Thankful

I'm thankful for Internet shopping.

I'm thankful for sleeping for 6 hours straight.

I'm thankful for my honkin' big van.

I'm thankful for Eli Stone even though he's been cancelled. I'll heart him through the last few episodes.

I'm thankful for the cradle swing.

I'm thankful for turkey and stuffing and yams and corn and pumpkin pie and . . . .

I'm thankful that exercise will eventually reverse their effects.

I'm thankful for my true friends.

I'm thankful for the love and help I receive from my family.

But most of all I'm thankful for this~

And this ~

And this.

2 months

Here are a few pics of the kiddies just because they're so darn cute.

We got to go the Eagles history making game in Cincinnati this past weekend. First tie since 2002. So anticlimactic!! Thanks to Frances, we had great seats in the 9th row. It was cool to be so close, but also more difficult to follow the plays. Oh yeah, and in case everyone hasn't noticed yet, the cold weather is offically here.

Pocono Weekend

Last weekend we went up to the Poconos with my mom and sister. It was Keira's first vacation, although she only got to leave the villa once. Liam had a blast. They just built a new indoor water park and we got to test it out. Liam loved the tube slides. He wasn't technically tall enough to ride, but they let us since there was barely anyone there.

We drove to Boulder Field instead of hiking so that the kids could go too. It was cool to see snow on the rocks. Kyle insisted on carrying Liam on his shoulders and I had to look the other way so I didn't have a "mom stroke."

On our last day there, we took Liam for a walk to the Split Rock. We saw some turkeys and Kyle and Liam saw deer on the golf course. It is so great to get him outside and exploring.

Keira posing on her vacation.

Liam loves his little sister.

Memories

Do you ever have a random memory of one of your friends suddenly pop into your head and it makes you smile to yourself and reaffirms why you became friends with them in the first place? Yesterday, I did. I didn't just smile, I laughed a bit. I wonder why old memories just creep up like that, but I'm so glad that they do.

Back when we were all still working at the Pub, they had a Mother's Day Brunch. There was a fishbowl to put your name in to "win" a free Mary Kay party. Of course everyone who put their name in the bowl won a party. That's how they do business. Even so, Nicole put her name in because she thought it would be a fun way for us to get together and eat and drink, our favorite fat girl things to do.

At the party the lady gave us each a palate of makeup and was explaining to us how to pick our colors and how to apply. We were each engrossed in our task, trying to make ourselves easy and breezy, when I happened to look up at Nicole. (I'm laughing again now just thinking about it.) She had baby blue shadow up to her eyebrows, big circles of blush covering her cheeks, and was putting on some random pink lipstick. Terri and I just looked at each other and lost it. Seeing Nicole, who had no intention of buying any cosmetics, as a circus clown when she never wore any makeup at all was great enough, but to top it all off, the saleslady made her an example and said, "Everyone look at Nicole, see how she is experimenting with colors, she looks great, don't be afraid to try new things." Nicole is hilarious, but I guess the joke was on us since most of us doled out at less 50 bones for moisturizers and hand creams.

What are some of your best friend memories??

Dress Up

Sorry I am a little late posting pics from Halloween. We were on vacation (coming soon!) in the Poconos. Keeping with the theme of his costume from last year, occupational and free, Liam dressed up as a chef. They were giving the costumes out earlier this year at Best Buy when Kyle went in to buy some unnecessary electronic gadget. Trick-or-Treating went really well this year. About half way through Liam told Kyle to stay at the end of the driveway because he could "do it myself, Dad."

Kiss the Cook!

Aunt Jamie bought Keira a chili pepper outfit to coordinate with her big brother. She was a pretty darn cute little bundle.

Posing at school with a couple classmates. He's always surrounded by the ladies.

To Our Friends

Three years ago, two pregnant chicks waddled onto a beach so that one could marry a very lucky guy. Kyle and I were both honored to be there with you then and we are still honored to be your friends and watch your beautiful family grow. Happy Anniversary Nicole and Bobby!! Here's to many, many more.