I’ve got pictures of all of my kids as babies snuggling up with our beloved dog… I’ve got the classic shots of them getting a big wet slobbery kiss while they giggle with glee. And Maggie lovingly observing their tummy time activities. But, of my four children, my youngest is by far the most captivated by our dog.  He truly loves her. He excitedly greets her when we come home.

The youngest circus member is 2 and a half now. (HOW CAN THAT BE?) And I have to tell you he makes me laugh. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY with the cute little things he says, the WAY he says them and those precious little facial expressions. He totally has my heart.  He still LOVES choo-choos. Plays with them every day. He has also recently started enjoying Sesame Street…particularly Elmo (who he affectionately calls Emo) (like Nemo only no N) He loves to run around the circle on our main level… many, many times a day he will run laps around that circle then come to me and say “faster and faster?

I am a words person. Always have been. I love cards, and notes, texts and e-mails. And I save them. Yup… every note Scott ever passed me in high school, every birthday card, Valentine card, anniversary card… I have them all in a box. So, it should come as no surprise, that when my kids start writing, I started hoarding those precious words as well. I know can’t save them all, but I do try to save the “significant ones”.

Our 6 year old had her first gymnastics meet this past weekend. I can’t really put into words the feelings of pride I had in watching her. When we first enrolled her in gymnastics 3 years ago, we did so because she was tiny, tough and flexible. It seemed gymnastics might be worth a try for our then 3 year old. Somewhere in the last 3 years, a light when on inside her.

It’s always fun to peek in on my kiddos when they are sleeping. Sometimes because it gives me a good chuckle, sometimes because it tugs at my heart strings, and sometimes just because it sets my mind at ease to see them sleeping snuggly in their rooms. Last night as I was crawling into bed, I realized I hadn’t peeked in on them. I don’t know if I’m the only Mom out there like this, but when I realize I forgot, I just can’t shake it off… I have to go b/c sometimes this little quirky fear will rise up “What if the one night I didn’t check on them something was wrong?

It was our first time trick or treating in the new neighborhood and I gotta say it felt weird this year not doing it with our neighbor like we’ve done for the past several years. It wasn’t the same. Still we had a good time dressing up as our favorite characters and chowing down on candy bar after candy bar when we got home. We let the kids go all in and devour their loot when they got home… then we let that sugar coma set in while we vegged on the couch with a little Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.

For many north of us on the east coast, Sandy was more than an adventure… it was a catastrophe. It was devastation. It was unlike anything I have ever seen first hand or experienced. So, I hesitate to even really blog about our adventure… b/c for us… that’s what it was, an adventure. An escape from the normal day to day living for a few days. A “Staycation” if you will.

Some days we wake up on “school at the building days” with clothes all lined up and ready the night before, I’ve gotten lunches packed complete with notes from Mom, and we’re out the door on time so we can arrive at the building with plenty of time to drop everyone’s books off in their classrooms and report to the sanctuary for opening with time to spare. And some mornings Mom oversleeps when her alarm goes off, laundry isn’t put away so we find ourselves scrounging through baskets of laundry looking for matching socks, lunches are packed but without drinks b/c we couldn’t find water bottles, and we stumble out the door racing the clock, with bed head and arrive at school only to discover the socks were left on the kitchen counter so we’re going in with just sneakers and no cute knee socks…

As much as I hate the cold, I really am a 4 seasons kind of girl. I love the beginning of a new season…. bringing out favorite clothes, decorations, foods, traditions only enjoyed for a season. It’s refreshing and exciting and makes me so grateful for the climate we live in. But, this year, more than most I have been crazy excited about fall. I can’t explain it. But, I’m more giddy than normal about pulling out my jeans and boots and sweaters.