Candy Galore!

Could the weather tonight have been any better for trick or treating?

Not too cold, but just cool enough that you needed a jacket. Not too shabby for the last day of October.

This year Gammy and Gramps were in town for the first time during Halloween, so they got to see Super Girl and Belle at their finest!



The girls had an awesome time. We headed to our friend's house down the street for the annual Halloween party. The girls love getting to see their friends all dressed up. And of course, making cookies is always a hit.





Then we headed out for trick or treating!





There is nothing AC loves more than candy. So she had no problem running up to someone's house and asking for candy! Therefore, most of my pictures of her look like this!



LB wiped out three times in her sparkly red shoes. But, as my mom likes to say, "she's tough as a pine knot." She'd fall and get right back up. She was on a mission after all!



Once we got home, we sat on our front porch (yes, the weather was that nice!) and let the kids hand out candy. LB loved it so much that she went into our front yard and started yelling, "Hey! We've got candy! Come up here and get your candy!" Reminded me of the guys who sell popcorn and peanuts at stadiums. She LOVED handing out candy. I'm afraid next year she'll just forego trick or treating to hand out candy.

Hope you all had a great Halloween!

Just Wanted You to Know

Dear Melissa,
Your daddy and I went to a beautiful dinner last night celebrating Huntsville Hospital Foundation. They showed a video where they interviewed people whose lives had been touched by foundation donations.

Two of those families had babies in our NICU in the last three years. As they told their stories, I grabbed your daddy's hand and gently cried. Both babies had been in Giraffe OmniBeds purchased by your fund, Melissa's Fund. Both of those families have now become friends of mine and advocates for the NICU and your fund.

Your daddy and I don't take one ounce of credit for the money we've raised through your fund. We know it's not about us, but about all of the people who have so generously supported the fund.

But, I do believe it's also about you. Had you not come into our lives, there would be no Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund. Had God not blessed us by making us your parents none of this would have happened.

I remember soon after you died being angry at God. How could He allow a mother to carry her child all of those months and then take her? It didn't make any sense to me.

But now, while I still hurt, I understand. Your life was about something bigger. At your memorial service your daddy said, "Some people go their whole life not knowing what their purpose is. Melissa knew her purpose."

At the time he said that, there was no Melissa's Fund. He was talking about the way you held on - defying the odds - inside of me those seven extra weeks, giving Ann Catherine a chance to live. Without your fight and your strength, not only would we have lost you, we would have also lost Ann Catherine.

And then your purpose grew into something bigger. I'm not prideful about that. I'm incredibly humbled.

As long as I live, I'll count it one of my greatest joys that God allowed me to be your mommy.

And I just wanted you to know.

By the way, Lily Baker's balloon from Red Robin accidentally flew out the window of the car yesterday. She was devastated. We told her it was going to see you.

It was "lellow," her favorite color. I hope you got it.

I love you to Heaven and back,

Mommy

Night of Carving

Last night we had a celebration of sorts.

Ann Catherine got her first report card and I had one of those "how did we get here?" moments. I remember all those years of my mom signing my report card and now I'm the one doing it. I guess I really am a grown-up. :)

For getting all S's (S's not A's - remember those days?), I baked AC's favorite: chocolate chip cookies.



Chris also promised the girls that they could carve their pumpkins.




Let me tell you how this always goes down at our house.

AC is one of those people who gets super-excited about doing something and then three minutes in, she's done and moves onto something else.

Carving pumpkins is no exception.

And since she is SUCH A GIRL she was completely disgusted by pulling out the pumpkin guts. One time she actually gagged.

LB, on the other hand, was elbow deep in her pumpkin pulling out the guts. Now that's a girl who is not afraid to get her hands dirty!




Apparently the girls picked some pretty intricate designs. They eventually got bored and moved on while Chris worked away. For an hour. Maybe two.

I bathed them. Then they banged away on the piano...



...while Chris got serious and pulled out the...power tools??!



We ended up with a giant mess...



...and two rockin' pumpkins!!



And since they bailed on him, the girls put on their "I love Daddy" pajamas to show him their thanks :)

Super Girl and Belle

The girls got to wear their Halloween costumes to a birthday party this weekend. I thought they looked pretty cute!

I'm taking bets on whether or not these costumes actually make it to Halloween!

Between the birthday party, dance class and school parties, I might be making a last minute purchase on target.com later this week!

Best Pile Ever

Raking leaves is so overrated.

We have a ton of leaves in our backyard. Several times last week I grabbed the rake and proceeded to rake until my arms were tired. Each time it only resulted in a measly, paltry pile of leaves for my girls to jump in.

"Girls," I said one afternoon after raking my little pile, "what we REALLY need is for your Daddy to get his leaf blower and blow a big pile for you."

Today he did.

I came home from an afternoon meeting at church to the sounds of squeals and laughter in the backyard.

Chris was blowing the leaves...



...and in return, the girls got a huge pile to jump in!









We ended up with leaves all over us...




Then Daddy sucked the leaves up...



...and everyone was sad.



Except for Daddy, who finally got rid of those pesky leaves that keep blowing onto our back patio :)

A Hot, Sunny Fall

There is something so strange about visiting a pumpkin patch when it's 80 degrees outside.

We have yet to have cool weather here. The leaves are changing - see my maple tree!



...but it doesn't really feel like fall yet.

Still, we took the girls on our annual fall trip to Tate Farms Friday after school. Instead of dressing them in their long sleeve Halloween shirts, I should have dressed them in short sleeves and shorts.

The highlight for LB was that her friend, Will, showed up at the same time as us. They rode together on the hayride...



...and I snapped this picture in the pumpkin patch.



He asked Chris if Lily Baker could come to his house and play and Chris asked him what his earning potential was.

My poor daughters.

We picked our pumpkins...






...then headed to the girls' favorite - the corn crib!





Next up, I said, "Let's visit the petting zoo" to which Ann Catherine answered, "Ewwww, it stinks in there!" Chris looked at me and said, "She is such your child."

We went anyway...





...and yes, it did stink in there.



Even so, it was a great day!