Happy Halloween

We are so blessed to have found a great church that we can be involved in and surround ourselves with Christian families. Saturday they held HooplA, Halloween Alternative, that was really fun. We knew there were a ton of people but later found out the number exceeded 8,000. Wow! Let's just get to the photos...

Daddy and Baby Mama on the move

Me and the Butterfly (Chad was convinced she was wearing a ladybug costume-eyeroll! Half the reason he said that was to get me to react-another eyeroll!)Instead of "Trick or Treating," there were games to play and the kids won candy! Here Summer was milking a cow! I was picking the shortest lines and couldn't stop laughing when I saw what this game was.Summer seemed to get the concept of receiving candy and putting it in her pink pumpkin. I did allow her to eat a package of fruit snack chews and she loved them.

On Halloween we dressed her up again and let her go to our neighbors houses on our street. By the way, I painted the pumkin's face...pretty cute.

One of our nice neighbors took a family photo for us.After going to the houses on our street Summer hung out with Daddy in the front yard to hand out candy.

However she couldn't resist the urge to take the candy herself and put it into her pink pumpkin.She met a little cowboyAnd took off with a Tiger's candy (It's the Bama in her)Of course she returned it like a sweet little girlWe had a great weekend! It seems like Summer is growing and becoming a little child before our very eyes. Thank you God for a healthy family.

Bows and Playgrounds

Most recently Summer has come to realize that she has a wire tree on her dresser that has all of her hair bows clipped to it. EVERY time she wakes up in the morning or from a nap she points and says "boooooow!" I gladly select a matching bow and clip it in her hair and let her look at herself in the mirror. She wears it around for about 5-10 minutes and then she pulls it out along with 5 precious strands of hair.

As you can imagine, I take my small window of opportunity and capture it on film.

Again...

And Again...But life isn't all bows and playgrounds...oh wait, it is today.

What I mean is sometimes the child doesn't understand where I am taking her and she is grumpy on the journey (Can't resist this God moment...that is so how we are: God knows he is taking us to a playground full of better times but we cry and whine the whole path there). Summer wanted to play outside at our house but I strolled her to the neighborhood playground and let me tell you...this girl is giving me a run for the money on a still face. I assume everyone has noticed that my natural face is quite still..."no I am not mad it is just my face at rest."But then we arrive and someone changed her tune!And she climbed like a big girlShe even went down the slide all by herself!

Next up...Halloween

October fun

Our Martin family with Gramma and Grandad Martin

Monday was Chad and my 7 year Wedding Anniversary. We celebrated over the weekend at the Fall Gala because he went to Panama this week for work. Gramma stayed with Summer and I to help out and play. We had lots of rain so we went to the mall both days and let Summer play in the food court area.And then we went shopping...And had a fashion show at home...This one was an immediate hit...straight to playSummer's personality was really showing in these photos so I had to post alot!

Here is her happy and sweet sideAnd this is Miss DeterminedCatch me if you can...

Fall Gala - Masquerade in the Meadow

The Junior League of Asheville put on a wonderful event last night!

Fall Gala - Masquerade in the Meadow at The Ramble, Longmeadow Park

Look who made the front page of the Living section of the Citizen-Times!

That's me arranging Susan's mask.

Perfect location. Perfect weather. Perfect food (I ate 6 appetizers, 2 dinner options and 3 desserts...before you start thinking I am a cow let me remind you that basically each one was 1 bite). Wonderful jazz music by Asheville Jazz Orchestra for the first 2 hours then the dj kicked in and that is when the real party began! 7 Raffles were drawn and despite my elevated enthusiasm that I was surely a winner, they did not call my name. Aerial artists (I think I am going to enroll Summer into gymnastics after seeing them), flame throwers, jugglers and did I mention how delicious the food was (Artisian Catering-beef carpaccio, shrimp scampi, poached pears in white wine sauce).

The newspaper printed a link to more photos and look who was also caught on film...Chad and his dad! There were over 400 people in attendance (as you can tell by the lighting we were there early before the sun went down which made us prime photo candidates)

We hired our first babysitter! Her name is Emilie and she did great! She was very sweet and said that Summer was the first baby she sat who did not cry when the parents left. Such a balanced and confident little girl we are raising! Only negative was that Summer's mother was so focused on getting ready (wore the plum dress) and telling Emilie how to put Summer to sleep that I didn't make Summer dinner! That's right, I skipped her meal. What a terrible mother. I didn't realize until we were on our way home when I was changing from my masquerade mask to mommy mask. But to my defense she had a meal at 3:45 because she was off schedule and so I can sleep at night telling myself she was full from that (eye roll).

More pics to come...

Alabama Homecoming

I had a wonderful Baby-free weekend in Alabama!

I hung out with Bud and Jen and we got silly in Charming Charlies.Bethany highlighted and lowlighted and cut my hair. She did a great job and will be graduating in February!Nicole and I went to Tuscaloosa for Alabama's Homecoming. Here we are in front of the Alpha Chi house lawn decoration with Marley Rose. It was SO exciting when I walked into Bryant Denny Stadium! The green grass, bright lights and a hundred thousand Bama fans.Thanks to Mimi and Grando for coming to Asheville to watch my baby pumpkin! They had a great time and kept not only Summer but Sampson and Lucy happy and healthy.

Baby-Mama goes for a stroll

Once upon a Fall day...the baby became the mommy and she took her for a strollLife was grand in this baby-mama's worldThey even stopped to enjoy the crisp air and soak in the sunshine on a park bench
THEN, either the baby did something wrong or maybe the baby-mama was just having a bad moment BECAUSE things changed...Baby-Mama blamed it on her shoes...must come OFF!But that didn't work either..."maybe I should just lie down," said baby-mamaAfter taking a moment by herself to regroup, baby-mama felt much better and she and her baby had a great afternoon.THE END!

Summer Marie

Unfortunately, the Martin house has a Daddy and Baby on the road to getting sick. Both Chad and Summer have the congested, runny nose, coughing, hard to get some rest-syndrome. I am trying to feed them healthy foods so they can nip it before it really develops...and before I leave town to go to Alabama's Homecoming, Roll Tide!

In this video, Summer is playing in the dog's water bowl (just filled with fresh water). I glanced at her to notice that she was dipping her hand in the water then rubbing the back of her hair. Sidenote: she also does this if you put a dab of lotion on her hand.
Sorrry but the video ends abruptly because I ran out of space...time to delete some videos.

Singing Sensation

I am sure this is typical of most children...Summer is very quiet and mostly still when we go out in public to a clothing/shoe store. In fact, today when I went to try on some new running shoes they had me run on the treadmill to analyze my step. When I started walking to the next room I turned around and saw that Summer hadn't moved...little duckling you have to follow me! On a completely random note, this is EXACTLY how I got lost in department stores as a little girl...and when I finally would find my mom I was SO upset because she didn't even notice I was lost (but I'm not traumatized or anything).

Back to Summer in stores...she is quiet until we get into the dressing room. Then she lets loose and talks up a storm. It has to be interesting how this silent girl goes behind a door then chit chats and squeals...or at least it is interesting to me.

Ok, not sure how I got off on that tangent but here is Summer singing on her microphone.
Then I bust her with the camera...which she tries to avoid these days.

Spa day at MOPS was wonderful. I got a mini pedi, mini facial, hand massage, lip exfoliant, 20 minute chair massage, take home bubble bath AND I WON the drawing for a $50 gift certificate to a local spa! I would say it was an AWESOME morning.

Oh, and the local community college and technical college was there doing the hand massages and back massages and their price lists are amazing. You can get a 60 minute massage with an advanced student for $30 or a manicure for $15. Even a shampoo for $1. Check out your local CC if you are looking for a inexpensive way to get fully pampered. They told me that they had the music and ambiance like a real spa.

I am still running. My poor shoes have holes in them (on top) but I have a fear of buying new ones. I am scared that I will buy the wrong ones and they will hurt, rub or mess up my pace. However, after today's visit to the Foot Rx I think I have found the pair that is perfect for me, Saucony Progrid Guider 3. Luckily they have a 30 day return policy so if they don't work I can return them. That's the kind of service you get from a quality running store. Haven't bought them yet but I am sleeping on it.

If you are still reading then God Bless You. This post is so random and boring. Have a great Thursday!

The best is yet to come!

I love this little girl!

Still working on that craft project...I need to spend a couple more hours on it. But what I am really excited about is happening tomorrow morning. I attend MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) at my church and we are having a spa day. For FREE, we get 20 minute massages, mini mani/pedi and mini facial. It is from the local technical college. I am SO PUMPED! I don't care if it isn't the best job...anything would be heaven at this point.

I'll update you tomorrow with my relaxation status.

I'm up to something...

I am making custom drapes for Summer's room. Most of us want something unique and handmade, yet if you make it yourself we think it looks cheap but if it is handmade and purchased in a boutique we think it deserves top dollar? Oh yeah, its because those people are artists...well anyways, I am always up for trying it myself first to see if I can replicate a boutique look. In this case, I'm not replicating anything rather merging various ideas into one piece.

Sneak preview...it is taking a little longer than expected but you will see the final results this week.

Such a cutie pie!
Summer goes into a trance while drinking her milk. She often doesn't move and gives me one of those..."I just finished a 90 minute massage" looks. Come to think of it, maybe I should take a sip if its that good!