Tis the season...

It is that time of year again. The mad shopping, lots of cooking, cleaning, wrapping, eating, laughing, spending time with friends and family. I've neglected my blog for so long, and left out so many funny stories!

In October, there was a crazy week of birthdays and Halloween parties. My Mom's birthday was on a Monday, so we all went out to eat at a local steakhouse. Mom, Jack, Molly, Austin, Gage, Jeff, Allie, Conor, and I all went. It was fun. Then we went back to my Mom's house to have cake and ice cream.

The next evening I spent making cookies for Austin's class for his birthday party at school on Wednesday. I'm not quite sure how I got that duty, but I did. On Wednesday, we all went out to eat for Austin's birthday, and went to back to Mom and Jack's for ice cream cake.

When serving the ice cream cake, Molly was cutting huge pieces. As I was not all that hungry, I asked for a smaller piece. It was at that point that her head spun around and her eyes glared red and she actually growled (teeth clenched) at me, "I don't have room for it in my freezer, you're taking this piece." I think I could probably take her, but she was a bit frightening at that point and I took the piece she gave me. I did end up taking it home and putting it in my freezer though. :)

The next evening, Thursday, was spent making Halloween cookies for Conor's Halloween party. As with other years, we decorated them using spiders, bats, skeletons, and other little plastic items we found at the store. They were a big hit.

Halloween was the following week, and I was allowed to leave a bit early on Trick-or-Treat night, which for us was on the 30th. That evening is always a pizza dinner while we get the candy ready for the trick or treaters, and the kids ready to go out trick or treating.

This year Conor chose to be a Gladiator. He had a chest piece, a cape, and a sword, which was worn over jeans and a shirt (just like the kid in the picture!). Gage always comes to our neighborhood and trick or treats with Conor. He was a skeleton this year.

After it is all over, we piled in the car to go visit my grandma's house, my mom's house, and my dad's house. They always try to pawn off all their leftover candy that didn't get handed out to us.

For Thanksgiving, I didn't cook this year. This is the first year since moving into this house that I didn't have it. We chose to go to my aunt's house instead. The night before, Allie was babysitting at my sister's house and Conor was with her. I got a phone call at about 9:30 from Conor, crying and asking to come home. Allie insisted that Molly was on her way home and that it would just be a wasted trip, but I went anyway. She only lives about 2 miles from my house anyway, if that.

As soon as I walked in the door, Conor walked towards me and (if you have a weak stomach, stop reading here..) puked all over the floor. It was not really the greeting I was expecting, so I was a little stunned at first. It was an ugly shade of green. "Oh, honey" was all I could manage to say, then I came to my senses and asked if he needed something to drink. He shook his head yes, walked towards me and puked again. So I sent him to the bathroom with the water. As I searched through the cabinets and drawers for paper towels and a plastic bag to throw them away in, I told Allie she could either go in the bathroom with Conor or start cleaning up puke. Guess which she chose?

So, I got all the puke cleaned up and got the Clorox wipes out because I couldn't find her mop anywhere, and crawled around her floor on my hands and knees wiping it clean.

I got Conor and went home and we laid on the couch. Conor went to sleep and I watched a movie. I wasn't sure we would be going anywhere the following day for Thanksgiving since Conor was sick.

The following morning, Conor was fine. He was up running around, riding his scooter through the kitchen like nothing ever happened the night before. I think it was probably due to too much horse play with Gage and he just got over heated and threw up. He never had a fever or anything else wrong with him.

So we did go to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving. We ate dinner, vegged out in front of her TV for the Packer's game, and the kids played. We left during 3rd quarter and came home where Conor and I finished watching the game on the couch in the living room and we fell asleep. Jeff went to sleep in the bed, and Allie went off to her room. It was a good, relaxing day. I got to spend time with my family, and that is always a good thing.

It is now the Sunday after Thanksgiving as I write this post. Jeff had to work on Friday / Saturday because of being off on Thursday, so when he came home on Saturday night, he got the kids and went to get Ceara. They were gone quite a long time so I called to see what was going on. He had gone shopping. For ornaments. Which we already have, so I was a bit confused. He came home with bulbs for the tree. Lots and lots of bulbs. I've never been a fan of bulbs on the Christmas tree, so I've never bought them. Conor was so excited about them that I could not veto using them.

We put the tree up tonight, all of us together, with my favorite Christmas music playing. Jeff decided to put the tree together in the middle of the room instead of where it was going to go, so we had to move it. That was a bit awkward. While moving the tree, I had the bottom part and couldn't see where I was walking and someone had moved the bulbs to the floor in my way. (I swear it was not me!) So, I stepped on them and a couple.. or maybe 3 broke. While I didn't do it on purpose, it didn't break my heart.

We got the tree in the right spot and got the bulbs all put on. Conor put a lot of the ornaments on the tree, so there are a lot near the bottom. I had to go behind him and move them around so they would be more evenly dispersed. There are many ornaments on our tree that were made by the kids, or me when I was younger, that will always be my favorites.

I love this time of year. And not because of getting or giving gifts. I love the spirit of the season. (And no, not the spirit of the mad shoppers!) I love the traditions we have at Christmas and getting together with family and friends.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! :)