Glitter EVERYWHERE

"Oh, I see. Is today Halloween? I must really be a few days off," says the nice man in uniform at the Base hospital.

"No. It's Tursday. Not Halloween. My class, my preschool class, is not happening today because my teacher is having confrences wit all duh kids from school. My preschool. And her said too dat we can't wear our costumes on my party day, darn it. So Doctor Soldier, dat's why I an wearing my Rapunzel today on Tursday. On Halloween, I an gunna be duh White Witch from Narnia. Not even Rapunzel. Ok Doctor Soldier?"

He smiled.

I smiled.

He said, "Have a good day Rapunzel. Happy Halloween."

She picked up her dress, just ever so slightly, and bowed.

And as she walked away, I saw the glitter trail that she had left behind her.

Glitter everywhere we went.

Halloween Through the Years

I'm realizing a sad fact.

When I was busy teaching, my babies were not photographed.

That's because...
1- I was too busy being a good teacher, and not a good mom. (I'm ashamed.)

2 - I didn't have a nice phone with a camera I guess, so I didn't take pictures.

3 - My sugar was the stay-at-home daddy and he doesn't have a love for pictures like I do.

4 - I wasn't on Facebook or Instagram because I couldn't find the time to do anything other than being a mom when I got the chance, along with lesson planning, grading papers, and all that other teaching drama.

As I'm scrolling through pictures on my phone of past Halloween memories, I see none of Afton's first - an adorable butterfly - or second Halloween  - a sweet little ladybug.  That also means there are no pictures of Jack's first Halloween - the cutest little monkey you've ever seen - that I can find either. I'm sick to my stomach about it. Ugh.

So I'll hopefully always remember those cute first years, and enjoy all the pictures I actually do have from 2012, and the themes, up until now, 2016.

2012- Birds theme { Peacock & Owl }

2013 - Store bought theme because Mommy was on bed rest { Queen Afton & Captain America }

2014 - Maleficent theme { Crow, Sleeping Beauty - Aurora, Young Maleficent }

2015 - Lego Movie theme { Wild Style, Emmet, Unikitty, Batman, & Wonder Woman }

2016 - Break your mom's heart because you won't agree to a theme theme { Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, & Luke Skywalker Episode 7 version }

Happy Halloween everyone!

Our Reasons Have Changed

When in Vegas, we never did anything, activity-wise, out at Nellis AFB for a few reasons.

1. It was too far away.
2. We were too busy with all of our holiday engagements, be it with school, church, family, or friends, to have time to get to any of them.
3. We never really knew about any of them because we were only out there for doctors appointments. (Which in theory, we were out there a lot, I suppose.)
4. I personally didn't feel like a real "military family" yet, so I know I would have felt awkward attending.

But now, all that has changed.

Last night, we attended the Halloween Jubilee out at Twentynine Palms Marine Corp Base.

It was a fun night for a few reasons.

1. It was not so far away.
2. We have no other school, family, or friend engagements to interfere. (Church Trunk-or-Treat is tonight.)
3. My Sugar knows all the events because he's on the base, being a real dentist, 5 days a week so he gets all the info!
4. We are officially a military family so I better embrace all that it has to offer, even if I still have no idea what any of this military life actually entails.

My babies loved it and I was shocked at how many fun things they had for our little family to enjoy. Oh, and did I mention it was all free!

Both my boy and girl won a cake at the cake walk. They played on 8 zillion different bounce houses & slides. All 3 smiled the whole night, which of course made us smile as well. 

I have 3 little reasons to embrace all the fun military life has to offer. 

#thanksobama

Small, Medium, and Big

She wanted to do an activity.

I was happy to oblige.

We talked about small, medium, and big.

We discussed colors, shapes, and space.

We worked on her glue stick skills, again. :)

We had fun.

Ain't Noboby Got Time for That

I became an official stay at home mom back in 2012, after being in the classroom for 8 years.

Afton was 3 and Jack was 2. Being the energetic-teaching-crazed mom that I was, this great idea came to me. I would help pass the time of not seeing Daddy, because he was constantly at school, by having an October Activity everyday for the month. That's 31 days people.

I am reminded of these fun activities I did back then because they pop up on my stupid Facebook feed every morning, showing me memories of when I used to put a little effort into making my kids childhood a bit more fun.

Ha, this time with baby number 3, who will proudly tell you she's "Not a baby. I an 2 and a hafff," I can honestly say, "Ain't nobody got time for that."

She's lucky if I even change out of my jammies for the day. Kidding. I'm totally kidding. (I'll put on workout clothes.)

Luckily, this little babe is just happy reading books, playing "Legoland" which is actually Candyland, and pretending all day. All day.

But, I must say that when I actually have the energy to do a little activity with her, she's beyond overjoyed! And I feel like I don't suck at making her childhood a bit more fun.