Halloween 2010

Although this was Brinley's third Halloween, I can say without a doubt that this was this most celebrated Halloween thus far for our little family. For her first Halloween, back in 2008, she and I were still staying with my parents so that I could help my mother after her major surgery. I dressed her up in a costume and we went to visit a couple of my parents neighbors, but that was pretty much the extent of that. Last year, she wasn't feeling very well--teething, I think--so we just dressed her up and she 'helped' me pass out goodies to the trick-or-treaters.

I think Brinley was too mesmerized by the fire engine to give a hoot about getting candy.

Walking towards the Great Lawn. I love a man that's willing to push a stroller...especially when it has a pink diaper bag hanging from it. ;-)

Brinley was mighty intrigued by this lady's costume...I think she was a cat???

This year, we decided to head out to Bellingrath Gardens on Saturday for their annual Balloon Glow in the Gardens. At the Balloon Glow in the Gardens, the little ones are encouraged to come dressed in their costumes and area business set up to pass out candy along the path through the gardens. On the Great Yard at Bellingrath, hot-air balloons are set up and 'glowing', thus the name Balloon Glow in the Gardens, and further up the path near the Bellingrath mansion, The Shed (a local bar-b-que restaurant) was set up selling their scrumptious bar-b-que. After walking along the path through the gardens, grabbing some brisket sandwiches for supper, and then taking a few minutes to watch the hot-air balloons 'glow', Brinley was ready to call it a night. Needless to say, she must have had a lot of fun because the girl slept soundly until ten o'clock the next morning.

By this point, I think the trick-or-treating experience was losing it's 'cool' factor in Brinley's opinion.

'Glowing' Balloon

This evening, we dressed Brinley in her costume again and hit up a few of the houses on our street and the next with some of our neighbors including Baby W (that I care for in our home during the week) and his parents. Overall, I think Brinley had a good time again. She really has 'trick-or-treat' down and saying 'thank you' after receiving her treat. Both nights, the weather was absolutely beautiful including clear skies and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50's, and overall, I really don't think we could have had a better weekend.

~There's no place like home.~

We had a bag on the front porch that was motion activated and it said "Happy Halloween" in a witch's voices. When Brinley first heard it she said, "A chicken!"...I think she confused the cackling for clucking.

Where's the jack-o-lantern's nose?

We hope you all had a wonderful Happy Halloween, and I hope you enjoy the pictures of our little 'Dorothy'.

Still trying to figure out that bag...

"Cheese!" (We've been practicing smiling for the camera.)

"Trick-or-Treat!" Picking out which goodies she wants from Baby W--the pumpkin--and his mommy.

~Best Buddies~

When the festivities were all over with, the two little ones loved going through all the goodies they accumulated and those that were left over. Who says you have to eat candy to enjoy it?!?

Gammaw and Pappaw Come For A Visit

Last weekend, Bruce's parents made a quick trip to come and visit us. The guys--Bruce and his dad--did a few odd and end jobs around the house including replacing the weather-stripping and hinges on the back door that leads to our patio, rebuilding the single gate on our privacy fence so that it could become usable, and adding latches to both the single gate and double gate on our privacy fence. Like I mentioned, it was a short visit so only a handful or so pictures were taken. Here's a few to enjoy...

Helping Daddy pull the old weather-stripping off the back door.

Watching Gammaw roll out the clay.

Using molds to make different animals and shapes.

Showing Gammaw how we play with clay.

~A Simple Moment~

Bruce and his dad getting boards measured and cut for the 'new' gate.

Bruce hanging the new boards on the single gate.

Just A Few More...

Tonight I was on the phone telling my Mom to be sure and check her e-mail because I posted a blog post with pictures from our trip to Bellingrath. Of course her reply was, "Well how many pictures did you post? You didn't post just pictures from the Gardens, did you?" So...to better appease my mother, I've decided to make a second post with a few pictures that were taken while life was going on around the house. Enjoy! Oh, and Mom, when I have to upgrade my blog because I've used up my photo allowance on this basic level, I'll send you the bill. ;-)

Nana reading to Brinley...and Bruce.

Brinley showing Papa how to put together The Very Hungry Caterpillar puzzle.

Brinley and Papa playing with 'clay'. (Its really closer to Play Dough, but she calls it clay.)

Papa showing Brinley how to push the molds down and wiggle them slightly into the 'clay' to get the best shapes.

Papa and Brinley going over the animals and shapes that they have created.

~Brinley and Nana~

Birthday Weekend

So as most of you know, last Saturday was my birthday and to help celebrate I was given one of the best gifts of all--a long weekend visit from my parents. Mom and Dad arrived on Thursday after their long, 10-hour drive. That evening we visited, dined over a meal of homemade Chicken Spaghetti (Thanks, Mom!) and Garlic Bread, went for a short walk after dinner and basically just enjoyed each others' company.

On Friday, we decided to head over to Bellingrath Gardens and Home here in the Mobile area. For those that aren't familiar with this property, Bellingrath contains 65 acres of various gardens, a 10,500 square foot mansion, a lake, a conservatory, an observatory, a chapel and much more. Bellingrath was actually built by Mr. Walter Bellingrath, President of Mobile's Coca Cola Bottling Plant back in the 1930's. As you can imagine, touring the gardens themselves is an all afternoon event....especially when you have a two-year old in-tow that wants to to stop and smell every flower along the path. Luckily, we were blessed with absolutely beautiful weather last weekend--70s during the day and 50s at night. That evening we dined at home on steaks, baked potatoes and salad...yum!

On Saturday, Bruce, Dad and Brinley piddled around the house while Mom and I had a little 'girl time' and visited a few shops in town. That evening, Bruce and Dad cooked Fish, Shrimp and Oysters in the deep fryer on the back pation while Mom and I put together a coleslaw. For dessert, in honor of my birthday, we had cheesecake.

On Sunday, since Mom and I ran out of time for shopping the previous day because of needing to get back to the house to cook, we headed back out in search of a sewing machine. On their first day here, Mom asked me to think about what I wanted for my birthday and I knew I wanted a sewing machine and for her to show me how to get started with it. After taking a quick look at Target's selection, we drove further in town to JoAnn's and found a lovely Singer that should get me started. After spending a bit of time picking out the machine, scissors, thread, bobbins, etc. we came home and threw together a quick dinner of cheese enchiladas, tamales, and spanish rice. After dinner I was eager to pull my sewing machine out of the box and get as much time in with mom showing me the ropes. (On a side note, I've been forgetting to mention this to my mom as I've talked to her this week, but on Monday I mended two pairs of Bruce's dress slacks that needed new hems. For a beginner, I think I did a pretty darn good job.)

Mom and Dad left as the sun was coming up early Monday morning. The day that they leave is always a bit difficult. Seeing certain things seem to sting as they catch my eye--the coffee maker sitting on the counter, used towels hanging in the guest bath, empty coffee mugs sitting in the kitchen sink, a toy left accidentally left behind by their dog, Maggie. After so many visits over the past few years that I've lived out of Texas, I'm used to seeing these things and sort of expect to find them. One thing that I didn't expect was Brinley's reaction to their departure. When she woke up and ate her breakfast, I don't think she really noticed or hit her that Nana and Papa were gone. It wasn't until I let her down from her booster seat after breakfast that she saw the empty air mattress and said "Nana and Papa?" I told her that Nana and Papa had left early in the morning while she was sleeping before the sun had even finished coming up, and that they had to get back to Texas so that they could go back to work the next day. She looked in the corner of the room where Maggies's bed had been almost as a way to verify that they were gone and then went on with her day playing.

Overall, we had a wonderful weekend together and we look forward to seeing each other again over the holiday season.

Here are a few more pictures from our day at Bellingrath...

...and a few more pictures from Bellingrath...