I PASSED THE BAR EXAM!!!!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Soup

First you find a pumpkin. . .

Then you pick a design. . .

Then you hire some help. . .


Then you document the moment with Mommy. . .


The finished product:


Dr. Hooch

Listening to Mommy's heartbeat.


Jill and Charles mastering the art of trick or treating.


Bonus:

The boys.
The mom and a boy at 17 weeks. Probably what I should look like now. I'll try to post a more recent one soon. Seven weeks makes a big difference- literally.

Super Post

A couple weekends ago Chad, Charles and I drove down to Los Angeles. We left on Friday and drove back on Sunday. It was a long weekend, but we had fun. I had a 9 hour class on Saturday while Chad and Charles explored Hollywood. On Sunday we went to Disneyland. A major shout-out to Chad for driving the whole time and to Mickey Mouse for capturing the attention of a 2 year old boy. A jeer to California Pizza Kitchen. I've given you a few tries and am never impressed. Now to the pictures.

On the road to LA.

The Hollywood sign outside our window.

Charles' set up in the hotel room. He slept pretty good in his own bed.

Waiting for the Haunted Mansion. They really change the ride up as the Nightmare before Christmas. I loved it, Charles said he'll pass next time.

Mom and Charles.

"Ride the ponies"- take one.

"I ride elephants."

Toon town: where the characters are cool from far away.

"Ride the ponies"- Take two. Usually he is scared of the horses, but that day the ponies were his favorite. He'll tell you we went around and around.

You can't pass up the big Mickey pumpkin.

An In and Out stop on the way home to complete the trip.

I thought about doing Halloween in this post too but this is super enough and I'm feeling done for now. Halloween will have to wait.

Apple Hill

Charles, Tracy, and I went to Apple Hill earlier this month. We try to go a couple of times each year so that we can satisfy our caramel/chocolate covered apple craving. This time we also bought a box of apples to take care of our baking desires. So far we have made caramel apples and an awesome caramel apple cake.

Hooch and I were exploring at Able's Apples and he decided to sit in the dirt.

He also wanted to drive the bus.

When we were paying for our apples at High Hill, Hooch spotted some mini apples by the register. The lady who was working the register gave him one of the apples and he carried it around all day.

While we were at Bill's Apples Hooch had his picture taken by the flowers.

Also at Bill's Apples he enjoyed playing with the little windmills. Tracy and I had fun making sure he didn't break anything.

We are looking forward to making at least one more trip to Apple Hill this year. We also have a lot of apples left. Tracy is thinking about making an apple pie and possibly another caramel apple cake.

Sneak Peak

Chad, Charles and I are going to be welcoming a baby boy in March. We are even more pleased to announce that he looks very healthy and is measuring right around where he should be. No official name at this time. Chad says it is my turn to pick the name. So we'll see what I come up with.

Our Favorite Person

Charles and I would like to say happy birthday to the Hooch's Dad. We are so lucky to have him. We love you and hope you have a great birthday.

*These pictures are a little old but they are the only ones I found on my computer at work. They do help to highlight why he is our favorite. Plus he makes a great cat house out of Legos.

In the middle

Do you ever find yourself in the middle? I was there often growing up as the third of six kids (3rd of 5 sisters). Anyway, I am feeling that theme more than ever at my home. You would think I would be used to it but it is killing me. First is poor Chad. The bar exam has been studied for and taken but the results aren't in until November. So he waits as he is told he is over-qualified for Nordstroms but under-qualified for a "real" job (need to have that passing bar score). Charles is not a baby but I don't think he is a little boy yet. Sometimes I see him riding a scooter by himself or starting to drink from a cup and I think he is officially a little boy. But then I see him sleeping in his crib or running after his dad and he looks so little and I know he is still a baby boy. Now me. I'm 15 weeks along with baby two and I am definitely showing. Some regular clothes fit, although maybe not well but maternity stuff is big (even though at the end I grow out of most of them). Then Sunday I was sure I felt the baby move twice, but alas no weird fish feeling Monday or today yet. The funny thing is soon Chad will be working, Charles will officially be a little boy (or I will officially accept it) and I will be very large and wish this baby didn't move so much as I am trying to sleep and then I will miss being in the middle.