In Sickness...

My list of thanks is a day late. This time the "sickness" was me, not the girls. Sunday evening I ended up with the stomach flu. You'd think after all the coughing and snot in our home, that I'd sing the same song, but alas, I got the curve ball. But, I'm so thankful:

1029. Brad was able to stay home Monday, so I could rest.

1030. The girls seem to have escaped the stomach flu (you can pray about that one, I am).

And in other news:

1031. We were most thankful to receive a beautifully crafted Halloween card (and a sweet note from their mama) from our friends in Kentucky :)

1032. The girls learning that pirates say, Aaaarrrrrh!

1033. Vases of delicious smelling roses all over our house! Who would have thought our roses would go crazy with blooms in November?!

1034 and 1035. While the girls were sitting on my lap, Hadley reached over to give Brynne her bink. Brynne then signed thank you, completely unprompted!

1036. Brynne telling me every time she needed her diaper changed.

1037. Ready for winter!



Broken Record

Please forgive? I'm a bit like a broken record.

The girls are still sick. We're on week three of coughing and crying throughout the night. The girls' cough is a terrible wrenching sound that hurts my heart. The cough has sort of ebbed and flowed. Right now it's definintely flowing.

The days are tiring and the nights provide no relief.

Still, I'm so thankful:

1019. New words, new signs and new animal noises.

1020. Warm, beautiful, vibrant fall days.

1021. All the many blessings in the middle of the stroller incident. 

1022. Taking a few moments to play in the leaves.

1023. Hadley bringing me her tea cup for a "tea party" to drink hot honey and lemon water.

1024. Brynne joining in on the fun.



1025. Success in sewing part of the girls' Halloween costume.

1026. The cutest little garden gnomes you ever did see.

1027. Semi-annual haircut.

1028. An organized box of crayons.

Halloween Festivities

Growing up, I don't remember that Halloween was that big of a deal.

We walked around, said, Trick-or-Treat, got candy, said Thank you, and that was it.

In northern Illinois, some Halloweens there was snow on the ground, other years it would be cold and rainy, and if we were lucky, on rare occasion would be warm enough to walk around with out a coat covering up part of our costume.

Moving to the St. Louis area provided a completely different Halloween experience. They love Halloween around here. I mean really love it.

On the Missouri side, St. Louis area kids have to tell a joke for their candy. Here's the best one I've heard:

Why did Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella?
For drizzle.

It still makes me chuckle every time I read it!

Over on the Illinois side, in our area, kids say plain ole, Trick-or-treat, but on the 30th of October. On the 31st, the entire town gathers for a Halloween parade. It's a big deal. Lots of kids stay up way past their bedtimes. Not Brynne and Hadley just yet. They will be nestled in their beds promptly at 7:00.

Does your town have a unique Halloween tradition? I'd love to hear about it!

I'll leave you with our girls' costumes. I think they're pretty much the cutest little garden gnomes ever.

Lots of great Halloween costumes over here. Join us!