Pictures of hot chicks

You'd be hot too if you stepped into this feathery little sweat factory of a costume.

I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what the next Reynolds baby will look like on Halloween.

Half of these are Anabelle and half are Lila, can you tell which ones?

gushy ball of sweetness

Lila is a tree hugger in its truest form. I caught this picture of her the other day at the park (made possible by Tim's fancy shmancy camera), and I love it. It captures the very essence of Lila perfectly. I turned around and there she was, sitting in wood chips, hugging a stick. She cuddled it. She rocked it. She loved on it, as she does everything. So full of love, that one.

Does she win my heart everyday all over again? Why yes, yes she does.

Homecoming 2000 and 9

The problem with taking a trip to Virginia is that it's only a trip. And all too soon the trip comes to a close. And then I have to leave. Which breaks my heart each and every time. So while I'm there I try to spend every second soaking up those trees and mountains and wonderful people that I love so dearly. And of course we had our annual "This is how we'll make it back here" discussion. Please let our plan work, please let our plan work...

Although preparation and cleanup for the trip exceeded time actually spent there, great moments make it worth it. Like laughing with my best friend and college roomie. Hearing a lecture in Durham 108. Watching Braden play soccer. Eating at Salerno's with the old gang. Seeing my kids play with cousins and hanging with D and Mo. Walking around that old town and feeling like I never left. And of course, listening to the chamber choir sing "Shenandoah". Nowhere feels more like home than Virginia.

A tooth for a Lila

See the chomper?!

Lila in lilac

Although she doesn't need them, she loves shoes. In 15 second intervals.

Land of Lincoln

This last weekend we road tripped up to Illinois for Braden's 10 year high school reunion. And because I have never seen where he grew up. And because I have never met the Ellsworth's, who are basically an appendage to the Reynolds family.

I have to say, for all the ragging Braden does on Champaign, I quite enjoyed it there. They have sidewalks, and open fields, and farms, and lots and lots of ordinary neighborhoods. I liked that I didn't see any scary parts of town, or any extravagent parts of town. It was just so working class ordinary. It has such a down to earth feel about it. And I instantly loved the Ellsworth's. You can't help it. They just suck you right in. What a sweet sweet family. I rarely see kids interact with each other like they do. I feel the need to sit them down and interview them on all their parenting tactics. Now, it's too late for me to be sweet like them, but maybe they've got something else up their sleeve? I just loved being in their home.

We went to a darling little orchard which won my heart. I am a sucker for fall festivities. We ate at Jimmy JOhns's, a scrupmtious sandwhich shop where Braden used to work. I went to the doctor because my tongue somehow turned into a blister factory, which feels as awesome as it sounds. The doctor thought maybe it was just tastebuds. I could see he and I not hanging out on the weekends. Maybe it was stress, he said. Well you know what helps stress? Paying $150 bucks to be told that maybe you're feeling stress. Bah.

On to the reunion. We were told that it was going to be held in a restaurant below a bar. Turns out it was in a bar below a bar. We were also told it was a dinner buffet and a family event. Turns out it was veggie platters and chips and a buffet of alcohol. So I'm lookin around at the other girls there in their little black dresses with their little night clutches and I feel like the sesame Street song "one of these does not belong". Something about a big bag with diapers and crayons and books spilling out of it. Then Lila spots Balloons and goes nuts. So Braden's friend cuts one down for her. Well, of course Anabelle wants one too. So now, as if I'm not already a roaming circus, with the only kids in the place, I have big balloons attached to the said bag, in case anyone should somehow lose sight of us. I sat with the girls in a corner booth and tried to isolate the insanity. That worked well. Until Anabelle decided that tortilla chips were "tickets" and began to pass them out. First just to Braden's little circle of buddies. But then to the CHS class of 99. I didn't even stop her. It was really entertaining to see people drinking and get a tug of their pants with a tiny pig tailed girl handing them their "ticket" and instructing them that it was not to be eaten. I had the bright idea as the night wore on to put a sticker on my shirt with my name on it and try to get the super drunk people to remember me. But I didn't. Should have, would have made a better post. Maybe I'll start creating alternate endings for my stories.

Good trip, looking forward to another one to Virginia in a few weeks. Till then, we are LOVING this fall weather.



We look pretty sturdy and coherent for having spent the whole night in a bar right? eating grape tomatoes and brocolli florets all night will do that to you

"Is there something on my face?"

Not sharing a fresh apple donut.

Sharing a fresh apple donut.

Lila partaking of heaven in a styromfoam cup (Fresh apple cider). Never has the urge to not share with my kids been so strong within me.

our family, riding the short bus

hmmmmm....what to say about this picture?....

So VERY excited to be beholding something so furry. Her approach to animals is this: pet, pet, SQUEEZE!! The love is usually uni-directional for Lila and animals.

No, Lila. The expression is 'chewing the fat' not 'chewing the cat'! Silly baby!


This one LOVES a slide

Anabelle feeding the farm goats. Something about this little goat reminded us of Uncle Tim. Can't really put our finger on it though. Help me out Tim, what is it?....

Anabelle loving the Ellsworth's tree swing

Lila looking so sweet in her car seat, where the little gem spent the majority of the weekend.

Braden's family all go crazy over this little BBQ joint so when any of them are in town they buy the sauce. Once after being stuffed at dinner Braden spilled some of this said sauce on the kitchen floor. Wipe it up? You bet he did. He got out a loaf of bread and wiped up every drop of it with bread and ate it just because he couldn't bear to see it get rinsed down the drain.

The gang at the friday night football game

Do Over

Anabelle turned 3 on the 12th of September. She chose to go camping for her birthday. But it rained. So we threw together a last minute party for her. Braden and I decorated jungle cupcakes the night before along with all other party prep. But she woke up sick. We canceled the party and spent half the day in Urgent Care, and the other half she spent in bed, miserable. She would ask to open a present, then ask to go to bed. After a few hours, she would ask for another present, then go back to bed. I asked her if she wanted a cupcake and she said, "Can I just go to bed and stay there for however long I want?" At about 10 that night, after having spent much of the day asleep, she was AWAKE. So me being the extra super cool mom that I am, (read irresponsible), took her to see a 10 o'clock showing of "Ice Age, Return of the Dinosaurs'. I asked her if she liked it when it was over and she said, "Yeah. But I didn't like the parts with the dinosaurs." So I guess after the previews it was all downhill for her.

She spent that week sick and we had a re-do party the next week because she was asking if friends were going to come over and watch her eat cake. But by that time I had thrown all the jungle cupcakes out and was over the whole party thing. So we frosted sugar cookies and she didn't even eat hers because she was excitedly watching all her friends eat. It was fun to see her at her party. She was so excited about everything and just so happy. Then I took her to Toys R Us because she had a little gift card and let her walk around looking at stuff for hours. Hours. Lila will tell you. And of all the fantastic toys in that place do you know what she chose? A stuffed animal. What a shocker.