I want to tell Santa...

I have no words.

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20 Years of Friendship

When I accepted a new job and realized I would have two weeks of vacation in between, my list of "to-dos" was a mile long. But, the one thing I knew I wanted to try to make happen was to able to see Carin. We have been friends since college and it had been three years since I'd seen her - too long! I was so excited to find out it would work for her and her eleven month old daughter to fly here. I could not wait! Elyse was so excited too. "Let me get out flower blankie for the baby? What is the baby's name? I will share my toys with her? When are they coming? Why is it taking so long? Can I go on the airplane to see them?" I had to giggle because my excitement was just as high!

First night. Elyse looking through pictures on Carin's phone. Sweet girls snuggling.

My favorites.

These next two pictures are so typical of my husband and friend - these two have similar personalities. Not wanting their picture taken is one of them.

Sweet girl and Wilson.

She pulled herself up, stood and took steps holding our hands for the first time during our visit. Aunt Courtney was so excited!

We went up to Seattle so Carin could visit her grandmother. It was a bittersweet visit - and likely the last time she would see her.

Bill took pictures of us. This one is horrible, but cracks me up.

We went to Christmas bazaars that Saturday with Aunt Soup. Elyse REALLY wanted to see Santa. The Oly Bear was not exactly what she had bargained for. The cheerleaders helped, but she wasn't feeling it.

Elyse visited this super scary Santa. Trust me - the picture does not do him justice!

OK, this one is better. Ahhhh! Bad Mom! :-)

We would take pictures of things we liked (below is the bulletin board) and pretend we were taking pictures of our kids! Tricky!

We did our best to love on these two well. This is Carin's breakfast made by Bill - smoked salmon and cream cheese on toasted french bread.

Sunday, it was so fun to surprise OJ. Well, it ended up being a sort-of-surprise. These pictures crack me up. Sue is taking pictures of us taking selfies. OJ insists you have to hold the camera super high to get a good one.

20 years of blessed friendship. LOVE them. And they KNOW and LOVE me with their whole hearts too. Precious.

I don't know why I'm not smiling big?

My gang! Love all of them!

Ummm, ??

I swear I'd only had two small cups of margaritas. Elyse had put this cushion in front of the couch/ottoman and I fell across Marcie and Carin too. Super funny!

This is a favorite too. Carin talking to OJ, braiding Elyse's hair. Baby is playing...

Elyse's half braided hair holding Addy - sweetness!

This little girl LOVED Uncle Bill!

Fuzzy, but so cute.

The gang.

Happy Halloween 2014

We are wrapping up Halloween night 2014.

We did not make it to a pumpkin patch this year - the SHAME! haha We actually planned to go to Remlinger, but the day we chose it rained and rained and rained. So the pumpkin below was perfectly picked - from Fred Meyer. My little gal didn't seem to mind.

She is still not into carving, so painting again it was.

Pumpkin painting is serious business.

She wanted to take her shirt off - the girl is tidy.

Messy hair makes for better painting.

Halloween came.

Our girl was Elsa (surprise!). Crystal in my office braided her hair - so cute. Elyse drew a picture on my whiteboard of her family - plus Lucien.

I took the afternoon off and Aunt Soup came over. Elyse was scared - for about one nanosecond.

Love the face.

Deanna, Shawn and Lucien came too and we had pizza and salad before hitting the neighborhood. She was was over the top excited to trick-or-treat with Lucien again.

This one is my favorite.

I told Deanna and Sue this needs to be us when the kids stop trick-or-treating. They had their hot beverages and the fire - good stuff.

Next are lots of trick or treating pictures. Just because.

Some of the decorations were very scary - Medusa's snakes moved!

These neighbors were dying over the kids. Good stuff.

So scary. He was roasting mice for a snack. The kids were mildly fazed.

We had to go see Kim. She made special surprises for Lucien and Elyse. So very sweet.

I'm going to blink and my baby is going to be too old for this. What precious memories. The weather was so perfect tonight and it wasn't even that cold. Amazing night with family and friends. Feeling blessed.

Oh, and if I need to be reminded how fast they grow up - check this out. Sniff, sniff.

Love these kids.

Happy Halloween.