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Show Us How You Live: Halloween Costumes

Last year we were in San Diego for Halloween, but we didn’t want our lil pumpkin to miss out on Trick or Treating so we decided to look around & see if we could find anything neat to do. Halloween Day Hadley & I went to Sea World to trick or treat, but she didn’t wear her costume because it was about 80 degrees. That night all three of us went to Encinitas to walk up and down Hwy 101 while all the stores & restaurants passed out candy. It was awesome! We had a blast.

This is our very 1st Halloween as a family.

This year I had a really hard time deciding what costume I wanted for Hadley. I knew I wanted to dress as the Flintstones, but I also bought Hadley an Imagination Movers tutu to wear to the concert and thought that would be a great costume too. (considering how much she loves the movers) Luckily, we had a few different things to go to so we didn't have to choose just one costume. Here's the little cutie posing at the zoo. Isn't she the most adorable Pebbles Flintstone you ever saw?

This is our 2nd Halloween as a family. We’re a “modern stone age family!”

Hadley & Kiki

Well, like I said I had a hard time deciding what I wanted Hadley to be for Halloween and thankfully we had several activities to attend so she had several different costumes. I know! I know! It’s crazy, but it was SO MUCH FUN!!! So, for our Fall Festival she was an Imagination Mover. And she was THE CUTEST Imagination Mover EVER!!! Sorry Rich, Scott, Dave, & Smitty! Mover Hadley is in the house!

I don’t think you could get much more precious!

Not very happy for some reason!

Tell me this girl is not adorable!!

 

And tonight we had Minnie Mouse

Show Us Your LIfe-Baby Gear

First of all, my girl LOVED to be held, so we could not have made it through the 1st year without the Baby Bjorn. That was the best investment I have made to this day. It was more expensive that the other brands, but so easy to use, and SO worth the money. She usually fell asleep as soon as I put her in. We do a lot of traveling too, so it was a great way to carry her through the airport and onto the plane. It kept my hands free for all of the other stuff you have to carry around when you have a baby.

The second pretty large purchase we made that was SO worth it was the Chicco umbrella stroller. It's super cute & sassy!! Okay, so the last item that was a must have is Baby Einstein. We bought My First Signs because we wanted to start teaching her some sign language. Great idea!! That is the only DVD that kept her mesmerized for any period of time. She is almost 2 and still uses signs like more, please, & thank you. It's adorable and so helpful in those times when you aren't quite sure what they are saying. Of course, you can't just depend on the DVD you have to practice too. Now, we have moved on to the Imagination Movers. They ROCK!!

Some things we could have saved our money on include: a swing, wipe warmer, Diaper Genie, swaddling blankets, breast pump, & nursing cover. As for the last two, I feel as if I need to defend myself. I tried! I tried really hard to nurse Hadley, but it didn't work out for us. I wish it would have, but my little one is just as healthy as can be. I have heard a lot of people speak poorly of women who have not breast fed their babies. It isn't for everyone and all mommies know their baby better than anyone else.

Chess Squares

CHESS SQUARES

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 c. pecans (optional)

Melt butter in a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl mix 1 egg, cake
mix and melted butter. Pat this mixture into the 9x13 pan
that you melted the butter in. Sprinkle pecans on top of
dough. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 3 eggs. Pour
this on top of dough. Bake on 350 degrees for 25-30
minutes. Cut when completely cooled.

I know I need to work on presentation, but what these babies lack in beauty they more than make up for in taste. Y-U-M-M-Y!!

Seafood Bisque

This recipe is absolutely yummy!! I craved this and seafood gumbo when I was expecting Hadley.

Seafood Bisque
3-12oz. bags crawfish tails
2 lbs white crab meat
5 lbs shrimp(I use 90/110 size)
2 sticks of margarine
2 onions, chopped(I only use 1 large)
1 1/2 bunches of green onions, chopped
4 cans cream of potato soup
1-2 cans diced new potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 cans cream styled corn
2 cans niblet corn, drained
2 TBS liquid crab boil (be sure you use liquid)
5 cups half and half

Sauté all onions in butter in large soup pot for 15 minutes. Add seafood and crab boil. Sauté for 15 minutes. Add cream of potato and mushroom soup. Cook 15 minutes. Add corn and cook 5 minutes. Add half and half and cook 10 minutes. Serve over rice, in a bread bowl, or alone.

You can use whatever seafood you like. I just like the crawfish, shrimp, & crab. This makes a HUGE pot so be ready to share or freeze!

Show Us Your Life-School Pictures

I'm a week late with this post because I accidentally deleted it twice & just got frustrated & forgot about it. I'm going to try to post every week with Kelly's Show Us How You Live. This is my first try!
The first picture leaves me almost speechless! I know that's hard to imagine. My cousin, Robin, tagged me in this pic. We must've been around 7 or 8. I'm the one on the right!! How do ya like that sun visor? I don't know, but my aunt always had some activity going on with country music singers: selling t-shirts,etc. I cannot for the life of me figure out who the guy in the background is, but I'm pretty sure it was at WKSJ's Family Reunion that was held every year @ the fair grounds.

This one isn't as bad. I don't look too crazy here. I was a junior in high school and in the Beauty & Beau Review. April, Tony, & I were pretty much inseparable throughout high school so it only made sense that we had our pictures made together. Oh, the glory days of high school. Front row on the right you will find a girl with really long blond hair. You guessed it! That's me!! April, the girl beside me & my BFF in high school, and I were always in a contest to see whose hair was longer. Kinda wish I had that long hair now, but my super chic inverted bob is so much easier to blow dry & style!! I even feel a bit stylish.
Last but not least, I've included a pic from my first year in college. FSCC cheerleaders ROCK!! Here are (r to l) Tracey, Dawn, & me. I'm pretty sure we were on our way to Gatlinburg, TN for basketball games! This was the big trip we took every year that the college paid for. It was AWESOME! I love Gatlinburg! I hope you enjoyed looking at my "old school" pics. These are the only one's I could find & only because people tagged me in them on Facebook or Myspace. Lucky for me, these aren't too bad!!

Well, I was a week late as I mentioned and the McLinky was closed so you can find the others @ kellyskornerblog.com! Enjoy & maybe this week I can link up to them on time!!