Happy Halloween!

Last Tuesday, October 16, Kirk was my handsome date for "Mother & Son Date Knight" at Chick-fil-a.  Kirk thought it was funny that the people there waiting on us, and that there were candles and flowers on the table.  Kirk seemed to like the special day just for us and kept telling me that "only boys and Mamas are allowed here for 'Mother & Son date night!"  He was a very good date, even if I did have to pick up the tab.  Haha!

One of my preschool students, Abby Queen, had a fun Halloween party on Saturday, October 21.  Kirk had a great time playing in her big back yard.  He loved her trampoline and he had a great time playing with Abby and the other kids there.  Kirk was proud to show off his Ironman costume, and he showed everyone how Ironman flies through the sky.  He also painted a pumpkin....look at that left handed super hero!  He is so artistic...haha....he had to cover almost every inch!

Alice (Abby) and Kirk

"Alright Squadies, time to HERO UP!"

Look at this awesome family!  The Queen family had a great party, and we're so glad we got to attend.  Abby is such a sweet little girl, and I'm so lucky to be her teacher.  I'm so glad I've gotten to know another amazing family!  Happy Halloween!

Vampires and reality

So I have been slightly obsessed with Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) for quite a while now.  I mean, look at that face.  Don't you feel like those eyes are just staring right through you?  I started watching the Vampire Diaries at the beginning of the summer, and I have managed to watch four seasons (of like 22 episodes each) and I was super excited to watch the first episode of season five this past Thursday.  I have previously been obsessed with the Twilight Series, and I will happily dust off my "All I want for Christmas is Edward Cullen" ornament and hang it on my Christmas tree in a month or so.  I love the crazy True Blood vamps as well.  I would love to hang out at Fangtasia and I would have loved to join Harry Potter and the gang at Hogwarts. I remember watching "Interview with a Vampire" when I was in high school with my mom, and we talked forever about vampires as if they lived next door.  Ha!

Why do I love vampires so (and witches, wizards, goblins, werewolves.....oh, you get it)?  I don't really know, but I do know that my whole life I have loved reading about things that I know don't exist in reality.  I never loved mushy love stories.  In elementary school, I loved Nancy Drew the super sleuth, and as a middle schooler, I read Goosebumps and Fear Street novels.  I love to think about creepy, spooky, unbelievable things. I loved watching Poltergeist for the first time, and I loved Amityville Horror (book and movie).  I guess it's a sort of escape from what's real, and it takes me away from my daily grind.  Halloween is all about scary, sinister, weird things.  It is one of my very favorite holidays. I will try my best to scare myself with scary movie reruns and I will wait patiently for next week's episode of the Vampire Diaries.  If you don't like scary stuff....you're missing out.  

Parade, Fresh Beat Band, 2 Pair of Toms=One Great Week!

We went to the Fire Prevention Parade in Huntington on Monday, October 8th.  Kirk was very interested in fire safety this week since they were learning about it at school and had a visit from the firetruck.  He talked about how to "stop, drop, and roll" and how to crawl out of a smoky room (covering your mouth and nose with a WET cloth!) .  He was very interested in firetrucks and the fire station.  I'm so glad that he's learning so much at school!

Kirk is watching the firetrucks, and patiently waiting for them to throw candy!

We saw the Fresh Beat Band on Wednesday, October 10th.  Kirk loved the show, and sang "Just Like a Rockstar!" at the top of his lungs!  Cousin Bella had a great time, too!

Kirk and Mama outside the Keith Albee after the show

So...who gets 2 new pair of TOMS in a week?  ME!  Ha!  I was talking to my friend Shawna last weekend, and telling her about my awful quest for kelly green TOMS.  She found them for me (Nordstrom.com) and I immediately ordered them!  I am so happy to have green shoes to wear to all the MU games....and aren't they just too cute..??  Thanks, Shawna!  She's right...it is a good thing she doesn't live closer to me...we would do some shopping damage!

I had also ordered red TOMS last week, and they finally came.  I have been wanting red ones forever, and I finally broke down and got them.  I wear red a lot, and they will look especially cute with all by red and black LC Bulldogs stuff I wear for work.  I love to show team spirit!  I'm so excited to have 2 new pair of TOMS and now the tough decision is which ones to wear first????

Have a great weekend!

Things just keep on getting better....

I was so lucky to have this past Thursday and Friday off from school.  Kirk and I had 2 fun days together.  We went to the Pumpkin Festival on Friday, and we had a great time.  Things just seem to keep on getting better from year to year, and Kirk was able to enjoy more things this year, and we laughed the whole day.  In the picture above, Kirk is enjoying his pumpkin ice cream while sitting on a "haystack."  He really liked it (shocker!?)!

Kirk climbed in every parked tractor and John Deere vehicle he could find, and pushed every button.  I have no idea why he thinks you should drive a tractor like a race car ????  VROOOMMM!

I told Kirk he had to sit in all these pumpkins, because I always call him my "little pumpkin."  He thought that was really funny!  He said, "but now, Mama, you need to call me your BIG pumpkin."  I told him no way, and I held back a tear!  

Kirk LOVED touring the Alpha XI Delta house on MU campus today for Homecoming.  I showed him every room I lived in and the beds I slept in.  We found this sign, and I insisted that he invade this poor girl's bed to take a funny picture.   He is always ready to party!

Kirk was a candy vacuum during the parade, and pretty much filled up his spider bucket!  He loved the parade...a welcome change from two years ago when he cried from the noise.  He yelled "Go Marshall!" the whole time, and ran all the way into the street to gather up candy.  Jeremy and I just told the other kids to give up and move on down the street.  HA!

Look at all these amazing ladies that I've been lucky to know for the past 16 years!  What awesome memories we have as sisters and friends, and we continue to share our lives and our children.  Sorority life changed my life, and helped make me the woman I am today.  I learned how to work on making myself a better person and work together as a team.  I learned how to volunteer to help the community, and how the bonds of sisterhood were powerful enough to change our lives forever.  Thankful does not even begin to describe how I feel about Alpha Xi Delta.  We are simply XI BEST!

Kirk and J.D. enjoyed running all over the MU softball field while we were tailgating.  Kirk loves to be "on the field!"   

We were so happy to see Adam, Kate, and "Baby Jax" this weekend.  They were visiting from Florida, and Kirk loves trying to play with Jax and teach him new things.  Kirk didn't have to teach him much about corn hole, though...he plays just like Kirk....gather up all the bean bags, and throw them directly into the hole!

Kirk cheered his little heart out, but the HERD still lost!  Such a bummer for our Homecoming game, but we still had a great day.  Kirk fell asleep in the car on the way home, and barely blinked while Jeremy got him ready for bed.  He had a great day, and he was very well behaved all day.  

       I was very moved by a kind old lady who approached my friend Jill and I during the game.  She sat a few rows back, and she came down to tell me how well behaved she thought Kirk was.  She said he was the best little boy she'd ever seen, and that she had pointed us out to her husband after the first quarter and said, "Look at those parents.  They are amazing!"  I had to turn away from her a little, because I thought I was going to cry!  She went on to say that it was so wonderful to watch us because it was so obvious that we love Kirk so much, and that he knew he was loved.  She said that he was never ignored or unhappy, and that she thought we were a very special family.  I was a little choked up, and all I could manage to say was "thank you."  I've said before that I know God sends us people and events when we need them the most, and it was so nice to hear her comments today.  People are always so surprised when I tell them that Kirk tailgates with us and goes to the game (the whole game).  He is happy, and we are surrounded by people that love him (almost) as much as we do.  I will go to bed grateful and with a full heart tonight.....even if our team did lose...because today, the Walkers won.