I find that I struggle whenever it comes to making big announcements.   Parties, galas, radio announcements, proposals on the Jumbo Tron, the list is endless when it comes to proclaiming good tidings to the world.  Break out the banner flying airplane because, “We’re going to Brazil!”(Just kidding, we aren’t really leaving the country.  I just couldn’t resist.)  There is a place and a time for everything and to each his own.  In those cases, just sometimes, the actual tenderness of the moment is trivialized or over looked.  Believe me the irony of my making any sort of announcement via blog just kills, but what can I do?  So when you read this, just pretend we’re sitting in a little bistro chatting and eating PinkBerry or maybe sharing some peanuts at a baseball game.  What better way could you tell a friend that your family would soon grow a size bigger?  What’s that you say?!  Yes, we have been packing away the Halloween candy like it’s going out of style, but the growing of my waistband due to candy was not the reference I was making.  So watch out!!  Will’s expecting firework from me come the 4th of July…ok or technically the 5th.  Stay tuned.  We’ll try to keep you updated as we start the expansion process.   For those of you who feel I’m being a bit elusive, our countdown to baby #3 is at 32 weeks  or 224 days.

We had our first round of family pictures this year.  Really it was a recipe for disaster, but everything turned out great.

What made me think, pictures will go great during dinner time-the kids can wait.  They don’t look that hungry. As I wonder to myself, why are my children running up and down the stairs?  Why is Annie throwing books? Not a stellar, shining mom moment, I know.  That is neither here nor there and Jessica did a great job with them.  In the end I have a family picture that is unique and very much us!  The kids faces were completely unprompted.

We even got a few of Will and I that I love!

First off – yes, I’m green!…and no, I didn’t start out that way.  My initial plan was to be a rock star.  It quickly and wickedly morphed into an Alien Rock Star.  I realized Will needed a costume as well and I have always wanted to be , “matchy, matchy, green, green” (okay, without the green).  Did anyone catch that movie reference?!  I digress,  couples costumes have always seemed so fun to me, but they have never happened for us.  I seized my moment this year.  I was so desperate to match Will that I painted almost my entire body green.  Quite a bit of painting on my my end, but Will’s domed foil hat and, “They coming for me!” shirt made it all worth it.

Halloween brought more fun than we could handle.  I thought I would try to be the cool parent and let my kids go trick-or-treating 3 times.  Ha!  Boy was that lesson learned quickly.  Maybe when they are older they will enjoy it more, but we had major meltdowns during round 2.  Hudson just refused to trick-or-treat.  The stores in our area give out candy so we were letting the kids go from store to store.  Hudson started by telling Will he didn’t want candy from any of them because he didn’t like their faces.  What?!  I’m thankful he whispered that comment to Will.  His tact is starting to grow.  Then the truth came out.  He was hungry.  Will picked up some sushi and bought Hudson a snack.  Annie and I finished the rounds to find the two of them sitting by a rock waterfall chowing down.  Maybe Maslow did know what he was talking about.

Round 3 went considerably better.  I’m sure it was due to the fact that he was with his friends and had just finished up a fun Halloween party.

Hudson had his Halloween party at school today.  It was so fun seeing him parade around in his costume.  Some of you may be wondering about his incredible abilities at growing facial hair.  Yes, it was thanks to a Sharpie and a huge candy bar bribe.  I tried to avoid the bribe altogether and draw the stache and beard on in the middle of the night, but it rubbed off before morning.  I thought the dry erase would last, but Sharpie had to save the day!

This is the night we’ve waited for, always a treat we have in store.  We love each other more and more with every family night.  No stories and games this time around, just pumpkin carving and a killer lesson from Annie.

Annie and I joined forces for this guy.  She is an amazing guts and seed remover.  It’s very, Jack the Pumpkinesque.

Will and Hudson went solo.  Hudson was a little leery of the guts, but he got his pumpkin done eventually.  Thanks to whoever invented the spoon!