How to Carve a Pumpkin

We managed to buy pumpkins this year AND actually carve them. That's pretty impressive since the last few years, they have been left whole on the porch for months post-Halloween. This year I was intent on actually carving them. The girls weren't so sure about cleaning out the insides. Neither of them like being messy, so it was a pretty gooey job for them. But they were troopers and got in and dirty.

I helped carved Blanche's pumpkin. I used a kitchen knife and it didn't quite turn out as well as I'd hoped. I'm far from a pro at pumpkin carving. BG was smart to ask Daddy to help with her's. He went high-tech and broke out the power tools. This is pumpkin carving: Daddy style.
 

BG picked out the design (a skull) all by herself. She was pretty excited about it and it turned out much better than the spider I attempted for Blanche. It's ok, I figure they only have to last two more days. After Halloween they're hitting the trash anyway.

One Oh

Yesterday was my 10th wedding anniversary. It's kind of a big deal. As such, we went ALL out. We both went to work ('cuz we like having money to pay our mortgage). After picking up the girls, we met up at home. We had a gourmet meal of bean and cheese burritos, did homework and sent the girls to bed. We watched TV together while I did homework. Then, THEN... we went to bed. I know, I know, super romantic and a little over the top. But for double digits, it's worth it.

Yes, really. That's what we did on the 10 year anniversary of our blessed union. Graduate school has ruined our fabulous 10th year anniversary trip to Hawaii. It will have to happen for our 12th anniversary.

I decided that I should dig out my wedding pictures to post for the big one oh. After rummaging around my office through boxes of photos, I realized a few things.
1- Wow, 10 years is a LONG time. We used to look so much younger.
2- (And more notably) I don't have ANY of my wedding pictures. I assume (and hope) that my mom still has them. The only ones I have in my house are the few on the wall and my wedding album, but nothing digital. (Hey mom- do you have my wedding photos? Can I have those?)

So here you have it. A photo of a photo from my wedding. The photo is framed behind glass, hence the glare and odd reflections. Weren't we young back then?

Happy Anniversary Honey! I'm looking forward to the next ten years.

*Update: I pulled out our weddings album and was looking through it. I left BG looking at it while I was off doing something else. When I came back she called me over and said "I don't understand something and I want you to explain it to me." When I was sitting by her, she flipped to the back of our wedding album to a shot of JM taking off my garter - with his teeth.

"Ummmm, what is Daddy doing?" she asked.

I had to laugh. It is kind of a funny tradition for a groom to take a piece of clothing off his bride and throw it to all the single guys in the room. Weird. I showed her the pictures of me throwing the bouquet and told her about wedding traditions.

School, school, air, school

After the previous sickly sweet post you can assume one of two things have happened to me.
1- I crashed and burned after flying so high.
2- I was translated into an even better and more blissful state.

Guesses?
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.
.
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Before I reveal the answer, here is a picture of that happy, blissfully unaware time.

This was taken on the day of school orientation. This is my good friend who is in the program with me. After our orientation, we spent the afternoon together walking around campus buying books, finding the lab and getting ice cream from the famous campus creamery. It was a good day.

Where I am today? Well, it's much closer to #1 of the options above.

Not that things are bad per say, just really really busy. I'm stressed and overwhelmed with all I have going on. I'm questioning why I signed up for this and if I'm capable of making it through in one piece. I do like what I'm learning but it's stretching me. And sometimes stretching hurts. Sometimes I'm not sure if the stretching is going to snap me. I'm writing papers in a way I just don't understand. I'm researching for people when I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. I'm working in groups where there is tension and personality conflicts. And all of that is mentally exhausting.

Not to mention I have a husband and two kids at home on top of school. Oh yeah, and a boss who expects me to show up and be productive at work. Others in my program (who are mostly young and single) have told me they are amazed I am doing all this with kids. Frankly, so am I. And even then, I'm not so sure I'm doing it all that well. I'm worried about my kids. I thought this wouldn't affect them much, but BG is having some issues at school now. I'm questioning if she is sensing and reacting to my stress.

JM is being a incredible help, but I can see that he is also feeling the pressure. He smiles and reminds me that this is what grad school is like. That it's about more than classes and grades. It's about teaching you to learn in a whole new way, force you to interact with those not of your choosing, to stress you out and make you prioritize because you can't possibly do it all. Some days I think I'm just barely holding on.

How Did I Get Here?

You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?
--Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime

Do you ever have one of those moments when you stop, look around at your life and just become struck by it all? I've been feeling that way the last few days. I am feeling so incredibly blessed and lucky to have the life I have. I have one amazing husband. Not only is he good-looking, but he is an incredible husband and father. He works hard for our family, plays with the girls and really works hard to be a good dad. As a husband, I couldn't ask for anything more. He is supportive and encouraging of me in all my various roles. He's my cheerleader and my rock. He is kind and respectful. We absolutely have our differences, but we are able to respectfully discuss them and work them out. Sometimes we agree to disagree, sometimes we compromise, but rarely do we yell. I know he always has my back, whether I am present or not.

I have two sweet, smart, beautiful girls who are so much fun. They play well together and have a curiosity for life and learning. I love getting to know them better and help guide them as they become their own people. They are generous with their affection even thought I sometimes get eye rolls when I tell them I love them.

This week I started graduate school. I'm sure the newness and novelty will wear off, but I am thrilled to be sitting in a classroom again. I love the intellectual stimulation of the conversation. I get fired up talking about topic that I feel passionate about with others who have similar interests. As I've looked over the syllabuses, I am so excited by all the cool stuff I get to learn. I will get to publish papers! My name. In professional journals! I have made a conscience decision to jump all in during graduate school. I am going to be the epitomee of all things student and suck every last experience I can from graduate school. This thought is thrilling and I almost hate the I only have classes 2 days a week.

JM and I both have good jobs. We are in a place with a very bright future. I know we have worked hard in the past to get where we are, but it seems that our reward has been exponential to the sacrifices we've made. JM and I have had many conversations on how we want to give back. We have been given so much, we feel it is our responsibility to do what we can to pass along our blessings. I have a stupid perma-grin on my face lately and I'm going to enjoy it.

Four Eyes Are Better Than Two

I have terrible vision. JM has terrible vision. We knew it was only a matter of time before our girls would need glasses. When I took BG to her pediatrician for her annual exam they did a basic eye exam and she was concerned with her vision. Her Doc suggested we take her to an eye doctor for a full exam.

This week we finally made her appointment and she was so excited. She thought the whole thing was pretty cool. Turns out, she does need glasses. She is also very excited about wearing glasses. Trying on different pairs was lots of fun for both girls. These are the ones she finally settled on. They should arrive just in time for school to start.

Blanche thought the glasses were awesome - these were her favorites. She looked like such a little diva.

Such cute girls in their new specs! I'm a little worried about a 6 year old being responsible for some (very) expensive glasses. Anyone have experience here? Suggestions for helping her keep them on her face or a safe place and unbroken? I did spend more on the nicer lenses in hopes they will wear better. And I bought the 1-year warrenty, because we're talking about a 6 year old here.

Pink Sponge Rollers

Speaking of hair, Blanche's hair is finally long enough for her own right of hair passage. The pink sponge curlers! She was so excited to get curlers put in her hair. It was a little tough getting her to hold still long enough to put them in, but we managed.

She was so excited to pose for the picture, she couldn't even hold still long enough to take it. This is a common theme among pictures of Blanche, blurry body parts because she is always on the move.

 Showing off her curlers.

Funny story about the curlers. I put them in her hair after bath and put her to bed. A few minutes later, I heard her crying hysterically, like she had been beaten. I go in her room to see what was wrong and she tells me between sobs "My (sob) curler (sob) fell (sob) out". She held up one sponge roller like her world was ending. I calmly put it back in and she went right to sleep. The tragedy of a ruined hair style is not lost on her at 2.5.

In the morning, this is how her hair looked, all "co-ley". She loved it.

Haircut

We have been growing out BG's hair for some time now. It used to be that she wanted Rapunzel hair (what 6 year old doesn't?). Then I told her how some people get really sick and all their hair falls out when they take medicine to make them better. And how you can cut off your hair and send it to the sick people, who can use it to make wigs.

She really liked that idea. After researching different organizations, we decided to go with Pantene Beautiful Lengths. (Side note: Locks of Love makes wigs for kids with alopecia, not cancer.) The Pantene program uses it's donation for cancer patients and we like that better. Plus, their required donation was shorter, only 8 inches. So sweet BG grew and grew and grew out her hair. When I she couldn't stand it any more, we took her to a friend to get it cut. I may have selfishly wanted to make sure it was long enough to donate plus have enough left over for a cute non-pixie style. 

Here is her hair before the cut.

And after!!

I LOVE the way it turned out. As the summer has worn on, I love it more and more. It's long enough that she still can do pig-tails, flowers, and headbands, but short enough that tangles are not nearly as big an issue. She has combed her own hair almost every morning since cutting it. She loves wearing it down too. I may just keep it short from now on. It has eliminated so many morning hair fights (not all, but many).