Friday, October 31, 2008

October 31, 2008 - Happy Halloween


October 30, 2008

Well tonight was Trick-or-Treating around here! It was a beautiful night for it, thank goodness! The kids had a lot of fun and now we have way too much candy in our house! Thankfully we got cleaned out of the candy we bought - but now we have a spiderman bucketfull ;)

My little Farmer boy

Most of the neighborhood gang

Gavin and Braden
Fireman and Farmer
Best Friends


October 29, 2008

Just a little Halloween preparation! We are cutting it close since here in our silly Midwest town we trick-or-treat on the 30th - so we needed to get them done!!

This is the only handful of 'gunk' Braden was willing to touch - it was too yucky for him (still doesn't like dirty, gooey hands so much)
He spent the rest of the night mixing up the gunk in the bowl with a spoon!
The finished products...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

October 28, 2008

After school today I took Braden and Gavin to a park that has a ton of huge trees - so they could play in the leaves! They had a blast and worked off some energy in the process = bonus!!




October 27, 2008

Today was Lindsay's first day back to work and we got the priveledge of watching Gracie! Braden was so excited to see her. He did wonderful with her all day and was really sweet to her, but still at the end said he only wanted a brother..oh man..




October 26, 2008

While I was busy trying to do some laundry etc. around the house, this is how I found Braden. Chilling in his lawn chair with his pillow and blanket and watching tv in my room - I can't even remember what he was watching, but it must have been good!

October 25, 2008

Today Daddy drove down to Columbia for the Mizzou game and Braden and I got some quality time together :) After a Husker win he decided that we'd watch the Mizzou game, but only if we popped popcorn and made grape juice (thanks a lot Matt - can't have any other) what a treat!

October 24, 2008

Tonight was the Family Fun Night fundraiser for Braden's preschool! He had a blast!


Shooting hoops...

Doing the cake walk...


playing skee ball...

fishing...


and posing for mommy :)

October 23, 2008

After school today we ran to Earl May to pick a few pumpkins out. Now if we get them carved will be another story!


October 22, 2008

Poor Braden - he had to get his flu shot today. He was not happy, but did great. On the way to the office he asked me if I would "put the hole in his leg" I said I couldn't and that was what the nurses did, then he said, "you do it to yourself mommy, why can't you do it to me." Awww...He did so well that we stopped off at McDonalds for a happy meal!


October 21, 2008

It keeps falling and falling...

October 20, 2008

It's gotten a little chlly - so we broke out the warm, fuzzy, monster truck jammies - he was so excited!

October 19, 2008

Here's the whole dang group of us (I think - there were a few that had to leave Saturday, but for the most part...)

This is James - our Community Host on Share - he really keeps the site running and made it possible for us to do what we do - but don't give him your camera - because you end up with 80 pictures just like this...or his ear, eye, nose...
Another amazing thing these people did this weekend! We asked everyone to bring a preemie onesie for our onesie drive. My friend Jac usually does this each year on her daughter's birthday - she then donates the onesies to the local NICU that LG was at - because as preemie parents, we know how special it is that your child have their own clothes!! Well this year, hurricane Ike had Jac and her family evacuated during LG's birthday and after she just didn't feel like she could ask those in the community that were hurting so bad to give - so she came up with this plan! It was a HUGE success! She will be donating over 80 outfits to the NICU in Houston to families that need them! Thank you to everyone who participated - it is SO appreciated!!

I had such a great time this week! Thanks to all that made it so special!!!

October 18, 2008

Today continued with ShareUnion - which is essentially a bunch of moms (and a few dads) who have met online at ShareYourStory coming together and meeting in person. This was my 3rd ShareUnion. I NEVER thought I would be someone who would travel across the country to meet up with people I had only *met* online...but I did 3 years ago and didn't look back. This year was an amazing group of 50 people, representing 18 different states. Each one of our lives have been touched by prematurity, birth defects or infant loss. We support each other online and this is an opportunity to meet the people who have helped you see through your darkest places and celebrated with you on your highest days.


Here I am on a panel discussion - don't we look like a serious bunch :) It was a fun panel - thanks girls!
A great group of girls at the Remembrance ceremony!

I also wanted to give a big
Happy Birthday to Meena K!!
Thank you so much for taking such good care of my bubby so I could go to Texas - love ya!!!
AND
I also have to wish my parents, also known as PopPop Joe and Meena C these days, a big
Happy 33rd Anniversary!!
You are both an inspiration to us! We love you so much!! Cheers!


October 17, 2008

Today was filled with all kinds of good information on what we can do to help with the fight against prematurity. It is amazing to be in a room with 600 people from across the country who all share the same passion!


Today also began the offical National Launch of the Preemie Petition! Our group of moms was asked to sit in on the press conference to announce the launch and then got to sign the petition in front of the cameras! It was an honor! We are trying to get over 540,000 signatures (one for every baby born prematurely this year alone) on the petition to help fight prematurity - to read more about it and sign the petition (please, please, pretty please) Click Here!!
All of us after the press conference!


I figured 'when in Texas...'

Awww...my buddy Kate - I so wish she didn't live way up in the New England - she is awesome and I don't get to see her enough! She officially named the baby "bean" this week!!

Monday, October 27, 2008

October 16, 2008

After a great night at Jac's house we went to downtown Houston for the convention! First we stopped off at the WaterWall - it was pretty spectacular!




Then we got dressed up for our opening night dinner! Here's Jac and I hanging out before hand! She was a great roomie!!



After hours we tried to hit up some Houston hot spots...but unfortunately it was a Thursday night and we weren't too close to anything open :) We did get to walk around parts of downtown Houston finding this out - it was a good time. We eventually ended up back in our room and had a blast!!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

October 15, 2008


Today I flew off to Houston, Texas! The official reason I am in Texas is for the National Volunteer Leadership Conference for the March of Dimes - but a few of us girlfriends met up a few days early for some girl time :) Jac lives down south so we got to meet her family and her hubby even cooked us a scrumptious dinner tonight!! This is her son "the Mickster" Braden considers him one of his closest friends, nevermind the fact that they've never met. Through the power of the internet (and their mommies) he knows that the Mickster and he love trucks and John Deere and he truly considers him a friend. Whenever he hears anything about Texas he says "my friend the Mickster lives in Texas". When hurricane Ike was all over the news, he'd look at me with a worried look and say "mommy, that's where my friend lives, is he ok" It really is sweet. And someday I promise that they will meet! And after meeting the Mickster in person I can honestly say that they would be the best of friends!!!

October 14, 2008

This picture doesn't really do it justice, I had my zoom lens on and was too lazy to get my other lens...but Ethan and Braden played in the garage for a couple of hours and piled up this HUGE pile of toys (or their garbage) they were so proud of it! The garage was so clean we could have almost parked a car in it :)


October 13, 2008

11 years ago we were just a bunch of college girls crammed into a tiny apartment - now we're all mommies and still great friends! (Lindsay and I swapped kids for the night :)


October 12, 2008

A day at the Pumpkin Patch with Ethan!
Ethan and Angie came up to hang out and meet baby Grace - the boys had a blast!!


























October 11, 2008

We love happy hour at Sonic around here...YUMMY!!

Friday, October 24, 2008

October 10, 2008

We had pizza over at Jill and Brook's house tonight. The boys were goofballs and wanted to dress up as firefighters and water boys?!?! They had these outfits on all night!