Giving Thanks

Brent and I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. First is Allison. She is a wonderful gift and a true blessing. Days are long but the years are short and I wouldn't change a second of it. I am also grateful for my husband. He is supportive, loving and a wonderful best friend. He is truly the love of my life. So, thanks.
Second we are grateful for our parents. Our Dad's and Stepmom do what they can from a distance but our moms truly step up to the plate for the daily challenges. Between late night phone calls, date nights, sicknesses and babysitting they really help us. So, thanks.
Third we are grateful for having a new house to move in in early December. This move is not without it's struggles. We acquired a house through a short sale process. When we make it to settlement, it would have been six WEEKS since we presented the original contract. That's a record. It couldn't have happened without the help of our agent, Lisa Lieu, our loan officer Maria Vasilakos and my mom. There were numerous sleepless nights, angry phone calls and tears shed to get us to this point. But we really feel like we did it. It was a true Team Booker event. So, thanks.
Finally I am grateful to have a job outside of the house. I choose to work because I really enjoy being a physical therapist and I feel like I have a positive impact on people's lives. It is not without it's guilt. I don't exactly enjoy dropping Allison off at daycare, but she likes it. As far as I can tell. I know it makes me a better mom, which at the end of the day is all that matters. I also have a wonderful boss, Barbara Vogel. She isn't too worried about the financial aspects of healthcare, she just encourages us to do the best we can for the patients. How refreshing is that. So, thanks.

The Bookers hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Yummy Turkey!

Told myself I wouldn't do this.......

Allison had her two year birthday pictures today and Christmas pictures. We had them done at Portrait Innovations. It was awesome. A welcome change from the dreaded Sears Portrait Studio!! And I walked out with all of my pictures, no extra trip--bonus! I told myself I wouldn't share these pictures until her birthday, but gosh they are too cute not to share. So, I am posting some of my favorites--we have about 70 pictures, so I have about 70 favorites. I can't get over how all of a sudden she looks like a little girl......makes my heart happy and sad. Please note the previously mentioned cupcake sweater!

All things cupcake

Yesterday I spent happy hours (Allison's nap time) making one large cupcake on posterboard for "Put the the candle on the cupcake", think pin the tail on the donkey minus the tail and donkey part. Next, I attached 1/2 cupcake wrappers to construction paper for the craft. Allison saw all of my crafty projects and wanted her birthday yesterday. I also got her a sweater with a cupcake on it. Of course I did! I showed it to her yesterday and she said she wanted to go downstairs, sit at the table, and eat it! Thatta girl.

Strange bed fellows

Allison is now sleeping with her beloved trash truck shirt and a pair of pajama pants. She also wants to sleep with Funny, Madeline, Butter, New Lovey, Old Lovey, etc. Unbelievable. But the fact that she cradles her trash truck t-shirt is just hilarious. It's the same shirt she is wearing in the potty in the pantry video.

Potty in the Pantry

Allison isn't potty trained, but she thinks she is and she decides to "go potty" in the strangest of places. This morning, she chose the pantry.

Happy Birthday Uncle Mike and Samantha!

Today is Brent's brother, Mike's birthday. It's also my cousin's Samantha big day.
Both are family members that we are extremely proud of. Mike is serving in the US National Guard and is awaiting deployment to Afghanistan. He fortunately is home for about three weeks before he leaves for about 10 months. It's a tremendous sacrifice and we respect his decision.
Samantha just bought her first place. Only my cousin would buy a home during the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Kind of like selling your home -- speaking of, SOLD sign in the yard. What a relief!
Samantha is a hard working elementary school teacher but she received fame after being on Alvernia College's billboards over the summer. Hilarious! I am still challenged with linking, so if you want to see her billboard shot, it's under July/August posts.

Hope you both have a wonderful day and we love you both very much!!

Late Night Conversations

Brent and I alternate, or at least we try to, with putting Allison to bed. Something about rocking in the dark she says the funniest things. This week's conversations include Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson all coming to her birthday party. Then we have an in depth discussion on the smell of BM's and we reviewed EVERYONE's habits and that everyone has stinky BM's. It's hard to keep a straight face!
She is now asking for a brother and for a big girl bed and pillow. I think she will get the bed and pillow first! Allison has told us that her brother's name will be Johnny Boy and actually she wants two. As in two brothers. Much easier and cheaper to buy a new bed and pillow. They don't go to college. I guess the pillow could, but still no tutition.

Jumping in Leaves

One of my favorite memories is gathering leaves and then jumping in them. I can remember doing it with my Dad, so much fun! We were on our way out of G-G's house on Saturday and I noticed the possibility with the leaves in her yard. Brent quickly grabbed a rake and we showed Allison how to have some fun. As you can see, she had a blast. She was running and then jumping into the pile.

A lap is a lap

Bailey is a very loving and snuggly dog. I took this pictures today when Allison was hanging out on the couch. It was too cute!

World? Meet Butter!!

Allison definitely has her phases of things. One week it's Elmo, next it's the purple dinosaur (oh the pain!) But this one with a stuffed animal is too cute for words. She was playing in her toy chest last week and found a stuffed giraffe. I told her that her cousins, John and Andrew gave it to her. With that, it was instant love and she hasn't been separated from it ever since. I like to create names for things besides the obvious stuffed giraffe so I have been asking her what was her giraffe's name. For days I got nothing. Then last Thursday, we were in the car with the no-name giraffe and I asked her if she had named her giraffe. She said yes, I was so excited, I quickly asked her what was the name? And I got, butter.
Butter?!
That's so adorable.
If you look closely you will notice that Butter had band-aids (Barbie band-aids, in this household Dora band-aids are as good as gold) on both of his arms. He has been maliciously thrown down by Allison, not once but twice. In my attempt to teach compassion and just down right decency, I have made a big deal of these attacks and have showered Butter with TLC. Don't know if it's made an impact or not, but she does kiss his boo-boos and says all better!

Happy Halloween!

Allison planned on being a bumble bee for trick or treating. That plan changed after she saw my Pooh costume and she also wore her bumble bee costume all day. My girlfriend, Candy, had given me the Pooh/honey pot costume set and I figured, might as well. Next year, she might not be that interested. She definitely was interested this year! She kept saying, "my mommy's Pooh and I'm the honey pot". Can't bet that! It was a big humbling this year. Like most years, Bailey was the big hit. He has his picture taken by more strangers! People would come up and we would be all dressed up sitting on the porch and ask to take a picture. Obivously (ha,ha) I would think they wanted me, Allison and Bailey. No, that wouldn't happen, instead they would invite their kids to sit with Bailey and have their picture taken, with our dog! Unbelievable!
It was a very special Halloween and it was fun to see Allison have so much fun with trick or treating.