A Haunted Gingerbread House

I got the idea to make a gingerbread version of a haunted house from the Hulbert's. They've done it for the past couple of years and it looked so cute and like it would be something fun for Addie and I (Daddy too, but he was busy doing something else, which I'll post about later) to do. So after laboring over just getting it to stay stuck together, only to watch it fall apart and break, I decided to press on and attempt to put it back together. Then I realized, amongst all my frustration, I wasn't even involving Addie anymore and that's when I looked up and saw this lovable and adorable face.

 

Here's what it was supposed to look like and here's what ours looked like!

Oh well. Addie had fun and that was the whole point!

Impossible Acres with the Hulbert Girls

 We had such a good time at the farm with Jen, Allie and Paige. It had been way too long since we had last gotten together. I know I should be used to it by now, but I'm just amazed at how all of the girls have grown and changed. They were so sweet together!

Addelyn loved the baby bunnies and kept migrating back to them.

I know these pictures are blurry, but they captured the pure joy these girls were having, while us mamas caught up.

These girls ended the day hot, a little stinky (at least mine was) and ready for a nap!

Little Pink Toes

This week has been a work-from-home week for me, for the most part, which allows me the luxury of doing things like painting my sweet girl's toes pink! Have I mentioned I love my job?! I also love Addie's on-the-whim and out-of-the-blue ideas and I'm more than happy when I get to accommodate them! As painting her toes was all her idea.

Later that day, we took a trip to Macy's. There in the shoe department, as we waited for a sales person, Addie found a pair of peep-toe shiny red pumps. She asked me to try them on first and after I declined (they were way too small, I wear a size 10!), she kicked off her polka-dot rubber boots, she had insisted on wearing with no socks and was standing in Macy's in red pumps with her sweaty pink toes peeping through!

I love this girl!

Suisun Valley Pumpkin Patch

It was an 85 degree day here in Californ-i-a! But that didn't stop us from enjoying an adorable pumpkin patch we found out in the middle of a field of grapes! 

We picked out the family pumpkins!

Addie painted a pumpkin, played on the tractors, saw some chickens and more!

We also strolled through a corn maze!

Disneyland and More!

We've been planning a long weekend to Southern California for quite some time now and I can hardly believe it's come and gone! 

We got to stay with Auntie Pam and not only did we spend a day in "the happiest place on Earth," we swam in her pool, played in Santa Monica, and attended Auntie Pam's company picnic. Aside from Addie's typical grumpiness when traveling, it was a fabulous weekend!

I couldn't resist the classic Minnie ears!

This was one of the first characters we saw. Addelyn (and several other kids) so bravely tried to chase him down but he was on a mission. We were bummed we couldn't get a picture with Donald Duck!

First ride of the day, the carousel!,

I'm thinking "Gumbo" might have been her favorite! Although she loved the Nemo Submarine ride too!

Next we headed to Toon Town!

Two-thirds of Addie's paparazzi! 

We look forward to coming back for many more trips to Disneyland!
Crazy to think, next time we'll have two!

Swinging on Santa Monica Beach!

We had a picnic lunch on the beach and later took a ride on the famous Santa Monica ferris wheel you see in the background. (It's the same ferris wheel you see on Private Practice.)

Addie enjoyed sharing her lunch with the seagulls. 

 On the Santa Monica ferris wheel!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

This weekend we celebrated Kevin's birthday! 

Addelyn started his special day off with a little makeover, while I made him breakfast.

 Then she decided it would only be appropriate for Daddy to wear a birthday hat while he was eating his birthday breakfast. So on her own, she ran to her room and brought one out.

 And then it was her turn.

 Later we took Kevin out to dinner and then back home for cake, cards and presents. All the while he was sung "Happy Birthday" to, not once but probably close to a dozen times throughout the day.

 

What a day to celebrate! We love-a-love-a-you Daddy!

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

We were so happy to get a break from the 90 degree weather and have a little taste of fall. So when I got home the other day, Addie desperately wanted to play outside, even though it was wet and drizzly. My first instinct was no, but then I remembered all my days playing in the rain and thought of course!

We Have An Announcement...

Kevin, Addelyn and I are expecting a baby in April!!! I'm officially 12 weeks pregnant (technically 12 and a half, those halves so matter). I'm starting to feel much better as the nausea is easing up and my confidence in the viability of this pregnancy continues to grow. 

And our Addie-girl...in her own little way, she is starting to grasp what's taking place. She loves to find the babies in my pregnancy book and recently asked our babysitter if there was a baby in her tummy too. She always points to the ta-tas when she asks this, because that was the only thing (so far) that stuck out on me or the babysitter. The only place a baby could conceivably be, right?!

Here's one of the first pictures of our new baby at 8 weeks.

And here's another at 12 weeks, waving at us!

And here's a pic of my fast growing belly.

It's definitely true what they say about showing quicker with the second.