Halloween 2010

Snapshots from this Halloween:

(and collage-o-rama)

Evil Ball #6

(Friday Night)

If you don't know who we are...I am truly sad for you.

Meet Eric and Tami Taylor.

Friday Night Lights.

Watch it.

You won't be sorry.

Hey Ya'll.

We couldn't break character.

Freaky. Freaky. Freaky.

Joker & The Wicked Witch of the West.

Brett was their personal makeup artist...and he did a little too good of a job.

I'm still freaked.

Perhaps the most random duo of the night...

but definitely the life of the party!

Waldo and Chickita Bonita gave me a stomach ache from laughing so hard all night.

Waldo sells some mean insurance (oh, and rocks a mean worm).

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My 80 year old grandma as Lady Gaga.

Amazing.

My crazy aunts/uncles/cousins.

We take the whole costume thing seriously...not gonna lie.

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Halloween

(Saturday Night)

We divided our time between Annie's house with the Wankier family and the Jones' home with Brett's family.

We had to make the rounds to show everyone Jack in his costume.

Drum Roll Please.....

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Meet Jack, Dalmation-Style.

Raiding Annie's candy stash...

Max, Lucy, and Isabel

(Hank was too busy trick-or treating)

Grandpa Shermie, Kate, and Jack

..

Cooling off from costume-induced heat stroke:

As you can see...Jack was really in the mood to pose with his grandpas...

Alpine with the Tolman clan:

Soren, Michelle, Zetta, Jack, and Me

Jack and Grandma

(sorry mom...how did I not get a picture of you too?)

It was a Happy Halloween for these Jones'!

The Mighty Hunter

I don't give Brett a whole lot of face time on the old blog.

The truth is...he typically does a lot more impressive things than I do.

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I think waking up and slaying this beast before rolling into work is quite manly.

Rip Roaring Wankier Good Time

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It was our turn again to host our monthly Sunday night bonanza with the fam. ...

Seeing as it is October...there really was no question...we were doing all things Halloween.

... Sure...sure... there will still be a night for carving pumpkins....and then Halloween night at the Griffin abode...but... we're always looking for an excuse to hang...and who doesn't love a little Halloween? Really?

... The evening began with some taco soup.

... Then...on to the cookie decorating contest. ... (note: there are a LOT of collages in this post. click on them to see the big version. i dare you.)

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Everyone drew a paper out of a bag that told them a Halloween-themed subject for their cookie.

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I had a slew of frosting, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and other decorating tools.

...... Here were our results:

I bet Brett feels bad when he doesn't even come close to touching our artistic genes. ... ...

... ... Then...it was on to more fun... . ...

It was 100% a great time.

...(minus the Jack barfing part)

.

.Love my family....

Love Halloween.

Peanut Gallery and Crackerjacks

When was the last time you enjoyed yourself a rousing game of baseball? ..

.... For me...it was yesterday afternoon. Hank, Max, Annie, Mom, me, and Jack. It was entertaining to say the least.

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These 3 took their outfield duties very seriously. ...

Or not. ...

Hank and Max were quite the sluggers.

... Hank was frustrated by the lack of rules kept by all of us.

... Max took on dual roles as he wouldn't allow anyone to catch any ball that he hit, so he was his own outfielder.

... Jack spent most of his time in between bases clapping out of confusion.

...... Annie left the pitchers mound approximately 2 times. ...

First to bat-

... and second...

... to make sure my mom didn't make it to 3rd base.

......nnn...

I was too busy laughing at these yay-hoos and snapping pictures to take one of myself and my impressive baseball skills.

...... Just be glad my hands were too occupied to get any pictures of Annie and I seriously duking it out on the playground obstacle course we created.

... Let's just say I'm stiff today.

Wishful Thinking

On this day, last year, I sat in a surgical waiting room with Brett.

Our parents sat with us.

I remember not talking much.

Just waiting.

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We were waiting for our sweet little boy to come out of surgery where they cut into his spine in order to fix the tethering of his spinal cord.

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The entire time, I wished so badly to just be at home playing with him instead.

......

Today... we are at home.

Playing.

Thankful.

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What a difference a year makes.

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Hank's recent episode at Primary Children's brought the memories of Jack's stay there right to the front of my mind.

......

Every time I park my car in the parking garage at that hospital, I think about how every car is there because they are going through something really hard with a sweet child.

Sometimes minor, other times major.

But, always tough.

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I can't help but be exceptionally grateful today that I get to be chasing a healthy Jack around.

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With that said, I can't help but think of all those parents who are wishing so badly that they were doing exactly what I am today.

And I hope for them.

That, they too, can look back in a year, and be past their struggle.

All fixed and better.

Home.

And playing.

....

And all my fingers are tightly crossed, that we never have a reason to go back.

Any of us.

.......

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Not only are we grateful to not be at the hospital today...but it's a happy day because Jack is finally past the bug that he has been fighting for the last week!

To commemorate his October 6th milestone, I attempted to snap a photo or two.

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Look at the camera? Not a chance.

Always up for refining his modeling poses? Absolutely.

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* coincidentally enough, it was exactly 2 years ago today that I learned I was pregnant with this little mug!

Sianara September

I'll spare you every detail to prevent you from going into depression.

But, take my word for it.

September is a crappy month.

...

I'm incredibly sorry if you were born, married, or had beautiful babies in September.

But, over the last several years, September has consistently proven that more bad comes from it than good...especially when it comes to freakish health issues.

......

By the 29th, I was feeling incredibly giddy that the end of this horrid month was just around the corner.

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Then...bam!

Jack gets sick.

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We went the doctor, and apparently Jack has a nasty stomach bug virus that's been going around.

(which was confirmed when Jack lost his lunch all over me at the dr's office)

The doctor was concerned that Jack was dehydrated, and sent us home with a strong emphasis on pushing fluids down this little one to prevent him from having to go to the hospital to be put on an IV to treat this dehydration.

...

Seemed simple enough, but what the doctor didn't know was that Jack had decided to boycott all liquids from even coming within 5 inches of him.

He even pushed them out of site when I was the one drinking them.

...

Uh.

Fever, extreme lethargy, dreamy diapers and all.

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Having sick kids is the worst.

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I was completely ready for us to go the IV route.

After all, it was September.

......

We got by for 24 hours with tiny sips here and there, another Dr. run, and a whole lot of laying around.

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Then... thank the heavens up above, October 1st came knocking.

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See you later, September. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

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Jack started to drink a bit more.

His fever broke.

He started moving and walking around again.

Even a smile here and there.

Phew.

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I think his Halloween jammies from Grandma Jackie that he's been lounging in all weekend have definitely helped with the process. They've definitely raised my spirits.

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We're still in the lingering stage of this fun filled illness.

He plays a bit and then I find him sprawled out on the floor sucking his thumb all around the house.

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But, things are looking up.

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Not to mention, Jack is the sweetest and cutest sick kid you will ever see in your life.

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