Halloween 2011 / Family visit

Ok, finally getting to the Halloween post almost a month later!

 First, a pumpkin painting playdate...

He painted for all of about 60 seconds and then he was off to play with the new-to-him toys, especially the ride-on Thomas train!

At home with the finished product!

That weekend we went to a Halloween party.  Here is little Alex helping me make some brownies to bring.

Doing a craft at the party...

And playing in the backyard

Daddy and daughter hanging out in the gazebo:

Then it was my turn to take pics with the beautiful girl!

They had a screen and projector in the yard, so once it got dark everyone watched "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"

My parents and brother came down to visit the following weekend.  It went super fast and we did lots of fun stuff.  So good to see them, and the kids had a blast!

Bobby outside our favorite restaurant, Lupe Tortilla.  They have the BEST fajitas.

I thought this was a cute picture.

They spoiled the kids with toys and cute clothes.  Bobby got little Alex a Tonka truck. 

The next day we went to TGR exotics.  It is basically a big farm, but they have more than regular farm animals. We saw camels, turkeys, and a baby kangaroo, and we didn't even go on the tour they offer a few times a month!  Here is little Alex saying "hi" to the cat that was sunbathing.

They had a pumpkin patch and activities for the kids.

There were a few miniature horses roaming around so we put the kids on for a picture!

Alex did not want to leave the big bouncy ball area:

Corn kernels instead of sand....a lot less messy!

Hay ride around the farm

So cute!  This baby looked very cozy in her makeshift pouch.

After we got home and the kiddos took their naps, we dressed them in their new church clothes and headed to Mass.

On Sunday, the boys headed to a Texans game and my mom and I took the kids to a trick-or-treat trail.  Here is my little monster....

And adorable little ladybug.

Carving the pumpkin on Halloween morning:

The family had to go back home around noon, and I went in to work for a few hours.  After I got home, we ate dinner and took little Alex trick-or-treating.  I didn't get any pics, but he had a blast.  As soon as he got candy in his bucket he would run down the driveway to Alex, shouting, "More candy! More candy!"  So cute.  Here is a video of them right before we left.

Bathtime Sweetness

 Mmmmm....nothing like the smell of a freshly-bathed baby!

Lately

The last several months have been pretty stressful. Nothing serious has gone wrong (praise God), I think I have just been a bit depressed about our situation with me working, and Alex being unable to find a job and unable to make decent progress on his dissertation. I am sick of being exhausted all the time, and feeling like I never have enough time to do all the things I want to do. My spiritual life is not at a level I feel comfortable with, I haven’t been to confession in months, and prayer feels like one more thing to check off my “To Do” list. Alex and I never get to go on dates or get much alone time, and I struggle with the ideal vs. the real when it comes to the cleanliness and orderliness of my home.

BUT…we are finally starting to take some steps to change all this, and are having serious talks about moving to Denver and buying a house! Luckily, we will be able to put a substantial amount down on a mortgage so our monthly payments would probably be less than we are paying now for rent. Of course there is a lot to think about, and I am a worrier by nature, so I have a million thoughts running through my head: What if we can’t find a job right away? Are we stupid to even consider moving up there without a job lined up? Are we going to have enough money to get out of our lease? What are we going to do about health insurance? Etc. Etc. Wouldn’t it be great if I could just trust God to work out all the details? I’m working on it….

This is how I picture my future. Alex would have a job he loves that pays decent so we could have more kids. He would be happy and fulfilled, and would come home to a family that missed him dearly and can’t wait to smother him with hugs and kisses. I would get to be home with the kiddos and would provide a rich, Catholic environment for them, where prayer is an important part of the day, going to daily Mass is a regular part of life, and we celebrate the feast days of the liturgical calendar with fun foods and crafts. I really want to homeschool, but the thought of being responsible for my children’s education is a bit overwhelming, so I would spend lots of time preparing a preschool curriculum for little Alex. And because he hasn’t had much social time with other kids, I would schedule lots of playdates and activities. I would cook nutritious meals, and make sure my family is healthy and happy.

Even though things are a bit tough, I am so grateful for all my blessings. My family is a constant source of joy, and I try to remind myself to enjoy this crazy phase of my life. And how can I not smile when I get to look at these beautiful faces everyday?

Old Christmas Tree Farm Pumpkin Patch

We took the kiddos to the pumpkin patch mid-October, and had fun strolling around and enjoying the cooler weather. 

Christmas trees!  They are small now, but will be big and beautiful in time for Chritmas.

I think this was the first time little Alex had been on a little train.  I think he was a little nervous at first…

But was having fun near the end of the trip around the farm.

I really wanted to get some cute pics in the pumpkin patch, but I couldn’t get the little stinkers to look at me!

Mary and I stayed behind while the boys went on the train ride.  You can kind of see her teeth in this picture!