Trick Or Treat!!!

 

 

Readoption & Crossover Day

Today was a very special day for Madalynn & I for 2 reasons.

Firstly, today is the day Madalynn has been with me longer than she was without me... I call it crossover day.

Secondly, after 1 year, 8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days her adoption is FINAL!!  We went to the county family court house for Massachusetts to officially recognize & finalize the adoption.

IT IS DONE!!!  I had tears in my eyes this morning when I got her out of her crib, and said "Today's a special day".

  

The judge, and clerk were just wonderful.  The judge said this is the best part of his day, and probably the only family he would see today that was smiling.  My parents, and niece Jessica went with me to see it made official.

Then we came home for a nap, and my Mom, Jessica, Madalynn & I went to a charming restaurant that I used to go to as a child (their rolls are pecan sticky buns & corn fritters....YUMMY).  It's an Old Mill that was powered by a river so it's got the water wheel, covered bridge, and ducks to feed... it was very nice to just stop and commemorate this special day.

This was a barn we passed that I just HAD to have a picture of...

And when we arrived home these beautiful roses were on my doorstep from my parents... 1 dozen red, with one pink in the middle...

Moments of Mommyness....

 

There are moments in my daily life with Madalynn that make me feel like a Mom...like this life, and this precious girl are real...

• Laying her down in her crib... blowing her a kiss, and whispering 'Good Night'.
• When I'm working in the kitchen, and feel little arms wrap themselves around my leg.
• Rocking her back to sleep when she wakes up in the middle of the night.

Autumnal Update #2....

Still loving fall here in New England... the leaves are actually beginning to fade unfortunately (BTW, the title of this post is for Karla as I know how much she loves the word autumnal... :-).

I feel so blessed that this is the view out my back windows...

My dear friend Sunny, and her husband Matthew are back in New England for a visit, and are staying in the chaos that is my house these days.  It's so great to see them again.  Sunny & I met 9 years ago at church, and hung out for the year she lived here in Boston, and have remained friends ever since.  She married Matthew 5 years ago, and this is the 2nd time I've been able to meet him, and love spending time with both of them, and wish they lived closer.  Hopefully they'll let me snap a pic for the blog before they head back to California (right before the snow comes... yes I said snow... we have flurries predicted for Wednesday).

Madalynn has moved into a big girl car seat.  Mommy held out as long as she could, but it was time.  I thought she'd be so excited & happy to be facing forward, but she didn't seem all that impressed... she's like her Mommy... not big on change....

She also has a new favorite toy...the SWIFFER.... she loves it.  I took the top 2 sections off so it's her height (and she won't take my eye out), and she goes to town.... in some of these pics you can see the Swiffer is blurry as she was moving it so fast... she's going to be a great help with the hardwood floors....

 

Sadly... the Red Sox season is over... I think this picture sums up the feeling of Red Sox nation...

And lastly, before the season completely disappears I made some apple crisp for my guests Sunny & Matthew... yummmmm....

 

 

Politics

I hate politics... most people I meet already have very strong feelings one way or the other, and not much you say will sway them.... the beliefs are so deeply rooted.  I stay informed, and try to stay balanced so I can make an educated decision.

Because of this I stay away from discussing politics on this blog, as I don't want to alienate family, and friends who may differ from my point of view.

HOWEVER, I am breaking my own rule (sort of... I'm still not going to state a position), but I can't stand how ugly this election has become. 

It's not just ugly, it's out & out hatred!!!  

I just don't get it, and it scares me.  The only thing I can think of is it's spiritual.

The only other thing I will say on this topic is to educate yourself... evaluate what are your biggest issues... the economy? the war on terror?  social issues?  Whatever it is, find out where the candidates REALLY stand, not just what their rhetoric says, and vote accordingly.  Don't vote with emotion.

A couple years ago there was a gubenatorial race here in Massachusetts, and one of the candidates had an ad with a woman at one of his rallies saying "I feel hopeful again... for the first time in a long time".  My response to that is if you're putting your hope in a politician on either side of the aisle you are sure to be disappointed.

Trip to the farm.....

It was such a beautiful fall day, that my Mom had the idea to take a drive the Monadnock region of New Hampshire... just gorgeous.

So we piled into the car (including my 2 nieces), and hit the road.  We ended up going to a working dairy farm, which was fun.  They didn't have a lot of activities but the kids got to see the animals, and get pretty close to the cows....

 

Of course, what is a road trip w/out stopping for ice cream?

Autumnal adventures

 

Ok, get ready for lots of pictures....  Lately, baby girl immediately stops smiling when the camera comes out...

I'm loving fall, and dressing her in cozy clothes for fall.

This was the other night we went outside for a little while after dinner... It occurred to me yesterday that her hair is beginning to look like the Beatles during the British invasion... I'm not sure what to do about that?

 

This is a toy Ga-Ga, and Grandpa bought her shortly after she came home... you hit the red plunger, and this music starts playing,  balls start popping up through the hole... sometimes they go back down the shoot to be shot out again, and sometimes they go flying off in some other direction.  When she was younger she was marginally impressed with it.  Now that she's a little older she can do the plunger herself, and can chase the balls... it's now a favorite....

I KNOW their coming....

 What happens if I hold the ball down??

WHERE'D they go???

They're all gone??

 

Getting ready to go to the pumpkin patch, and apple picking...

 

Marshall Farm.... they had a green tractor pulling these little kids, in cow cars... so cute!!

The Pumpkin Patch....

Madalynn discovering the pumpkins...

Sitting IN the apple tree with Grandpa...