Soccer Soccer Soccer Soccer...and Halloween

October was JAM packed with soccer...every weekend, almost every night of the week.  Exhausting - completely exhausting, but so fun.  Silas had his very first tournament and we went to Beavercreek for the Haunted Classic.  It was a lot fun hanging out with all he kids and families.  They had definitely done this a time or two based on how prepared they came for the tailgating!

Silas' team has had a rough season - trying to mesh a lot of boys to these 2 teams. This first tournament though, the played awesome!!  They won all 3 of their games and made it to the final playoff game.  They lost it by 1 or 2 goals but it was so great to see them all play hard, know where to go and what to do... so fun to watch their work come together.

Justin and Ella's Orange Strikers also had an awesome season. Undefeated during the regular season!!  They got bumped up to a tougher bracket in the last tournament and went 0-1-2 but they played so tough against these teams.  

Just as much as Ella loves playing, Justin loves coaching - funny for someone that never played soccer - ever!


There wasn't time for too much else in between soccer this season...though Ella and I got out for a couple walks and took some fall photos. Here is one of my favorites from Hayden Falls. 

I have a bunch from her and me that I should post.  She has a great eye!


We also managed to make time to get to the pumpkin patch (barely) in between Ella's last tournament games. That is why they have orange hair - they got sprayed with hairspray at the soccer game :)

We were totally behind in planning Halloween costumes. The Monday before Thursday Trick or Treating, we still weren't quite sure what they'd be.  Ella decided she wanted to be a scary baby doll and Silas originally wanted to be the Man with the Yellow Hat (from Curious George) but it was too hard to find an all yellow suit.  He ended up being a Zookeeper, Monkey Division.  Banana included.  They both looked really cute (ignore the photobomb in the window :)

The weather this year was perfect for Trick or Treat night.  50's and dry (unlike last year!).  They finished up with a firepit and hot cocoa at one of the neighbor's houses. 

And now, here we are in November...one more soccer tournament left next week (for Silas and it's going to be COLD!!) and then on to worrying about getting Christmas shopping done!

Who Needs Weight Watchers??

I've decided to create my own Infomercial on how to lose 9 pounds in 9 days!  Results guaranteed!  Just lick some raw chicken and the rest will take care of itself...

The Sunday evening before Halloween, I started to feel icky.  My stomach was unsettled and I felt blah. By Monday morning, I was in bed and miserable. Fever, chills, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting...it was bad.  I figured I had a nasty GI bug and I'd be better in (hopefully) 24 hours.  And then I was hoping I'd be better in 48 hours.  And then by Wednesday, I was so bad that Justin took  me to the ER for IV fluids and medicine.  I could not keep anything at all in my body.  Water and Gatorade went right through me and any form of food at all got thrown up.  It was all I could do to lay in bed and make it to the bathroom when I needed to (which was about every 15 minutes). On Friday night (day 5 of being sick), the ER called me at 9:30pm to tell me the labs had come back and it was salmonella.  I was shocked but that REALLY explained why I felt so terribly horrible for so long.  I went in the next morning and they gave me antibiotics.  The entire next week I was still having symptoms and pain so I got to go in for a CT scan to make sure my appendix and other innards weren't infected.  Luckily, all looked good.  After 2 full weeks and 9 or 10 days with no solid food...I was beginning to feel better.
When I was really sick the first week, Ella made this sign to go on the bedroom door:

One of the best decisions made was to go ahead and go on my Hocking Hills trip with book group towards the end of week 2.  Donna offered to drive me there and back, and I could lay around there just as easily as at home.  It was GREAT to get out of the house and away from the sick bed.  The change of scenery did me good, as did all the food that everyone brought.  It really jump started my appetite again and I was able to eat again and get some calories in me.
I sat on the wonderful porch at our cabin/house and soaked in the sun and read magazines.  I took a couple small walks and dozed off when I felt nappy. I got to stare off at the cows...

and watch the pretty grasses blow in the wind....

and breath a little deeper on my walks around the property...

 

It was exactly what I needed for a healing weekend.

and I'm sure that Justin was ready to get me out of the house too...

While I was sick, Justin took total care of the house and kids, while trying to work too.  It really kicked his ass.  Together, we really do a great job of dividing and conquering.  That one of us was totally down for the count made both of us realize how lucky we are to work so well together.  It really made to think about my health and being more proactive in keeping BOTH of us healthy.  

Unfortunately, while I was sick, Ella was also not feeling so hot.  She must have had some kind of stomach bug (she did not have salmonella symptoms).  She got sick an hour before Trick or Treat and did not get to go :(

Silas was sad that we didn't go with our neighbor friends like we usually do.  Mason took him around the neighborhood but it was a bummer of a Halloween for all.

Silas did look good in his costume though - which luckily Aunt Amanda was able to help him figure out how to get it on!

Ella's very cute costume will have to wait until next year now...

In the week leading up to my Salmonellaism (which I still have no idea where I got it), we finished up soccer for both Ella and Silas.

We have a couple months off before they both start indoor soccer in January.

I ran my 3rd Half Marathon the Sunday before the sick Sunday.  It was not my best time of the 3 (2nd best time) but it was mentally the easiest of the 3 and the most fun.  I ran with a few friends and it really seemed to make the miles fly by. 

   

Heather and I crossed the finish together.  So fun 

running with her!

We also managed to squeeze in our annual pumpkin patching - and Mason's girlfriend, Yamine, came with us.  

 And for Halloween, Justin and I dressed up as Flo and Mayhem (the insurance commercial characters).

(sorry about the blurry pics)

So that is the last month...I hope to never repeat that salmonella (or anything resembling it) ever again!!

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This time of year is so much fun!  Last week we went to the pumpkin patch and got our pumpkin (which I'll blog about when I catch up).  I was gone this past weekend in Hocking Hills with my book group (which I'll blog about when I catch up) so we had to wait to carve pumpkins until yesterday - just in time for Trick or Treat tonight!

They all took great care in planning and digging out their pumpkins.  We saved the pumpkins seeds (of course) and made a few batches of baked seeds.  Yum!

Their hard work on the pumpkins paid off - they looked great and spooky out on the front porch!

Tonight was Trick or Treat.  Mason went to a friend's and hung out and passed out candy, Ella (and Ashlee) were grannies and Silas was Darth Vader.

We put Ella's hair up in curlers and then a granny rain cap on it.  She looked pretty legit!  She even had the slow, creaky granny walk down but we had to tell her to hurry it up so we could get around the 'hood!

Si has some pretty spooky Darth Vader eyes!

I love the pictures of the pumpkins - the street light across the street his the tree branches and the shadows land on the house - perfect for the spooky picture effects!

Ugh, and now it's hard to believe, but it's time to start planning Thanksgiving and get Christmas shopping underway!! Where does the time go!?!

Trick-or-Treat '10

Wednesday night, it was 65 degrees and wonderful out.  Last night, which was Beggars' Night...40 degrees and windy. We froze our butts off!  But the kids had a great time, and the coffee and Bailey's made it all tolerable for the moms.

Mason went with a group of friends and ran around the 'hood.

Ella as a mummy - and she was darn good at it.

Si was Spider Man, one with big muscles.

Allysa, Ashlee, Ella, Sammy and Si.

Will the real scary monster man please stand up??

Trick or Treat

This year for Trick or Treat, we had a Pirate and a Vampirette. Mason went as himself with the scary mask that oozes blood, and took off with friends before picture time. Ella and Si had an awesome time running around with the neighborhood kids.

(Silas looks like he should be in a musical)

I was surprised that both made it almost the full 2 hours. Si and I went home just a little bit earlier than Ella and the girls.
Silas was in HEAVEN with his candy. They all did very well though and only had one piece of candy and then had fruit and yogurt for their bedtime snacks.

Silas chose a pixie stix for his piece of candy. It was is first time having one. He told me: "Mama, this is so good, it's going to be my favorite FOREVER."

Now I have to figure out a way to slowly begin getting the candy out of the house (without eating it)...

Ho-Ho-Halloween!

More October fun today! We were running a little late carving our pumpkins because of my Chicago trip, so we did it this afternoon before trick-or-treating.

Then we had a fun filled Trick-or-Treat evening with all our neighborhood buddies.

The Moms took the kids around the 'hood, keeping warm with some coffee and Bailey's, the Dads handed out the candy...it's becoming a fine tradition!


McKenna, Silas, Sam, Allysa, Ella, Ashlee

Ella was Hannah Montana this year.
Mason was the scary thing from Scream - gross....

But Silas stole the show...(notice the lack of photos of Ella and Mason...)

For the last couple weeks, Silas has said he wants to be Santa for Halloween.
Turns out that he really meant it, so today Justin and I found an old outfit of Ella's, got fabric adhesive and some quilt batting and Justin got to work on cutting and adhering! A Santa hat, one of my belts, a beard net from one of the plants that Justin has done work in (with the batting glued to it as well) and....SANTA!

He was a big hit around the neighborhood. He took it pretty seriously too. Said his Ho-ho-ho's and everything!

How about our spooky house!?

happy halloween!!