Thanksgiving...continued I guess...

San Diego was fun. I guess I expected it to be better, though, and it was kinda a let down. Still, my kids had a blast, I just wish that their fun had rubbed off on me more.

I don't really know why I didn't enjoy myself as much as I thought I should have. Part of it was the ever present feeling that I was inconveniencing everyone around me the whole time. My mom and grandma stayed in the hotel room with my kids and Tony and I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law. That was totally my mom's idea. I kept feeling like I should be there for my kids more, though. It was actually a bummer not to be with them. I don't know why, but when Tony and I were with just my brother and his wife, I felt like I was the only one who was trying to have fun. It may have just been the me, and I don't really blame anyone else.

The most fun that I had was on Thursday afternoon. Tony and I took Micah and Becca by ourselves to Sea World while the girls and others napped. Then we went back to the hotel.

Thursday night we went to go see a movie. Probably any other time it wouldn't have bothered me so much, but in the middle of my vacation, we saw a really depressing and sad movie. I was bummed.

Black Friday is usually one of my favorite days, and I didn't get to do any shopping. That bummed me out, too. There really weren't any sales that I could get excited over anyway. Then I saw on the news that morning about the guy who was trampled and killed at Wal-Mart in New York. When you hear news like that, it's hard to complain that you didn't get to go shopping.

Friday my brother and sister-in-law took my mom and grandma home early. My sister-in-law is pregnant, and the trip was long and the beds were not the most comfortable. The kids and Tony and I stayed at Sea World for the holiday shows that started this weekend. That was fun. My kids were kinda tired after the last couple of days, though. They were really tired by the end, and Ali and Zoe could have done without the last show. It was a good show, but two very tired toddlers just don't care what Shamu does with Christmas music playing. I wished that they had fallen asleep. The show was rather good, but we all would have enjoyed it more without the twins screaming through quite a bit of it.

If I had it to do over again, I probably would have insisted on staying with my kids. It would have meant more work for me and less sleep, but I probably would have enjoyed myself more. Not that my brother and his wife aren't fun people to be with or anything, I just love being with my kids.

In the future, I think I would rather spend my holidays at home. I can keep my kids with me, I don't feel like I am inconveniencing everyone the whole time, and when I feel like people around me are getting bored or don't feel good or something, I feel like I am allowed to feel responsible and try to fix that feeling here in my home. I can care for my kids and take care of people at the same time.

I guess my problem this Thanksgiving was that I didn't feel like I could be a mom. I like caring for people. I like caring for my kids. I felt displaced without them. I find myself now feeling thankful that I am with my kids at home again.

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, my family, my brother and sister-in-law, my mom, and my grandma are going to San Diego for the holiday. We are spending tonight and tomorrow night down there and going to Sea World. Yeah! Rain! Yep, that was sarcasm.

So last night I packed my kid's bags for just today because they went down early with my mom and grandma to go to Sea World by themselves. Yep, that means I spent the day without kids. I got laundry done (that I probably shouldn't have done since my recent chest episode), packed the rest of our stuff, and enjoyed the silence. It's been a good day so far. Still, I have a long ride tonight. No kids, though.

I just realized that I haven't blogged in a while...well not this week anyway. On Sunday I had a normal day until the evening. I got out of church not feeling so well, but I figured it was just the cold that I was getting. I went to get my kids from their class and really started hurting. I sat down on the ground totally in pain. It hurt. At this point, I'm scared I'm having a heart attack. I don't look up because I know that I am surrounded by people. I hurt. I vaguely hear my friends asking questions and kinda answer, but I'm not really up to conversation. I hear Tony say that he is taking the kids home and my mom is taking me to the hospital. At this point I don't care, I just want the pain to stop.

So, did I have a heart attack? No. It has a really long name, but basically I injured the cartilage in my chest and it is inflamed causing pressure and a lot of pain. Tony put the Web MD explanation in his blog if you are curious. I got a shot that took away my pain right then, or at least took it down several notches, and some good pain meds for home. I was told not to lift anything and let my chest heal. Hopefully it won't be necessary for me to lift my kids for a while. I took some of my meds just to do laundry today, and I probably still shouldn't have lifted the stuff.

My mom has been off work this week, and so I thought I would be able to rest. I had a huge assignment due for school last night, and my mom was trying to get me to plan stuff for our trip at the same time. I pretty much told her (in the most respectful and kind way possible) that I wasn't planning anything, and if she wanted me to do stuff, write it down so I would have it for today. It didn't work. So in the middle of my creative expression, I hear things questions about what the kids are going to wear. I really didn't care. I figured I would get her all the stuff she needed for today, and then get the rest when I didn't have anything else to do. Which is what I did. Still, it didn't stop her from interrupting me. She did come and help me out every once in a while, too, though.

My project didn't turn out as well as I wanted it to, but it was ok. What do you think?

From photography class

From photography class

From photography class

From photography class

From photography class

Pictures

I took some fun pictures today for an assignment that I find truly annoying. Still, the pictures were good.

From photography class

That's my Zoe

From photography class

Cassidy...yeah...

From photography class

Ali

So, they are a bunch of pictures that I probably wouldn't have taken if it weren't for the dumb assignment, so maybe I'm grateful. Still, I have to write a paper, and that really irritates me. Not that I mind writing a paper, I just don't like the subject. Notice that I'm not telling what the assignment is. That's because I don't really want to hear all about the merits of doing this assignment, I know those, but I still don't like it. I'll write the paper, do my best, I'll appreciate the pictures that I took because of it, and I'll be glad that it's over.

In the beginning...

This morning the girls and I spent a lot of time in the car. I accidentally left my purse in the car last night, and since I drive the van for everything (for obvious reasons) I had to go chase my husband down to pick it up before I went walking. So off I go in the opposite direction of the mall that I walk, and then back to to the Ontario Mills to walk and walk with the 4 girls.

I took the wagon in this time to the mall, and all 4 girls wanted to ride. Loads of fun for them, not so fun for my arm. Becca and Cassidy walked for 2 of the 4 miles, and the twins walked for about half a mile. Yeah, the twins are lazy, and also really slow and don't like to keep up.

After that I went grocery shopping. I found out that the store that I was going to for the turkey for next week was out of the ones that Micah can have. Bummer. On to the next store. All their turkeys were not okay either. Finally I gave up and went to Trader Joe's because Micah is out of the waffles that he eats every day for breakfast. They are out. I'm having a horrible shopping trip. At least the girls were good. I bribe them well, though. They only get samples if they are good.

We didn't make it home in time for Cassidy to get picked up by Carrie after work, so I am going to have to take her home later. She's been great all day until about right now. I think she just remembered that she's two. Of course, the twins didn't need that reminder. Trader Joe's was really great with the screaming Zoe the entire time because she didn't get her way. It got worse when they were giving out samples of cookies and she couldn't have one.

So anyways back to the car. I literally went from home out to San Berdoo, out to Ontario, up to north Fontana, then back home, then out to Redlands, then back home. I don't know how many miles that is, but it's a lot. During that time we were listening to Becca's cd for Sparks (the Awana club...a discipleship training for kids), and we heard stories starting from creation going all the way to Babel. Of course it didn't really hit all of the stories, but there were several. Creation was fun because the girls (all three two year olds) have been going over creation in their Awana club, Puggles. They know that God made everything, and they will say it over and over, and over, and over... They are now on to "it was very good," but they don't really know that part very well and it comes out funny sometimes.

So, that was my morning. Kinda a bummer in that I don't feel like I accomplished anything, but I sure did do a lot. Still, the car rides were entertaining.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good..." Genesis 1:31

Why am I already frustrated?

Here it comes, I am about to give in to the frustration. Here I started to diet and exercise for my health, and people automatically make comments about losing weight. I heard it all day long. I really want to shout it out loud, but at the moment I'll just shout here in all caps. Excuse me for one moment.

I DO NOT CARE ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT!!!

I'm not trying to make my body look better. I'm not going there. As a matter of fact, I really don't care what you think about my body. As long as I please God and my husband, nothing else really matters, right?

I know that I still get the question that by the way is extremely rude: "are you pregnant again?" No. The fact of the matter is that because of the way that my skin stretched during the twin pregnancy, fat tends to stick to the skin that I haven't worked to lose. I really don't care. And by the way, even if I was, what is it to you? Don't get that disgusted look that comes from thinking that I shouldn't continue to procreate. I don't care if I already have 4 kids, if God continues to bless me with children, I'll take them and thank Him for my blessings. Now, He would have to get past the surgery that I had done to prevent further pregnancies, but it isn't beyond His power. But I digress...

Now, I have decided to begin to record progress in weight loss/gain, but really that's a family thing. My father-in-law came up with a plan for the family to work together to lose weight. Honestly, I'm doing it for him. It's a family thing. If I happen to lose weight while I exercise and try to work on my cholesterol, then hooray, I've done something for the group. That's awesome. I actually expect to lose some anyway, I may as well do it while encouraging others. I'm trying not to lose focus, though. It's hard. Everyone else wants to lose weight. Whether it's for health issues or not, their focus is different.

So here I am. My main issue I guess was going to church all day for our annual car show. Two meals, breakfast and lunch, and neither were on my diet. Pancakes, sausage, and eggs for breakfast. All of which, when prepared correctly with the right ingredients would be just fine, but since they were all basically delicious balls of cholesterol covered in butter, they were not just fine for me. Barbecued pork sandwiches smelled wonderful, but my heart just couldn't take it. I asked Tony to go get me something else. He came back with a chicken tostada salad from El Pollo Loco. Yum. This made people wonder why I wouldn't like the food that people worked so hard to prepare. I don't mind telling people that I am on a diet, I just wish that they didn't just assume that I want to get rid of baby weight. I must look awful to them from the response...over and over. I really wouldn't care if it was just one person, but it just continued all day, and it just got irritating after a while.

By the way, I've walked another 6 miles since Wednesday, making it 10 since I began the count. Not that I plan on updating every couple of days or anything, I just thought I'd say something more positive in this whiny blog.

So here we go. I have a challenge for you. Say something completely honest and positive that as far as you know would not be misconstrued into anything negative to someone every day this week. No more "I didn't mean it like that." If you can't think of anything, work on it. Don't say something like, "wow, you're starting to look good. The diet is working!" Yeah. I don't care to be reminded that you thought I looked horrible before. Not that the comment should be to me, but you get my point. Spread a little love. No more verbal halitosis.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

I know, I'm convicted by this verse, too.

The Coolest Camera Attatchment Ever

I know, two blogs in one day? Doesn't Supermommie have a life? NO.

I was surfing the web trying to calm down after a particularly irritating event concerning my wonderful children, when I found the coolest attachment for my digital SLR ever.

What is that? It's a super secret spy lens.

Huh?

It's a lens attachment that can help you take pictures of people without them hiding their face or posing or any number of annoying things that people do when you get out your camera and point it at them.

I want one. I want to be able to take pictures of those people in our youth group who make faces at me when I get out my camera. I want to take a decent picture of Becca without her breaking into a pose. So, yeah, 10th commandment and all that... I'm still drooling. Time to go repent...and let my children come out of their rooms and clean up their mess.

Tag. I'm it!

When the game of tag is played at my house, it's fun, but no one really understands the rules. Becca has asked about the real way to play, but I don't tell her because she'll just try to make everyone play it that way, and I just don't think that's as fun. Basically all 4 of my kids run around and tag each other shouting "tag, you're it!" It's a hilarious free for all that lasts for about 10 minutes.

That being said, you understand that I rarely follow the rules for these tagging games. So when my friend Jennifer tags me, I ask myself, should I follow the rules?

Why not?

So I'm supposed to give you 7 random things about me. Of course, I recently gave you 5 random things about me, so I could just give you two more and tell you to look for my previous blog with the rest, and if I run out of thoughts after two, I'll do that. Let's start with 7 and work my way back then.

7. I have a new favorite character in Sesame Street (doesn't everyone have a favorite Sesame Street character?). I really like Murray. His new segment with his little lamb that speaks Spanish is really great. He makes me laugh.

6. One of my favorite snacks is bologna and pickles. I've been told that this is weird, but since it's one of my mom's favorites, it never seems odd to me. Of course, I don't eat this snack anymore because of the unhealthy stuff in bologna. I don't like the chicken bologna, just the regular kind, and even if I did, it's still pretty unhealthy. Sorry if I've just grossed you out, though if you think about it, bologna is really just a hot dog shaped differently, so think of it as a hot dog with relish.

Can I think of any more? Hmm... I think I'll come up with more, but if I run out of thoughts before the end, just refer to the old blog.

5. I read a lot. I don't like checking books out of the library, though, because I never get them back on time. I end up paying huge fines, and I figure I may as well just buy them. This makes reading a rather expensive habit.

4. Did I mention that I read a lot? This started for me quite young. The first real book (I don't count the picture books) that I read was Little Women. I read it when I was 5-6. It took me a year to get through, but I really enjoyed it. I kept going from there with classics with an occasional Babysitter's club or something else actually for my age group until I discovered Sci-Fi. I went through that faze in junior high. High school I didn't have time for much except for required reading, but occasionally I would skip that and go back to more Sci-Fi or a few fantasy books. Then I started to really get into humor. I think that's Tony's fault, though. It was kinda my mood at the time. I began to get into Christian Fiction after that. That's pretty much where I stick to still. Of course, I read books about autism and raising twins, but I don't really count those, they aren't really for enjoyment. That's like saying I read text books in school.

3. I hate doing dishes. I know, there aren't many people who could say that they enjoy this task, but I really hate it. I hate it so much that when we bought a house without a dishwasher, I immediately began figuring out how to afford to put one in, because I certainly didn't want to spend much time doing a chore that I really hate doing. On any given day you will probably find dirty dishes in my house. I know, I shouldn't put it off, but I just can't always get myself up to do it. Becca unloads the dishwasher, and as soon as she is able to, I plan on making the dishes her regular chore.

2. I make my kids do chores. All of my kids. Micah takes out the trash, and keeps his room clean. Becca unloads the dishes. Ali and Zoe have to keep their room picked up. Ok, Becca has to help the girls with their room, but the girls have to start somewhere. I have 4 kids. If I tried to keep up with cleaning everything, I would go nuts (or more nuts...or something). I am showing the twins how to do the laundry, but they aren't up to doing much but "helping" so far. They are only 2. Still, I fully intend to have help cleaning the house for as long as my kids live here. If that makes my kids little slaves so be it.

I made it to the last one! Umm...I can't think of anything else about me! Ahh! Oh, here's one:

1. I get addicted to video games pretty easily. Not as easily as my husband does, and never the really complicated ones, but addictinggames.com is one site that I have to avoid. Bloons Tower Defense 3 was really fun, but I got stuck on it for too long.

That's it! I am now supposed to tag 7 people. Hmm...I don't know. Maybe I'll just tag a couple.

1. Tony. My dear husband. I tag you, and please, try to make your list things that you think that I don't know about you.

2. Tony. My brother. I think that your list will be scary, but interesting.

3. Shana. Only because you make me laugh.

4. Tiffany. There are few people who write blogs as interesting and fun as yours, if you find the time, tag, you're it!

Hmm...and anyone else who reads this, maybe? That's probably against the rules, but still, tag, you're it!

Health stuff

Well, just in case you want to know, I have yet to experience chest pains this week. Whether or not something is really working, I'm glad to not to be in pain. I don't know if I have really lost any more weight because I don't do scales. I'm trying not to get obsessed with my weight but still get healthier. Every once in a while I'll go check myself at on my sister-in-law's Wii fit, but that probably won't be a regular thing. I'm still pretty motivated to change things, and being pretty broke makes fast food not even an option if I'm craving it. While I hate being broke, there is a plus side.

At the moment, Becca is off-track, and I am walking in the mall every day. I get 3-4 miles in before the kids all go crazy. The 4 girls do pretty well in either the double stroller, or I drag them around in the wagon. Or both if someone with free hands is with me and willing. Becca usually runs, though. If anyone wants to join in, we have a lot of fun. This morning we were by ourselves, much to Becca's disappointment. My mom was with us while she was off, and my good friend, Shelley comes when she can. Hopefully I'll get Cassidy's mom to come soon, she bailed on me yesterday. Why do I go to the mall? I find it so much easier to actually walk there. It's inside. It's a smooth surface for whatever I am pushing or pulling to roll on. There are few people there in the mornings before it opens so I can let the girls run and still see them, and pretty much everyone else is just trying to excersise, too. It's a good place to walk. We tend to leave before it opens so I don't give in to any urges to spend money that I don't have.

If I ever get into running, I think I will have to do it without kids. That's probably why I don't do that. I think I would enjoy it, but I would have to find time, without them, and all that kind of time is pretty well taken up right now. I'd also like to join a gym, but my being broke just doesn't work out for that. Still, I don't know when I'd have time for that anyway. My favorite excersise is swimming, and since a pool is completely out of the question, and that's pretty much the only way I would be able to do that on a regular basis, I don't think I'll be able to do that kind of thing any time soon.

As for my diet, I just solved the problem of not eating red meat by not buying any...much to the dissappointment of my mother. Well, she shouldn't have any either, so I'm kinda doing her a favor. As long as I keep her in popcorn, she will live. I eat my oatmeal or Cheerios everyday. Tonight we are having turkey. Yep, it's not Thanksgiving yet, but I have a turkey in the oven. It's cheap. Leftovers go forever. Plus, when cooked right, it is really quite healthy. I'm hoping we aren't sick of it by Thanksgiving, but I have some new recipes that I found that should make the leftovers more interesting.

Well, that's my update. I know most people when doing this kind of blog post numbers, but I don't really have any. I guess I could tell you how many miles I walked and keep that updated, but I'd have to keep count. Hmm...I can't remember. This morning it was 4, I can start from there. I want a party when I reach 100. Or maybe 500...I don't know yet. Suprise me. I'm ok with 246, too.

"My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.

Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.

Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil."

Proverbs 4:20-27

A not so funny thing happened to me at the grocery store...

I wonder why it is that so many things that irritate me happen at the grocery store.

I was going to my car after a quick trip to the grocery store for bread to make garlic bread for my lasagna that my mom and I made that evening (from scratch...it was good, and fun since I had never made it before and we were not really going by a recipe, just trying to make it with the stuff that we happened to have in the house). I was stopped by a lady that goes to our church. She proceeded to make some remarks about my son in church, and I just stood there. She eventually came to the point where she told me that I should be keeping him at home.

First let me point out that this is not the opinion of most of the people at my church. There are very few people who have made negative comments about my son, and those people tend to be pretty reasonable still when I explain the situation and tell them more about autism. I have had these conversations, my pastor has had these conversations with people on my behalf, and the results are that for the most part, Micah is accepted and supported at church.

Second, Micah has really made a lot of progress at church, and really doesn't disturb anyone as much at he used to.

Third, I was so tired at that moment because I was up all night at the youth lock-in, and I really hadn't slept well enough yet, so I was really not prepared to be nice to this attack.

Ok, so what was my response to this lady? I told her that I would be happy to have this conversation with her another time, but at this moment, I really needed to get this bread home to my kids. Of course, I couldn't help adding that I would see her at church on Sunday, though.

I have to say, this incident was irritating, but this person is not really someone who would have any influence on me. She has been spoken to about the situation by other people, and basically I just figure that her ignorance at this point is by choice. Nothing I would have said to her would have changed her mind anyway. Sometimes people will never get it. I understand and acknowledge that. She has attempted to spread things about my son in the past only to be told that what she was saying was wrong. I get so many positive comments about Micah and how well he is doing that for one person to still be negative about him is not really a big deal, it was just irritating at the grocery store. I don't even think that she will approach me at church because of all the others who will defend us there. If she does, however, I will be quite prepared to give a response as to why my son still goes to church. Do I want her to not be at my church anymore? No, just because she is a little slower than others, doesn't mean that she shouldn't be at church. I will love and accept her no matter what. Everyone needs love. Everyone needs God. God is Love. Amazing how that works.

"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:13-16

Ignorance irritates me

This morning I got really mad at someone I don't know. I was standing in line at the grocery store, and this lady notices that I have my "I voted" sticker on, and that my twins happened to have "I voted" stickers as well. She laughs and comments that they may as well be voting, since all she ever does in voting is vote yes for the odd propositions and candidates and no on the even ones. I held my tongue as I left the store because anything else that would have come out would not have been kind. That kind of ignorance really makes me wonder why she even voted at all. Did she just want the free coffee at Starbucks? Did she get time off of work to vote? What is the point?

It isn't just ignorance, it's laziness as well. The information to make an informed decision is out there, you just have to look for it. It takes time and effort to create an opinion, and people just don't want to do that. I know, I used to be one of them. I didn't vote for quite a while because I didn't want to take the time to find that information.

It irritates me that someone would really take the time to vote not knowing what it is that they voted for. Personally, if I don't have an opinion on something, I abstain rather than cast my vote one way or the other. If I don't know anything about any of the candidates for a certain office, then I just don't vote in that particular election. I would rather not "accidentally" cast my vote for someone or something that I disagree with. To vote without knowledge is worse than not voting.

So, here I am, mad at abuse of the democratic process. I voted. No, my kids didn't make my decisions for me (though Micah does have an opinion). The girls got stickers, but that was just for fun.

I'm also irritated at people who form their opinions based upon comedy. Anyone who gets their information about elections from John Stewart or SNL alone is really dumb. Sure, I watch sometimes for comedic value, but not to get my information. You can't even get unbiased views from the regular news media, much less from people who are paid to be entertaining.

If you are going to vote, use your brain. If you choose not to think, please, don't vote. I don't care if you are of a different opinion than me, you should at least have an informed opinion first before voting. Don't just vote for the free Ben & Jerry's.

"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue."
Proverbs 17:28

One more thing. If you don't vote, I don't care what your opinion is on the president, or anything else that you had a chance to vote for. If you don't speak up when it actually counts, you obviously don't think enough of your opinion to do anything about it, so why should I care either?

Oh, but if you are too young to vote but still have an (informed) opinion, I do care, and I would rather hear your opinion than the above-mentioned loud mouths.

Halloween

Halloween is over! That sigh of relief as everyone was dressed happened first. All was well and the kids enjoyed their costumes. Ali and Zoe were ballerinas. That was an easy costume, I just took Becca's old tu-tus from dance performances that lots of money was spent on anyway, and put them on the girls. Tights and socks with ballet slipper designs on them that I found at the dollar store completed their outfits.
Becca was even easier. Last year someone gave her a fairy costume that was too big, and she hadn't worn it yet. she decided that she needed the pants and shirt under it, and other than that she just wanted body glitter.

Micah's first choice for costume when asked was to be a princess. After a long talk with my boy, he decided that he would be something else. We did an internet search for costume ideas, and he decided that he would be a clown or superman. No, you don't see either of those in the picture. After a search through Wal-mart to find all the stuff that he needed to be either of those, Tony decided that we shouldjust get him a dress up set from the toy section. Construction worker or policeman? Policeman was cheaper and it came with working walkie-talkies. The next day I asked Micah if he wanted to dress up in that stuff for halloween, and he said yes. I took a black shirt and put POLICE on the back in white tape. Suddenly I was a mom of a cop.

So this year we went to our church's harvest festival and stayed there all night. It was great. It was inside the gym, but they had food outside on the porch, where we have a playset for the kids to play. It wasn't crowded at the beginning, and the twins went around to play all the games. When they were done playing games, my mom took them out to eat hot dogs and play. Micah and Becca went back and forth all night long. I entered the pumpkin carving contest, even though I had never carved a pumpkin in my entire life, and I ended up winning. Ok, I won the adult division and I was the only adult who entered. Still, my pumpkin didn't look bad. I would have pictures, but I surrendered the camera to my mother, and she didn't take too many, and she didn't take any of my pumpkin. You'll just have to believe me.

We ended up with a lot of candy. Growing up I remember the day after halloween always being better because we didn't dress up, but we always hit the clearance afterwards. Since so many churches do their halloween alternatives now, it's nice to dress the kids up for pictures and get free candy. I did trick-or-treat once when Micah was a toddler. It was ok, but we get so much more candy at the church, plus it's safer and more fun to play the games.

One of the great things about being a parent is the fact that you make the rules about candy. Micah's diet makes for a great excuse to have to go through all the candy and divide it nicely. I get the opportunity to take my favorites out and hide them. Since any and all candy that enters my house is confiscated and distributed at the will of Mom and Dad anyway, the few that disappear aren't noticed anyway.

Our church ended up with 400 people coming to our Harvest festival. Considering the fact that we run less than 200 on any given Sunday in church, that was pretty good. We gave out a lot of candy, and we had a lot of fun.

I wish I had more pictures, but I had my video camera and my mom had her regular camera. I lost the cord to download my videos in July when we went to San Diego, so I don't have the videos to show, either. I'm bummed. My kids were cute. I need to get a new cord for my video camera.