I know it has been awhile and I know it wouldn't take so long to update if I would be more consistent, but I guess I prioritize my time. I still find it amazing what I cannot get done around here. I wish I could paint my laundry room and put up shelves. I wish I could organize all my cabinets and closets. I wish I could pull my books out of hidden places and build some built-ins to display and store them on. I wish I could rip out the laminate flooring in our bathroom and entryway and lay down some tile. I wish I could rip out the pink carpeting in our other bathroom and tear down the dumb border that has been up there for 20 years. I wish I could figure out how to arrange our furniture so that it works better since having the piano moved into our living room. I wish I could find a place for everthing and get rid of everything we don't need (because the more we have, the more we are tied to this place and the things we think we own).

I wish I could do a lot of things...

but NOTHING can replace hugging my pinky because she follows me around or "fixing" my Pantless Wonder's plastic drills so he can stand on the coffe table and jump to the couch saying, "now we can fish!" and yelling at some imaginary friend: "NOW FISH!" or "STOP IT!". I know Owen has grown this fall because his tighty whities are getting a bit more tight around the belt-line. Or maybe that is the holiday cookie epidemic...or the whole milk that he still drinks.

Regardless...why stress about what you wish you could do and just do what you can do. Right? I hate thnking I need to clean and present my house to anyone who happens to stop over. Mess is stressful, but I've GOT TO LET IT GO!!!

And, now on to my updates...
:-)
Thanksgiving...

Owen's favorite memory of that weekend was helping Grampa build a fire:

playing with and lining up the animals is always a highlight of Owen's day! Auntie Lori called me from Toys R Us and asked me which animals Owen didn't have. Owen tells me often..."a cow, a moose, a bear, a sheep, a hippo (not on two legs...it has to be on four legs), etc..." So...she swept the shelf and bought all that I named off! :-)

pinky...need I say more...

just like at home, Gabby got a tuperware cabinet all to herself...

just hangin' and havin' fun!

play, play, play...

Game night with the DesRochers! guys against girls...hmmm, who won? well...who didn't cheat???? :-)