Jess and Dannii Come to Town and Miss Midd's Birthday

Is that not the cutest little family??  Let's see that one again . . .

. . . because we miss their smiling faces.

Jess, Dannii, Gunnar, and Christian came all the way from Bangkok to make their way back home to D.C.  We were so glad to be on their route.  We got to meet Christian for the first time, and he is so squishy and cute and cuddly and made me feel excited for our own baby to come.

Gunnar and the girls hit it off with the iPad.  It brings families together!

Jess and I had a couple of nice chats between WRASTLING all of the kiddos.  It's funny how times have changed . . . yet they really haven't.

Madeline celebrated her TENTH birthday while everyone was here!!  We ate Chinese Chicken and Rice and had a Panera cupcake bar with ice cream.

And our "cousins" dropped by with roses from each of the boys . . . it was the cutest.  Thanks, Audra!

Madeline got Speed Stacking cups for one of her presents, which we unfortunately ran over with the van on the way out of my parents' house. 

This picture doesn't show it, but we spent about an hour curling Dannii's amazing hair.  It was gorgeous.  (Check it out in the second-to-last picture.)

We took one of our usual walks down the street.  I made it halfway with my overly-pregnant-self, but luckily I was close enough to snap a few pictures.

I love Jess' shirt.  He's a "simple man."  Hee hee.

Can't wait to see you again!  (Love the hair, Dannii!)

And Happy Birthday, Madeline!  We sure love you!

Halloween 2013

It's that time of year again . . . it's, "Let's catch up on last year's happenings before this year flies by!"

Even though I was thirteen-months-pregnant in October, I couldn't resist overdoing it one last time before giving birth, and we just had to go all-out for our ward's annual Trunk-or-Treat at Hunters Farm.  About a week before the big event, Dallas and I stayed up late for a few nights and put together this bad-boy gingerbread house for all of us Halloween Christmas Elves.  (That's Madeline's friend Allie dressed up as a wolf.)

We never got around to building the spectacular roof I had in mind, and I went through too many cans of spray foam "frosting" to justify the other "cake decorating" I was going to add to the facade, BUT we still won the Golden Pumpkin for best overall trunk!  Here is how it looked in the dark with a spotlight:

The girls loved being with their friends.  These ones LOVED the hay ride.  

For the first time, I didn't love the hay ride.  I would never advise going on a bumpy hay ride when thirteen months pregnant.

Cheese!

We really should've brought more candy . . . it was mayhem as soon as we began.  I guess that's what happens when you point a spotlight at your trunk!

It was just as much a party behind the house as it was in front of it because the girls and their friends like passing out candy almost more than they enjoy getting it.  But at a couple of points we had to send them out to gather more candy so they could share their own spoils with their friends.  

Because look how fun this is . . . 

That's Madeline behind this door.

And that's Emery behind this one.

The girls from Dallas' office came too and made the cutest Fairy Trunk.  And they even passed out little wands for all of the girls.  It was so cute!

Next up we had the official Halloween.  I was so worn out that I couldn't walk for the first part of it, so I took a picture of my lonesome feet as I sat out at the end of our friends' driveway.  Sniffle.

But then the whole gang came by looking spiffy, and I pointed the camera their way.

I am so excited for next year when I can walk with them.  The best part is hearing all of the Littles say, "Trick or Treat!  Happy Halloween!  Thank you!" and then watching them run full speed to the next house.

In usual Raleigh-fashion, we received a surprise poem and picture on our counter the week of Halloween:

Sure love these girls.