Happy Halloween from Ralph and Nellie

Nellie: Ralph, tell all the kids Happy Halloween.

Ralph: WHAT?

Nellie: IT'S HALLOWEEN, RALPH. SAY HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

Ralph: You are the Dancing Queen?

Nellie: HALLOWEEN!

Ralph: Woman, I don't have to eat green beans if I don't want to.

Nellie: Not GREEN BEANS. H.A.L.L.O.W.E.E.N!!

Ralph: Halloween? Why didn't you say that in the first place?

Happy Fall Day

Saturday Part III

Just when you thought our day was over...

My mom graciously offered to take the kids home with her after Lou's party on Saturday. I was hesitant (in truth, I practically BEGGED her to take them!) Skip and I had another birthday to celebrate that evening so we welcomed the kid-free night.

So, off they went to carve pumpkins at Ma & Pa's house. I am thankful that they are willing to host this because my kids wouldn't know what the inside of a pumpkin looked like without it. I am not about the mess. They have made it their tradition for which I am grateful.

I love seeing what designs my kids come up with every year. First, they draw out what they would like. Then Pa proceeds to make it happen. Z wanted a scary face and Lou wanted cross-eyes.

What an awesome way to end this fun-filled day!

Saturday Part II

The Legend of the Lost Candy Castle

The hour finally came for Loulabelle's party. We were all so excited to celebrate our Lollipop girl. She and I spend HOURS playing CandyLand, so it was a fitting theme for her 4th party. We started off by reading the Legend of the Lost Candy Castle to the kids. Then prepared them to search for the lost castle.

Here they are in Mr. Mint's forest. The kids (with the help of their parent) made Candy Cane ornaments with pipe cleaner and beads.

After leaving the Peppermint forest, they found Gramma Nut's house. Here they made a gingerbread boy and girl. Another ornament for their Christmas tree. I hope I don't forget...




Yummy Princess Lolly was the next stop. The kids made candy bracelets. It was ooey, gooey fun jewelry making.


Queen Frostine is Loulabelle's favorite CandyLand character. We made a fun memory game to play at her stop. I don't know who won, but I have a feeling it was Skip.

Don't get stuck in the Molasses Swamp. Or maybe you want to thanks to this yummy chocolate fountain. This was my favorite place to hang out and watch the action!

Lou found the CASTLE! The kids bounced and flopped to their heart delight. At the end of the party, we filled it with candy. The kids filled up their treat bags...I am sure their mom's didn't care!

Sweet castle cake for a sweet girl.

This is my Loulabelle. Funny, quirky, smart, charming, silly, sweet, happy, curly, sunshine-y, spunky, bossy, crazy. I love this little girl. Happy birthday, darling!


(I didn't post a picture of all her guests. I hope you all know how much we love you and appreciate you coming to Lou's party!)

But wait, there's still more to this day...

Saturday Part I

Saturday was a crazy day! Three days later and I am still trying to process it all for the sake of the blog.

For me, it started off at 5am baking a birthday Castle cake for Loulabelle's 4th birthday party. I am sure I can give you all the boring details from that morning. And I know you would all be on the EDGE OF YOUR SEATS to read that I showered and cleaned the kitchen. So I will spare you the boring and go straight to the fun.

ZMan had a soccer game at 11:00, so we loaded up the car and headed to the soccer fields. The team played awesome and Z is playing his heart out this year. I love watching him play without abandon. He has been so hesitant in year's past, but not anymore!

After soccer, we made a quick costume change from soccer people to Anakin and Padme. We were invited to my FAVORITE FALL PARTY ever! We have attended this annual party since Z was 6 months old. That first year he wore a zebra costume and laid on a blanket with all the other babies. I love seeing our group picture change from year after year.


Here is my Anakin. I love this face filled with freckles and mischief. I never know what he is up to. The gleam in his eyes tell me that he was in Star Wars heaven. For Z, that is the perfect way to spend a day.


Here is the Star Wars gang minus Yoda who was asleep in the barn. (I didn't know Yoda could sleep...) Anyway, we have a Storm Trooper, Hans Soccer, Anakin, Padme and Obi Wan. Star Wars had a strong showing at this year's FAVORITE FALL PARTY ever. It was so much fun to see their epic battles. I loved watching the boys care for sweet little Padme. She had a blast being included in the fun.

The party wouldn't be complete without a Family Adventure Game, pumpkin decorating, costume parade and tons of good food and friends. It really is my favorite Fall activity.

I had to leave the party early to get ready for Loulabelle's CandyLand party. We must have been CRAZY to have these two parties on the same day. It made for lots of wardrobe changes and lots of hair products. WHEW!!

Stay tuned for more...

Teaser...

I desperately need to blog our last 24 hours, but not today. Skip and I are enjoying a quiet, kid-free house thanks to Ma & Pa. We have turned off the phones and are enforcing a day of rest. We are savoring time together.

Here is a teaser from yesterday. More will follow!

The Happy-Halfs

Today is a special day for our family. It is Z's Happy Half Birthday! This day doesn't involve presents and balloons. It doesn't involve family gatherings or friend slumber parties. It is just a simple day to celebrate each child separately.

Our tradition is that the Happy Half gets to decide who they want to date, Mommy or Daddy. Then they decide if they want a donut date or an ice cream date. For Z it involves hours of decision making. It took two days to figure it all out. He processed every scenario in his head and finally came up with Mommy for Ice Cream.

He picked me. You have no idea how much this thrilled me. I love spending one on one time with him. I feel like it is rare anymore. So much of his time is taken up with school and sports and sister. I am counting down the time until our big date.

I wonder how many more years he will want Mommy to go with him. I talked with Pam yesterday about the natural tendency for boys to pull away from their mommies. Just the thought of that was like a lead balloon to my heart. I can't imagine my sweet boy not needing me as much. I know that I am borrowing worry from the future, but the tug on my heart strings is there. The writing is on the wall.

But for today, I will readily receive his attention. I will anticipate our time together. I will know that he chose me.

I can't wait to laugh and share stories over ice cream. I can't wait to see the gleam in his eye when he chooses his flavors and tastes his treat. I can't wait for this sweet time with my boy.

Happy Half, Z Man! You are our favorite boy in the whole world.

Decisions, decisions

"eeny meeny mini mo casha tiger make it holler my mother told me to pay a dollar so you are it!"

"Mama, I decided no Tickle Bear in my backpack."

I can FLY!

"Look at me, mama! I can fly."

Loulabelle came rushing inside the house. Breathless, she tells me she just learned how to fly.

"Come and watch me, mama."

Hand in hand, we walk to the swing set. She grabs hold of the ropes and hoists herself into the swing. When did she get big enough to do that?

Legs and arms stretch, then curl under. Over and over until she is high in the air. Her giggle shattered my gloomy disposition. Her smile captured my heart.

"Mama, Z-Man teached me to pump my legs."

I have never seen a prouder boy. His eyes lit up as we watched her swing higher and higher.

I felt like I was flying, too. Thank you, sweet Jesus for this moment.

Thought for the day

Underwear made out of wood would be very uncomfortable.

Woodn't it?

Since everyone else is confessing...

...then I guess it is my turn. I am so embarrassed by this one that I haven't even told my husband. He will read this just like everyone else.

Say a prayer for me, girls.

Loulabelle is turning four at the end of this month. We are planning a CandyLand party to celebrate our sweet lollipop of a girl. Everyone is really excited for a party with tons of candy and a chocolate fountain. It should be loads of fun.

Anyway, the big dilemma (for me) has been what Lou will wear. Does she want to be Queen Frostine? Princess Lolly? Plumpy? Everyday we change our mind and now it is go time. I need to know.

Today she said she just wanted to be the girl on the gameboard. The sweet little blonde girl with overalls and red/white tights. Very sweet. Somewhat easy.

So I thought.

Nary a website had cute little red and white tights. On a whim, I started flipping through a Hannah Andersson catalog when I saw these leggings. Very possible, but I would need the Hannah dress to go along with it. I just don't see her wearing red and white striped tights without the whole ensemble.

By now I am bored out of my mind looking at this catalog.

Yeah, right. I was DROOLING over all the pages. I think I actually digested some of them. Like this and this. This dress actually made my womb open and make room for triplets.

After getting over that cute little cable knit dress, I found this. Cue the lights. Cue music. THE. PERFECT. DRESS for a CandyLand party. The perfect dress for a lollipop girl like Loulabelle.

I needed an intervention right then. Right there. I called Shelley to have her talk me through the rest of the catalog and then support me while I threw it in the trash. Well, talking with her was like calling Hannah Andersson and chatting with a customer service rep. She offered me NO backbone. NONE. In fact, she pointed out all the wonderful features of the Hannah Andersson day dress. Supposedly, these dresses will last 10 years and they clean themselves.

My day went on and I did my best to get this dress out of my mind. I tried to ignore Shelley. Then I talked to Sonja. She said, "YOU HAVE TO GET THIS!!" She also went on to say that it will last for years. I wonder if both my friends get a kickback from Hannah herself.

Since I easily cave to peer pressure, I called the company just to "ask a question" about the dress.

Will it arrive in time for her party? YES.
Does it last 10 years? YES.
Does it clean itself? YES. YES and YES.

I am weak. I bought the outfit. I did. It was the most I have ever spent on clothing for my kids. But since it has a shelf life of 10+ years, it should pay for itself.

So really, it's a bargain at a mere $6 a year.

Hour of Courage

The first Sunday in October is the annual Life Chain across the United States and parts of Canada. It is an hour dedicated to prayer for the unborn. The sanctity of life. Our country's healing.

It takes everything I have to stand on the street holding a sign for all the passing motorists to read. Signs vary from the harsh realities of abortion to the healing power of Jesus.

One hour and all the strength I can muster.

Always in the beginning of the hour I feel foolish, out of place. Even though there are hundreds of believers standing on our busy street, I feel like the only one. Then something miraculous happens. I begin to pray. I begin to hum. I begin to realize that I am part of something much greater than me. I begin to understand the power of this moment.

Every year I am reminded of how far my life has come. I praise God that abortion is not part of my story. He wrote a different past for me. One of loss and grief. But thankfully and by His grace alone this is not a pain that I have known. Yet my heart breaks for those who have.

As I watched cars zoom by I saw pain and heartbreak. I saw a world in need of a Savior. I saw young women cry. I saw people laughing at us. I saw thumbs up and waves. But mostly, I saw the boldness of our message getting reaction. I pray that someone, somewhere had a moment of repentance. My hope standing out on the curb was that someone found forgiveness and a fresh start.

We had ten people from our church who graciously sacrificed their precious Sunday to stand up and make a difference. My sixteen year old niece was among us. This girl is not like the majority. She has pledged her life to Jesus and made choices to stay pure. She is set apart yet she is still very cool. She has seen beloved friends fall to drugs, alcohol and s*x. She has seen the heartbreak and heard the cries. Still she remains pure. I have never been more proud of her than I was yesterday. Standing up for the Life Chain takes a tremendous amount of courage. I am 34 and it takes all I have. I can't imagine what it must be like for a 16 year old. There she stood holding a sign that boldly proclaimed Jesus's love for us.

The part I love is that she believes it. She lives it.

Another member from our church is a young grandma. Her daughter recently had a baby that could have easily been aborted. This grandma brought her grandson and stood in the heat to show the world that this could have been her daughter's story. Seeing her stand next to her sleeping grandson brought tears to my eyes.

It was a precious hour of prayer.

Whatever choices you have made in the past, whatever your story is please know that Jesus heals and forgives. Today is a new day. Today is a fresh start. Have courage to admit that you need Jesus. I can almost guarantee that someone in your life has prayed for you.

Take hold of the one who heals. He has been waiting to lavish you with His love.