I finally did it - Yup...I took Gracie to get her hair trimmed and decided on "bangs" this time. I loved her hair all one length, but it was constantly in her face. I was very hesitant to get her bangs because I thought she would look "geeky" - but I think she looks pretty adorable!
I tried to keep the kids busy over the holiday weekend. It was too cold and wet outside so they were indoors for four days and GRACIE required 100% of my attention. Needlesstosay, I did not relax very much on my four days off from work!
We have ornaments on the tree (that are George's) that date all the way back to 1983. I treasure our Christmas ornaments and I plan on passing them down to the kids when they are grown up and out of the house and starting their own families. Gracie got to put the angel on the tree this year. 
That ended up being one big fiasco because Jacob wanted to do it (Need I say more? Yes, total meltdown), but he got over it. It took about four hours to get the decorations up and the house back in order - but it looks fabulous!
I stayed home and George (my husband) took the kids around the neighborhood and wouldn't you know they were back within one hour. I recall way back when trick-or-treating was an all day event and going home was not even a thought in my mind. That's the norm for my kids though. After about one hour of running from house to house they are all but done and ready to go back home and sort through their candy. I only had four trick-or-treaters come to the house this year - I was so disappointed. All in all, Halloween was a good time and now we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday because I have four days off from work and all I have to do is cook on Thanksgiving and relax the rest of the day. We normally just eat, watch TV and sleep on Thanksgiving. During the rest of my time off I am normally packing up Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations and breaking out the Christmas decor. 
How blessed was I to be part of something so wonderful? The Breast Cancer 3-Day/60 Mile Walk (in Philadelphia, PA) has come and gone and it was overall a pretty awesome event. It had its ups and downs, but for the most part, I can't say I have ever been a part of something so incredible and I owe a big thanks to family, friends and even strangers that contributed to the cause and allowed me to be part of something pretty incredible. I have posted some pictures to share. No, not all of them - I took over 150 pictures so I just posted a few. 
The majority of the walk I was with my buddy Amy - we did it together and my other teammates (Jen and Linda) walked ahead of us and on their own. The two nights we spent in the tent were cold and I must say "I HATED IT" - it was my very first time ever sleeping outdoors in a tent and it was everything I EXPECTED - nothing like waking up in the morning to 37 degrees of nothing but COLD smacking you in the face. 
It was a long journey just getting to the big event between fundraising and training and I must say, it was all worth it. Over 8 million dollars was raised and over $13,000 of it was raised by The Harrisburg Hikers - a wonderful accomplishment. Would I do it again? Yes, if I could stay in a hotel rather than sleep in a tent!
Well...I think it's only fair that I post one member of our family who does not get the recognition he rightfully so deserves. That member would be our dog Moose (AKA "Moosie Baby"). He is such a good little Yorkie. Gracie plays dolls and tea party with him and the dog just goes along with it (believe it or not). She did try to put her baby clothes on him one time and I had to stop her - she was a little too determined to get his legs in the arm openings of one of the baby doll tops (need I say more?). George, my husband, hates the dog with a passion - that's why he got bit by the dog the other night (he sooooo deserved it to). The dog is so kind and gentle, but George went to hit him because he took off out of the yard and the dog snapped at him out of fear and George got a nice gash in his fingers (probably could have used stitches). Needlesstosay, George is still nursing the cut. I have attached some pictures of Moosie for you all to view. I am probably the only person at home who really pays any mind to him, he is like my little side kick. When I get home from work he is the first to greet me, he sleeps with me at night (as you can see from one of the pictures it's not only Moosie who sleeps in my bed! Moosie also goes for drives with me on the weekends - he loves having the windows down so the wind blows through his hair! 
Jake was up early eating his huge bowl of cereal, getting dressed, brushing his teeth and moaning and groaning "do I have to go to school". "Yes, Jacob, it's the law - you have to go to school". Now for Gracie - never a dull moment in the house when it comes to Gracie because she wants to sleep in, watch Curious George and Clifford and then wants "me" to get her dressed at her leisure. Just her being lazy of course, so I assist her with getting dressed as long as she does not give me attitude when it comes to brushing her teeth and doing her hair. She is very stubborn, I am not quite sure where she gets that from (hee hee). Georgie left rather early for school and I walked Jacob to the bus stop for picture taking with the "bus stop crowd" - I watched him get on the bus, sit down, look out the window with his beautiful blue eyes as he waved to me and worded "I love you" to me as the bus drove away. God, I love being a mom! 
We had another fundraiser at Friendly's this month which was very successful thanks to my family, friends and co-workers that came out to support the Harrisburg Hikers. I attached a picture of my buddy Laurraine and her husband David who came out and surprised me. I don't get to see Laurraine too often so when I do get to see her it puts an instant smile on my face. I also had to include a photo of me and my babies (Jacob and Gracie).
I plan on taking the kids to Hershey Park on Labor Day (it's going to be mobbed). I promised Jacob if he completed his summer reading program that I would treat him to a day at Hershey Park (a little incentive) and he read over and beyond the amount of books he was suppose to read. I am happy I kept on top of his reading over the summer. 
It was a farewell to Ms. Gina, who was with the center directorfor eight years and is moving on to another position out of state.
Jacob along with Gracie and her friends from various different rooms at the center (Lions, Tigers, Bears, Kittens, Racoons etc.) all seemed to have a blast eating all the delicious home-made food and desserts, playing in the sandbox and on the swings, dancing and just having a wonderful time with each other.
Gracie recently graduated from the "Bears" room to the "Lions" room which will prepare her for kindergarten next year. I cannot believe that this time next year my baby girl will be in kindergarten but most of all I cannot believe I will NO LONGER HAVE TO MAKE DAYCARE PAYMENTS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE - WAHOOOOOO.
