Thirty Four Shopping Days Until Christmas...

Thanks to a good friend I have started Christmas shopping already. She has a two year old girl as well, a week older than Aubrey, and she and Aubrey adore each other even though they often don't get along very well. We met them through Austin's T-Ball, her son was on our team and we have all become good friends. She and I have "play dates" on most mornings that I am off so that our little girls (and us big girls) can hang out. We usually meet at McDonald's for some much needed coffee so the girls can play on the playground, but we decided that until Christmas we would do some Christmas shopping instead. It is always much more fun to shop with a friend!!!

Aubrey and her friend "shopping".

This is probably the earliest I have started shopping for Christmas in my life. Oh I may have picked up a random gift here and there throughout the year, thinking I am getting ahead of the game, but usually it is the middle of December and I am starting to panic about the whole shopping adventure before I actually start. And even though I have started very early this year (for me), I don't really have high hopes of getting it all done early and sitting back to watch/laugh/point at all of the other people out there on Christmas Eve finishing up their shopping. Because I know myself, and I will inevitably still be rushed and doing last minute stuff the day before Christmas. History has a tendency to repeat. Year after year. But wouldn't it be nice if it didn't...

My little shopping buddies.

Aubrey after a full day of shopping, trying to catch a little nap in the cart.

The Zoo

We love going to the zoo. Brian and I used to go all the time before we even had kids. We spent our honeymoon at our zoo because we didn't get to go anywhere 'tropical'. We are very fortunate to have a zoo so close that we can spend a day, a few hours or just go and have a picnic as often as we want to. We splurge and buy a zoo pass every year because we go so much. We usually pick 3-4 animals that we want to see that day (usually the gorillas, lions, giraffes and/or the sea lions-unless daddy goes, then we have to see the reptile house too), then hit the playground and head home.

Austin's favorite animal has always been the 'King Kongs'. He also has always really liked the giraffes, and his love of them has made me appreciate their beauty as well. Aubrey hasn't really picked a favorite yet, but due to her big brother's influence she is leaning towards the 'King Kongs' too. Austin and mommy spent many a day at the zoo before he started school, and Aubrey and I are trying to go as often as possible too. Last week we had our gorgeous fall weather, the weather that makes this time of year my favorite, so Aubrey and I headed to the zoo for the morning and a picnic.

Just wanted to share some pictures of our zoo trips past; I have so many more pictures of when Austin was little but they are all in print form and not on the computer. I guess I need to get a scanner...

Aubrey's first zoo trip, September 07. She slept through most of it.

Austin and Aubrey on their favorite statue, the huge gorilla.

Above: January 2008, below: March 2009.

It is hard to believe how much they both grew in just over a year...

Austin looking mean, September 2007

Aubrey and her King Kong, November 2009

Austin and Aubrey on the lion cub, March 2009.

Austin on the tiger, August 2008. Do you see a pattern here? We apparently like to pose with all of the statue animals...we do see the real ones while we are there too!

Aubrey with the tiger, November 2009.

Austin and Aubrey in our favorite swng, August 2009.

Austin on the Carosel, May 2008. Ironically, the zebra is the animal Aubrey chose to ride on when we went last week.

Hangin' on tightly...

Aubrey watching the sea lions swimming, she would oooh and aahhh when they swam in front of her. These are mommy's favorite.

All Hallows' Eve

Another Halloween over, another bag of goodies to eat. And another fun Halloween. My friend and I were again the witches of Oz, only we reversed roles so that I was the Good Witch Glinda, and she was the Wicked Witch of the West. We didn't have our entourage this year, as the kids wanted to do their own thing, but we still had fun and looked awesome. Because it is really all about us. Er, I mean the kids.

Last year, me as the wicked witch, my friend as Glinda.

This year, roles reversed. I think she makes a much better mean witch...

Austin and his little friend were both Bumblebee from the Transformers. They were both saying "cheese" when I asked them to pose for the picture, we thought that was pretty funny. Austin is the taller one.

Aubrey almost had to sit out Halloween this year. She has developed fear, and not just of the vacuum. Aunt Diane sent Brian a cool Rocky mask for Halloween, which is perfect since he is such a Rocky nut. He put it on and Aubrey went berserk, screaming and shaking and telling him to "take it off, I scared!". So we put it in our bedroom, and every time she went in there she would cry and say she is scared of the Rocky mask, even after we hid it and told her it was all gone. So Brian was not able to be Rocky this year. Aunt Diane also sent Aubrey a very cute little orange and black witch costume for Halloween, and sent me a matching witch outfit as well. I was so excited, we were going to be matching and be so cute. However, she wanted nothing to do with the dress or the hat, hers or mine. She wouldn't touch me when I had mine on and kept telling me to take it off, and she shouted "NO NO I scared!" any time we showed her outfit to her, let alone tried to get her to wear it. Thankfully, Aunt Diane (who spoils my kids, and me too if truth be told) sent her a backup costume-Little Red Riding Hood. Aubrey didn't really want anything to do with it either, until we told her it was an Elmo Dress. She then thought that it was okay and was almost excited to wear it, and looked adorable.

Trick or Treating was fun. Austin is an old pro, he doesn't get too scared anymore by the scary decorations or costumes. I worried about Aubrey of course, and wouldn't you know it the very first house we went to the people giving out candy had VERY scary masks on. Austin's friend turned around and left without getting any candy, Aubrey was too scared to move, and Austin got his candy and ran. Aubrey then found her voice and started crying/screaming "I scared!", and had to then be carried by dad from house to house and assured there were no 'spookies' handing out candy. She did overcome, and got the hang of trick or treating again. She would open her bag and say 'tick or tweet', and was very polite saying 'tank you' as she reached for daddy to carry her to the next house. Overall it was a successful venture, the kids had fun and got a lot of loot, and I have already packed on a few pounds helping them eat it. I am pretty sure Aubrey went to bed clutching her candy bag, with a chocolaty smile on her face. I am already scheming on costumes for next year, provided Aubrey will wear them...

"Tick or Tweet"

Little Red Riding Hood (aka Elmo) and her daddy.