Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi all,
I, the halloween queen, have taken too many pictures even in this paltry picture year....
So, here are all the cute ones from the month long celebration!

Waving Hello and Happy Halloween to Daddy!

Scary Halloween Queens in festive outfits from Nana!

Checking out the goats at the Barbers Hill Fall Festival with Grandpa



Posing with Punkins at School Conference Night
According to her teachers, Eva is an excellent student,
ready and willing to learn and soak it all in!!
Yeay! I'm so proud of you Eva!


Angelina Ballerina, all ready to show off her costume at school!

Angelina Ballerina & Annie, ready for the festivities!
Annie won most original costume. Congrats!

A Storybook Witch and A Mouse Ballerina, off to the yellow
brick road to get sweet treats!

One very sassy witch!



Gathering the first piece of loot!

2 sassy witches swapping halloween treats!

I can help myself, thank you!!

Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder & Elphaba (from Wicked)

A rare moment of treat seeking together! Eva was definately
in a much bigger hurry than Charley!

The month of October was filled with lots of fun and exciting events...more to follow on our trip to Texas!

Love to all,
tiff & the many mini macs

My damn opinion.

Why is it, that in this country founded on the principles of free speech and religious freedom, those of us who are not liberals end up vilified for speaking our opinions, voicing our concerns, and standing by our values?
Heaven forbid that I stand for...

• Life, from the moment of conception
• Marriage defined as between a woman and a man
• Keeping God in our pledge and on our money (uh, hello, founded on RELIGIOUS FREEDOM...)
• Kicking the crap out of whoever dares to murder innocent people in the name of zealotry (of any kind!), uh, hello World Trade Center? Plane in the Pentagon? Beirut Bombing? I could go on and on and on...
• GOD
• The right to speak freely about what I believe without fear of reprisal.
• The right to expect the population of this country to stop blaming our economy on democrats or republicans and accept responsibility for this mess WE'VE CREATED. We all did. No one party did it all alone. We are a greedy, selfish, feel good society that MUST have it all. Our economy is in the toilet due in large part to THAT!
• The right to be a Christian Woman who stands for raising a family based on moral values without having it villanized by those who choose otherwise.

And guess what... I have the right to say all this I am an AMERICAN. And I've chosen to say it all because I am sick of apologizing for my beliefs.

And just because I say it all, I dare anyone to call me a religious zealot or a hate monger. I'd appreciate that title be reserved for those who keep trying to commit terrorist acts against our free country and it's citizens. THOSE are the true religious zealots and hate mongers.

SO THERE.

GO VOTE and make your voice heard. I did.

Sweet child of mine...

Eva Grace.

So this has been a particularly tough week. I have yet another sinus infection, my leg is killing me most of the time, I'm exhausted and I DON'T KNOW anything about when my hubby will be home or where we're off to next year. HOWEVER...
I have this sweet 6 year old who surprises the heck out of me with her pure heart, insight and unconditional love.
So, monday I am on my way to the doc for my sinuses. Feel like poop and Charley is being a booger. My cell rings and it's Eva's school, letting me know she says she doesn't feel well and needs to come home. So I talk to her. And she sounds fine, but says she has a stuffy nose and cough and wants to go home. SO, okay. Off to school I go.
I get there and the nurse and I look at each other like... not so much, but hey, she's 5 so we'll humor her. So off we go.
After the doc and such, we head home. Charley heads to bed for nap and I head off to find my Eva. So I catch her in the kitchen. I sit on the stool and bring her over to me and just quietly ask:
Me: "Eva, tell Mommy why you really wanted to come home today?"
(As she looks at me, contemplating whether to fess up or not, I just wait patiently)
Eva: "Well, mama, sometimes I just miss you. And I want to be with you. And I knew that you needed me today."
Me: (crying) You're the sweetest little child and I LOVE YOU. Thank you for being so kind to mommy when I really need it.
Eva: "Can we watch a movie together? Just me and you?"
(At this point she could have asked for a new car and I would have charged one on my amex.)
Me: "You bet. Pick it out and let's watch!"
Eva: "No, mommy, let's both pick it. How about Mary Poppins? (she know this is one of my faves). Or Alvin and the Chipmunks, or... "
So, Alvin and the chipmunks it was.

I love being a mom.

tiff

A video for my love...

Hi love, (and all of you who are subjected to this sappy message and video!)
Sorry to post it for all the world to see, but email wasn't cutting to get this to you. I figured it was high time I showed you what 23 weeks preggers with twins looks like!
Love you,
tiffers

Congratulations to...

My Hubby!!! Finally, after many months of waiting, we have been informed that my Marine has been selected for appointment to Warrant Officer!! Kudos to my love for a job well done, an appointment well deserved and promotion WELL EARNED!!

Sometimes life is just...

full of tears...and joy... and laughter...and sad little girls and their mommies.
I must say, I've had a rough week. Emotionally more so than anything else. I feel like my emotions are sitting on the surface and I can just cry at any minute. As can my girls, apparently. Overwhelmed is how I feel most of the time, followed by lonely, with tired a close runner up. Funny, though, interspersed with all these sad feelings are incredible moments of joy, laughter, gratitude and confidence.
I guess, to sum it up...
I miss my husband so much it hurts.
I'm probably a bit more terrified NOW, getting ready to double my number of kids, than I was when I stepped off the bus in Parris Island. (trust me, that is saying A LOT.)
I am tired of always waiting to find out what is going on with the rest of my life.
I'm tired of living far away from my family.
I'm just... tired.
HOWEVER,
My girls are my greatest joy and having to be all things to them right now just makes me appreciate them and the gift of their love even more.
They seem to like me more, which makes my day, all day every day.
I have amazing family and friends here, who are making my life so much more bearable as they feed me, help with my kids, clean up my yard, get decorations down for me to get all holiday crazy with, plan a baby shower for me, and just take care of me all the way around.
I am pregnant with not one, but two, sweet little gifts from God.
I have Faith.

So, I guess, all in all, I'm pretty darn blessed, huh?
Amen to that, I say.