Halloween 2011

Zearley got back into her adorable costume, once again today to enjoy some more trick-or-treating!  She did awesome!  She was in her costume from 4-8 and she did so much better than I thought she would!  We first started trick-or-treating at the Denver Sunset Nursing Home and Zearley's facial expression told it all....she had a blast!

Everyone wanted to give her things she hadn't had before and to her that seemed wonderful!  After this we went up to grandpa and grandma's for pictures with Quinn and neighborhood trick-or-treating.  Then we headed to Cedar Falls for trick-or-treating around our house with daddy, Alexa, Phoenix, Ledger, Tami, Kilei, Aunt Jillian, & Grandma Lisa- the temperature had gotten quite a bit cooler, but without a lot of wind, it was bearable!  Little Miss Zearley's hands and feet got pretty cold, but she never once complained!  What a trooper she was and she seemed to really enjoy herself.

I was a little bummed today that we didn't get Zearley a pumpkin carved this year, but we'll have to start for sure next year and continue the tradition as Zearley grows up.
Tonight, I can't stop thinking about the Janesville School Bus accident that involved an 11-year old boy (a grandson of one of our great substitute teachers).  My heart breaks for the family and the entire school family, mourning the loss of a young child.  There are no words to describe such an accident, it's so sad how fast a precious life can be taken from us.  Thinking of this family and hoping they find comfort in each other and the out pour of support that will be shown to them during this extremely difficult time.  Death is never an easy thing to comprehend- young or old, but I could never fathom the loss of a child.
Hard to believe tomorrow is November 1st already!  I remember this time last year, being on maternity leave and not worrying about much other than just spending time with Zearley, life was great... and it still is great...just much, much more stressful with report cards due to go home soon and conferences quickly approaching- and tonight's tragedy in Janesville, makes me think twice about the day to day things I let get me really stressed out!  Life is too short to get caught up in work, I need to work really hard on leaving work by 5 or before on a daily basis so I can spend more time with Jordan and Zearley!
You may have noticed above the picture of Quinn & Zearley and Quinn has a pumpkin with her name on it.  Zearley has one too, it just was at home for Halloween, but I wanted to still post a picture of her with her pumpkin that I had taken a couple weeks ago with a Halloween outfit on.  The pumpkins were from Kathy Schweer!