Halloween 2010

Yesterday we pretty much laid low as a family since Nora had been sick the night before and we were all sort of waiting for the next one to fall... so far we're doing okay, but don't feel out of the woods yet! Just taking a day at a time. We/Brad carved our pumpkin yesterday, with some help from Carolyn.

She actually wanted to help clean out the inside of the pumpkin.

This is what she thought of pumpkin carving as a tactile adventure the year she was 15 months. :) But now she doesn't seem as bothered by the gooey stuff- and for some really odd reason, she is FASCINATED with seeds! Every time we cut an apple or a pear or a peach or any other fruit, she always requests (sometimes politely, other times, it's more of a demand) to see the seed! She was so excited to see so MANY seeds inside the pumpkin. :)

And this girl loves her Daddy. They have a really special relationship that is growing closer and closer as Carolyn grows. She's really a lot of fun right now and Daddy is really good about getting down and playing with her. He's a good Daddy.

Nora Bean had a choice of two costumes that were given to us- a bumblebee or a butterfly- within the insect category, this was the one we ended up with. :) She got many compliments on being so cute as we traversed the neighborhood. It was a bit chilly for her and I regretted taking her out once we got halfway around the block, but overall, she was content enough to sit in the wagon covered by blankets and eating treats- I let her go up to a few houses when she ran out of treats and needed some more. Thank goodness for the house that was giving away pretzels!

Carolyn picked out a Sleeping Beauty dress- I figured we ought to at least get a good dress-up dress out of the Halloween deal. I made a tiara for her out of a headband and though it turned out cute. :)

We went trick or treating with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood. It was quite the posse of kids and a bit out of control at first as the big ones led the little ones on a wild chase from house to house, and Carolyn, who really just wanted to sit down and eat candy (it does terrible things to her behaviorally, so we don't often let her have it!), couldn't quite keep up. Once I told her she could eat candy when we got home, things went smoother, and she had a really good time. Of course we had to deal with Meltdown  Central when we got home, but overall, it was a fun night. :)

Trick or Treat

Not as cold as last year... but still a bit chilly- especially since we're under quarantine this weekend. Nora threw up all night last night, so the rest of us (well those of us who remember doing this before)... know what's coming... and we're just waiting... But no one was vomiting tonight when our neighborhood had trick or treat... so out we went. I have more pictures, but I'm tired and not going to post them tonight. So you'll have to wait til tomorrow (unless of course I'm too busy vomiting to post anything, in which case, I'm sure you will all understand. :))

My Glamourous Life

This is the world I live in... messes piled up so high that even I, who have a great tolerance for clutter (since I generate most of it) cannot even stand it. I hit a breaking point this morning... those of you who've known me for any length of time know that it's a cyclical process- I get really excited about things, overcommit, get stressed out, freak out, bust it out in high gear and high stress mode for a few days to get "it" (whatever it is) all done, then recover, and somehow forget the way it felt to be so overtaxed and then sign up for the whole thing again! You'd think I'd learn a better sense of balance at some point... but I'm almost (gasp!) 30 years old and I still don't deal well with this part of my personality that's been there for as long as I've been around! I love my life, don't get me wrong; I really do! It's just that I run on such high energy that I have so many balls in the air at a time, all spinning furiously, and when one starts to drop, all the rest have a tendency to come crashing down... and my kitchen is the place where the balls generally start to drop!

After a very busy, very long day in which I allowed my children to watch far too much television, the kitchen does look (a little) better, I have washed 5 loads of laundry (though it might be 2 more weeks before it's all folded and put away... ugh), and gotten at least a start on the myriad of other things I have to do with trying to keep my two wonderful children safe, fed, and growing well- a new business getting started, and another side job I've been doing for years done well- you'd think I'd learn not to stretch myself so thin, but I do, and I will, and maybe by the time I'm 80 I'll have learned how to sit still and give myself the rest I really need!

A Good Book

One of the things I love about a truly good book is how it grows along with you, especially the books you loved as a child that somehow come along with you long after you've left childhood behind. Kathleen Kelly in You've Got Mail gets it right when she says "when you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way no other reading does..." There are a few very special books like that that are just part of me; the characters exist for me in a very real way. The classic book "Little Women" is one of those, and I may have written about it before on my blog, but I'm going to do it again tonight because I've returned for a visit with Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy, and their precious mother. The older I get, the more different facets of the story seem to come alive for me. As a kid, I identified most with Jo, the rambunctious, slightly hot-tempered, blustery, lovable, energetic main character in the story. Then I remember re-reading the book as a new mom, and the pages where it talks about Meg's early adventures with her small ones, and how she navigates the balance in marriage and mommyhood really spoke to me. Today I found myself brought to tears over the tender conversation between the strong matriarch of the family and the tempestuous Jo.

Jo has just seen the consequences of her hot temper in the near-drowing of her little sister and is brought to her knees with remorse, and thus a moment of openness and vulnerability with her mother in which the mother confesses her own similarities and bents toward the same faults and Jo is genuinely surprised because her mother never gives way to those tendencies; she is calm, stable, serene, strong- and yet under the surface, "Marmee" is a very real, human woman, who has somehow in mothering and in continually asking for help in subduing her faults, managed to bring into submission the more difficult facets of her nature. She comforts her daughter greatly by expressing this humanness to her, and gently guiding Jo along the path that leads to self-control- knowing the way because she has traveled it herself.

This is the part that just choked me up today- in reference to how the mother tried so hard to overcome her faults for the sake of her girls- "It was easier to try for your sakes than for my own; a startled or surprised look from one of you, when I spoke sharply, rebuked me more than any words could have done; and the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy."

I can so relate to that! Like nothing else in my life, becoming a mother has been a refining experience for me. So many times, in a way you don't have to when little lives aren't depending upon you and watching your every step, a good mother must choose to be the adult when she would much rather take a turn being the child throwing the tantrum! Like Marmee, I must continually work to overcome my own faults, to become the woman I would have my girls copy. What an inspirational thought- and one that echoes with the vast responsibility of parenting. To be the woman I would have them copy. What do I want them to look like someday? How else will they learn but by watching me?

In so many ways, parenting is really as much about growing up yourself as it is about the children!

I love it...

...when projects that look like great ideas in magazines actually turn out to work! Today was Nora's Appletree day, and although this wasn't a greatly triumphant day in many ways (I still have just as many things to do now that the day is over, though I didn't eat a single bon-bon, or watch even one soap opera!)- I did accomplish a goal of mine and spent some good one to one time with Carolyn this afternoon. We tried this craft I read about in a magazine involving glue, salt, food coloring, and small medicine syringes- in other words, a good project for a big girl without a baby girl trying to participate! It actually turned out pretty cool, and Carolyn had a great time. She just thrives on quality time with Mom and Dad, and that's something I'm trying to remember so that I can feed that important time into her sweet little life.

Crazy Weather

Today was one of "those" days we've all had. We started this morning with the weather people in a frenzy... panicking the greater West Michigan area with their storm-mongering. We were under a "tornado watch" most of the day- and the majority of the schools closed. They even transitioned to a "tornado warning" a few times today. This means something very different in Michigan than it meant when I was a kid growing up in Texas and Oklahoma... there, a tornado watch meant that conditions were right for tornadoes to form, and a tornado Warning meant that an actual tornado was on the ground somewhere. Here a warning simply means that maybe there might be a tornado (and also that the weather people don't have a whole lot of really severe weather to deal with so they get really excited when there's a storm worth talking about). But the weather people were right about the high winds... it's been shrieking outside all day long and doesn't sound much better now. So we stayed in for most of the day. And something about the crazy weather made the kids C-R-A-Z-Y.

I pulled out all the stops. Even the foolproof, ace in the hole trick of throwing sugar cookie dough on the table and letting them have at it didn't really work. First by some recipe deciphering error, I ended up adding too much flour and then had to backtrack and add back in the right proportions of the other ingredients (but in the wrong order of course)- and so the cookie dough, while plentiful... really wasn't that good... even to someone who loves cookie dough like I do. Then I found that rolling it out on the table and letting the kids go to town with the cookie cutters mostly just made a giant mess and resulted in two sugar-hyper kiddos. There was a rough patch there this afternoon... but I regrouped, put them in pack and play time and room time, took a much-needed shower, and threw together a quick craft project that bridged the afternoon gap and brought us to dinner in one piece.
It was one of those days that seems to go on forever... a day when I would have been happy to go deal with customers behind the counter (even grouchy ones!) just for a change of pace and a ticket out the door without anyone else in tow! I nearly lost my temper with the girls more than once today... with their "mindless, inexhaustible, and nagging demands" ("Hook").

But it really is all about perspective. And when I take a breather and separate myself from the situation, I remember that no matter how long some of the days might seem, this time is really so SHORT. I was reminded of this this past weekend when my sister brought her baby son to my house and he needed a bath. I hauled out the baby bathtub that already had a fine layer of dust from sitting in the basement. As I had the wonderful joy of bathing that sweet boy that night, I thought about transitions in parenting. Some of them are really big and obvious- like the first day your kid goes to school, or when they go off to college- but a lot more of them are like the baby bathtub. I really can't pinpoint a single day in particular when we stopped using it and Nora graduated to the big bathtub... but somehow in the day in and day out routine of parenting and other changes and transition, it happened... she grew past that stage, never to return. A lot of things in raising kids are like that- you almost don't even realize that your child has changed until one day you look at her and do a double take because somewhere in the mix of it all, she's grown up just a bit more.

It's bittersweet, and makes me long for a new little life to celebrate and hold and watch grow. I don't regret Carolyn's and Nora's growing up because I love the little people they are becoming even more, if possible, than the littler people they were before... but I don't feel ready to be done with the stages they've left behind. I so want another tiny little bundle... and today I felt a bit more acutely than usual the lack of any sign of one forthcoming. :( Though, at the same time, I have wondered at times during this day whether the peculiar form of insanity that  makes me think a third child would be a good idea can be treated with medication- or maybe shock therapy? It may not make sense to want another one during this busy season of life... but want one I do. I have been given so much in those two little girls we already have... and my hands are so busy caring for them- and growing the little fledgling business that God has brought into my life... and yet I don't feel "complete." I desire that third child every bit as much as I wanted the first two. And sometimes, being patient is hard.

But as I was elbow deep in greasy dishwater today, I had a thought that I wanted to remember. I hope and pray that God does bless our family with another child- even with a few more!- but if He doesn't, I don't want to miss a single thing about Carolyn and Nora's growing up because of my longing for another child. I don't want to look back on this season of my life and feel like I "missed it" because I couldn't find a way to be content. And so today, though it was a crazy day, a tiring day, a disappointed day in a lot of ways... I tried to hold it together... and I think I succeeded just a little in seizing the day and making a few memories with my girls- even if they're memories of floors caked in flour, sticky hands and chubby fingers grabbing at whatever scraps of cookie dough remained on the table, gluey paper plate spiders that didn't stick, monsoons in the bathtub, and mischievous faces found halfway down the forbidden stairs. This is my life... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Summer Revisited

Tonight we revisited summer. It was unseasonably warm today- about 70 degrees and beautiful outside! And Brad had the day off today, so after naps, we took the kids to the beach for picnic (aka ordered a pizza and brought it to the park by the beach. :)) It was Nora's first time eating a whole slice of pizza without it being cut up for her, as Papa John's does not have plastic silverware. She did better than I thought she'd do.

Carolyn was so excited for "Family Night!" She has such a sweet heart and tonight told me that she wants it to be "family night" forever. :) I wish it could be. The fleeting days of sweetness with our girls are so short and passing so quickly!!

The lighting was perfect for some nice shots of the our new four-wheeled family member. We're still working on a name...

Sure is a handsome guy, though, isn't he?

Nora had fun stomping around in the leaves.

And playing in the sand. This would have been a decent picture except I cut her head off.

This picture makes me laugh because it looks like she is levitating the ball. She's super talented, folks. :)

Carolyn's favorite part was running down the dune. She should sleep well tonight. :)

None of the picture setup characteristics are right in this picture- the light is all wrong and the focus didn't work right... but I love it because it shows her delight- and her hair! :)

Brad found a big stick. 

He had the typical male response. 

He helped me model my own newest creation. I'm getting excited about making some stuff for moms, too, so I tried this headband today. :)

Someone wandered by and asked if we wanted a picture of the 4 of us. Who says no to that? :) I'm so thankful for these precious people I get to do life with. There's nothing better than family. :)

Cousins

The first real, halfway decent picture of all three cousins together. :) Elliot came to our house (with his mom of course :)) on Friday night, and I got to give him a bath, and he liked it. And Carolyn especially is so taken with him. Now she says she wants a baby brother. Tonight at dinner, she specially prayed to God for "her" baby brother. She must know something I don't. ;) I told her that if she wants a baby brother, she should ask God for him, and when the time is right for our family, God will make a baby in mommy's tummy. Can't hurt to have an extra person praying... I'd like nothing better than a baby brother for those girls! :)

The Swagger Wagon

The long anticipated time has finally come! The Irving Family are now the proud owners of a minivan!! And not just ANY minivan. This thing is AWESOME! Maybe tomorrow I will give you the photo tour of all the amazing things it does. I learned all about stow and go seating where the back row of seats folds into the floor almost effortlessly and how the middle seat in the front row can snap out and has a little home in the back of the car where it can stay until needed. There are cupholders everywhere, and the doors- OH THE DOORS! They open smoothly and quietly with the simple push of many different buttons available in many convenient paces. My favorite button location is the one right below the rearview mirror where you can open the doors before you ever get yourself out of the car. OH- and the SPACE! Space for everything, and space for more, and if you really need an outrageous amount of space, just yank out the seats and there's some more.

This car is so much smarter than any other car I've owned. Before we took her on her maiden voyage home from the dealership (I got to drive first!), my phone was paired with the Bluetooth system and my ipod hooked up and charging through the USB connection system. I thoroughly explored all the wonderful storage places in the car and I'm hoping for a more organized refuse containment system so that the car can stay as nice and beautiful as she is now. This car has everything we'd want and even a few extras.

Including a rear view backup camera! I thought those only came with the super snazzy model, and as we got the snazzy (but not quite super snazzy) model, I was pretty sure we weren't getting it. But this was sort of the "last thing" on my list of features I'd really like to have in a car, and when I sat in the driver's seat for the first time and realized the camera was there, I almost cried I was so happy.

We're only officially leasing the vehicle for 3 years- don't ask, the financial situation is complicated but after much research, we decided that this would the best way to handle it for our family. But I think the objective is to be able to purchase the car back when the lease is up. So most likely, this is "our" car for the foreseeable future! And now to just have a real reason to need two rows of seats.... all in good time, all in good time.

Oh and if you're wondering about the Swagger Wagon references, watch this Youtube video of our van.

The Sunrise

This was the view of the sunrise from our back porch this morning. Breathtaking, though my amateur photography skills don't do it justice by a long shot.

Seeing beauty like this never fails to remind me that there is something out there so much bigger than we are- a Master Artist who loves us so much that He will paint beautiful masterpieces like this one just so we can enjoy and marvel at loveliness that is beyond the reach of any human talent. Five months ago, I wrote a post about trusting the Narrator. Looking back on it, I sort of want to laugh at my naivete. I wrote that day of what I wanted to believe. I wrote about trusting the Narrator- the one writing not only our own individual "stories," but also the grand and global story of redemption, and interweaving the billions of tiny stories into one masterpiece of grace. I wrote at the beginning of what has turned out to be a rather longer road than I'd have imagined at the time of what I thought I would learn by the end of it. I think somehow in my heart I hoped that I could bypass some of the pain by stating that I already knew what I figured God would want to teach me.

It didn't really work that way. Because you see, you can say words that are true, and the truth of the words is immutable- true whether anybody believes them or not. But it's totally possible to say words out loud- or even print them on a blog- and not really believe them. I didn't believe what I was writing that day. I knew it was true, but I didn't believe it. I'm not sure I really do, even now, but I think I understand a little better.

Over the past few months, the concept of trusting the Narrator has occurred to me many times, and I've looked back on that day I wrote that post as just "asking for it" in a way- because all the crazy stuff started going down just after I wrote it. I think that day I felt as though my shoulders were strong enough to deal with the simple miscarriage. I figured at the time that I would probably just get pregnant again quickly, like I did with Nora. Then when that didn't end up happening, and what did happen is something that may even impede our ability to conceive in the future (I ended up with a tubal pregnancy for those of you who haven't been reading my verbose posts for that long)... After that happened, I just sort of lost it, panicked, shut down, and got mad. I felt so ANGRY after all that happened. Several of my friends announced they were pregnant around this time, and all I could muster was polite congratulations while inside I fell apart with pain, wishing so badly I could have kept that baby and skipped all the hard stuff we went through instead. I didn't really write about it a whole lot because the words never really seemed to "want" to come, but it was a hard summer. A blessed and beautiful summer in so many ways, but down in the inside of my heart, it was hard.

Tonight I was talking with my sister, and came back to the idea of the Narrator. I think the really hard thing about trusting the Narrator is that you have to accept that all the "scenes" that come into your story are meant, in some way, to be there. Many times over the past few months I have wanted to get off this "road." I have tried to sit down and not move forward, not go into the future because I am so afraid of what might happen and so angry about what already did happen and wanting desperately to jump ship on my road and go join someone else's that looks like more fun- only to find my own road going ever on and on, pushing me forward whether I like it or not. I didn't get a choice about the scenes that the Narrator has allowed into my story. But I did have a choice about how I would handle it when I found myself in the midst of a part of the story I wouldn't have included.

And therein lies the difference between what happened to me two years ago, and what happened this summer. When I miscarried between Carolyn and Nora, I was totally devastated. I felt stripped to the bone with grief and sorrow and questions... but really not anger. I've never been sadder than I was when that happened, but looking back on it, I can see that I chose in those moments to shoulder my burden. I remember very consciously choosing to let that little baby make me better and not bitter. And God has honored that choice and redeemed that pain into a harvest greater than what I could have imagined at the time. He brought Nora into the world just weeks after that occurred, and enabled me (and Brad) to reach many others with hope who have found themselves in the same position. I have had the grace to see His redemption even in this world.

Fast forward two years to other warm summer days and a similar pain- but a very different response from me. I was stuck in a scene I wouldn't have chosen. The Narrator wove into my story a thread of pain that  I would never have allowed if I had been writing the script. And instead of shouldering the burden, asking Him what He wanted me to learn from it, and leaning on Him to see me through... I gave in to anger and fear. I couldn't do anything about being cast into the scene, but I sat down and pouted and glowered and tried to run off the stage instead of standing tall in faith and delivering my lines. I'm sorry I've acted that way because I think I missed out on an incredible opportunity to stand for what I say I believe. To live out a faith that would make others want what I have. I had everything available to help me stand, but instead I chose to sit out. It didn't change the scene around me- I still had to go through each one of those tough days- but it did change my entire outlook on the situation.

But the wonderful thing about grace is that it can be applied at any time. It's taken months for my anger to fade, but it finally has. Although nothing has really changed in my circumstances and I'm still not pregnant, though I'd like more than anything to be, I think I have come to a point of acceptance of what has happened and I no longer feel as though my faith is shaken by it. If I'm really honest with myself, I still can't say I truly "trust the Narrator." It will probably take me the rest of my life to really work that one out. But maybe a lesson that He wanted to teach me through all this is what I need to do to be obedient. None of us really gets to choose the scenes that become part of our stories. But we all have the choice as to whether we will do a good job or a bad one at the role we're given in the seasons of our lives. I'm no longer foolish enough to say I fully trust the Narrator, but I think I can honestly say that I'm ready to deliver my lines as He's given them to me to speak.

And maybe the sunrise today is just a little bit of hope that He makes all things beautiful in His time.

Field Trip

Today Carolyn's preschool class had a field trip to the Critter Barn, a local place with lots of really cool animals for kids to explore. It was a fun field trip, but definitely good that all the parents came because there's a lot of places for kids to find trouble if they're left under-supervised!

Each kid got a turn to "hold" the bottle and feed the baby cow.

This about sums up the interesting attitudes of most of the preschoolers throughout the experience. At the beginning there was a bit more waiting around than is easy for this many kids to do (as each of the 40 or so kids had an individual turn to feed the calf and pet the turkey and the donkey) and being in such a big crowd with all the moms and dads there seemed to bring out the ornery and/or clingy side in most of the kids. We definitely took a nap this afternoon!

Carolyn got to pet this huge (and kind of smelly) turkey. Now I'm going to have to explain why we eat Tom the turkey for Thanksgiving... side note- I think she is growing b/c her face looks sort of rounder in these pictures than it seemed to recently... I think she's getting ready to stretch out! She's already outgrowing all her pants (and yes, she does like to wear her shoes on the wrong feet :))

I like this picture even though you can't see Carolyn in it because of all the brightly colored jackets standing in a line.

By far the coolest part of the whole morning was getting to go in one of the inside rooms and pet and hold baby bunnies! Carolyn was transfixed the whole time.

She had to have some one to one instructions on proper holding of the chicks... but she tried really hard!

One of her favorite parts was at the very end when the kids all lined up by the fence and they trotted out the sheep from the barn to the pasture. All the sheep ran right by the kids and they were so excited to watch them.

Fun morning. I enjoyed spending it with my little girl! :)

Little Things

Sometimes little things make me so happy... like how cute this flower turned out for Carolyn's headband. :)

And she even let me take her picture in it. :) I love this girl!!

Robinettes with the Crowds

Went to Robinette's yesterday. It was wall-to-wall people. Never seen it that crowded! The line for donuts was really long, so we got some kettle corn and cider for a snack. The girls both loved it- especially Nora. Nora likes popcorn better than donuts!

Here's Carolyn looking beautiful in the posh posy headband I made for her- she was so excited about it, and it made me feel so good. :)

And Nora in the new felt flowers I had a ball making yesterday. As a side note, it was SO nice to just do something in my "lab" for the simple love of it. I didn't work on anybody's order or try to get anything ready for a craft show- I simply got to create, and I LOVED it. Reminds me why I'm doing this. Filling orders and doing craft shows are great... but the reason I'm doing it is not to make money with it (though a little extra here and there IS nice...)- I'm doing it because I just love to make things, and starting a business has been a very stimulating mental challenge!

Nora really did love the kettle corn (keh-coh! keh-coh!)

I like this picture because it shows a little bit of the relationship these sisters have. Nora simply idolizes her sister (though she is beginning to hold her own in the inevitable squabbles). She follows her around and always wants to know where she is. Yesterday when she couldn't find Carolyn she was putting her hands by her mouth and shouting "Caaaay-en!"

We took a few pictures by the big pumpkins.

They're kinda silly and not really framing material... but I like them- they are "where we are" right now. :)

And this one is a picture where all the elements of light and composition are all wrong, but everything else is just right. Sisters, holding hands, loving each other, and being so happy (at least for this moment) that they share that bond that only siblings can.

Sunday Dresses

Sometimes, I just feel really lucky to be able to DRESS GIRLS! So much fun! Especially on Sundays. :)

Even though I don't really get to dress this one anymore, she has great taste, and she warmed me right to the cockles of my heart when I gave her this flower this morning and she tackled me in such a huge hug and didn't want to let go because she was so excited I'd made it for her. :)

Wiped Out

You know I'm really off when I've missed my "pic of the day" blog for days in a row... because I haven't even taken any pictures! In fact, the camera batteries are dead and have been for some time... and I haven't recharged them. I've been working very hard on my inventory for the craft show today... I was much better organized this time and felt a lot more confident and made about twice as much money, so that was nice... but I feel confirmed again in my feelings that I am not craft show material! I do not like the pressure of getting ready for them, and this is now the second one I have done that has been S-L-O-W. I had some periods of activity today and definitely did come out in the black financially, but a lot of the day I just sat there. Can you say B-O-R-I-N-G?! There are so many variables when it comes to live shows like this- the weather, the football game on TV, the advertising done by the people running the show, etc... that there's no way to tell whether a show will be "good" or not until you are there. This one had a reputation for being one of the best in town- but it's under new coordination this year and so I don't think it was adequately advertised. People seemed to trickle in and out, but there was never a point when it was crowded with people like the crafters who'd been there before said it has been in the past. So in a way I was disappointed. But in another way, I feel good about it because I've learned some important things. I made another list of things to try next time (I still have two more I'm committed to), and hopefully the next two will at least be busier! But overall, I think I've found my niche and my passion just working online, and although there are ups and downs with that, I think for the most part, I'm trending toward "up." I've been receiving fairly regular orders from people all over the country, and I like to think I'm helping them make the world a more beautiful place. :)

PASSED!

Despite what Nora looks like in this picture, we are all so proud of Brad! Today we got the much-awaited results of Brad's oral boards a few weeks ago. He passed with FLYING COLORS!! Even better than he had to do. He really did awesome. :) And we are all so proud!!

I spent a significant amount of time I really didn't have to waste today searching through my basement for a certain picture I know exists of a time yea 30 some years ago when two small boys held a similar sign congratulating THEIR daddy on passing his boards! I tried to recreate the scene, but couldn't find the picture for the life of me... they should have invented digital cameras in the 1970s. It's totally impossible to keep up with anything!

Anyway, we couldn't be prouder. This is the last big hurdle in the very long series of periodic board exams we've been in for the past almost 10 years. In March Brad will be at the annual convention where he'll be recognized as Brad Irving, DO, FACOOG (a lot of very important, very expensive letters following his name) and we will all shine again with pride. I'm hoping to tag along and bask in the reflected glory. :)

Chicken Dance

I may never catch up with putting pictures on my blog... so I uploaded them all to Facebook and I'll try to stay on top of it better. Tonight I have a video to post. Nora had us all in stitches with her chicken dance tonight and I captured it on video. Might have something to do with being the second child... but while Nora has at least as many still pictures as her sister, there aren't nearly as many videos of her! We have fun watching some of the old videos we took of Carolyn and I thought that Nora should be better represented. So here's tonight's chicken dance. :) This girl loves to dance.

I've been working hard in my secret lab today, preparing for my show on Saturday. I'm really looking forward to having it done and just being able to concentrate on my online business. I love, love, love filling online orders... but craft shows are just so time consuming to prepare for! I hope that things go well on Saturday and I feel like all the work has been worth it!! But for the rest of the week anyway, it's late nights, early mornings, and busy nap times that never last long enough. I really want to do well and have a very nice booth, but it's a lot of work!!

Absorbed

It's another crunch week... I have a bigger craft show on Saturday and I'm working hard on it every spare minute I have. So my posts might not be the greatest because I've got so many bows and flowers and ribbons on the brain... Maybe tomorrow I'll resurface for awhile and make a decent blog... but maybe not... the Secret Lab has a strong center of gravity...

Marathon

We went to see Laura and my dad run the Chicago Marathon this weekend. The girls' favorite part was the hotel pool. :)

We definitely need to join the Y. They liked the water so much!

Every kid needs a picture of her mischief like this one. Little stinker knows she's being naughty.

The runners on Spaghetti night- when everyone "carbo loads"- even those who don't need to. :)

Runners: Bry started the race with them, but always intended to just jog and not marathon this year. He's been a teensy bit busy- like, being a new dad and all. :)

Chasers. We did a lot of chasing! The kids were little troopers.

There was a very tasty mint coffee drink that we all enjoyed sampling at the Caribou Coffee. Nora spilled her share all over herself and then had a tantrum about it before deciding to enjoy it.

The worst part of the whole day was crossing this street in the midst of the runners so we could be on the correct side of the road to see Dad and Laura. If you look closely you'll see my mom in pink in the middle of the street. There are no pictures of my sister and I trying to push our strollers through without knocking anyone down. It was totally rude, and we knew it... but we only did it once.

The girls (and Elliot) took a break for a snack after the Crossing.

Elliot was totally adorable the entire time, of course. And his mom and dad are very happy new parents- especially since he has already started to sleep through the night! Lucky...

After getting up at around 4am, the girls held on for a very long time- but they finally crashed.

And we made it home all in one piece. The end. Already looking forward to next year's Chase- fun family tradition!