FHE - Pumpkin Carving

So, last Monday we carved our pumpkin that Aunt Judy gave us for FHE and had our annual Halloween treat. . . Ghosts in the Graveyard. It's a family favorite. We've made it every year since Rachel was very little.

Our pumpkin before surgery!

Cleaning it out

Daddy drawing on the face Rachel designed while Michaela looks on.

All done!

Yumminess!

The kids anxiously awaiting the treat:

Michaela with Jack and Graveyard treat:

1st Birthday pictures!

Ok, so I have soooooo much to catch up on. Been WAY too busy. . .and of course that means LOTS to talk about, and little time to do so. Here's some pics from Alyssa's birthday.

What's a birthday without presents!?
Thank you to Grandparents Turpin, Grandparents Doyal, and Great-Grandparents Avery
and Mommy and Daddy

Checking out a new high chair toy:

October Birthday Girl and her Halloweenish cake

Yay! Everyone just sang a song about me, so it MUST be a reason to clap!

Balloons are fun!

Eating cake

My two favorite "after eating cake" pics:

Trying out some of her new toys for her swing.

We sign our kids up for the Baskin Robins Birthday Club before their first birthdays.
Here's Alyssa eating her first free BR birthday ice cream!

All Done!

Happy Birthday to my baby!

Today was Alyssa's first birthday! We actually celebrated with cake/ice cream and presents last night since tonight was gymnastics, and I didn't want her celebration to be rushed after getting back before bed. I haven't downloaded the pics yet, so I'll have to share those later.

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I can't believe you're a year old already. :(

My dad is going to Baghdad

For 3 months and I'm so scared! He leaves on the 13th. He's had military training (I'm an Army brat); but he's a 55 year old man now and it's scary over there. He's going there for a construction project his company is working on, not the war, so at least he's not fighting, but it's still scary over there and he'll stick out like a sore thumb as an American. I can't stop crying. Why do they have to send my dad there? Why are they doing a project there? When I first heard of the possibility, I thought it was going to be a one or two week thing. (Like when he went to Haiti for a week.) Now, it's for sure and 3 months now.

My lil bookworms

I thought this pic was adorable. This past Monday, I picked up some $1 Halloween board books from Target. The girls decided to sit down and look at them that evening. Alyssa even wanted one too!

The past couple weekends. . .part 1

TWO weekends ago on September 6, we got lots of rain from TS Hanna overnight and in the morning, and then in the afternoon we went to a Fisher Price party that Alyssa was invited to. She got some free toys for attending. She actually got two free toys instead of one since a lot of the people that were going to come, didn't. :)

The bucket was empty before the rain came:

Alyssa playing with her new, free toys! She was just too cute, so I'm posting a bunch. While I was taking several shots, she just kept laughing and smiling up a storm, so I got lots of good shots. I'm actually leaving quite a few good ones out, but here's some of my faves:

The past couple weekends. . .part 2

This past Saturday, September 13, we went to the baby reunion my RE office, Carolina Conceptions, was holding. Man! I've never seen so many sets of triplets and twins in one place in my life! There must have been about 8 sets of triplets, and the sets of twins was about double that or so. The ratio of singleton babies to multiples had to have been about 50/50. I guess that's to be expected though when you attend a baby reunion among folks who need fertility help. Kinda made me start thinking about Alyssa's twin that vanished. :( Although, her twin happened naturally, not the effect of fertility drugs since I need help to STAY pg, not GET pg. It was the first baby reunion they've held.

They had a train for the older kids to ride on, and a bouncy thing. Food, face/hand painting, door prizes. It was a good time. It was really hot though! Some pics:

Rachel and her art:

Kayla getting painted:

Kayla's ladybug:

Getting ready to go on the train:

The train in motion:

Alyssa playing with the music display there: