serious cry but right after it happened there was no mark. Then she woke up from her nap like this!

Then, Monday morning she looked like this! She looked terrible!

It is much less swollen today but the bruise is darker. Always something with this girl!