Oh well...

We had a great weekend...until the end of the Colts game. They almost had it (this is a picture of the girls after the Colts first touchdown - we have them trained well), but it just wasn't meant to be. Oh well. We'll see what happens in the playoffs. After living near and working in Boston two years, we became Red Sox fans, but I will NEVER be a Patriots fan. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. (I still root on Donte, though, even though he's playing for the Dark Side)

Anyway, like I said we had a great weekend. It started out with a double date with our friends Lisa and Michael. This time, instead of switching off sleepover nights, we each got a babysitter and we adults went out. We had the best time and literally closed down the restaurant. I have never laughed so hard. And there was no talk about the kids or work, which is always hard to get away from when its just me and Kyle.

Then on Saturday the girls had their last soccer games. IN. A. HURRICANE. Yes, the outskirts of Hurricane Noel hit us on Saturday morning, but like the die-hard soccer town that we are, the kids (Kindergartners and 1st and 2nd graders, mind you) still played. It was freezing, raining and the wind was moving the balls across the field. It was worth it, though, Jenna got a medal and Kellen got a trophy - in kid world a trophy is the best thing ever.

That night we went over to another friends house for game night with three other couples and all the kids. The kids performed The Wizard of Oz for us. Kellen was the Wicked Witch and Jenna was Glenda the Good Witch. They did a very good job and it was really quite funny. After, the impromptu play, the kids watched a movie while the adults played Catch Phrase. Men v. Women (the guys won, but only because us gals couldn't stop being moms - one of us was always up helping our kids with something while the guys just sat there! Totally not fair and in the spirit of karma I think Kyle will be changing the next few dirty diapers!)

Ok, today's November 6th, so I have more things to be thankful for:

3. My faith in God. No matter what your religion, I believe that there is definitely a Higher Power that guides us all. For me that Power is God and I rely on Him in both good times and bad and I am thankful to Him for everything in my life.

4. My "extra" family. My in-laws. I gained an extra sister when I married Kyle and Colleen is a lot of fun to be around. When she married Tod, it was even better. Even though we don't get to see them much, its always fun to catch up and I always feel a little "cooler" after visiting with them. Kyle's mom is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met and she is a great grandma. She always has very "grandmotherly" things to do with the girls, like making gingerbread houses and taking them to plays. Kyle's dad is just a big kid. He has always made me feel like I was THE best choice for Kyle and I know he thinks I'm a great mom, which is very reassuring. He is a great papa to the girls and always wants to spend as much time with them as possible. They love all their grandparents so much and I'm really grateful that they have such a great support system and that I do too.

5. Daylight Savings Time! An extra hour of sleep ~ woo hoo! Well, not exactly with kids, but at least we weren't so rushed on Sunday! I have definitely been reaping the benefits of the extra hour even two days out, its much easier to get up and even though it feels like its 9:30 right now, its only 8:30. The downside to daylight savings is that here in Connecticut today it was dark - not, oh look at the lovely sunset - but DARK at 5:00. Thank goodness all those Christmas lights are getting ready to come up!

6. One more Brownie meeting is over!!!!! Oh my goodness. The natives were restless yesterday! They were out of school today for Election Day and they were all acting as if it were a Friday. Kellen was the worst. I know its because she is my child and I'm the leader and she thinks she can get away with it but, Lord help. My mom stare (the one that says, "if you don't stop what you are doing right this very minute or you are going to be REALLY sorry") wasn't even working. We had a nice loooong talk about how if she ever acted like a heathen (one of my favorite Southern words, by the way) again, that I would continue to be the Brownie leader, but she would no longer be a Brownie and wouldn't that be fun to sit in the corner while everybody else gets to play including Jenna and Riley? I mean it, too.

As I sit here, Riley (who refused to go to sleep) is sitting on the couch making funny faces at me. She is just about to fall asleep but she keeps catching herself and is giving me air kisses. Now that is something to be thankful for.