A Day For Me

So yesterday I was able to have a day just for me (it was my b-day).  A friend offered to watch Lilli for me while I went out and did whatever I wanted.  With Ben's graduation coming up and it being a formal event, I really wanted to get my hair cut and get my nails done.  I don't like to get the fake nails on, but decided that this once won't hurt.  I love my hair cut.  It's so cute!  I was also able to run some errands and just do something for me.  Such a thoughtful gift, so thanks Stephanie!!!  It was a pretty good birthday, even if Ben was gone.  But he did send me my favorite flowers, lilies (I loved lilies BEFORE I even had Lilli).  And we did go out to Olive Garden for lunch on Saturday, and he told our waiter it was my birthday.  Of course they sang, but I told him (our waiter) I didn't want any big hooplah.  He was good about that.  So thanks to those of you who made my birthday special!  Thanks for the cards, emails, phone calls, treats, and other gifts!  It's nice to know I'm loved!

Trunk or Treat

Ben was able to come home this weekend and Lilli and I were so glad to see him!  We miss him very much, but this is his last week at ALS (4 days left).  He graduates on Thursday so I'll be going up to Columbia and attending that.  Anyway, it's starting to get cooler now and Lilli is needing some sweaters and long sleeve shirts so Saturday we went to Old Navy.  Lilli was needing a costume as well because that night was our ward's Trunk or Treat and she couldn't very well go and be the ONLY kid not in a cool costume.  We debated on what she should be.  A princess?  Hermoine (from Harry Potter)? A hippie?  We were shooting for a costume where we wouldn't have to spend a lot of money, using stuff we already had.  Anyway, when we got to Old Navy I looked over and saw that they had some costumes.  Not really knowing what they had, I saw that the price was $5 for these $23 costumes.  Were they for real???  $5 for a costume?  Ben brought Lilli over and we asked her if she wanted any of the costumes.  Of course she picked the kitty cat costume (she's been constantly pretending to be a cat for the last week, so why WOULDN'T she pick the cat costume).  It was really cute, and for $5, it was even cuter!  They also had some cute little ninja costumes, so I bought the boys one for each for next year.  Come on!  FOR $5!!!!!!!  I was so proud of myself!  Can you tell?!?!  

Anyway, we got to the trunk or treat a little late, but Lilli had a blast.  She played on the cake walk and won (everyone won something), got to go fishing (she won a bracelet), ate hotdogs w/ chips and juice, AND of course went trunk or treating and got lots of candy!  We have such a great ward and always have so much fun at these sort of activities.  We also met a few new families in the ward (our ward is a very transient ward, people are always moving in and out).  I didn't run around a whole lot with Lilli.  I've been feeling a lot of contractions (not A LOT, but enough to make me need to relax some; today I felt a couple contractions within about 10 minutes of each other, SCARY).  I'm a dork and don't drink enough.  Anyway, so Ben was wonderful and chased Lilli around the parking lot, teaching her how to say Trick or Treat.  He said she FINALLY picked up on it at the last car.  It was a fun weekend and we're always glad when Daddy comes home!  I'll post some pics of Lilli in her costume tomorrow.  I need to go eat and DRINK SOME WATER!!!!!

Edventure Children's Museum

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Last weekend we were able to make the 2 hour drive and see Ben in Columbia.  It was so fun to see him.  When we first got there, his class was having a "dog show."  One of the guys in Ben's class is a police officer and has a dog that he works with (canine unit).  So we went to that (Ben will post pictures and more about that).  It was really cool.  Then they had a BBQ and we ate hot dogs, burgers, juice, and chips.  It was fun to meet a lot of the people he goes to class with.  They were all really nice and friendly.  Then we checked in to our hotel room and went down to the pool.  They told me the pool was heated, but when we got in, or rather when Ben got in, it was freezing (I just dipped my toe in).  I had specifically requested this motel for its heated indoor pool.  Oh well!  Lilli wasn't really that interested in getting into the water anyway.  We played in the hot tub instead (it wasn't hot at all or I wouldn't have gotten in).  The next day, Ben had a service project his flight had to do so he left in the morning for a bit then came back to get us.  Then we were on our way to the Edventure Children's Museum.  We first ate at Wild Wing's (it was the only good restaurant nearby) then headed to the Museum.  The museum is super cool.  I recommend every family doing it at least once.  Lilli absolutely loved it!  She had so much fun!  There are so many things to see and do.  After about an hour, both Ben and I were so tired but Lilli was still going.  I think we left after almost 2 hours there.  It was a good experience for all of us and it was fun just spending time as a family!

I leave the room for 2 seconds..................

Look at her just chillin', like nothing is out of the ordinary, chowin' down on a Tootsie Roll!

and look at the mess she made!  That is my whole package of gum strewn all over the couch.  I had just gotten that gum the other day.  I had only eaten 1/2 a piece out of that whole thing.  Lilli had it everywhere and most of the pieces had half a bite taken from them.  I was able to salvage 4 whole pieces.  The rest I just threw away.  And not only that, but I had forgotten that I had some candy leftover in my purse from the Oliver Hardy Festival Parade.  Yes!  That is Tootsie Roll slobber all over her face.  So what do you do when you want to scream at your child!  You take pictures and post a blog about it 3 days later!

Mama's Big Belly

Everyone keeps asking me to blog pictures of myself and my big belly.  I'm telling you, I am huge!  Especially for only being 27 weeks (28 weeks tomorrow).  I know I'm pregnant with twins AND it's my second pregnancy, but still.  It doesn't make me feel any better.  The pregnancy is going rather well, considering.  It is hard for me to sleep at nights and I'm tired all the time, but I'm trying to keep a positive outlook.  I only have a short amount of time left and as everyone keeps telling me, the twins are easier to take care of INSIDE rather than OUTSIDE.  So even though I'm quite uncomfortable, have really bad acid reflux/heart burn, still feel the nausea, chasing around a VERY active 2 year old, am a single mom at the moment, and am tired all the time, I FEEL GREAT!!!!!!!  I have wonderful friends and family who give me love and support and offer their services willingly.  Thank you so much to all of you!  It really does make me feel like I can get through this and makes me feel really GREAT!

Pumpkins

I can't tell who Lilli looks like more in this picture, me or Ben.

Monday, we decided to carve pumpkins.  We went to Wal-Mart, and thinking we would be creative, decided to get 4 smaller pumpkins so we can carve the word "BOO!" using each pumpkin for a letter and the exclamation point.  As we started to carve, or TRY to carve, we noticed that our knives weren't cutting through the pumpkins very easily, or rather, not at all.  Ben gave up and went to Food Lion to get a bigger pumpkin while I was somewhat successful in carving out 3 of the 4 smaller pumpkins.  Lilli was so  not interested in carving pumpkins.  We tried to get her to clean the guts out but she was grossed out.  By the end of the carving process, Ben and I were both so tired of carving.  My pumpkins are cleaned out (3 of the 4 of them) but I have yet to actually carve something in them.  And Ben's big pumpkin, well, the pictures speak for themselves!  Can you tell he was tired?  Plus he was leaving and had about 30 minutes to carve a face out anyway.  

Free Handbag

Handbag Planet is having a deal where you can win a free handbag every hour on October 15th.  Just head to www.handbagplanet.com and enter to win!

Kleenex

I've been sick the last 2 weeks with a nasty cold.  I still have a little congestion, but not as bad as it was.  Because of it, I've had a really runny nose and I had to sleep sitting up a little.  Well, my nose would still run so I'd stuff  a piece of kleenex up my nose to stop it (I know, gross).  It helped me sleep and was actually pleasant (I couldn't breathe anyway).  Lilli would catch me a couple of times with some up my nose and would try to pull it out.  At one point, I came into the living room and these pictures show what I saw.  I had to laugh!  

Oliver Hardy Festival

The first weekend of October, Harlem, GA celebrates the birth (or something) of Oliver Hardy.  Those of you who don't know who he is, he was an old slapstick comedian/actor.  He was in "The Laurel and Hardy Show", I think that's what it was called.  Anyway, they close off the Main Street in little Harlem and people set up vendors to sell their crafts and food.  So we walked up the street until the parade started.  It was kind of a dinky parade, as you can tell from the pictures.  Lilli had lots of fun getting candy, but whenever the vehicles drove by, she would cling onto Ben and I.  After the parade, we walked back down the street and went home.  That was about as exciting as it got.  Though on our way, we heard one of the vendors selling food tell someone that they didn't have to have a license to serve food.  Yeah, we didn't get ANY food!  We did stop by the Laurel and Hardy Museum, where they had flown up look-a-like actors from Universal Studios.  There were too many people in there and it really wasn't all that interesting.  They had a puppet show that was geared toward the Christian population.  They'd sing songs about prophets.  It was interesting, but Lilli enjoyed it.  I guess it wasn't too bad of a celebration.  We definitely felt like we were in the South.

Sweet kisses

So right after I finished posting the last post (About Lilli being a monster), I went into my room to see what Lilli was up to and found her just laying on my bed watching a movie.  I go over to her and ask her what she's doing and all of a sudden she jumps up and gives me a big hug and gives me about 20 kisses on my cheek.  I just melted.  It's those moments that make up for the "monster" moments and make motherhood all worth it (even when you're sick)!!!!!!

Nap time

The other day, Lilli was SUPPOSED to be taking a nap.  Instead, this is how I found her.  Apparently, she had decided she would play dress up.  Notice the darker spot on her swimming suit...............it's pee.  She had taken off her diaper, put on panties, and then peed all over.  She was soaking wet.  Needless to say, instead of taking a nap, she got a bath instead.  

I've been really sick with a cold lately and was in much need of a nap that specific day.  It seems that on the days that I need a nap the most, Lilli decides she doesn't need one.  So along with being sick and miserable, I get to clean up dirty clothes and a dirty daughter.  Then I have to go upstairs in her room to make sure she didn't pee on the floor or on anything.  It was a great day!

But that's not all.  Today, while I was going over some choir stuff with our ward's choir director, I hear Lilli yelling, "My eyes, my eyes!"  So I run into the other room and she's on the floor with a bottle of Windex.  I guess she had sprayed Windex in her face!  Not to mention the fact that I'm still sick, can't breathe, can't smell, and can barely keep my eyes open and have THAT mess to clean up!  Now I understand the whole "terrible two's" phrase!  I'm so glad my husband is coming home today!!!!!!