Costumes–The Outtakes

I am scheduling this to post in the morning. As of 10pm on Tuesday night I have no idea what my kids will be for Halloween this year. We thought we had it all figured out and then a cold front came through and changed our plans.

Thankfully I bought many costumes on clearance last year. We have a ballerina, a dog, Thomas, a blue plane, Mickey Mouse, an elephant, a dinosaur, a sailor, and more. I know Caitlin might change her mind at the last minute so we are yet to commit.

I found some nice hand-me-down costumes in the kids closet this weekend.




The pirate costume was bigger than expected on Sean.





At first Caitlin had no interest. She was playing with her “friends” and her pumpkin.





The monkey caught her eye though!











Then she had to try on the pirate costume.





She was giggling at herself in the mirror.





She has gotten the dress up bug!

Happy Halloween!

Paint

During our brush with Hurricane Sandy Caitlin insisted on painting. I’d said no nap, no paint. Then she dozed on the couch from 5:45-6:45 and woke up like a bear. A promise is a promise though, so we were up painting at bed time.





It started out okay. It ended with half a bottle of red paint on the floor.





Sean had already eaten spaghetti so I figured paint wouldn’t make a big difference.





I was wrong.





Thankfully it is non-toxic!





By the end they were tired, cranky,





and covered in paint!

Look Out Hollywood!

The Irishman and his parents left Friday in the middle of the hurricane for a cruise to the Bahamas. The kids and I were out of school so it was a rainy day at home. It was a HARD day. A certain little girl had woken up at 4:30am and didn’t nap. The storm made it rainy and miserable out. It was rough.

Thankfully Saturday was a new day. The sun was shining and everyone was in great spirits, Sunday morning we got in the car for 9:00 Mass at 9:23. That is too late even for me, so I decided to take a trip to Publix first and go to 10:30 Mass.

My kids are very good at church, but solo with the two of them still makes me nervous. I prayed on the way there for strength to get through without disturbing others. Thanks to Franken-storm there were some early snow birds in town and it was crowded.

Our parish is mostly older adults. While I am always worried about the reactions, they are really great. Each week someone will stop us to compliment how well behaved the kids were or to praise us for bringing them to church. It is a huge help. It is like having extra grandparents looking out for us each week.

Sean was rather fussy today. I thought I was going to have to leave early so I’d asked Caitlin to pack up the Elmo bag of “Church Books” that we bring with us. The lady next to me was helping to distract Sean and I was busy doing the same.

Caitlin whispered to let me know she’d finished putting the books away and I saw this:




It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. She found six months worth of “fun stuff” in the bottom of the bag we bring with us to church each week and she put it all on at once. I’m pretty sure it might have been a message from above telling me to relax and not to worry about a fussy boy during Mass.





Caitlin stopped traffic on the way out of Mass. People stopped her to shake hands and they all said she looked like she belonged in Hollywood. Caitlin didn’t see what the fuss was about and went about her usual routine of saying a prayer to Mary and rocking on the bench.





I’ve discovered that I have LOTS of shorts for Sean, but the only pants we have are sweats or camo. I figured at least he was wearing a tie! I’ll have to work on that! We’ve been promised cooler weather soon!





These pictures make me smile.





Such personalities!





It was a nice weekend in the end, but I am so glad to have the Irishman back today! We all missed having Daddy around!

Home

The weather is just starting to cool down a little. It is a Florida Fall. The rest of the country would laugh at this statement. By our standards this means that we can play outside in the evening without sweating as soon as you open the door!



When I got back from Orlando last weekend the kids had just gotten home from a carnival/fair kind of thing. I t explains the face paint!



Sean love the broom, or the house,



or the sink?



Funny enough Sean has been having more fun in the little house lately. Caitlin likes it, but Sean is the man of the house!



Chalk is always a favorite. I kept this photo in for Ruth. I bought Caitlin some Dora socks from a $1 in Orlando. I gave them to Caitlin and she refused to take them off - even with her crocs!



Sean loves to play in the mud. He is all boy!

What they wore

I realized I never posted last week’s photo after Mass.

In other news tomorrow is going to be our second hurricane day of the school year. My in-laws are also leaving tomorrow for a cruise. To the Bahamas. Talk about timing! Being as neither of us has to work tomorrow the Irishman and I went out on a date night tonight. Nothing like a hurricane to bring about date night!

Wordless Wednesday

More from Sunday

Behind the Scenes

There is an event of national importance happening in our area today. Yesterday Caitlin came with me to work in my classroom. I was in Orlando for a conference for a large chunk of last week and I wanted to get some things in order before Monday.

On our way home the Irishman talked me into stopping by for a behind the scenes tour. He has been working a LOT this week in preparation. He left for work this morning at 4am and we may not see him again until Tuesday.

Secretly though? He’s LOVING it!

Even though I was dressed in sweat pants and an old Arkansas Alumni shirt we stopped by for a  last minute tour. It was pretty neat. (We did not see the debate hall – though I have done that before. Today we got to see where all the media is housed.) The best pics are on the Irishman’s phone, but the computer is being difficult so I could only download a couple of them.



Most of it was lost on Caitlin. She was happy to have a flag to play with. She got to see her Daddy.



The real reason she wanted to visit?



The ducks.



(The building above is actually where the Irishman and I met while working at summer camp many moons ago. I had a lot to do today, but there is something nice about sitting in that spot with my little girl watching the birds!)



On the way back to the car we walked through some of the activities on campus.



Though if you ask Caitlin, it was all about the ducks!

Pumpkins Round 3–Part 2

(Sean was calling the Hogs. I love my little Razorback fan!)

This should round out pumpkin week at Irish by Marriage. That is until we start the carving stage…