Swimming, Bouncing & Sammy

So this weekend we had ZERO plans on our calendar. Love. That. I've been trying to let go of my calendar, of my scheduling, of my routine (with the help of my dear friend MC) and weekends like this are helping do just that. It's ok to not have a race to run (even though it was hard to not be a part of the Monument Marathon this weekend when my bestie was - and earned herself a PR!). It's ok not to have a date or an event to go to. Just living in the moment and enjoying my family is top on my priority list. And that we did this weekend.

We went out for a late breakfast (Izzy has been sleeping past 8am all week!) and later in the day we hit up the indoor pool. The last few times I've been there alone so having Mike with me was much welcome! Laney is absolutey fearless in the water (I hear this is true of most non-firstborn kids) and has zero problems jumping in from the side (and underwater). Izzy wears her lifevest fulltime and is a swimming and jumping-from-the-side fool.

Laney's faces are just so animated...she's even started doing Izzy's infamous "excited face" recently!
Swimming to mommy from daddy
Izzy swimming on her own

Buggy swimming

Counting 1-2-3 and then jumping...

...into daddy's arms!

After the pool Mike stayed to workout while the girls and I returned home so they could get in a LATE snoozer (clocks changing tonight so I wanted to keep the girls up as late as possible) and I got some good reading time in (I'm reading two books right now: Little Bee by Chris Cleave and Freedom by Jonathan Frazer). After naps we ventured across the street to our neighbors, Jill, Matt & Sam's house to bounce. Sammy is just a few weeks older than Izzy and they have been riding their bikes together all summer while Jill and I get to know each other. We trick-or-treated with them last weekend and we continue to connect with them whenever we see they are home (Izzy sometimes wants to ride her bike by their house and ring her bell until Sammy comes out to play!). Anyway, Sammy got home from the pool while we were bouncing and after a while of giggles and bouncing, we were invited in for some wine and playtime. Um, OK!!! We wanted to keep the girls up at least an hour past their bedtime to make them sleep in with the upcoming time change tonight. We adults enjoyed several glasses of wine while the girls played with Sammy until it was an hour past Laney's bedtime and we walked home. So. Much. Fun. Can't believe we've lived here for 6+ years and we've just made our first true friends. It's about time, I tell ya.

Izzy...

...getting her sillies out

Laney loves bouncing, too

Sam is so quick that I couldn't get an in-focus shot of him!

Resting

Buggy

Buddies!

Sissies!

What a gentleman, Sam walked Izzy girl home

Jill & Matt have told us that Sam has been in this costume pretty much all of October and now most of November, too!

Halloween Weekend

This was NOT Laney Bug's costume...

...although it looks like it could be! It's her bunting she wore for our chilly Saturday morning run. So cute!
Saturday night the Fellers came over with their kids and we shared a babysitter so we adults could go to a Halloween party (where costumes are required!). So. Much. Fun. Jeremy was a gangster, Jaime was a flapper, I was Jane Fonda and Mike was a 70's gym teacher.

I simply LOVED this costume, as it gave me the most perfect excuse to do what I love: dance, bounce around and general tomfoolery.

Look at those legs!

The people that hosted this (10th annual) party were the same that hosted the Beer/Man Olympics in June. There was a stipper pole IN THEIR LIVING ROOM, a "Shot Wheel of Misfortune", and an ice luge (see above).

Honesty and Corey

Maggie, Susan and Clay

Self portrait of Jaim and myself. It's red b/c all the bulbs in the house were replaced with red ones. Oh, and this party had two separate bars that were tended, room after room full of food, tikki torches outside and a full on bonfire. Yes, please.

Jaime and I had some SERIOUS fun on the dancefloor. Ridiculous fun.

I looked over and saw Mike at the bar in this stance. Swear.

Friends having a good time.

Aerobics anyone?

Mommy & Buggy

We had the Fellers and our new-ish neighbors, Jill, Matt & Sam, over for a full Thanksgiving dinner (Mike likes to make this on the years when we don't host the holiday). We ate quickly and then changed into costumes for trick-or-treating.

Jacob the buzzing bee

Laney BUGGGGGGGGGG

Feller fam

Family shot

The littles traveled in the wagon...

...while the bigs went door to door.

They had so much fun...

...after EVERY house they would come running back screaming, "WE GOT CANDY!" Dude, we know.

Laney kept on leaning over to smooch on Jacob

Was such a fun night (and chilly!). Izzy came home and I immediately put Bug to bed. When I came back downstairs I found both Mike and Izzy sorting her candy. Looks like Daddy was plotting out what he'd take from the loot! Happy Halloween!

Family Room Floor Project

Last weekend Mike and his dad set out to tear out our carpet and install laminate hardwood floors. I gave you the details in the last post...so I'll spare those this time around. Here are some photos of the project:

Mike tore out the carpet, padding, staples and tack strips on his own
So all was left was the subfloor

French doors before

Empty space - this one project took the majority of the boys' time working

Izzy was playing and dancing to their music while they worked on the door

Finally they were ready to start the floors. The girls had to help!

Izzy enjoyed the slippery new floors

The very end. This project literally came down to the very last board. There was NO room for error and no extra to spare. Mike was nervous about it from the get-go. Not a good feeling (he bought the flooring on close-out and purchased every single box they had).

The finished project. Quarter round has to go up still.

The new sliding glass door is awesome; it lets in a lot more light and a lot less dirt. Mike just finished trimming it out this weekend and we have some painting to do both inside and outside on the trim.

Once we tore up the carpet (and 9,000 staples) from the stairs we saw that they were in great condition and we weren't going to need to do much to them. Instead of trying to match the shade with a stain, we are going to paint the stairs (the rise being white and the top being brown) and put a carpet runner down the center. Too slippery not to. Anyway, we're pretty happy with the end result. The girls are still adjusting to the slippery floors and Mike is still adjusting to the sound of toys banging on the floors. But I suppose that's why we went with laminate over real hardwoods: can't hurt these floors! Thanks to Bob for giving us 3+ days of his time...we love that he's always so willing to help us!!!