Happy Halloween 2011

A Run in with Noodles

Beanie met up with with some pasta the other day and at first he seems to not quite know what to think...

But after evaluating these delicious little morsels called noodles, he realized how thankful he is that they "ran into each other"!!!

Just like their momma, these boys love their NOODLES!

Family Feast, Halloween Style

You know it's a good day when it starts with these...

YUMMY! Pumpkin donuts helped us kick off our first "family night"/hang out day in a long long time. Partly we have just been plain busy and partly we have been sick and tired and worn out. But today, starting with donuts we had the rare and glorious opportunity to spend an entire day just the 4 of us and it was so appreciated. Someday this is what Ry & I will think back on and smile about while the boys are out trick or treating with theirs. I can't tell you how much a day with no real schedule or strict plan or obligation and just us means to me. I am starting to appreciate the little things so much.

Breakfast being enjoyed by boys all around, they are so sweet.

Then we of course settled in to watch a Husker victory over Michigan State which made 1 big boy in the house in particular very happy!

Then we loaded up & headed to the "Monster Mash" at the high school in town. It was a huge gym set up with games, bounce houses & lots of kiddos on a Halloween high. The boys had a BLAST!! Griff saw some friends from preschool and even Beanie hit up the bounce house for a bit and couldn't get enough!!

Beanie working his hockey skills for a Tootsie roll!

Griff playing a disgustingly creative game where you threw a net on a giant rat for some more treats!

My "goggie" & my love:)

After the mash we headed home and got some dinner ready. The boys entertained themselves and watched a Halloween movie called, "Spooky Buddies", which FYI is a very long movie with a much more drawn out plot line than Ry or I thought. Griff loved it though, so it was a win!

Please do not judge, but dinner was pizza (& salad!!!) and dessert was cookie pizza! It's a holiday, come on!!??!! And then it was onto the carving....

Ry was the master carver this year, since he lovingly reminded me that in the past I may or may not have cut very small eyes and a very large crooked nose in G's pumpkin.

TOP: G man scooping the "guts" very hesitantly

BOTTOM: My very own little pumpkin

Boys, your parents love you!

We had many a design suggestion, including an angry vampire (sorry Griffy) but we came up with a Griffin & Sawyer inspired jack-o-lantern, hair and all!

And even though it may be impossible to get a shot of them both smiling, we were all smiling after "the greatest Halloween Day EVER!" -Griffin



And to close this post, I have to share another sweet Griffin thought. Every night since we brought Beanie home, whoever is putting him to bed sings him a version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" that we have made a few tweaks to. One of the lines of our version says, "You're the apple of my eye" but a few nights ago after reading a Halloween story or two, when we went to sing Beanie his nigh night song Griffin requested a seasonal verse change. So now we have been singing, "You're the pumpkin of my eye!" Hilariously cute and creative.

I love all the pumpkins in my patch!

Preschool Partying!

Since school's stared Griff has been asking me to come and help in his room & last Wednesday turned out to be the perfect day to come in. They not only learned fire safety from a REAL fireman, but they also had a Halloween party!

And guess who else came...

...Beanie of course! He thought he was quite the big boy when he was allowed to join the class at the snack table!

Griff & Cullen, his preschool buddy/construction site co-worker

These two "struction" workers also took a moment out of hammering together a haunted barn to make a Halloween necklace...

And create these charming little pumpkin friends, Griffin's obviously named Coconut!

It was quite a HOOT to spend a few hours with 7 boys & 2 girls, all 4 years old. Whew! I got asked more questions in 2 hours then I normally do in a month. I also got to read a Halloween story, chosen by Griffin to the class and it brought me right back to my teaching days. I am not actually too rusty, which was reassuring! But at least for now, preschool teacher is not calling my name. I did love getting to see Griff in his room, doing what he does! It was fun to see him answer questions, participate...and even get too excited about something to stay in line:)!

Afterwards I was too tired to make lunch so we headed over for a quick bite at McDonald's. When I asked Griffin what his favorite part of preschool was, totally expecting the fireman or the party, he said "you and Beanie coming to my school with me!"

Be. still. my. beating. heart.

This is what makes even the hardest of days feel more than worth it & like a blessing I can't wrap my mind around.

Jelly Fish, Family & Fun

When you take

2 boys

1 giant back pack full of supplies, toys, DVD player, change of clothes

1 bag full of snacks

1 stroller

&

1 large camera to document all the fun you are going to have downtown Chicago...

You don't actually get that many pictures because you are trying to haul all your stuff and kids and not lose or break any of them.

***side note, I did drop and temporarily break the camera while running down the wrong entrance chasing the boys into the dolphin show, but it works now...all's well that ends well!:)

Ry may not agree, haha!

Last weekend we had the super fun chance to spend the weekend with a few of the Sapp family members at my moms house. My cousin Amy & her hubby Adam stayed with us & her mom Mary, Aunt Cindy and our sweet cousin Max stayed at my moms house and we packed in a weekend of fun. On Friday we headed to the Shed Aquarium and although it's a pricey little excursion, to see Griffin's amazement it was worth it!

Some cousin/jelly fish love:)

ALL boys & mommies were amazed by this huge wrap around tank with sting rays, turtles and sharks!

Then we hit up the "Happy Feet" 3D show

And before we headed out to a really delicious dinner at Scozzi's (you made all my dreams come true butternut squash ravioli), God really knocked our socks off at the Jelly Fish display. Aren't these things just amazingly creative & entrancing little creatures. His creation never ceases to amaze me, the detail to even things buried deep beneath the water is astounding.

Loved time to celebrate, play, chat & laugh with family...

just sad I didn't get a group shot, oh well!

Today is 10 years

I have diabetes.

Ten years ago today I made a phone call to the Health Center at my college in Lincoln Nebraska that changed my life. I have diabetes. 10 years ago today I heard that for the first time and sometimes even when I say it now I think, surely that can't be true. But it is. 10 years ago my first reaction to that phrase was "Oh my gosh, now can I even have kids??". 10 years ago today was the start of a lot of tears, fear, frustration, anger, overwhelming changes & more.

BUT...

Ten years later, I am a better person now because I have diabetes. I am more organized and careful. I get my body more than I used to. I appreciate the master piece that we truly are and the blessing that it is when everything works right. I know more about the amazing creator God is. I am pregnant with my 3rd child. I have grown and stretched, some times by force to accept things in life I cannot change and make the best out of them. I don't eat Twizzlers or drink regular anything. I do still love dessert. I am learning every day that God let's us tackle certain things for a reason. I am starting to see a clearer picture of that reason in my life. I just talked to a room full of medical students about life with diabetes confidently and loved that job. Maybe someday I will get to work more with caring for people like me.

I still hate it. It still sucks. I now have 10 hole poked fingers to show for it. I still wear a pod & worry about everything I put in my mouth. I still have to wake up in the night covered in sweat and shaking and drink 5 juice boxes. I still have anxiety about highs blood sugars. I still have fear about the long term affects of this disease. It's still changing the way I operate, how much energy I have, how I feel about everything. It still costs WAY too much. It still affects my family.

But I see purpose in it. I see God in the after math. I am living and moving forward in spite of it. 10 years later my dreams about family & kids are coming true. I feel blessed for the challenge and struggle because I am result of this being a part of my life.

10 years has seen a lot of growth in me. I couldn't be more thankful for them.

Raising a TRUE fan

While going through Griffin's ABC flash cards with him the other night, what do you suppose he identified this letter as??

N n

That's right folks, even though he has one in his very name, he is determined that the name of this letter is NEBRASKA! Ha ha! That's our little Husker!

Weekend Warriors

This weekend we were warriors of the weeeknd! We packed in a lot, got little sleep & got to see a lot of people we love. Griffin was a ring bearer in my cousin Jen's wedding in Iowa, so early Saturday morning we flew to Omaha and then drove to Iowa.

And even though things didn't go totally on track, for example the luggage ramp at the airport ate our bag and Ryan's shoes and we couldn't find the church, we all still ended up in the right clothes, in the right place when it counted:)!

Ali & Ryan pose for a fake family shot:)

The Richard girl cousins

It was a beautiful wedding & reception and so fun to see all from the Richard side. Jen even wore my Grandma Richard's wedding ring which I know she would have loved and even the meal side dishes, which were mashed potatoes, green bean casserole & rolls screamed "Richard event":)! They were there in spirit for sure! Griffin danced himself into a tizzy all night long and everyone was tuckered out by the end of the day!

The next morning we started our journey back super early...

Sleepy boys watching Mickey Mouse while mom & dad pack up

and we headed back home to meet up with some more Nebraska friends! Shana & Molly from Lincoln came to visit us for the night and play! I babysat for Molly & her brothers Jake and Parker while I was in college and Molly was a flower girl in my wedding. We share the type 1 diabetes bond. It was so fun to see them and catch up and the boys LOVED playing with them!

And now were back into another week, coming up on another jammed packed weekend of fun!

15 months

Dear Sweet Beanie Boy:

15 months has FLOWN by, of coarse! Look at that sweet face and irresistible smile. We love you so so much. As of late, you have been kind of a crabby little stinker...I think you are getting more teeth, but mostly you are sweet and happy as long as you aren't too far from me:)! You have truly perfected the high pitched scream and use it often and for ANY reason what so ever. Your brother stole something from you...scream!

You want a drink...let it rip!

You can't see anyone in a 2 foot radius of you...exercise those lungs!

You have also perfected the wave bye bye, the word DOG (which is what you still call EVERYTHING, especially your true love, animals), and climbing up onto our kitchen table all by yourself!

You mystified by your favorite attraction anywhere, the "Gogg"! ie: small pony!

At the doctor today you weighed 26.1 lbs (75%), were 31 inches long (between 50-75%), and of coarse were 95% for head circumference! And, you took your shots like a champ! The nurse said you were the best baby she's had! Go Beanie!

What will 15 more months hold?

I can only imagine!!! We can't wait to share them with you!

xoxo little love bug!

Momma