Twi-or-Treat!

I realize Halloween was two weeks ago and I am just now posting. I have been so absorbed in The Hunger Games book series, I have put everything else in my life on hold. The house is a disaster. We may or may not have gotten take out or eaten out three times this week. My fridge is barren. No fruit people. We have been drinking orange juice to fight off the scurvy. I can delay the grocery store no longer. But, I have also just finished the series so life will go back to normal.

I loved the books. I do not remember loving a book series this much in a long time. The writing is so much better than Twilight. You cannot even compare them. I am very sad the books are over, as the piles of laundry are taunting me from the corner of the closet. You win laundry. You win.

And back to Halloween! "Twi-o-Tweat" is how Henry says "Trick or Treat". And he would not say it during actual trick or treating time. Marc and I would say "Trick or Treat!" after we knocked on the door and Henry would scream "No!" and shake his head vigorously at the person giving out candy. But then he would take the candy and give a sly smile and perhaps utter a "Tank too". Not bad for his first time I guess.


He ate more candy in two hours than he has his entire life. The quantity of the candy in his bucket was too much to take in. "Bite? Bite???" after a Dum-Dum and a mini Snickers. This was followed by insanely fast running & pushing of the Cozy Coupe through the entire cul-de-sac while we handed out candy in the driveway. He almost ran over a gorilla.



Which led me to bust out in out of control laughter. How many times in your life will you see a random gorilla standing in the middle of the road? Gotta love Halloween.



Then Marc chimes in, "You know, the gorilla was my favorite Halloween costume ever. I was a gorilla for 3 years. Like from 11 to 13."



"You were a gorilla for 3 years?? In a row? You never changed your costume? That's really weird."


"I just liked being a gorilla."


I learn something new about my spouse everyday.



I will say, Halloween was so much more fun this year than it ever has been before.



Mickey & Minnie!

He thought the pumpkin seeds were slimy! We actually roasted the pumpkin seeds afterward for a chance. Umm yeah, delicious. Why have we never done this before?

Ignore my Quasimodo hunchback in this picture. I'm telling myself it's a bad angle and my posture is not forever ruined by hunching over a computer all day.

We had a fun photo session with Lisa for some fall family pics.

Am I the only one that absolutely turns into a nervous wreck when it comes to getting pictures taken? I stress about the outfits. I HAD to make a last minute shopping trick to Banana & Ann Taylor Loft since I had tried on everything in my closet and nothing seemed quite right. I worry about getting Henry to smile. I feel like I need to have multiple glasses of wine to just relax.

After we get them taken, I always have the biggest feeling of relief ever. And our photographer is the best about being super low-key and normal, while I'm over here sweating and singing "Wheels on the Bus" at the top of my lungs like some deranged lunatic.

All for the sake of this face. It's worth it.

Love,

Lyndsey

Birthday Festivities

Henry had such a great 2nd birthday week! Yes, in this family we celebrate the whole week.

The birthday fairy dropped off an excavator near the park for him.

When daddy's out of town, we go all out Aggies!

He helped me rake some leaves in the front yard.

And doze up some in the backyard.

Dozer videos!!

I put up a post on Facebook about it, but Henry got sick the day Marc left for his Lowe's charity golf tournament. Marc left on a Saturday and got back on Wednesday. Henry starting feeling better late Monday. I got sick on Monday and finally got some drugs on Friday.

What I'm getting at is, Henry's birthday festivities were conducted under a specialized drug cocktail of antiobiotic, steroid, cough syrup, and airborne. Add exhaustion to that. I am surprised how well it went actually. I did go a day with a vest worn inside out (bless you woman in the checkout line for letting me know), but other than that the embarrasment was kept to a minimum.

I wanted him to wake up on his birthday to his room filled with balloons. Plan thwarted when he decided he needed to sleep in mom and daddy's bed that night. This is as close as we got. The balloons delighted him for exactly 5 seconds. This picture cracks me up.


I made him birthday pancakes with sprinkles.

We decided to have the party at the park this year to cut down on some of the work (having the house clean for company). Best decision ever! It was a gorgeous fall day.

View of the lake from the park

Every construction party needs to start with an oreo.

Dump truck dirt cake. This was so easy to make and the kids loved it!

Slide time!

He actually went down by himself. What a mature 2 year old he is

Birthday song. The lighter wouldn't work in the wind, so we just pretended.

Sugar time!

Before....

.....and after!

Yum!

Present time.

Garbage trucks are the new obsession.

"Let me tell you something else. Back when I was one, I had to walk to daycare uphill both ways in the snow. And I liked it!"

Henry and his buddy Jack.

Garbage truck from Nana and Gramps!


What a great party! Thanks to all the kiddos and parents for coming. Kids playing on the playground so the adults could actually have adult conversations- LOVE.

Love,

Lyndsey

Fall Fun

My favorite time of the year is here! I have worn boots officially three times, my granny sweater is back in the rotation, and I have eaten a Pumpkin Muffie at Panera. What is a Pumpkin Muffie you ask? It is actually a muffin top. I could not believe it at first and thought I was in one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes. Just enough if you ask me. You only need the top.



I am not mentioning my muffin top (see granny sweater above). I need this and other various vests and sweaters to hide the traditional fall layer that naturally happens to the bod. Come October every year the jeans get a wee bit tighter in the ol' waistband. Like clockwork. Every year. No matter what I eat or how much I exercise. I have come to terms.



GeeMa and Grandpa came up for a visit this past week to see the boy before his big 2nd birthday. Nana and Gramps will be here next weekend for his official party. This boy is so loved!



Grandpa teaching Henry all about fishing.




GeeMa and Grandpa offered to keep Henry so Marc and I could celebrate our 5th anniversary in style. I was so excited! I never get to dress up so I planned my outfit out to the last detail.



I chose the black strapless ruffle dress I got at Ann Taylor for $10 on sale last December (yes, $10) and a faux fur vest that I had splurged on at Marshall's that day. And by splurge, I mean $29.98. I was concerned it might start shedding or molting or whatever cheap faux fur does out in the elements, but it actually still looks "real". To top it off, I wore my vintage statement necklace I bought at Freshley's, black tights, and black booties.




"Everyday I'm shufflin"



We started the night at LaVecchia's for steak and seafood. I had the sea bass and Marc had the filet. Everything was amazing! Since it was our anniversary, the dessert was on the house and we chose...drumroll please....FRIED CHEESECAKE.



It sounds horrible. Like something you would get at the county fair. But by "fried" they meant wrapped in crispy phyllo dough, which was surprisingly light and fluffly. I will never forget it and I am more of a salty girl. It was that good.

Marc could not wait to give me my gift. The man gets nervous with jewelry. He handed me the box as I am pulling up my pants in the bathroom. I am not exaggerating.


After I stopped laughing, I opened the box to a beautiful aquaramine ring in a white gold setting with diamond accents to wear on my right hand. The boy did good! Did I make the right choice or what? :)

I got to show off my new bling at a total of three after dinner hot spots if you will- Dandelion Market, Howl at the Moon, and Suite. I kept waiting for the paparazzi to show, but no dice. We stayed at the Marriott in uptown. Had a blast! No responsibilities, no kid, no alarm clock in the morning, breakfast buffet with unlimited bacon- awesome.


Henry got his first birthday present- his own riding John Deere tractor! He's not interested in riding it yet though, only climbing it and putting dirt in the truck bed. He'll get there.

Grandpa made a dirt pile construction site in the backyard. Hours of entertainment.

We took our annual trip to Hodges farm to visit the pumpkin patch.

"That boy sure is a running fool."

More tractors!

A trailer full of pumpkins. More excited about the trailer.

We took a day trip to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway up through Boone and Blowing Rock. Driving up, everything looked rather green so I wasn't sure how pretty it would be. I shouldn't have doubted! Once we got up to Blowing Rock, the colors turned breathtaking. It never gets old. I was pregnant with Henry the last time we came up and forgot how amazing it is. This was Marc's first time riding the Parkway and he was blown away. One of the most beautiful scenes from nature you will ever see.

When Nana and Gramps come up next weekend, the colors should be peak where we live so we'll get a double dose of the foliage to see with all the grandparents!

My dad has finally conquered his fear of bears. He has held one on a mountain.

We heart leaves.

What a great weekend! Life is good.

Love,

Lynds