Happy Halloween!!!

 Happy Halloween everyone!!

Last night was our trick or treating so we are all nice and warm inside tonight.  Paige had so much fun!  She's been talking about trick or treating probably the entire month.  So when she found out yesterday was the day man was she pumped.  After Daddy got home and we had some dinner it was show time.  Here's Paige in her outfit!

Daddy and Paigey were walking to our old duplex to go see Brittany and Justin.  There didn't seem to be very many kids out this year unlike last year.  But Paige still had fun.

We were out for probably 30 mins or so.  Paige likes handing candy out to the other kids.  So we always try to get home so she can do that.  A new game Rob and I have created is seeing what the neighbors will give her.  We have one set of neighbors who are now 2 for 2 on weird pass outs.  Last year they gave Paige a bag of fritos and this year they were handing out poptarts.  Rob and I were laughing so hard.  I'm sure this will be a continued every year stop now just to see what they are giving out.  Poor Paige though had a terrible cold and has NO voice tonight.  She had her halloween party at daycare today and told me it was a lot of fun!

Here is Paige checking out her stash

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!  We had a lot of fun in this house!  Now we get ready for November which is us hosting 25 adults and kids for Thanksgiving!

Long Sad Weekend

Well we were in Newton this weekend even though it wasn't planned.  As many of you know my best friend Graham's Dad has been fighting some health issues for quite a while, but you would never have known it recently.  Graham was scheduled to give him a kidney in about a month and we all thought he was going to be on the up and up.  Well Wednesday while I was at work I got some very sad news.  I had saw I missed two back to back calls from Graham but thought I need to finish this one thing up with my boss and I would call her back.  Then someone came into my boss's office saying my best friend Graham was on the phone.  I instantly knew something was very wrong.  When I got on the phone all she could say was, "I don't want to tell you this".  I knew exactly what was coming next.  Terry had lost his battle.  His heart just couldn't hold on anymore.  I went home Wednesday to be with what I have always called my adopted family.  Then when I got home that night Rob said we're going home all weekend, we'll pack tomorrow.  He knew I needed to be there and I just needed to be with them (thank goodness he's been around as long as he has).  So I spent the weekend with my amazing second family, and catching up with some of their family I just saw at the wedding a couple months ago and some I haven't seen since college.  So much sadness and happiness in that house this weekend.  Terry was one of the greatest men I knew.  He was so loving, and caring.  He always treated me like his 3rd daughter and even introduced me to plenty of people (including nurses and doctors) as his daughter.  Now if you've seen his daughters I look nothing like that family but I didn't care!  He loved my smart mouth but always kept me in check if I said something he didn't think I should say.  I love that man so much!  I'm glad he's not in pain and I'm glad he's in a better place.  But I know his family as well and myself weren't done with him.  His funeral today was a hard day, but an amazing celebration of a great man/husband/father/papa.  I love you Rose girls with all of my heart!! 

Paige got in some play time with her favorite person Laek (Graham's daughter) she also got to help cut out and frost cookies with Grammie.  

Watching movies

They are so silly

My boyfriend Seany

Rolling out cookies

Daddy helping with the cutting

My future pie baker...she loved the flower

putting on the sprinkles

Pumpkin Patch!!

Last weekend we went to the pumpkin patch with our friends Brittany and Justin.  We went to one close to Ankeny and it was so awesome!!  We were there so much longer then we thought we were going to be.  They had animals to feed, corn pool, giant pillow to jump on, big slides and tons of pedal tractors.  We pretty much played on everything before we went into the store to get some of their family apple donuts and an apple slushie.  Paige had a blast!  She still talks about it to this day.  We then went back to our house and carved our pumpkins and had supper.  We are so thankful to have friends/neighbors who love doing these types of things with us.  There are a TON of pictures!!!  I can't wait to take her trick or treating this week!  She has been talking about it for 2 weeks!!  Going to be so much fun!!

Paige and Brittany in one of the three little pig's house

Justin was making Paige laugh when she came out

Yay tractors

Trying to pedal this but her legs were just not long enough

CORN POOL!!!

Daddy and Paigey on the jumping pillow.  This was the funniest thing I've ever watched.  Britt and I couldn't stop laughing

She finally got the hang of it

Paige and Mom on the big tractors

Mom's leg muscles were burning at this point

Riding the train

All by herself this year...she has so much fun

So much fun on the slide

climbed the big hill and did it again!  A certain little girl wanted to go by herself

apple slushie while we waited for the apple donuts

Paige showing off everyones pumpkin

Paige putting her pieces into her pumpkin

YAY it's Woody!!

Helping Daddy with his pumpkin...Britt brought over gloves so Paige had fun with those

So much fun

Crazy October

More baseball on at our house

Well this month has been all over the place for us.  I realize that I didn't take many pictures on my camera but mostly on my phone.  So I'm doing a photo dump again.  We've enjoyed a pretty good ISU football season, an unexpected Cardinals baseball season and great time with friends and family.  I have a few blogs to be doing so this one will mostly be pictures.  We hope all is well with you all.

Playing play-doh in the basement

Paige and mom were bored...enjoy all of our silly faces

Putting Halloween pictures on the windows

Hartz Weekend Update!

Hi everyone!!  Well I've taken a lot of pictures this weekend.  Friday night Paige and I were hanging out waiting for Daddy to get home from going to a visitation.  When I asked her what she wanted for supper she told me cheese and salsa.  So when Daddy got home we went to have Mexican for supper!  Paige ate better then we've ever seen her eat.  She ate an entire hard shell taco, we've never actually seen her eat a taco, shell and all.  We watched the beginning of the Cardinals game while at supper.  For those of you who don't know things got a little tense in the 8th inning.  The below picture is how you know the Cardinals are in the post season at our house.  So pumped to watch the Cards in another post season!  Hoping for good games and they make a trip to the series again!

This picture of my daughter cracks me up!  I took it because it reminded me of someone else who lives in our house and it's not me ;)  

It got pretty cold here in Iowa this week.  Paige went shopping with my friend Brittany and myself on Saturday.  It was the first day of needing to wear a winter coat and hat.  Paige thought it was pretty fun at first.  We're just glad that we can fit her and her coat in the car seat for just a little bit longer.  Not ready to switch her into her big girl booster.

So today Rob and I were looking at the Sunday ads as usual and saw that Toys R Us was having some really good sales.  So we thought we were go and knock out a bunch of Christmas presents.  Sorry to all of my siblings for all of the text messages that went on this morning.  Anyway, the trip was a total bust.  The store was really picked over and we got there 10 mins after they opened.  So I don't know if they just weren't stocked up or what.  But Rob and I were also secretly hoping that Paige would get excited about something and help us out in deciding what we/Santa should get her for xmas.  Nope!  Bust as well she didn't get excited about anything, well except this giant expensive stuffed Perry the Platypus from a show she likes. Needless to say that was a NO.

This is Paige thinking she needed this motor bike.  Rob and I were talking about training wheels for her big girl bike and roller skates we turn around and she's sitting on this bike.  Rob says he's officially nervous as a parent.

Postseason baseball is currently on our TV as I write this.  This is what Paige looks like.  Nothing like some popcorn and watching Dora.

Also in this weekend we were able to go and see my Grandma Betty (My Mom's Mom) and Walt get married.  It was nice to see family and to see my Great Aunt and Uncle Marge & Jack from Florida!!  Can't wait to see them again next weekend at another Vander Waal family wedding!  Hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather and all of the fun sports on TV.  Forgot to mention what a great win ISU had yesterday!!  Great weekend of sports in the Hartz house!!