WHEEEWWWW!!!

Talk about crazy, busy times. The last couple of weeks have been NUTS - but I can't complain. I do admit - I get a bit irritable when life gets TOO busy and I don't feel like we have any down time. So far, Monday's have been my day to try to regain my sanity before the crazy part of the week starts all over again. I actually had my kids in bed by 7:30 tonight. I think that is a record. The most amazing part is that I barely heard a peep out of either of them after I put them down. Apparently, they were tired. It is much better for them to get to sleep early on Monday nights because I have to wake them up between 6 and 6:30 am depending on my work schedule on Tuesdays to go to my moms. They have a pretty long day because they go to Bible study with her all morning, which they have a blast at, but they get pretty worn out.

SO, life events - I don't remember being this busy in the previous Octobers. I know that the month of December is usually INSANE and November starts getting a little crazy - but for us, the holiday season has kicked in full speed. I think part of the business is partly because I feel like I am really beginning to "live". I don't know how to explain it really but I feel like a part of me has come alive again - maybe for the first time? I was so drained/depressed/in a really bad place for the better part of a year, that to come out of that funk makes me want to become the best everything I can be - wife/mom/daughter/friend/child of God. It's like I have a little fire burning on the inside that is actually propelling my behavior - something I have always wanted and not always had...internal motivation. I have been on the upward spiral since about July. I am realizing though, that I think in my attempt to "live life" I have propelled my family into a crazy busy schedule. Not to mention - I am hoping and praying that we all stay healthier than last year. I am having flashbacks of the croup that afflicted my girls the early part of Nov. 2007. Not fun. They are both eating oranges and taking their vitamins. This, combined with lots of sleep and play, and sanitary surfaces (a little OCD) will hopefully give their bodies what they need to stay strong.

Neither Travis or I had a lot of family traditions we did when we were kids so we have decided that we want to start fun family traditions for our kids. Many of our extended family and friends are a part of those traditions which makes it all the more fun. Last weekend, a HUGE group of us went to the pumpkin patch. It is a place called Lee Farms in Tualatin. My sis had discovered it a couple of years ago and it is pretty amazing. They have tons of animals, rides, yummy food - tons of stuff. We went with so many people it was hard to keep track of all of them! It was a great time, though. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and the weather couldn't have been better. Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, the Carver Hanger. They have HUGE hamburgers and I guess good pizza - I wouldn't know since I always get a burger. My mom and I actually shared one since I was still feeling the effects of the greasy elephent ear I had consumed. Trav's mom and sister Meghan were with us as well. Our friends, Josh and Meredith and Nate, Teresa and Kambrie came, too. We had two big tables in the middle of the restaurant. It was fun to relax and chat.

This weekend, we had more fall festivites. We went to two harvest festivals and did pumpkin carving on Sunday. Friday night, the harvest festival was at the school Trav's mom works at. Unfortunately, it was pretty lamO. There was only a few things for the kids to do. I felt sorta bad because my sis and her family had come and it was pretty disappointing. On a good note, our kids are small enough that they really didn't know it was lame and had a great time. Trav's mom was planning on taking the kids to spend the night with her and so we asked her if she wouldn't mind having my sis' daughter for an hour or so, so we could all have dinner. She didn't mind, and Kambrie did great! She's such a versitile kid - not fearful, and apparently easy to watch because my MIL said she would watch her again in the future so we could all go out again! Yea! It was fun to have some adult time, over hoppy bear and hummus. ;-)

I could write tons more about the rest of the weekend and the other good times we had but I still have some things to get done before bed. I am mainly just so grateful for my family and my friends. We had a lot of good time with my sis and her family which was really nice. I felt like our girls were able to bond because they spent so much time together. They even all took a bath together Saturday night! LOL!

Pumpkin carving was fun - I spent most of the afternoon in the house, cleaning and preparing homemade chili. The mom's came over and Trav's sisters and his sister Kendall's boyfriend. Our friends Josh and Meredith came over after they got home from Medford and stayed til almost 11:00pm! It was fun chatting with them.

The next two weekends at least, will be crazy again. I'm praying for no sickness in between there. I just feel blessed that we have been able to do so many fun things and have such awesome family and friends.

Hopefully, I will be downloading some pictures in the near future!