Best Birthday EVER!

Sarah Annie had an amazing day. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here, from Mary Beth's computer and camera, are our memories.

 

We spent the afternoon at Cox Farm, a very nearby autumn amusement. We ventured there last week when Linda begged me to meet them there. It's ridiculously expensive and, of late, very crowded with school groups. Back in the day, when our small town was a country town, we had a tradition of spending Patrick's birthday there. Slides and hayrides and country fun--we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Over the years, it's grown to a ginormous autumn destination and very much lost the local feel. Even the Obama daughters came out this way in October. So, I was reluctant. I'm not big on crowds.

Linda was persuasive, even when I warned her that it looked like rain. Didn't look like rain at her house, so she overruled me. It started raining as I pulled into the parking lot. We stuck it out about an hour and then a very kind farmer-type handed me a free bag of Kettle Corn and suggested I take a raincheck. Then we left town. That left one day to redeem our raincheck: Halloween.

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We moved Bible Study from the afternoon to the morning and cleared the afternoon for Cox Farms, Take 2.

It was pretty crowded when we got there at 1:00, but cleared out nicely by 2:00 and we had a beautiful afternoon.

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We returned home, full of fresh air and sunshine, and made Sarah's requested birthday dinner: Pizza Rolls. Recipe tutorial forthcoming, I promise.

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After dinner, it was costume time. Stephen decided he was too big to Trick-or-Treat. Nicky was a bit adrift at this news. He threw together a boxer costume at the last minute.

The Colonial Doll, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Birthday Princess were decidedly not the last minute types. They've had their costumes all laid out, right down to the hair ribbons, since last Wednesday.

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And then, we returned home for birthday cupcakes, candles and wishes.

Somehow I'm sure they'll come true.

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Fitness on a Deadline

I have two months until we spend a week at Disney. I remember the last time I spent a week at Disney. It was exercise-intensive--and I was 20 years younger and only had one child with me. I am seriously considering the Couch-to-5K Running Plan.

What about you? Have you ever whipped yourself into shape by a certain deadline? My emphasis truly is on endurance and fitness so that I can keep up and enjoy our time in Florida. Any ideas?

On the Feast of All Saints

My computer is at the Genius Bar. iPhoto crashed. I'm trying not to hyperventilate. I'm reposting--but I probably would have reposted even if my 'puter were healthy.

Here is one of my favorite presents ever. My children surprised me with this video last year. Happy, happy feast!

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My children surprised me with this video last week. They decided to offer our litany this month to our family's special saints. This one's a keeper--those dear voices do me in every time. (Apparently, even Karoline's favorite doll has a patron saint.)

Blessed Feast to you all!

 

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sarah Love

Deep breath. 

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I will not cry while writing this post.

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Too late. 

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I love this sweet baby so much.

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I love those chocolate eyes and the blond bangs that fall in her face but that she won't let me clip. And her big sister won't let me cut.

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I love that she insists on starting and ending her days with a snuggle and she cups my face in her hands and tells me she loves me all day long.

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I love that she says, "Thank you," as often as she says, "I love you."

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I love that she wants to be held, to slow me down, to linger long here in babyhood, ever since the beginning.

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I love that her whole world revolves around her daddy. 

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I love her as much as she loves egg nog.

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I love to read her stories. The ones with princesses are best.

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I love pink. It's our favorite color. (And Daddy's, too.)

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I love that she calls her sisters "my girlies" and she's lonely without them. 

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I love that she calls her brothers "my boys-ees."

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I love that she went to sleep last night in a princess dress and she told me she *had* to because it makes her look fabulosa. I love that I let her.

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I love that Halloween will never be the same again, not since that miraculous night three years ago, when we received a sweet sugar sack, all five pounds of her, six weeks early.

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Oh, my sweet Sarah Annie girl, I love you.

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To Do Today

Finish the sewing details of Katie's costume.

Set up the All Saints table.

Distribute the Fair Trade chocolate and info. Mike vetoed the idea of actually "reverse trick or treating." He thought it was rude to give back the chocolate people were offering and hand them a card detailing the horrors of how that chocolate got here. He's right. So, Nicky is preemptively educating. Today.

Make birthday cupcakes.

Get the boys to decide what they plan to be for Halloween and then make it happen.

Finish Bible study for tomorrow.

Shop for the fixins for Pizza Rolls, for Sarah's birthday dinner tomorrow night. (Post recipe here later today??)

Carve that pumpkin and make a Jack-o-Lantern of him.

Roast pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin risotto for dinner tonight.

Go to Trader Joe's for fair trade candy to distribute tomorrow. Pray all the way there that I haven't procrastinated myself into an expensive ethical mess. Nicky's watching my every move.

Hug and kiss and squeeze my two-year-old every chance I get. Because, really, today is the last day I'll have a two-year-old to hug and and kiss and squeeze. Tomorrow, she is three.

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I love three.