gobble, gobble.

This picture does not do it justice, but my mom had the girls make the most adorable art projects last Wednesday. I can only imagine the pain and suffering for her and the girls to get each feather a different color, to keep the background white, and the mess they must have made in the process. But it was worth it, because there is nothing that makes me happier at Thanksgiving time than a hand-turkey.

A dream come true.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

If I ever struck it rich my dream of dreams would be to have a little bell I could ring in the middle of the night and someone would come and tickle my back, have someone who cleaned the showers/tubs once a week, and to have my closets look professionally organized. One down, two to go!

It will make your day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HvpRvvfc04

Danger is her middle name.

Someone thought they were pretty cool getting up on the table. Of course, she wasn't able to get down and cried and cried. But the 30 seconds of dare-devilness was worth it.

Go outside.

Oh how we love getting all dressed up to go outside. Oh how we love saying 'go outside' a million times a day.

Poor Ry.

Watching football on Sundays just isn't quite the same.

Play-Doh Phenom.

I mean seriously, are there competitions I can enter?

Finally something normal.

Hadley has always been quite perturbed when her hands get messy and although it's cute when she shouts "UH-OH" and waves her hand around like a wild maniac until the goo is gone, Ry and I were secretly seeing visions of Raymond "Rainman" Babbitt in her future. And, more importantly, we didn't want her to be the weird kid in kindergarten that won't fingerpaint. But I think she's cured...just look at this mess!

And just like that...

i am in love.

My best friend Jamie B. (aka Swens, Linka, Linka Loo, Jammed Swans) had her baby girl!!! And my heart has swelled times a billion. It was everything in me not to just leave work yesterday and hop on a one way flight to Salt Lake City (and you all know my fear). Lily Jay Barton was 7lbs 6oz, 19 3/4in long & came flying out at 11:51am on November 19, 2008. And I can guarantee she's every piece of perfect...just like her mama.

Little farmer.

It's all fun and games...

...until we decide to share with Rudy.

Week 6...bring em' back.

10 reasons why Cara and Tony should move outta Virginia and back home to Washington...STAT!

1. Because Virginia sounds a lot like a female body part.

2. Because it's not safe. The weekend of Nov. 1st and 2nd the Virginia State Patrol arrested
8,160 people on suspicion of drunk driving. And there was even a fatal crash...so unless your life's goal is to be an organ donor...get out!

3. The major cash crop of Virginia is tobacco and many of the people who live there earn their living from the tobacco industry. Ummm...this is probably not a good place for the two of you's if we ever want those lungs to be pink again!

4. Virginia is known as "the birthplace of a nation". Which means you're living in afterbirth, which means you are old, used, placenta.

5. Chronic Diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in Virginia. Get outta dodge before you catch hypertension, diabetes, have a stroke, get cancer and you're riding around on a red little rascal with an oxygen tank in the front basket.

6. The first peanuts grown in the United States were grown in Virginia. Your state is the reason cousin Kirdy has to travel with an epi pen.

7. The states of Kentucky & West Virginia were formed from sections of the state of Virginia...which means you live amongst a lot of related rednecks with no teeth, mullets, and confederate flags in the car windows of their monster trucks that are up on blocks in their front lawns blocking a beautiful view from their double wide bay window.

8. Over 1/2 the battles fought in the civil war were fought in Virginia...which means there are a lot of angry ghosts around.

9. The state motto is "Sic Semper Tyrannis". (Thus always to tyrants). Don't know what this crap means, but 'tyrannis' sounds a lot like a body part close to the 'virginia.'

10. And the number one reason you should leave that hell hole...all your favorite scrapnoodles are waiting for you at home.

Week 5- get em' home.

...because Hadley cries everytime we even mention Fredricksburg and also at the thought that her next batch of cousins could come from two people with similar strands of DNA (oh wait, maybe that's West Virgina where they marry siblings...either way, it's not far away and could rub off on you two).

Makes it all worth it.

I came downstairs to this and the proudest little 19 month old you've ever seen.

I had myself.

Hadley loves to watch over Rudy and taunt him as he eats. Thanks God we have one of the best plastic surgeons in the world at Children's Hospital, because I'm sure we'll be visiting him when this black lab has had enough of Little Miss Bossy.

It's about time.

We finally went to the Tot Spot Cafe that is right down the street from our house. Two girlfriends from work met Hads and I there, and I'll tell you what...it's our new 'thing'. Here's Hads and Fynn high-fiving over the 'Peach Pit' of the next generation.

It really is the best place ever, absolutely filthy, but germs die quickly and a mother's sanity is much more important. The kiddos are free to do whatever...throw food, cry, whine, walk anywhere, steal toys from eachother, basically everything they do at home, but at you're at a 'restaurant' where you can sit and chat with girlfriends while the babes run around like maniacs and are quasi watched by the gals that work there. Only thing that would make it perfect would be if they served cold beer...but a hot latte is good enough for now. Plus, I'm sure we could sneak in airplane shots of peppermint schnapps if need be.

Ava & Ila.

Last weekend we went to Ava and Ila's birthday party...they turned 3 & 1. How cute is the little bear peeking out of Hadley's dress.

Babes in a row.

Oh the jealousy in Hadley's eyes of all Ava's babies.

The birthday girls!

Loving it.

Love layers, warm boots, hats, multicolored mittens and the cold weather.

Just cause she's fun.

The queen of packing up her things and going 'bye-bye'.

Marks...set...

JUMP! She gets about as much air as any other white girl.

Bye Bye baby hair.

We finally came to our senses and got Hads a haircut. We were attempting the Ryder Hudson look with all the grow out, but Hadley was looking more 80's white trash death metal rocker...so now she's got a cute little 'bib' (not quite enough hair for a 'bob' so I call it a 'bib', sounds kind of English don't you think?).

Rest in peace rat-tail...we're gonna miss ya.

Not for the weak of heart...er, or stomach.

I wouldn't trade anything in the whole entire world for being a mom. Well, maybe I'd trade it for a clean shirt...but nothing else.

Seriously people, I easily was wearing a gallon of barf. Hadley never wastes an opportunity to let me know she loves me.

I was only gone for the day.

And when I came home from work, this kid was a maniac!

Naked everywhere, yelling anything and everything at the top of her lungs, and walking around like Sarah at 2am in Fremont.

Maybe dad put something extra special in her sippy cup.

Or she was having seizure from watching football like this for 12 hours.

Trick or treat.

All the fam came over for a little Halloween Treatin'. And our little ladybug couldn't have been more excited.

This girl grabbed her treat bag, said bye-bye and was out the door in record time.

Baba making sure the candy was 'safe', as he took a bite of each piece.

Are you kidding me?! They are to die for cute waiting for their treats.

Hadley with a face covered in chocolate looking at the treat I'm sure Lauren just stole from her.

And the diabetic coma finally hit! I can guarantee her blood sugar was lofting along at close to 900.