National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)

In the last few months, I have become a more regular, and IMO, better blogger. This tendency to blog so much has come from a couple of different places.

First off, I love writing.  I always have.  I keep a journal beside my bed.  I've been keeping a journal for close to 20 years now.  Granted, I don't write in it that regularly, but it is a place for me to put my most private thoughts.  Additionally, I have started many a book, but have yet to finish a one, much less get more than a few pages in.  Back when I was in high school, I dreamed of becoming a journalist, which is part of the reason I decided to go to the University of Kansas for college.  My dream changed when I discovered I had no "nose for news", but my love of writing did not dissipate.  So, now with my blog, I find an outlet for my writing.  It is a way for me to spread news about what is going on in my life and to put forward my thoughts on different issues.

The other reason I am blogging a lot more recently has to do with Twitter.  Yes, I finally succumbed and joined Twitter.  I tried Twitter about a year ago, but was left cold.  I couldn't figure out the allure.  It was boring to me. About a month, or so, ago, I decided to check it out once again.  This time, I "got it".  I'm in love with Twitter and my husband has come to the conclusion (that I can't deny) that I am addicted to Twitter.  I have discovered the appeal.  Right now, I'm following a ton of other moms.  These are moms I have never met and may never meet.  They are fabulous women who also blog about their lives.  Some are funny.  Some are touching.  They all have motivated me to blog more.

November is National Blog Posting Month and a challenge has recently been put forth to blog every day.  After much thought, I decided to take on the challenge.  We will see if I can keep it up.  If you blog and would like to take on this challenge as well, please click here.  Happy Blogging!!

Ginny's First Halloween

Last night was Halloween, one of my favorite holidays.  This year, I slacked in the decoration department.  Being a mom has meant adjusting energies and priorities.  I never did get around to decorating much.  Hopefully, I will do a better job next year.  I am grateful that Ginny didn't really notice that type of detail this year.  That could be because it was her first Halloween.

My girls dressed for Halloween: Ginny as a Pumpkin & Daisy as a cow!

Since she is only 6 months old, we didn't think that she was quite old enough to Trick-or-Treat.  After all, she doesn't have teeth yet to eat candy and just recently started eating solids.  However, we did put her in a costume.  We visited two of our neighbors, mainly so they could see Ginny.  Chris and I happened to score some candy from those neighbors too. Most of our evening was spent passing out candy.

We live in a small town adjacent to Springfield, Illinois. The type of town and neighborhood where people sit out on their front porch and pass out the candy, which is our tradition as well. Despite being small, we had our customary huge number of costumed children visit us.  This year we passed out candy to around 150 kids.  We stopped 30 minutes early.  Not because we ran out of candy, but things had slowed down. We could have continued once going inside, but since Ginny was asleep we turned out the lights.  The last thing we wanted to do was have the doorbell ring and wake her.

Me & my girls ready for the Trick-or-Treaters

Chris with Ginny and Daisy Mae!

It was a beautiful evening and a fabulous night filled with creative costumes, cute children, and lots of candy. All in all, a fabulous Halloween.  I hope that Ginny always enjoys this holiday as much as I do.

Yummy! A Banana in My Tummy!

Ginny has now been eating solids for 2 weeks. The first food we introduced to her was rice cereal.  She was okay with it.  Just trying to figure it out.  Next came carrots and Ginny loved them (as seen in a previous blog entry).  Since then, we have introduced apples (loves), potatoes (does NOT like), peas, and then today....banana.

Ginny absolutely LOVES bananas!  She couldn't get enough.  At times, she got impatient with me.  I was not getting it to her fast enough.  She wanted more and more.  Then, I did something wild and mixed it with her cereal.  Mixing it did not stop the love!  I imagine that right now, as she naps, she is dreaming of banana.

Hopefully, she loves more foods that we introduce. Next up, she will be trying sweet potatoes (we hope she likes this better than a regular baking potato), avocado, butternut squash, and pears.

Until then, I have an adorable baby that I imagine that right now, as she naps, is dreaming of banana.