Halloween 2009

Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays. I loooooove it. I have so many special memories of Halloween growing up, and it's important to me to make wonderful memories for my little ones. We decorate the house, have special pumpkin plates and cups we use, carve jack-o-lanterns, and get out all of our Halloween books to read.

But the BEST part about Halloween?

Trick-or- Treating!!!

This year both Eva AND Jaden decided they wanted to be astronauts. Not sure what really prompted their decision...the only thing I can think of is that we recently got a new book on space. Whatever the reason, this Mama thought they were both cute as a button!

After trick-or-treating at our families homes (which is always fun) it was time to hit the neighborhood. In our little corner of the neighborhood we do things in style. Two of our neighbors hook their riding lawn mowers up to wagons filled with hay. All of us pile in with blankets and cozy up together as we go through the neighborhood trick-or treating. It is too much fun!

Eva was alllll business. She was loving trick or treating....often leaving her friends in her dust as she ran from house to house!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, this little guy wanted nothing to do with the cold weather! He trick-or-treated at about 4 houses and then pretty much announced he was done - it was too brrrrr cold!! He just wanted to snuggle with Mommy on the wagon ride - and I wasn't going to complain about that!!! I loooooove to snuggle! We convinced him to go to a few more houses before the end of the evening, but most of his trick-or-treating time was spent curled up with me!

The evening ended with a bonfire and pizzas with our neighbors! We warmed our bodies and filled our bellies before calling it an evening.

I think it is safe to say a FUN evening was enjoyed by all!!!!

MUST. GET. OUT.

Sooooo....after being cooped up in the house sick for over a week this is what we all felt like....

It wasn't a pretty sight. We were alllll ready for some fun and more importantly, FRESH AIR!!! So with Eva back to her ol' self and Jaden fever free for 24 hours we decided to venture over to the Pumpkin Patch.

Going to the Pumpkin Patch is one of my favorite things to do with my little ones. It's just soooo incredibly fun to spend a few hours outdoors doing all the fun things the Pumpkin Patch has to offer. This particular Pumpkin Patch is near and dear to my heart because my cousin and his family own it....and in my opinion nothing beats it!!!

We meandered through a corn maze, "mined" for jewels (Eva loves this), and fed goats, turkeys (interesting), and deer! I've never been as close to a deer as we were that day so that was pretty amazing. Jaden was in awe, and his little gentle spirit just sat there patiently until the deer felt comfortable enough to walk up to him. Only then did Jaden gently put his hand out and the deer ate right out of it! So cool! I should have included a picture of it - sorry! We also rode horses. Eva was excited because we let her ride alone this year, and Jaden rode with me. Thanks to our Amish friends, both of my children have a sincere love for horses and normally feel completely at ease around them.

Last, but not least, we picked out our pumpkins! We searched and searched until both Eva and Jaden found the perfect one! That night we carved our special creations....

"October gave a party.

The leaves by hundreds came-

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

and leaves of every name.

The sunshine spread a carpet,

and everything was grand.

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band."

--George Cooper "October's Party"

And the winner is......

First of all, I have to tell allllll of you how much I enjoyed reading about your BEST advice on my giveaway. All of the advice was wonderful and inspiring! If you haven't visited that post recently I would encourage you to scroll down and check out all of the words of wisdom from some very wise ladies!

I had 21 comments on my giveaway so I wrote the numbers 1 - 21 on pieces of paper and before Eva went to bed last night we mixed up alllll the pieces of paper and she had to close her eyes and pick one! The winner is comment number....

Congratulations to Lisa!!! She asked for a pack of recipe cards with my favorite recipes on them and I will be happy to get those in the mail to her!!!

Just to mix things up a little...

Well, I had promised you no posts about the flu, or vaccines, or surgical masks. The problem with that is that as I write this I am sitting next to my little guy...who is sound asleep....and sick. Yes, if we've taught our children anything it is how to share - and the flu is no exception! Just when Eva got over it Jaden got slammed. Poor guy.

That being said, I will do as I promised....however, since my life lately has revolved around taking tempertures, making sure we are drinking enough fluids, and making sure my children are taken care of I don't have too much else to post about. So to give you some variety I thought I would share with you some of my photography work. Hope ya don't mind. It's better than talking about the flu right? Ha!

Recently I took my very first senior pictures. It was a challenge to me, as I have only focused on children and their spontaneity. Seniors pics are much more thought out....more planned than pics of little ones. As I always say, I've got a lot of learnin' to do and each time I photograph someone it seems I learn more - which I love. Lucky for me, Emily was a pure joy to work with and we had a lot of fun. She and her family seem happy with her pictures, and honestly that what matters to me!

Here are just a few....

Hope all of you are staying healthy!! I say when this whole flu thing is over we all meet up for some drinks...ya think?!!!! Ha! Just a reminder that the giveaway ends on Sunday so if you still want to be part of it scroll down and leave your comment!!

Have a beautiful weekend friends....

Jamie

I forgot a few things...

In my last post I mentioned a few things we were doing around here to TRY to keep this whole flu bug to a minimum. I forgot to mention a few things....

We are drinking water like it's going out of style! I'm serious. The kiddies and I literally have contests to see who can drink the most during the day. If you are at my house it would not be uncommon to hear one of us say, "HA HA!! I just finished my THIRD glass today!!!" Honestly, we do this even when it is not flu season. Kind of dorky - I know - but it makes it more fun for them and that makes it all worth it. Want to hear something else funny that goes along with it? Our lovely daughter will announce when her urine is clear. I'm serious. She knows that means she is drinking a LOT of water and she gets a kick out of it!! Ha Ha!! Cracks me up!

The other thing I forgot to mention is that I am TRYING to limit their exposure to other large groups of people (obviously now that Eva is sick they are not getting exposed to anyone). This can be tricky - but right now the Swine Flu is bad in our neck of the woods and since we are not vaccinating them I am willing to take other precautions. Yesterday when we had to go to the hospital for Eva to have X-rays I had them both wear surgical masks. I know...some of you may think I am a total nutcase. But my reasons were many...for one, Eva is still contagious. I didn't want her getting others sick. The other reason is that Jaden is completely healthy. I didn't want him exposed to all the crazy germs crawling around the hospital. And you know what is crazy??? I had numerous people come up to me and tell me just how smart I was! Here I was kind of worried that I would be freaking people out - and they thought it was a great idea! Please know, I would never make my children wear masks out in other public places - I am not Michael Jackson - but the hospital was a WHOLE different story.

I think that is it for now!! I promise that posts will be coming that do NOT have to do with flu....or vaccines.....or surgical masks!!! Hang in there!

Hugs,
Jamie

PS. Eva is feeling much better today!

Update #2

Eva seemed to be doing much better yesterday, but last night started coughing horribly! She was up for literally 3 hours coughing - poor girl! I took her to the hospital today to have a chest X-ray done to confirm that it wasn't pneumonia and the test was negative - thank goodness!! Just one nasty cough! We continue to take it easy and focus on getting better. We've also colored more pictures than I can even wrap my mind around!!! LOVE IT!

Some of you have wondered about my views regarding the Swine Flu vaccine. As many of you know I am a vaccine delaying (and sometimes avoiding) Mama. Matt and I decided a long time ago that our children would not receive the Swine Flu vaccine. My reasons are many, however I don't feel like I need to get into that here. If you are interested in my reasons please feel free to e-mail me. Bottom line is we are alllll trying to do what we feel is best for our kiddos!

What we ARE doing around here is this...

Washing our hands like no one else's business!!! I also keep hand sanitizer out and encourage my children to use it often.

Taking our vitamins! I'm a firm believer that this helps our childrens' bodies in more ways than we know! I always up our vitamin intake during cold and flu season - but this year I really stepped it up! Among the things I am giving the kiddies....Sambu Guard, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and other Sunrider supplements.

Talking about good "cold manners"....like covering our mouths when we cough with our elbows instead of our hands.

Hope all of you are staying healthy!!!! Thanks again for always checking in on Eva...we appreciate it!

Jamie

Just an Update....

First of all, thank you sooo much for all of your kind words and prayers for Eva - it means the world to us! Our little girl seems to be feeling a bit better, although the doc said it should last 5 - 7 days. We spent most of the weekend snuggling, coloring, doing puzzles, and reading. Honestly, if I'm looking on the bright side - as much as Florida would have been nice - I've loved my time snuggling her too!!!

Also, just a reminder that even though I didn't go on vacation the giveaway is still a go!!! Just scroll down to that post and leave your comment before Sunday....and remember to let me know what you would like if you win!!!

Hugs,
Jamie

The Swine Flu Hits Home....

Well my friends.....right now our family should be boarding an airplane to spend the week in Florida. The plane tickets were purchased....the condo was rented....the rental car was waiting....and the suitcases were packed and sitting by the door. All of us were beside ourselves with excitement.

Then yesterday our little girl started acting like she didn't feel 100%.

Just to be pro-active I thought I better run her into the doctor since we would be boarding a plane in less than 24 hours....

As the doctor checked her out she looked at me cautiously over her stethoscope.

"How long is your vacation for?"

"7 Days"

Pause.

"I am pretty sure Eva has the flu...and chances are it is the Swine Flu....I think you should consider cancelling your vacation."

Soooo, after a lot of thought and consideration Matt and I unpacked the suitcases, called the rental companies, and cancelled our airline tickets....

And instead of basking in the warmth of the sun we will bask in the knowledge that our little girl is comfy and cozy snuggled up in her own bed....and getting better.

And in the end that is all that really matters.

It's Giveaway Time...

This Happy Housewife is going to be taking a vacation...and I figured that would be a fantastic time to have a little giveaway to let my readers know how much I appreciate them!

Here is how it works...

Leave a comment before Saturday, October 25th telling me the BEST advice you've ever received....oh, I know this is a tough one!! The advice can be about anything...work, parenting, life in general, etc.

What do you win?

Well, that is up to you! I like to give you some variety to choose from! Here are your choices for this particular giveaway...

1. A Target Giftcard (because this Mama loooooooves Target)!
2. A small giftpack (with a few of my favorite things in it)!
3. A free sitting fee for a photo session (this is only valid if you know me personally or through someone else...and also must live somewhat close to me)!
4. A pack of recipe cards with some of my very favorite recipes on them!

So just leave a comment telling me the best advice you've received AND what you would like your gift to be and if your name is drawn your wish shall be my command!

Good Luck my friends and have a fabulous week!
Jamie

A big day for our little man...

This little cutie-patootie helped his Daddy take apart his baby crib and carry the pieces downstairs...

And that night he slept for the first time in his "big boy bed"...or bunkbeds in his case!

Jaden, as much as I love to see you growing and embracing new things it made your Mommy sad to see you say goodbye to your baby crib!!! You are getting soooo big and your Mommy could not be more proud of you! Love you Little Man!

"The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child."

--Joe Houldsworth

That's my baby.....

This was taken at a fall festival we attended this weekend. If you would like to read about the ice cream we enjoyed check out my post below!

Only in our neck of the woods...

Yes, this is a horse.

Yes, he is on a treadmill.
Yes, the treadmill is hooked to a belt that is churning that tub of homemade ice cream.

Yes, the ice cream was fabulous!

Mommy Meltdown.

Hello.

My name is Jamie and I've had a Mommy Meltdown.

(Your line...."hello Jamie")

Ah....the Mommy Meltdown. Lovely little moment isn't it? You go about your life feeling like you've got it all together and then when things start to unravel....WHAM!!!....what do you do?

You have a meltdown.

Just like your two year old son (only without the kicking and screaming....although at times I've been tempted).

Today started out easy enough....all was running smoothly. But somewhere between 2:00 and 3:00 the day took a quick detour south. Let me just give you a little tiny glimpse into what I was dealing with at that time....

My little son was sitting in time out...only not really sitting because he refuses to stay put for a time out....so I was literally holding him down in time out.

And he wasn't happy about that.

So he started hitting me.

So I took both of his hands and held them down too (I swear I would make a great WWF wrestler...I can pin a two year old down in NO time)!

Of course Jaden was NOT too happy about me holding his hands down so he started screaming.

At the top of his lungs.

In my ear.

And continued to do that the entire time he was in time out....which is normally two minutes...but today was much, much longer.

lovely.

Not only that, but this scenario happened over and over and over today. To the point that Eva said, "Jaden's had like FIFTY time outs today!!!"

Fifty may have been exaggerating it....but not by much.

Now let me just explain that this little incident is just the very tip of the iceberg. The VERY tip of the iceberg. This incident alone would not send me into Mommy Meltdown, but when you add this incident with other similar incidents....welll.....sometimes this Happy Housewife loses her cool.

And what did I do (aside from wanting to get a stiff drink)?

I locked myself in my bedroom and had a Mommy Meltdown.

Yes, I cried.

Yes, I called MY mommy.

And after just a few moments I felt like a whole new girl.

Crazy how a little meltdown can make you actually feel better doesn't it?

Soooooooo......two year old behavior - BEWARE!!! Temper tantrums - WATCH OUT! This Mama has had her meltdown and now she is ready to tackle the world!!!

But if need be always remember the motto...

I'M THE MOMMY AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO!

The best of both worlds....

This Mama loooooooves that THIS little girl....

Is MORE than willing to do this.....

And this....

Gotta love a girl that loves to twirl in a dress....and can pick up worms and eat ribs with the best of them! That's my girl!

Showin' a little love...

When I tell you I'm a lucky girl I mean it in every sense of the word...and my friendships are just another example of that. Tonight I was sitting and thinking about the past week and it dawned on me just how much my friends scatter sunshine in my life - beautiful, bright, warm sunshine that makes me feel loved and cared for. It's one of life's greatest joys and tonight it hit me just how often I'm the recipient of this particular kind of sunshine.

Let me give you a few examples of the love spread my way just this past week...

I had a good friend invite my kiddies and I over for dinner and a sleepover when Matt was out of town. On top of that she and I stayed up until nearly 2:00 in the morning just laughing and talking. Is there anything better than laughter with a friend at 2:00 in the morning?

I had another friend call me THREE times in one day just to check in on me because she knew I was having a cruddy day. It's so nice to feel so loved.

I had a friend that has referred many people to me for photography call and give me some great ideas for my photography business. I love that!!!

Another great friend invited me and the kiddies over for lunch and a playdate. This particular friend's family is from Vietnam and not only did she make me one amazing authentic Vietnamese meal for lunch, she actually taught me how to make it AND gave me some of her special ingredients. On top of that, we both sat together and talked photography for literally hours!!! I'm dead serious on that one and I loved every minute of it!!!

Now do you see why it hit me tonight? I mean this is just in one week!

So, to all the people in my life I call a friend (not just the ones mentioned above)...just know that this Happy Housewife thinks YOU ROCK!!!!! Your "sunshine scattering" does not go unnoticed and I will forever be thankful.

Just an FYI...

I've had some people ask me if I'm going to be posting my pictures that I take for my business on my blog. I just wanted to let you all know that in most cases, the answer will be no.

I view my blog as my personal journal...a diary of how I spend my days of sorts. Rarely do I edit any pictures that go on my blog...they are raw images right from my camera (and quite honestly, some of them are not so great) - but I'm fine with that. My blog is not a business building tool for me.

Soooo....if you are interested in pictures and you want to see examples of my work (at least pictures that are not just random snapshots I took) you will need to contact me.

Other than that my friends - keep stopping by and reading! I love hearing from you and my mind races daily with things to post about!!

Have a beautiful day!
Jamie

A Few Special Birthdays....

We've had a few special birthdays in our family the past few weeks. Both Matt's mom and my step-dad turned the big 6-0!!! Now, many of you know that birthdays are a BIG deal to me (my poor husband learned this the hard way the first year we were married) so we were excited to celebrate with our loved ones as they hit such a special milestone birthday!

We celebrated Mary's birthday with a gathering in our home of a few close friends and family.

A birthday is not complete without a cake!

We celebrated Bob's special day by helping my mom throw a surprise gathering for him with his family and a few close friends.

We lucked out with beautiful weather and Bob was QUITE surprised!

What a special birthday for two special people!!!

"I'm 60 years of age...that's 16 Celsius."

--George Carlin