Minnie Mouse Madeline and Peanut M&Ms

Last year, Halloween was a total trick on our family. Around 4 p.m. on Halloween, Madeline threw up and before I could yell, "HAND-MADE TUTU!!", trick-or-treating was a bust. 

That was one of my saddest mom days, right up there with missing Christmas. (Oh yes, we have. The holidays don't have a great track record with our family.)

But this year, it was all treat. Minnie Mouse-style.

Even the jack-o-lantern was Minnie Mouse. She asked. Daddy delivered.

Let the record show if it were up to Mommy, the result would have been uglier than a step-sister because I only know how to draw stick people. Ugly stick people.

She's rather attached to the Minnie Pumpkin and not to the mommy who actually sewed her costume this year.

Even though she hadn't been trick-or-treating for two years, Madeline learned it's just like riding a bike (with training wheels). After the first house, she was running up driveways and making her older cousin yell, "Wait for me, Madeline!"

She pretty much loved the idea of receiving candy by saying a simple phrase and caught on extremely quickly.

She sashayed in her felt skirt the entire evening. Adorbs.

In other Halloween news, Blake and Madeline attended their third Halloween party together.

Let's look back to their year together, shall we?

When we took this picture, Jenn and I distinctly remember saying, "Gosh, our kids look so old!" to each other. At 17-months-old, they looked like toddlers, giggling next to each other in costume.

But when I look back now? All I can see is squeezable, scrumptious utter baby faces. How could I possibly think these faces look old?

Because now they are ridiculously old. Like Golden Girls old.

 

Now would not be the time to remind me that the day will come when Madeline turns 6. Or, I shudder to think, 13. This is as old as she gets, right? Right?

And just in case you're wondering what Blake's costume is, this photo should clear up any confusion.

Morgan was the cutest Blue there ever was.

So another Halloween has come and gone and the dust has cleared, leaving behind gobs of candy and a little girl who is asking to wear her costume tomorrow. Which would make it the fourth day in a row.

But I'm not worried because that's nothing compared to the track record left behind from the Christmas Dress 2009. (For the record, that was December through April.)

P.S. After eating left-over pumpkin roll and a bag of peanut M&Ms, my stomach isn't quite sure whether to revolt in agony or beg for more. Specifically, more Twix. Happy fatty Halloween.

P.S.S. I'm giving away eight tickets to VeggieTales Live! on my Naptown blog. Have you entered to win?

She's got my heart and then some

In case you didn't realize it, I'm the mom to one cool kid.

She makes Joe and I laugh every single day. Sometimes on the hour, every hour.

While driving back home on Saturday night, she serenaded Joe and I with  "Don't Stop Believing" and "Single Ladies." At home, we had a conversation while she was on the potty.

Me: "Madeline, you are such a fun kid. I love that you sing Journey and Beyonce."

Madeline: "And I speak English too!"

Clearly, we've been around a lot of non-English speaking kids recently.

On Saturday mornings, she loves to watch "This Old House" with Joe.

Because nothing says, "implementing construction knowledge" while hanging out in a Sleeping Beauty dress on a Minnie blanket and heart pillow. 

And then there's her office. She piles papers on her kitchen stove, pulls up the ironing board and declares this space her office.

It's where she does her homework. She doesn't have real homework because she doesn't even go to preschool but since she wants to attend school so desperately, she assigns herself homework.

Which often is shredding pink and white paper to a million pieces all of the floor. (I'm not complaining because homework time is a good 30 - 40 minutes of blissful quietness.)

We have a new addition to our family, Peter-Bear. My brother Peter (who Madeline loves so very much) sent her a bear in a soldier uniform.

Peter-Bear goes everywhere she goes these days. And being the obedient soldier that he is, he even obeys traffic safety laws.

Yesterday, before heading out the door, Madeline asked me to take a picture of her with "Autumn Guy." (What? Doesn't every decoration in your house have a name too?)

My hands were totally full and we were trying to rush out quickly but when I looked at her excited little face, complete with the flower headband she insisted on wearing, I couldn't say no.

These are exactly the moments I want to always remember.

Because He knows the hairs on my head

Every day, Madeline and I pray together before her nap and before bedtime. I pray first, then her. 

I'm always amazed to hear what comes out of her mouth. Sometimes it's quick. Sometimes it drags on and on and on. (Am I allowed to describe a prayer that way?)

This was her prayer yesterday:

Dear Jesus,

Blake, Jenn, Morgan.

Help Mommy's hair and eyebrows.

Love you.

Amen.

Let me break this down for you.

"Blake, Jenn, Morgan."

 These are her best friends. They are prayed for twice a day, every day. Without fail, her prayers always begin this way. 

No verbs. No request. Not even a conjunction. Just "Blake, Jenn, Morgan."

"Help Mommy's hair and eyebrows."

Apparently, she is wise beyond her years and understands only divine intervention can help my hair and eyebrows.

Because it's true. My hair and eyebrows are always in desperate need of help.

Madeline has been obsessed with my eyebrows since I took her with me to get them threaded. She was mesmerized by the entire process and has been begging me to go back.

Since it feels like 400 tiny razors delicately scratching across my eye lid, I'm not so eager to go back.

Maybe I'll pray about it.

Drinking is just unnecessary in my life

I'm not much of an alcohol girl and most people can't understand why.

I didn't drink until I was 21. I can't stand the taste of beer. I'm way too cheap to keep any liquor in the house. 

Frankly, I just don't see much of the point. I've witnessed way more bad results than good when alcohol gets involved.

Plus, waking up on Sunday mornings is hard enough what with my late Saturday nights of "Cops" and Scrabble. I'm not exactly what you would call a morning person. 

More like a one o'clocker.

Anyways, I've always had a good time without alcohol, high school, college and now.

Exhibit A: My sister-in-laws and me at a recent wedding reception.

We were just enjoying ourselves.

And then...

This moment was captured. Totally sober. 

Only three glasses of lemonade were involved in the creation of this photo.

I rest my non-alcoholic case.

P.S. In an effort of full transparency, I am addicted to just about every other form of liquid, including but not limited to:

• McDonald's diet Cokes
• A&W Cream Soda
• Cherry Coke Zero
• iced coffees
• regular coffee
• tea
• chai

How you can help refugees in Indy

There are nearly 10,000 refugees in Indianapolis. I didn’t realize this until yesterday.

TEN THOUSAND.

There are 6,000 – 8,000 on the southside of Indianapolis, 1,200 – 1,500 on the northside. Most are Chin, Karen and Karenni, all ethnic groups from Burma. 

(Fun fact: Our south side hosts America’s largest group of Chin refugees. Blows. My. Mind.)

Many of you have asked why my Karen friends are here. Here’s my attempt to explain.

Right now and for the past several decades, the Burmese military government has been brutally executing ethnic cleansing against the Chen, Karen, Karenni and other ethnic groups in Burma.

The military burns villages, tortures citizens and rapes women and children. They enslave people, working them until they are deathly weak and then leaving them to die. Hunger is a painful fact of life and the government denies aid to these suffering people.

I literally felt sick after learning some methods to oppress and slaughter these people. This horrible situation has been happening for decades, people, and I had no idea. 

Two months ago, my only inkling of some human rights violation in Burma was a quick scene in “About A Boy” when Hugh Grant decides to do some volunteer work with a human rights organization but gets side-tracked and flirts with his caller.

I hang my uninformed head in shame.

Hundreds of thousands have fled Burma to refugee camps in neighboring Thailand. Less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all the people in these refugee camps can resettle somewhere else.

For the other 99.99 percent, they must continue to live in these camps without hope of higher education, decent healthcare and adequate food rations. Their one hope is that the world will step in, stop this violent regime and they can go back home.

I just finished “Undaunted” by Zoya Phan tonight and it is a gut-wrenching biography of a young Karen women’s flee from home and her plea to raise awareness of this situation.

I would be totally overwhelmed if I hadn’t just heard several ways to help some of these people here in Indy. So now I’m just a tad bit above overwhelmed.

Ways to help immediately

I wanted to share all of this because I really believe there is a huge lack of awareness that
a) these people are living in our city
b) you can play in key role in helping them thrive here.

As a Christian, I am firmly convinced that this is an area that the Church can step up and help these neighbors.

If any of the below opportunities interest you, contact Megan Hochbein at Exodus and she will hook you up. (I feel totally Fresh Prince typing that.)

Teach English

One of the most pressing needs for these newcomers is to learn English. It is the key to employment, education and thriving in America. You do not need prior teaching experience or the ability to speak another language. You just have to be willing and compassionate.

A pressing need right now is for teachers for an English class at Southport Library on Tuesdays from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. There is currently only one volunteer to teach up to 70 people.

Dudes, spread the word. We gotta get some more volunteers in there.

Transportation to WIC appointments

WIC is Indiana’s Women, Infants and Children Program provides nutrition education.

From WIC’s Web site,

 "Studies show that infants and children who receive WIC services are:

• More likely to be breast-fed
• Less likely to be underweight at birth
• Less likely to be sick
• More likely to be intellectually ready to start school.” 

Due to pressing needs in other areas, Exodus does not have the ability to provide transportation to these very needed appointments. If a refugee can just get to the office, WIC will provide an interpreter. The only thing missing is something who can drive them. 

You can totally be that person. (Oh gosh, that sounds incredibly cheesy but heck, I’m leaving it in.) 

(Wow. Gosh and heck in one sentence. Let’s get Katie back on the set of “Little Houseon the Prairie,” folks.)

Mentor a Family with Friends

Joe and I are mentoring a family of seven which is about one – four hours a week of helping them and just being their friends. The only thing that suffers is our unlimited evening TV watching because that is all we do in the evenings.

But some of you don’t think you can do this kind of commitment because apparently you have busy activities other than watching TV. (Seriously, WHAT DO YOU DO, PEOPLE?)

However, Exodus allows multiple people to mentor a family together. For example, a group of five American couples can help one family. They take turns and alternate responsibilities so the refugees are still getting weekly interaction and help but without a weekly commitment on your part. Brilliant.

I'll end with my smart and compassionate sister-in-law Jen's summation on helping others:

 "My philosophy is I would much rather error on the side of generosity and giving then to sit back and watch. I don't always do that though and fail but sometimes in situations where I don't know if 'my good' will do good, I error on doing good."

Let's all err in doing some good in Indy.

Flower Girl 2.0

A few weeks ago, Madeline was a flower girl.

I heart this picture with the love of a thousand burning suns.

She was excited about being a flower girl for weeks and months. She talked about it every day.

And that was all before she ever saw her dress.

Her excitement on the way to church was beyond the sun, moon and stars.

You would have thought I promised to take her to a pony farm and bring home a tiny foal and buckets of cotton candy ice cream.

She made it down the aisle without hitting anyone in the face with her basket of petals so I'm considering this time a sterling success.

Between the wedding and reception, Joe and I stopped in Trader Joe's for an impromptu photo shoot.

 

Madeline loves their mini carts.

I love this flower girl.

With five minutes to go until we reached the reception site, she passed out in the car.

At some point, the utter exhaustion caused the braid to flip in front on her forehead.

Waking up is hard to do but she did have the dream of a dance floor in front of her.

 At the reception, she danced her little heart. This girl has some serious moves when The Village People, Journey or Black Eye Peas are blaring.


It must be mentioned that she also has some serious love for Erin. Madeline loves many, many people but she definitely has her favorites.

Erin falls in this category.

Which means at any family gathering, Madeline hunts Erin down and proceeds to chat (animatedly) with her the entire time.

I should also mention that Erin is very, very kind to Madeline.

It was a wonderful day which Madeline would happily do every day. Hence her asking to be a flower girl for Halloween.

I'm just not sure we can swing the crowd and church on Halloween night but I'll do the best I can.

P.S. An update on the donations and how you can help Indianapolis's 10,000 refugees is coming soon. I just needed to blog light tonight. Thanks.

Nap Time in Naptown: Just Hatched

I have a new Etsy love, Just Hatched.

My love was given when I saw the beautiful handmade toys but then I noticed the artists are located in New Castle. As in Hoosier artists.

Holla!

Trio of Fall Pumpkins

 Wooden Fall Leaves Puzzle

Wooden Scavenger Hunt Book