Pumpkin Carving

For FHE on Monday we carved a pumpkin. Lilly helped Gus pull out all the insides and then tried to help carve it, which was a little scary.

In the end, she was so proud of her daddy!

My Birthday and Sharpay

For my birthday last Friday Gus gave me roses and a SEWING MACHINE! I have wanted a sewing machine forever, and now I just need some money to buy fabric.

On Friday night, MJ came over and watched Lilly for us while we went out to eat at Olive Garden. We haven't gone out just the two of us forever and it was wonderful.

Lilly recieved this little number from my mom for her birthday. She calls it her "Sharpay" outfit. Sharpay is her favorite High School Musical character who is always wearing extravagant outfits. Lilly loves to put it on and prance around the house singing High School Musical songs.

Four Day Weekend

Last weekend was a busy one. Gus had Friday off and then Monday was Columbus Day, so he had that day off too, which made for a 4 day weekend!

On Friday we went to Cox Farms. We had a fun time looking at all the baby cows, pigs, goats, and sheep. We went through the corn maze, ate apples, drank apple cider, learned how to milk a cow, and went down all the big slides. Lilly especially loved the slides. At the end of every slide she would take off running back up the big hill to go again. At the end of the day we each picked out one pumpkin to take home.

On Sunday morning we left for Charlottesville, Virginia. We took a 2 hour drive through the Shenendoah National Forest and looked at the beautiful fall colors. Lilly threw up 3 times in the first hour of our drive. We think she got carsick because we were swerving through some pretty narrow roads, but when we stopped she was just fine.

We arrived at our hotel in Charlottesville later in the day, got a bite to eat, and went to sleep.

The next morning we drove over to the University of Virginia (where Gus's Aunt Jane went to college). We had a great time taking pictures with all the wonderful old buildings.

On the way back home we stopped off at Pop Pop and Betty Sue's house. Betty Sue fixed us a delicious lunch and we sat around and talked for a while. Then Gus took Lilly around the farm and let her run all of her energy out before the drive home. Lilly had a fun time giving Pop Pop hugs and kisses and telling him all her stories. Before we left, Betty Sue gave Lilly a bag of candy. She was so excited.

Princess Party

Lilly will be three years old on Sunday. To celebrate the big day I decided to throw her a birthday party. Lilly requested either a princess party or a High School Musical party. I figured the other girls her age would have more fun with a princess party, so princess announcements went out.

On Friday afternoon at 1:00, three of Lilly's princess friends arrived. They each received a crown, wand, necklace, and gift bag full of lots of princess stuff and a chocolate flower sucker upon arrival.

We played pin the crown on the princess, made candy necklaces, ate a princess castle with pink ice cream, and had a princess dance party. It was fun to plan but I am REALLY glad that it is over. I realized it was all worth it when the next day Lilly woke up and said, "Mom, I had so much fun at my party yesterday!" She was a happy little girl.

The beautiful princess Lilly

Pin the crown on the princess

Making candy necklaces

The magnificent cake that took WAY too long to make

Eating the magnificent cake

Lilly received very fun presents

The beautiful princesses

Eating ALL of her candy after a fun party

Bittersweet

Yesterday was bittersweet. It was the day that the headstone was finally finished and placed on our sweet little boys grave. For us, it made everything feel final. I was so happy to have something finally covering that bare spot of dirt, and it turned out beautiful.

It was also a day of remembering. It was hard because it brought back some very sad and angry feelings. We miss so much what we could have had here on this earth, and it hurts. I look at Lilly and feel sad that she won’t get to play with her two little brothers. I hope that some day I can think of my boys and ALWAYS think happy thoughts.

While we were in the Angel Garden at the cemetery I noticed a couple who stood crying over their tiny son's grave. It made me feel so sad for them because they may not have the knowledge that they will see him again. This made me so grateful for the knowledge that I have that I WILL see my two little boys again someday. But even with that knowledge, I still feel empty and sad over their loss; yet knowing that this isnt the end makes it bearable.

We put a Norway flag with the flowers because Gus's brother Nate is on a mission there

Kissing her brothers