These Boots Are Made for Being Sassy...

...and that's just what I am.

Chloe Post: Prep for Halloween

Here I am in my new jammies that Pah-Pah sent...

Oh, wait, Mommy just said that Grams sent them and Pah-Pah probably doesn't even know that there WERE new jammies, much less what they look like and that if I don't start saying Grams soon, we're all in for a very uncomfortable Christmas.

Anyway, don't I look nice in orange?

Mommy and I did a lot of prep for Halloween this weekend. We went to the dollar store and bought a sign for the front door and plastic spiders that Mommy is saving to surprise Daddy with at what she calls "opportune moments." We also hung up these paper spiders that made Daddy jump into the air very high. Unfortunately, I was napping when he saw them, but Mommy told me about it later. When she stopped hyperventilating from laughing so hard.

We also painted pumpkins for the front porch - Mommy painted faces on hers, but I chose to be more abstract. Sometimes you just have to let art flow over you.

Bedroom...

Many of you have been asking for updates on our bedroom - given Ed's incredible hard work and the fact that I mentioned that furniture was delivered last week.  First, you have to see what we started with (keep in mind that this was taken on inspection day - so the horrible linens aren't ours).

You can't tell in this photo, but on the three non-dark blue walls, there was wallpaper - badly stained cream (once white?) paper with tiny blue flowers.  Gag.

You also can't tell from this the horrible condition of the carpet.  It was mega gross.  Gag.

And you can't tell about the incredible water damage and missing window sill from behind the radiator cover.  Grr.

Also, you can't see how the floors under the carpet have been sanded so many times that now if you wanted to sand and strip them, you (meaning Ed) would have to sand BY HAND because the floors are too thin for a sanding machine.  Grr.

Plus, you don't know that the wallpaper was adhered directly to the dry wall, meaning that once you get it off, you (meaning Ed) then have to repair the damage and sand the excess and well, you get the idea.  GRR.

We won't even discuss the way he glued the broken a/c unit into the hole he cut into the side of the house in lieu of using a window unit.  GRR!  GRR!

Safe to say that if we ever meet this guy in a dark alley, he should be wearing a cup.

Anyway.

Ed worked his buns off to get rid off all the aforementioned ugliness and safety issues.  We now have stripped and stained hard wood floors that match nicely with our Hadley collection furniture from Raymour and Flanigan paired with beautifully painted walls in Martha Stewart's Twilight color. 

He did an awesome job and he gave up a ton of spare time to get all this done in just three short months.

Our bed is on the formerly dark blue wall.  I just found great artwork yesterday that will be hung above!

I will confess that I wasn't sold on these lamps until I saw it on my nightstand.  Now, I think it's perfect!

This is Ed's chest for all his clothes.

And this is mine!

This is our area carpet.

I'm sorry for the bad lighting in these photos - enhanced lighting is part of the long-term plan.  We also have to buy a new a/c (Ed did a great job with Chris's help to seal up the hole, but it's temp), finish the touchup paint on some trim and order the new radiator cover (which will match our furniture)!

But, who cares? We have such a tranquil room now and Chloe LOVES being in there with us - she loves snuggling on the bed with all the throw pillows and reading books.  We're having a blast!

Good job, Daddy!!!

Aunt Rachel and Mommy Want the Gun Loopholes CLOSED

So yesterday, after dealing with an icky dental appointment (pregnancy gingivitis can eat it), I happened to catch this headline in the Metro: "Lousy gun permit loophole now in DA's sights." The article explained that people who have been denied the right to own a gun in PA (due to past bad behavior) are able to easily get a gun thru a "Florida loophole."

Article

I don't like guns in general, but I very much respect the notion that deciding on gun laws should be done as a community - i.e. I see this as a state issue... therefore, I could not understand why one state would allow criminals to circumvent the laws of their home state. In typical Heather fashion, I immediately took to the interwebs to tell everyone how much this annoys me.

In typical Aunt Rachel (my friend) fashion, she picked up the ball and ran with it... in addition to contacting current candidates in Florida to find out what they would do about this issue, she wrote a kick ass blog post about it.

Please note that I do not believe that PA is without responsibility here - our AG needs to aggressively go after this loophole and shut it down. He's awfully busy running for Gov, though. Guess I won't be voting for him. Shocker.

My Million Dollar Idea

Ok, so I have an invention idea that will put both my kids through college...

First, the background:

Yesterday, Chloe spent the day with Aunt JoJo and Uncle Fuzz, much to her (and our) delight. Ed and I went on a "date" to see Resident Evil: Afterlife. Say what you want about our taste in action movies, but a horror/sci-fi/action movie with a kick ass FEMALE hero is something that I can really get behind. I *love* this series. I own the three previous movies and watch them a LOT. Plus, when I was pregnant with Chloe, the third one (still trying to decide if it's still my fave after yesterday) was my go to movie... and when I say "go to," I mean I would watch it multiple times a week. Sometimes back to back. I had a craving for it the way I craved hummos early in this pregnancy. Anyway, the other plus to watching zombie flicks when pregnant is that they are about something scary that CANNOT HAPPEN (i.e. will never effect your child - unlike the evening news) and because of that (and because they are not sappy), zombie movies will never make a pregnant woman cry. And crying in this state is not just tears slipping down the face. Crying at this stage of pregnancy (27.5 weeks) = hyperventilating hysteria which prevents me from taking a deep breath.

So, bring on the zombies!

This is where things fall apart.

I followed up my very wise cinematic decision by going home, finishing (with Ed and Chloe's help) the dresser for the girls' room and folding laundry. Then, I wanted to unwind in front of the TV. But, nothing was on. What I should have done was pop out the third Resident Evil movie. What I did was change channels until I found something familiar (i.e. I KNOW THE ENDING SO I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER) which is how I was watching Mask. And Spoiler Alert if you don't know, but...
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That kid dies at the end. Just like he has done EVERY FREAKIN' TIME I HAVE WATCHED THE THING.

So, when I went upstairs, hyperventilating, red-faced, not breathing, absolutely hysterical, all of Ed's friends died in whatever game he's playing because he had to go AFK (Away from Keyboard) and hug me until I could finally stop.

So - that brings me to my millon dollar idea.

You know the lock that parents can put on TVs so that their kids can't watch porn? I think daddies-to-be should be able to purchase a lock that prevents their preggo wives from watching anything that involves the death of a kid, a puppy, someone with a disease or anything on the six o'clock news.

For convenience, we can sell them on the same aisle as the donuts or pickles at the grocery store.

Chloe Post: The Last Weekend at the Pool

Labor Day Weekend was our last opportunity for swimming in the pool! Mommy and I were so sad about the end of summer. Well, I was. Mommy said something about her feet swelling and the bedroom getting done and maternity leave, but I didn't catch the whole thing.

Anyway, Mommy let me swim in the big watey with Kate until my lips turned purple and I started shaking. Then, she made me stop. Which is stupid.

If you exercise, you warm up, Mommy. Medicinal fact.

Anyway. Aunt Patty wrapped me up like a baby burrito, but even when my lips resumed normal color, Mommy said I was done with the watey. But, that was ok. By the time Kate had to go back to work, Sam showed up and we colored and ate snacks and I made her chase me so I couldn't fall in the deep end. Heh. Keep running, Sam.

Artistic

Chloe (and Mommy and Sam) at the Zoo... Reflections...

Chloe: "Sit, Mommy."

Mommy: "I'd rather not sit in water that has likely been used as a bird bathroom, Chloe, but you go on ahead."

Chloe: "Kitty, nite-nite."

Chloe: "I'm not sure why this swan boat thing was supposed to be fun. I feel stressed out."

Chloe: "And I'm definitely stressed out now."

Sam: "Please. I paid for this damn horse ride and I'm scared to death. I'M stressed out."

Mommy: "This was all fun and games until the goat turned around."

Mommy Post: "My Feet Belong to the StayPuft Marshmallow Man"

I used to wear the most perfect shoe size.

Super Size 7, that was me.

After Chloe, I went up to 7.5... except I normally bought an 8. Not because that was my size or anything, you understand. Just... well... 'cause.

I canNOT imagine what I'll be dealing with in the aftermath of Amber, because oh dear God.

Fall is here, yay! Apple cider, pumpkin lattes, and HUGE indentation marks from my socks all over my ankles. ARGH. Last night, when I finally remembered to take my socks off, the swelling had gathered so heavily above the sock line that it was hard to the touch. Freakish and weird.

How am I feeling this week? Freakish and weird.

Chloe Post: Things I Like

Cupcakes!

Driving Mommy's Car!

Eating Pudding Without Assistance!

PIZZA!

Chloe Post: The Last Beach Weekend of 2010

Mommy and I were sad at the end of our last beach weekend with Aunt Diane and Uncle John, but it was a great time! We had beautiful weather, warm watey and lots of kids on the beach to play with! It was terrific. I can't wait until next summer!

Chloe Post: Cute Gang Member

Mommy said that this photo makes me look like a cute gang member.

Word, Mommy. Word.

Chloe Supports the Home Team

Fly, Eagles, fly... on the road to vic-to-ry...

Fly, Eagles, fly, get a touchdown 1-2-3 (2-3)... hit 'em low, hit' em high... and watch our Eagles FLY!

Fly, Eagles, fly on the road to vic-to-ry!

E-A-G-L-E-S... EAGLES!

FALLing Behind on My Blogging

OK, that's cheesy. What can I say? I'm CRAZY BUSY at work and can't blog in a regular fashion - a fact that my mother keeps reminding me to change.

So, we'll get some new photos posted each day for the next several... in the meantime, here's Chloe from this morning, squinting and doing CHEESE at the same time, in one of her new fall outfits.