QT: 7

one. After 2 weeks off school, busy as they were, this week got the best of me. So please join me on a recap of the past week. 

two. Halloween was good. It stopped raining just in time for Dinosaurs to enjoy trick-or-treating. We got some trick-or-treaters at our house. All in all it was a major win!

three. Monday we had our one year well check for M and C tagged along for his flu shot. C became the first kid in history to thank the nurse for a shot. "Thank you for making me healthy. Thank you for my bam-baid." It was the longest appointment in history because our pediatrician, who is our actual in real life friend, had a Nurse Practitioner student working with her. So it took double the time needed. Plus we had to stop at the lab for a finger prick blood test for M. But all is well. Everyone is healthy and on track, 

four. Tuesday and Thursday we hosted school for the letter E. It kicked my butt. The break was great but getting back to routine was hard for them and they were exceptionally wiggly and unable to focus. C's highlight was hatching penguin eggs. (Penguin figurines put in balloon, filled with water, frozen, balloon peeled off = eggs) 

We did this super cute envelope craft but it wasn't a hit. Thursday went better than Tuesday but the highlight of both days was playing in the yard. It didn't rain and was in the 70s so outside we went!! 

five. Also on Tuesday was E for Election day. C went with me to vote. He liked it and we talked about how important it is. He especially liked his sticker. As a bonus, we got ourselves a new mayor which is great news! (To me.) 

six. furthering the NP being not so stellar* she looked in M's mouth and said "I think it's going to be a long while before she gets anymore teeth." Boom: M's top front left tooth emerged yesterday. *I know that it was a coincidence and not all babies get red or swollen gums but it was the cherry on top to my not impressed face with her. Luckily, she is not my regular. 

seven. Today we had our first art class. It's billed as a quality time class. The teacher, Miss Erin, sets up different craft stations and the kids rotate. C did really well until it was time to leave and then he had an epic meltdown. Boo. Well we have 5 more classes this session and 6 more of the next session to get acclimated to the whole thing. 

The weird part was he was surprising me with how into the crafts he was. He's usually not a craft guy. He also doesn't usually melt down quite like that, sometimes he lets out a good "No! Not time to go home." But then, get's over it. Not today. I felt like mother of the year as every other kid was silent and watching. Poor us. Life is hard. 

Oh hey, that was seven. It's November, can you believe it?! Have a great weekend. 

Theme Thursday: Catchlights

Holy Smokes you guys. It's Thursday. I am in utter disbelief. I mean, it makes perfect sense that it is Thursday. We had school today. At my house. But somehow the dots did not connect in my head so I need to catch up.

It's Thursday. Theme Thursday. Catchlights. On it.

We tried to do a photo shoot for M this past weekend. You know for a brilliant 1 year old picture. But she has transitioned into "hard to photograph." She would rather be climbing and jumping and not sitting. Anything but sitting and smiling simultaneously. What were we thinking?!

But apparently 3.5 is the age where they come back around to the possibility of posing. So we took some of C. I present to you: Catchlights.

Now for the elusive picture of both kids at the same time!! At least I have two weeks before Groups is the theme. Gives me time for plenty of outtakes. 

Link 'em up with Micaela. It's fun. 

Theme Thursday: Silhouette

Well we went from zero to sixty. Silhouette is one of those things that's not hard exactly but certainly requires more effort and thought than say, sun flare or same photo/different angle. But I like a good challenge.

Except my weather did not cooperate. It's still not. In the past week it has been gray and cloudy 5/7 days. And the other two days well ... okay I dropped the ball. I could have and should have done a better job with that. But that still leaves me without a Theme Thursday picture, and I love Theme Thursday. If there ever was a T.T. groupie, I am she.

Not participating by week three is not an option.

So I buckled down and decided to make it happen. The lighting is not a beautiful sunset or sunrise. It's not even anything but cloudy. But that's the real life of this week.

So there you are. A silhouette of my two looking out the front door at the cars.

Link up with Micaela.  You know you want an excuse to use your good camera. (Or just take a picture, whatever.) See you back here next week for catchlights. I should probably start today to make sure I get a cooperative subject. :)

So Much Goodness

The past few days have held just so much goodness.

My family came into town on Friday afternoon and we had a pizza party. They played with the kids and then after bedtime, we played games and chatted.

Saturday included C going to the grocery store with my dad, C going swimming at the "show and tell,"(hotel) M's party with a taco bar and cake. So many moments of joy.

My parents got her a Minnie Mouse set, a blanket, stuffed animal and lovey. When we helped her open it she smiled and held on to the package. When we took the stuffed animal Minnie out and handed it to her, she picked it up, smiled HUGE and hugged it and rocked it. It was one of the best moments and of course no picture could ever capture the love and joy right then.

Sunday involved lots of playing, saying goodbye, playing outside and football.

Yesterday our friends threw a Halloween party and it was a hit. We had so much fun!

Today is kind of rainy and dreary, but we've played hard. Singing Halloween songs. I am in the process of making bread and chicken noodle soup for dinner. I also made Pumpkin Pretzels as a treat. Pro tip: just go buy the orange Wilton melting chocolates. My color doesn't look good at all plus then it's one less step!

Also I built a toy shopping cart today. Not that building toys is hard exactly, but usually Husband deals with that stuff. But I built it all by myself and even though pounding the wheel cap thing on took me probably double the time it would have taken Husband, it doesn't matter.

Life is good people.

Bittersweet

M's big girl car seat came on September 30. It is a convertible seat so we could have transitioned to it that exact day. But I wasn't ready yet. Because the big girl car seat means that my baby isn't a baby anymore and I just couldn't do it. 

So I made an excuse to wait until her birthday. 

Then on Thursday I determined since we weren't going anywhere I didn't really need to do it yet. 

Then on Friday I decided it was raining and I didn't want to carry the heavy car seat to the garage (we don't have an attached garage) and get it and me all wet. 

Then yesterday I figured we were busy with family and her party. There just wasn't any time. 

But today, my family left. 

And today it is sunny and bright. 

And today, the Vikings played early and won and we have no plans. 

And tomorrow we actually do have somewhere to go. 

I was out of excuses. So we went out an installed the new car seat. 

It is very likely that we won't have another baby ride in our baby car seat since it expires in the not too distant future. Far enough out someone could theoretically borrow it for a weekend but not for the entire first year of my non-existent third baby. 

This seat carried my babies home from the hospital safely and kept them both safe and secure for the first year of their lives. It seems silly to me to go all KonMari here but it also seems incredibly appropriate today. 

Thank you old friend. You have done a good job. 

7QT That Actually Are Quick

one. It's Friday!! My family is en route to spend the weekend with us and have M's party tomorrow. And it's Friday. That just bears repeating.

two. This girl loves her Little People Princess Castle. I am actually really surprised because C always takes a few days to adjust to new presents which gets me all anxious. Gift giving is my love language and so when people don't automatically love things I get for them it gets me all worked up. But this was not a problem yesterday at all. She jumped right in and hasn't stopped all day. #winning 

three. Animal crackers are having a moment in our lives right now. C loves that they're animals. Husband and M love that they're tasty. I love that they are small and I can hand one to each kid and that's like a treat. It stops the crying and keeps the grumpys at bay. 

four. I know it's early. But let's talk about the next President of the United States. I am really kind of nervous about how that mess is going to clean itself up. 

five. Who's been following this train wreck via headlines? Oh. My. Goodness. 

six. This week off of a school has proved to be a Godsend, we all needed this break. Next week looks to be just as good since we have a Halloween party on Monday and then Trick or Treat on Friday and Saturday. 

seven. Have a great weekend!! We're having Minnie Mouse cake so it's sure to be exciting over this way. 

Linking up with Kelly. Did you read her EO post? I die. It's so good. 

Different Angles: Theme Thursday

If you've been around the Theme Thursday block before, you may remember that I enjoy stretching the themes a little. I mean, there's no rules exactly, but I like to push the boundaries of the theme. It's just what I do.

So I was going to post something kind of like this:

10.22.14 Sometime in the wee early hours

10.22.15 2:12 am 

Same photo. Different angle. The angle of a year makes all the difference. It's M's birthday today and it is making me ache and consuming all my thoughts. Where did my year go?! How did she get from the little smush in a bucket crib to my big girl who is part mountain goat?

But that really is stretching the theme a little much for only the second week. I should probably follow along with the spirit of things until we all get our sea legs then I can start mixing it up a bit. I mean, there's plenty of time to go a little crazy. But this week got away from me so you are still getting birthday themed pictures. 

M got to open one of her presents this morning before her daddy went to work. It is the Fisher Price Little People Birthday Party. She loves it. She has been walking around with the little girl all day and she loves making the cake play the birthday song. The wrapping paper has been fun to play with too. 

Happy Thursday! Link up your different angles with Micaela! Because you should.