Freaky Friday Fun!!!

We have had a very BUSY and very FUN week of activities this week!  

We made these fun Halloween cupcakes yseterday after my mom sent me a link to Better Homes & Gardens 39 Halloween cupcakes - turned out super cute! (A LOT of work tho!) 

We have monster, pumpkin patch, and mummy!

 pumpkin patch ones!

 Mummies - Cash's favorite!  Also mine!

 Monster cupcakes!

Made the most delicious Tomato Basil bisque for dinner one night and it was so easy, so healthy, and SOOOOO scrumptious!!  Even made the orzo pasta to go in it so it would really taste like Zupas since I am missing that awesome place in the fall out here!  The kids loved it too!

 My curling iron wound split open after injuring me last sunday and now is needing some ointment each day to help heal!  Maybe 3rd degree? It sure hurts a LOT!

This little pretty lady has been sick all week but seems to finally be on the mend and yet she has taken up sleeping in mommy's arms!  I love it because I can just sit and watch these delicious cheeks and beautiful long lush lashes all day long!  And she has been the happiest sick baby ever - wouldn't even know she feels so awful (unless you listen to her cough)!

 She also loves her exersaucer and being wherever we are for all the action!

We went to a fun bounce house play area that the kids had an absolute blast at! (actually I did too the big slide and zipline and stuff were really fun!)

Cash is on the rope swing in this picture - can you find him?!

 Griffin wanted to play ping pong and actually spent a lot of time hitting the ball to me!  He would hand me my paddle and then go stand and wait for me to hit it!  

Took a few photos last night of the kids because they were being so funny and cute! 

So adorable!

 Happy girl!

 Love this face!

Have a great weekend!!!

Fall Fun!!!

If there is a season I LOVE - it is FALL!!!!

I love everything about it - from the back to school feel (still wishing I was back at my good ole alma mater every year), to the soups and yummy baked goods with either apple, peach, or pumpkin flavored items, football games, crisp cool air (in places other than where I am living right now!), fall clothes and layers, and ALL the holidays!  I just love FALL!!!

I also love conference!  This year I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I was so drugged up after my surgery and in pain and sick with a cold so I slept through a bunch, and what I didn't sleep through I had to try to keep my kids quiet so I could hear - so instead I am listening to a talk a day and I am loving that now!  Anyhow- during the break on Saturday Chip took the boys to the Manhattan Beach fair - and they had a great time!

What are they looking at here?

 Just a hen - can't believe my boys are so close to a live thing! (I am afraid of most animals)

 The highlight of the fair?!  Cash met a real live Pirate - and he just might have told him that he was going as Captain Jack Sparrow this year for Halloween!!!

Happy Fall Day!!!

We are getting excited for Halloween soon too!

What you gonna dress up as?!

Cottone Pumpkin Patch!!!

Saturday night we went out to Cafe Rio with the family, and then took the kids to Cottone pumpkin patch.  They had animals to feed and pet, pony rides, a monster trailer to take pictures in front of, pumpkins to pick out, a bounce house and more!  Besides the fact I forgot to get my camera card out of the computer and into my nice camera, so all the pics are via Chip's Iphone, it was a great trip!  Fun family night for all!

Talking dad into letting him ride the ponies!

At first Griffin loved it!

 Cash loved it the whole time!

After realizing daddy wasn't in there with him he got a little teary! 

 Then really teary!

Watch video of the rides - too funny - although sad for me!

 Cash tried to holler out encouragement!

 This kind lady walked with him and helped him realize it was fun -and he tried to put on a smile through his tears! By the end he enjoyed it again I think!

In front of the scary monster trailer - the boys weren't sure about standing there with their backs to these guys for fear they would grab them!

 However we got a smile out of them finally!

 Ivy on the other hand had no problem posing with mommy!

 Finally I convinced Cash to make a scary face with me!

 Boo!!!

 Checking out the pony rides!

 Cute pumpkin sitters!

 Love these 2!

 Goofing off!

 Picking out lil pumpkins!

 Cheese!

 Griffin was very nervous next to the witch but this pic was only one of us all sort of looking towards the camera!  Happy Halloween month!

Surgery Scars, Style, and Sweet Tiny Toes!!!

I am NOT one to post pics of my belly - as in you will NEVER see a pregnant picture of just my belly with my shirt up, fully exposed and hanging out for all to look at.  Aside from the fact I don't like how my belly looks these days, with all my baby battlewounds (aka stretchmarks), loose skin, etc - yes I know - hard to believe how I could pass up posting this picture right?!  Also, my mom would be MORTIFIED so to spare her any embarrassment (as if she would be more embarrassed then me if I really posted a pic that incredible - or awful- lol) I will refrain.  So this is as close as it will ever get - and only actually for documentary purposes so I can remember for years to come --- here is a picture of one of my incisions on my right side - the biggest one of all 4 I had when having my gallbladder out this past week!  I had it taken out on October 2, 2012, and thought it was going to be super easy and I would be up and doing everything immediately after.  Boy was I wrong!  Just because it was laparoscopic does NOT mean it isn't a major surgery!  After all, they did take an organ OUT of my body!  An organ I have had my whole life and my body is used to, and now has to make adjustments and figure out how to do without.  Not that it can't do so, but it is an adjustment!  And one I wasn't prepared or ready for.  I know some of friends warned me about it not being as easy as I had anticipated - and to you guys you were absolutely right - but I just wasn't prepared.  THANK HEAVENS my mom was able to fly out the next day and help me.  I will say it takes a FULL week to feel better!  Days 4 & 5 being the worst!  The pain of the incisions wasn't bad - but for me it was the CO2 gas that they inflate your belly with during the surgery and that stays in your body after until your body gets rid of it naturally.  This caused me HORRIBLE back pain, sideaches, and just bloating and uncomfort!  To top the week off my little ones all had colds and I ended up with it and that made it worse, because coughing hurt, sneezing hurt, breathing for that matter hurt!  However, I am feeling much better, and the incisions are healing nicely - as you can see --- and hopefully won't leave more scars to add to the awesome decorations of my mid-section.  I had 2 incisions on my right side, 1 in the middle of my bellybutton, and 1 in the middle 2 inches below my chest.  They all are almost gone and it seems to have been a success!  I love not having to worry when I eat anything if I am going to have another episode!  And yes - once again I LOVE icecream!!!

I also have been wanting to try out a pair of colored skinnies - and so went out of my comfort zone and got a pair of purple (tarot) colored jeggings with polka dots.  When Chip walked in he said "what are you wearing?! I hope you didn't spend too much on those!"  I am not sure that was the response I was hoping for, but I actually like them and so will be sporting them around this season since apparently the patterned jeans are in......and probably will hear from my kids 10 years from now how crazy I was for doing this!  But I LOVE polka dots and they are my new favorite thing!

I also love polka dots on my cute little missy!  And since I hadn't done so yet (yes it took me far too long) I finally gave this little angel her first pedi!  She did great - and the sparkly/glittery purple looks so cute on her tiny toes!  I LOVE tiny toes!  She liked getting it done and as they were drying I blew on her toes and she giggled and giggled!  Glad she likes letting me dress her up all cute and snuggling with me!