Halloween (of course)

Ok I'm doing this post quick so Grandma can see it before she goes to bed! Megan was the most adorable flower ever! I know I was going to do Little Bo Peep but I decided to hold off on that until she's older because it was a pretty involved costume. But I made her flower costume and it turned out really really cute! Plus it was cheap and most of it she can wear it again. She's wearing the skirt over her pajamas but she plays with the ladybugs and says "bug, ewwww".

Anyway, I took lots of pictures and I'm glad I did because it was dark at trunk or treat and our camera is dumb. She did not get the concept -- loved walking around just randomly and was only convinced to go to the cars if they held out the candy to her and she got to hold it in her hands. She loved sitting in the back of our car though and tried to claim our entire bowl of candy. In fact, when Chopper first took her out to trick or treat she threw a fit because of all the candy she was leaving! But we had a good time and saw lots of friends.





Don't you love our car? Chopper had to have lights! Megan will now smile when you ask her too -- the problem is getting her to stand still for the picture too -- but when she smiles when you ask it is this wide, cheesy grin that I love but it looks EXACTLY like Chopper! It is sooooo cute.

Big News!!!

We had our midway point ultrasound today. I love it! I love seeing all the little parts and the movement. Everything looks good according to the tech and it's a . . . drumroll please . . . baby girl!! Chopper's "intuition" wasn't right I guess! I'm supremely jealous (in a very very excited and can't contain myself kind of way) that Megan is getting a sister. We've been so boy-focused though that now we've got to start thinking girl names and such! Fun fun fun! In addition to the paper copies, the tech gave us a CD with pictures and video so hopefully they come out. She was awfully wiggly and kept putting her hand to her mouth so it looks like we'll have another thumb-sucker on our hands too. Chopper's a little concerned about the amount of estrogen that's going to be floating around our house but he's excited too and grateful that his hearing is already going so he can hopefully get through the squealing years. The one labeled "peace" was actually when the tech was taking pictures of the head and brain and we kept seeing this hand coming up so she moved up a little bit to show us and all of a sudden we're getting a peace sign! Chopper says it's "v" for victory.

Revelation

Chopper and I decided that since he's still in the maze of the Dept. of Labor (which is very annoying) and he can't work, I would start doing some substitute teaching to bring in a little money to do things like fix the car and have Christmas -- you know, the important stuff! ANYWAY, today was my first day and let me just say it wasn't bad at all but it was difficult in the sense that you walk into a school with little to no awareness of their procedures and protocols and it's very easy to make mistakes concerning them. It's difficult to be fair and consistent with what the school demands.

But I realized something else: I really don't miss it. These Virginia schools are so SOL driven it bothers me -- they even have a specialized version of the SAME TEXT BOOK I USED IN IDAHO -- specifically to coordinate with the SOL's. That must have cost a bundle. I just looked around me at the piles of graded and ungraded papers, the chaos that is the high school classroom, the planning materials and I just thought -- I'm not ready to go back to this. I listened to the teachers in the workroom at lunch about failing students and problems with just stuff and just was glad it wasn't me. I'll sub for a while but just one day has cured me of any longing.

Spelling conundrum

We'll we've entered a new phase -- and it's causing a bit of an issue. Megan is picking up and using words so fast. Today out of the blue while having dinner and Grandpa and Grandma Whittacres she announced, "go home". And then on the way home when I asked Chopper for chapstick, in the back seat she started asking repeatedly for "chatstic" and got upset when I didn't give her any. She loves the stuff but the way she applies it it's probably a good thing I don't wear lipstick!

So now we've moved into the realm of spelling things when we don't want her to understand. THe problem is that Chopper is a horrific speller. Case in point: boion quibs = boullion cubes. It took a while for him even to figure that one out and he wrote it! It's always made me laugh, and proofread everything he writes, but now when he talks to me, Megan's not the only one who has no idea what he's saying!!

Fall Festival Fun

Yesterday we drove out to Graves Mountain (yes, my dear Idaho and Utah friends, that is a Virginia mountain -- you don't need to laugh quite that hard!) for their fall apple harvest festival. It was a little bit of a drive but Belvedere Plantation was like $15 per person and this one was free! And it was a lot of fun. Megan really enjoyed the pumpkin patch and seeing all the dogs (I was surprised at how many people brought their dogs -- especially in purses, clothes, and strollers!). We picked apples (ok from a barrel but they were very fresh from the tree), had cider and saw farm animals. We actually had a really good time and I LOVED the fact that we only wore jackets! No snow! Short sleeves underneath! I love Virginia! I think Megan's favorite thing was the rocks -- of course. And she walked a lot and slept hard last night. That's always a good thing.








Ok the haybale man was kind've creepy -- Megan's not looking at the camera because she's busy examining and as soon as the picture was taken she wanted away from that thing -- but it was picture worthy!

More walking

Grandma complained that they had to watch the last video about 12 times to really see her walking since it was so short so here are 3 more!! But that's all they are.

Crafty, crafty

Chopper and I have both been busy and now we need to show off! We've been anticipating the expense of putting Megan into a bed when (or before) the baby comes and I don't believe in toddler beds so it's meant a lot of looking and A LOT of sticker shock. Then Chopper remembered an old twin his parents had that was broken. Thank goodness for a handy husband!!! Some repairs, new stain, and a decorative touch and VOILA! It's pretty much a brand new bed! I'm very proud of him and it looks great.


I on the the other hand have been getting too excited for Halloween. I pulled out our decorations a week ago but we don't have very many and not a lot of money to spend either so I've been trying to make things around the house useful. I don't do scary Halloween -- just fun stuff. I realized the other day that our bedroom lamps are the right shade for monster's faces and so add a little felt with tape and again -- VOILA! I think it's goofy cute.


Oh and I'm learning new math skills as a mom:
car ride + quilt shop browsing + unknown variable = screaming banshee of a child. My easy life is definitely at an end!