Around our Casa

We are settling in to life in WV and our new house. I love our neighborhood! There are a ton of kids and everyone is very friendly and neighborly. Our neighbor across the street actually brought Aidan a goody bag the day after trick or treat because we didnt trick or treat in our own neigborhood. How sweet is that? You can tell it is the type of neigborhood where everyone looks out for one another. Again, I love the whole community feel.

I have been catching up with old friends and family. Its so nice to have close friends nearby once again! I have found a toddler group in the area and we are going to our first event on Wednesday. We will be going on a tour of the fire station. I'm sure Aidan will love it! I also want to check out the local library. I think they have activities for toddlers as well.

Things are coming together for Grad School. I have officially been accepted and I meet with Dr. Angel later this month. I am going to talk to him about getting the credits to count towards my degree that I took in 1996. If I can manage to do this it will be a semester and a half under my belt already! In the emails we have been sending back and forth it doesnt seem to be a problem. He just has to work with me to make sure I still know the material and he has to complete some paperwork. I love Dr. Angel! He is the sweetest and really has a passion for special needs kids! I had the opportunity to actually be his graduate assistant in 1996. I am so looking forward to getting back in school. Later this month I will be checking out some day cares for Aidan. I wanted to put him in a Christian Pre School here by our house but I dont think schedule wise it is going to work out. Because it seems most of the classes are offered at night I will need to put him in a place in Huntington and then Cara will pick him up after she gets off work and watch him for an hour or so. Thank goodness for best friends!

Next weekend we are going on our annual girls trip to Gatlinburg. I am really looking forward to it! It will be nice to be able to do the driving for once!

Now here are some pics I have been taking recently around our house...

I love the front porch and would love to get some furniture for it this Spring. Our roses

Burning Bush on the side of the house. The leaves were just starting to change. It is a brilliant red now and the leaves are starting to fall off.

Sunrise that I caught a couple of mornings ago.

Aidan playing in the leaves

I wanted to get a picture of this tree before the leaves starting falling off. It was so beautiful! I couldnt remember to bring my camera when we were going on our walks.

Aidan playing with his kitchen that Mimi bought him.

One of his favorite toys for the past month! A box. He LOVES playing with this box!

Little Stinker! Everytime I go to wipe his face or hands he runs from me and dives in his box so I can't get to him.

The Pumpkin House

Like I mentioned in the last post , people around these parts really get into the holidays this time of year. About 15 years ago I worked with a Psychologist who told me that I needed to drive by her house that she and her husband decorated with hundreds of pumpkins. I did and it was a sight! Fast forward 15 years and I could not believe my eyes what it has transformed into! The Griffiths now decorate with not hundreds but THOUSANDS of pumpkins! There were probably a THOUSAND people there to see their house! It has turned into a whole community event. Everyone pitches in to carve the pumpkins. They were selling food and tshirts last night! They now use the inside of all the pumpkins to make pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cookies. All the proceeds go to the local food shelter. They have a huge wall set up beside their house that is 2 stories high and about 30 feet long. It is full of pumpkins with musical instruments carved into them. They play music and there is a light show choreograped with the music. So for example if there are brass instruments playing all the brass instrument pumpkins will light up. Truly spectacular! This year they even added a show. The news anchor from the local television station was there reading a story about the headless horseman. In part of the story she had everyone turn around and look. Across the river and up the mountain flood lights appeard and so did the headless horseman on a real horse of course. The Pumpkin House was even featured on the Ellen Degeneres show last year. The Pumpkin House has come a long way in 15 years. I dont know how they have the time to do it all. Sandy still works as a psychologist and her husband Rick owns a pharmacy and is the mayor of the town! One thing is for sure, they have really instilled a sense of community- which I LOVE! Thanks Rick and Sandy! Now for some pics which REALLY does NOT even touch what it is like to be there and experience it first hand. That is the moon behind their house.

Luckily Cara had a glow stick for Aidan to play with while we waited in the LONG line to see the house.

Trick or Treating Round #2

Tonight was the official trick or treat night in this area. I took Aidan to Cara's mom and dads house in Charleston. West Virginians are really into Halloween ( at least based on my observations - Californians are no where near into the "community" that West Virginians are during this season). I love the sense of community that I got to experience tonight. Everyone in the neighborhood participates and sits at the end of their driveway handing out candy. Everyone gets really into it! Aidan had so much fun. This is really the first Halloween that he has any clue about what is going on. He really got into saying trick or treat and receiving the candy. He was the cutest puppy ever tonight. After we left there we went to my friend Sheri's Grandmothers house on the other end of town. Again, the entire community gets into it. They had close to 700 trick or treaters at her grandmothers house! I didnt get any pictures while I was there which was a shame because her daughter Lauren was the cutest "Jasmine" ever.


Aidan checking out Cara's moms goose ( cara's mom passed away last year from Leukemia). The goose has been around since Cara and I were roomates 15 years ago. It has outfits for every season and holiday and has a whole closet full of clothes! This year it was a scarecrow for Halloween. At one point I think we ( all of the room mates) were proud owners of miniature geese. One weekend Cara's coworkers abducted hers without her knowledge and took it on a road trip. They took pictures of it in various locations - kind of like the roaming nome- hilarious!

The Goose....

I just love Aidans puppy dog tail...

Getting some candy from Cara's dad Carl ( aidan calls him Carwel)

See - everyone gets into the action. There were probably a dozen dogs in costumes. Sadly, I forgot Annabelles ladybug costume in San Diego so she was costumeless this year.

The neighbor across the street sitting at the end of her driveway giving out candy.

Mommy taking Aidan trick or treating.

checking out the booty at the end of the night.

M's ( as aidan calls them)

My kids and I. Aidan looks like he is getting ready to cry but was just aggravated because I was holding him.

abcd.....

Aidan has been so full of himself lately...

Trick or Treating Round #1

I took Aidan trick or treating last night at the "Capital Market". The Capital Market is the farmers market downtown. The weather was nice last night so I wanted to take him. It has been raining a lot here and I am afraid that it will be raining next Thursday when it will be the official trick or treat night. It couldnt have been more perfect for Aidan. It wasnt crowded and there were mostly smaller children there with only a few big kids. Aidan had so much fun! He thought it was so cool that people were giving him candy! He was content after the first Tootsie Roll and ate it immediately ( I had to wash his costume as soon we got home after it had been tootsie rolled- lol). He wanted to eat ALL the candy at the end of the evening but was happy just eating a sucker. We both just sat for awhile and enjoyed watching everyone walking around in their costumes. I just love fall and all the festivities that go with it! Its by far my favorite season- Especially in WV-the leaves are breathtaking now! Is this not the cutest puppy you have ever seen?

Look Mama a tootsie roll!

I love Pumpkins!

Hanging out eating his sucker watching the other kids. Notice the big string of drool.

Trick or Treating is COOL!

Blogging Break

So I decided to take a little blogging break. We have moved back to WV and have been busy. After much drama with the moving company I hired ( we paid twice what our original quote was) and waiting for almost a month for my car ( hallelujah it got here yesterday) we are finally getting settled in our new house. I love the house we are renting and the neighbors seem really great! The best part is that there are a ton of kids in the neighborhood! I have 2 really close friends that live fairly close and a cousin ( also a friend) that lives a couple of miles from here! Funny story about my cousin Terri- we met my freshman year at MU and became good friends. Only after we became friends did we realize that our grandfathers were brothers! We are cousins! Doesnt really say much for the "closeness" of my family huh! LOL! The weather has been a little on the chilly side so we havent been out to play much. Also, shortly after arriving my back decided to go out and I spent every day last week at the chiropractor ( when my back goes out it REALLY goes out!). Luckily my old chiropractor is still practicing. I last saw him in 1992 ( 17 years ago for you non- matematicians). Everyone in his office still remembered me and they still had my records! I just adore Dr. Via! In my book he works magic! I am still seeing him some this week but I am about 95% healed.

I took the GRE shortly after arriving here and got my results already. I am just waiting to hear from Marshall that I am officially accepted to Grad School.

Aidan is doing well but has taken a little time to adjust. He is now in a big boy toddler bulldozer bed! It took about a week for him to actually STAY in the bed at night but now he is doing great. I took him to see the PT and they are going to have him wear shoe inserts for his toe walking. We will see the PT twice a month so she can teach us exercises to help Aidan with his muscle strength. They also recommended an OT evaluation for some sensory issues that she noted.

I havent taken one single picture since we have been here! I took Aidan to the park the other day with my camera to get some shots of him playing in the leaves but my camera was dead. Hopefully Aidan will wake up from his nap in time and I can take him trick or treating tonight at the "Capital Market" and I can get some pics. Below are some pics that I took shortly before I left. These are all the So Cal MU alumi kids- Aidan, Jacob, Bella, and Jocelyn. We got together one afternoon so we could take their pics - so cute- they were all born within 6 months so are really close in age.


MU tots holding up the wall. Hee Hee...
Go HERD!

OC peeps!

Suzanne and Jacob came down yesterday for a visit. The boys had such a GREAT time together. They played outside for awhile, took a nap, and then we swam in the pool. 2 mommies and 2 two year olds in the pool playing ring around the rosie = fun times!! We finished the evening with Mexican food. Of course the biggest hit of the evening was the train table. Jacob LOOVES trains, just like Aidan.

This morning there was more playing with the train table and a little Yo Gabba Gabba dancing. Amy and Bella came down and we went to the miniature train museum in beautiful Balboa park. The kids were just so cute playing together. Amy and Bella headed back to the OC. Suzanne, the boys, and I came home and they took a LOOONG nap. Jacob didnt get up until 7 this evening and I imagine he will be up pretty late this evening. he he.. I took advantage of Suzanne being here and went to go pick up some boxes to start the packing process and got my car serviced while Aidan was sleeping. AHHH! the little luxuries in life when you are the mommy of a toddler! Aidan was sooo cute and didnt want Jacob and Suzanne to leave. He kept saying " Come on buddy" "come on Jacob buddy" to attempt to get him back in the house to play and not leave. I have no idea where he came up with "buddy" but it just melted my heart listening to him. I am so glad that we have these special friends and even happier that they will be in WV with us!

This week I will be busy packing up a few things and studying for the GRE. I cant believe the movers will be here next Saturday! It will be here before I know it. So much to do. I take the GRE on October 6th and it is a doozy of a test. I just have to use my time wisely and study when Aidan is napping and pack after he goes to sleep at night. I have also scheduled Aidans appointment with the Physical Therapist in WV for October 8th. I will be happy when we are able to work on his muscle strength and his balance!

Playing with the train table getting ready to hit the pool. such sweet boys!

sleepy boy this am...

Silly boys...

getting ready to go to the train museum or see the "choo choos" as Jacob says.

and what train museum is complete without a few train tables? pretty Bella hangin with the boys.

The architecture is so beautiful in Balboa Park. You could spend the day just walking around looking at all the buildings.