Happy Halloween!

Marilynn (Belle), Nathan (the Wizard) and Erika (the lion beast) out trick or treating tonight and had so much fun going door to door gathering candy!

Fun with Granny and Grandad

My parents came to visit us this weekend to watch the girls while Ken and I went to a costume party. We headed out to Kelsey Creek park to play on the playground and check out the farm animals - we had such gorgeous weather today!

Erika and Da-da hanging out together. I think they were reading up on their stocks.

Carving pumpkins - well, Erika just colored the pumpkins and Dad carved them.

Marilynn was quite pleased with the final result!

Trick or Treating at Mommy's Office

A little Beauty and the Beast came by my office on Friday for some early Trick or Treating. They got quite a bit of candy going from desk to desk and had a blast doing it. Marilynn would say "Trick or Treat?" and Erika would just roar.

Cute little lioness - her roar is bigger than her bite.

Playing with the toys on Mommy's desk.

Little princess - so proud that Kenny did such a great job with her hair - and even put make-up on her!

Shaggy, Scooby and the lion.

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Erika was sick at home, but Marilynn and I went to Jubilee Farms to check out the pumpkins, hay rides and corn mazes. I love fall!

A Spot of Tea

My mom, Marilynn, Erika and I were invited to High Tea at the Rose house, and the girls got all dolled up with their own homemade bonnets.


Erika being dainty.


Yummy treats to end the tea!

Check out the bonnets!

I'm Back!

Okay, I have to admit, I haven't blogged in quite some time - I'm not sure if it was a lack of time or if it's because I've been just sharing more photos on Facebook, but I'm happy to say that I have a new found love of blogging now! I found a way to publish my blog in a book - and now I see a deeper purpose for my blog now. I hope to keep chronicling our lives through the blog and then have a hard copy book made every year or so as a memento. If you want to check out the book, go here: http://http//www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1672858?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget

Just Like That. . .

My sabbatical went by in a blink of an eye! I honestly have never had 7 weeks go by so quickly in my life, but I am happy to report that I did everything that I wanted to do during my time off from work. Now, I didn't get everything done that I NEEDED to do, but everything that I wanted to do.

I fell in love with my girls all over again. I was able to reconnect with friends that I haven't seen in years - Angel in Hawaii, Lisha and Ann in San Diego, and Angela in LA. I got to be a daughter all over again through a trip with my mom to Portland. I got to be my husband's girlfriend and dated him. And, I got to reconnect with my extended family - getting to visit Christian and Caitlin and their new puppy and had Ken's aunt and uncle visit us. I took my girls through my childhood by showing them the house where I grew up in California, the park where I played and the town where I spent many happy memories growing up. And, I was a part of my girls' childhood memories by taking them to Disneyland, Legoland, and the open ocean. I read books, I took long baths, I fell asleep in the sun, I cooked, I watched movies - all things that have been luxeries in terms of time before.

I never re-bricked my backyard, I didn't complete my photo albums or baby books, I didn't lose 15 pounds (I actually gained 3), I didn't deep clean my house, and I didn't blog nearly as often as I would have liked. But, none of that mattered. All that mattered was that I could be a mom, a friend, a neice, a daughter and a wife. It's seven weeks that I'll never forget and will always cherish the precious memories.

For a complete photographic recap, check out my photos on Facebook.