Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Eleanora went trick or treating for the first time tonight and had a great time visiting family. First, we have to start with pictures from last Halloween,








Now for today, we had a few costume options. We were given a prairie girl costume, and I bought 3 from Old Navy yesterday for $1.60 each. (One of these days I need to post about my coupon/deal hunting obsession with links to my favorite sites, because I have scored some awesome deals!). Here is the one we were loaned,

(isn't she cute? I love this costume)


But she was not really a fan,



So she tried on the fairy costume from Old Navy, but it's way too skimpy for MN weather, so it'll be for dress up purposes only, but it's damn cute,



So we decided on the warm and adorable kitten costume,






(The third Old Navy costume is a Tiger in a size for next year)

Had some trouble getting all the kids to look for the traditional pic on the front steps before trick or treating, so here's a few of Travis the football, Nora the kitten, and Carsten as Lightning McQueen,









We went to a few houses around my old hood and then to Grandma Kate's.

This picture pretty much sums up the type of pictures I got of Nora with Keaton when we sat them next to each other,



But I did get some cute ones. Here she is tickling his toes,


Happy Stewie,


So yep, Halloween is over. I don't really care for the holiday very much, never have. For one, I wasn't a huge fan of trick or treating as a kid, I was not excited about going up to people's houses. Also, being scared sucks. I don't understand why people like it! Haunted houses? Horror movies? No, thanks. Granted, it's much more fun once you have a child.

Honestly, Halloween for me is a speed bump on the road to Christmas! Now that it is over I can get into the spirit. I love Christmas and cannot wait for this year. Eleanora is going to love it! She gets so excited about new toys and unwrapping gifts now. Last year was fun since it was her first, but really a 4.5 month old doesn't light up at the sight of a new toy dreaming of all the hours of fun she will have with it.

Plus, we found out we were pregnant mid-December two years ago, and told everyone on Christmas, so it'll always be a special time for us. Wow, that was nearly two years ago already??

Peace Train

***Listening to "Peace Train" - Cat Stevens***

We hung out with the Ketchum kids Weds of this week, here's the gang coloring,



Snack with CJ,



Enjoying her first Oreo,



Today a construction crew was outside our building cutting down a tree. Eleanora heard all the beeping, banging, etc and wanted to see. So I sat her on the window sill. Little did I know my beautiful baby girl would attract so much attention! The crew was totally distracted. Of the 6 men working, at least 5 stopped what they were doing to wave and make funny faces at Eleanora from the street! It was so cute. She thought it was hilarious.

So here she is watching the men work,









(this is typical Nora)


She kept holding up her muffin to the window. I'm not sure if she was showing off her snack or offering the workers a bite,



Now blog readers, you have an assignment from me! See, Bryce and I have an extra room available to us that we don't know what to do with with. Connected to the laundry room just down the hall from us is a locked, carpeted, completely empty about 7x10 room that is ours to do with what we want. The previous managers used it for playing their guitars (it's actually sound-proofed) and as his art studio. I am no artist and I can't play any instrument, so that idea is out.

So I want to know what you would do with a "bonus" room? Keep in mind it is not connected to our apartment, so it's not like it can be a guest room. So either leave a comment (I've been told sometime that is difficult) or email me (katie.kucko@yahoo.com) and tell me what you would do with the room. (Note: Not just what you think we should use it for, also what YOU would do with it, I want to know!)

I've learned from sitemeter that I have more blog visits than I thought, so EVERYONE do your homework so I know who all reads this thing!

Oh!

***Listening to "Oh!" by Eric Hutchinson at the time of blog post, I hate titles***

Just some random cuteness that I had to share.

So the days when Eleanora and I need to be in Lakeville by 8:30am to hang with the Ketchum kids, we have to leave by 7:45. I usually wake up around 7:15, throw on jeans and a t-shirt, throw my hair in a ponytail and get Nora's stuff ready for the day (diapers, snacks, sippy cups) then wake her at the very last minute so she gets as much sleep as possible. I usually pick her up from her crib, change her diaper and out the door we go. I of course have to take her blankie and "pup pups" with, as she can't nap without them. Last week as we were running out the door, she refused to take another step until I gave her her blankie. So I had to take a picture of this scenario. Eleanora in her footsie jammies minutes after waking up, jacket & hat on, blanket in hand ready to go,




Could she be any cuter??



She dragged her blankie all the way down the hall to the car,



Adorable.

So this morning we went to our first ECFL class. It's the same model as ECFE (family together play/fun, then parents separate to have a discussion) but it is through our Church.

As the parents were getting ready to separate, it was snack time. So we sat her down and said goodbye. I had to grab my camera first, it was too precious! Here is Eleanora snacking with her new buddies like a freaking pre-schooler. I just about died the scene was so cute.




Bryce and I really enjoyed the class and meeting new families. Eleanora, being the social butterfly she is, had a great time too. We were only gone for about 50 minutes, but we were so happy to go pick her up from the classroom! She dropped her toy and ran to me with open arms and my heart melted. It was good for all of us.

Afterwards we ate lunch at Snuffy's (milkshakes, yum!) and headed home for a much needed nap. Apparently the girl had run herself ragged playing because she STAYED asleep as Bryce picked her up out of the car. She seriously has never ever done that. She always wakes right up as we open the back car door and starts talking our ear off within 5 seconds. It was precious,



(the matchy matchy father-daughter outfits were not planned!)

Getaway

It's been a long time, so let's jump right in!

Eleanora's favorite place in the world, the hallway outside our apartment. We are the only apartment down here so she can run up and down and not disturb anyone. She LOVES playing out there. So here she is doing laps (this was taken about halfway down the hallway, so as you can see she's got plenty of room!),



Here she is in her new sofa/bed/comfy thingy.



Now as a bed,





Eleanora has found a love of brushing her teeth! If she sees me pick up my toothbrush she whines until I get hers out, even if she's already brushed! Here she is before bedtime brushing away,





We went to the cabin that our apartment management company owns and lets Resident Managers use for free last weekend. It was heaven on earth. 3 days of no work, no phone calls, no residents, no emails, very little cell phone service and a lovely cabin to hide out in. It was the best weekend we've had in a while! We love our job(s) but it was so nice to turn that part of our brains off.

Eleanora was beyond thrilled at the new house to explore and all the animals! Here she is pointing at the woodpeckers on the trees, (we also saw 10 turkeys and 2 deer!),


We drove to Amery (closest city with a restaurant) for dinner on Saturday. I post this because the 2 women next to us thought she was a boy! Kept saying "Oh he's such a happy guy!". Since when can a girl not wear green? I get sick of all the pink and purple, but if she's going to get called a boy in anything else than I will stick to the overly girly colors because it drives me crazy!

Does she look like a boy here to you?


The weather was pretty cold and it snowed Sat & Mon, so we mostly cuddled inside and spent time together :) Lots of reading in the lakeside addition with the fireplace going. Eleanora's choice of reading material was a little low brow,



But hey, can you blame her? She got an early start. (Me and my girl reading gossip when she was 1 day old).

(As you may know, I quit buying celebrity gossip magazines 2 years ago cold turkey. It was just too expensive of an addiction. SO you will be happy to know that both magazines pictured where NOT purchased by me. One was a gift to read while in the hospital and the other was left at the cabin by the previous people. So there's no need to call my sponsor or stage an intervention.)

Lots of laughs and memories were made!



The cabin from the shore,



Nora all bundled up to explore the yard,



View from the back deck,



The lake,





Our lovely 70's kitchen,



Lakeside addition,



Living room, (awesome furniture, huh?)



The WI grandparents came by for dinner on Sunday. Eleanora read books with G-ma Joann,



And has really taken a liking to her "horsey rides",



Snowfall on Monday morning,



And all of this was to celebrate this happening 2 years ago,


Our family getaway was the perfect way to celebrate.