letters to Emily/Beth {Halloween Huffa-Ba-loo}

{"smile, or nobody gets to go trick or treating." -emily}

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Dearest Emily,

Ummm.....THANK YOU FOR THIS PICTURE!! It probably gave me a side ache... it has a lot to do with the story you told me behind the picture, fabulous!!! Oh Sean as a Merman!! LOVE IT!!! You and the kids look awesome... so fun. You are such a fun mommy. I will write more later, I have got to feed Smithy.

Love,

Beth

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Dear Beth,

Oh the joy of Skyping with you this morning! I'll have you know I did eventually nurse Chase and change out of my pajamas. I don't believe that happened before noon, but it did indeed happen. WIN! Here is another picture of Sean's costume. This one was "Internet approved.":):):) He made such a cute King Triton. My Ursula skirt ended up being quite the load to carry around. I wore my wedding dress puffy thing under it, but the purple tentacles were STILL too long under all of that puff, so it dragged a lot. I ended up picking it up from the front and carrying it around most of the night. Hard work I tell ya. I wore my flip flops the entire time. So did Max. The newsman said it was the warmest Halloween night in over thirty years, or something crazy and extreme like that. We had a high of 76*. AMAZING!!! We stayed out with the kids for two hours, at which point Sean had to give me the "i'm done" face and "the kids are done face." I just love trick or treating, and could have stayed out for at least another hour. It is so fun walking around with my husband and kids, chatting to neighbors, and enjoying the Halloween spirit. I loved every minute of it! The smell of candles burning in freshly carved pumpkins is still my favorite Halloween smell. DELISH. Did you trick or treat? Do they do that in Germany??? I forgot to ask on Skype. We finally turned the lights off at 9:30 at night b/c the kids were falling asleep, and let's be honest, I didn't want to get up off of the couch anymore to go to the front door. I most definitely pushed sean to his limit this year with his costume. He has sworn to me that it will be the last theme he's doing. I'm not giving up that easy though. I have big plans for next year already!!! I have vowed to make it up to him, AND i blame the kids for this year. Max completely. It was their idea that he should be King Triton. I voted for him to go as Flounder. Not sure if that would have been much better...

I am almost ready to give up nursing. I cannot believe I am saying that, but it has just been so challenging this time. I know that I should be proud of myself for making it 7 months with three kids, but I was just so set on making it the full year. I can't decide if it's my pride that doesn't want to let it go, being able to claim that I did it for the third time, or if it's me not wanting to be done with that phase of his babyhood. After a good day I vow to keep going. After a bad day, when I'm tired, and all dried up from milk, I think that maybe it would be better to just throw in the towel. You know me though, I must think this one through for awhile before I finally decide. My body is just having a hard time keeping up with how much he wants, and part of me wonders if he would be sleeping better if he had formula all day to keep him more full through the night. I fed him egg casserole for lunch today and bites of my whole wheat pizza last night. He ate it like a champ, and even held and drank his own sippy cup full of juice. I am so excited to be entering the phase of him feeding himself. JOY!!! 

The weather is so warm here right now. Unseasonably warm. It is absolute heaven. We cut back the rest of the bushes and trees today for the big bulk removal on Tuesday, which also happens to be Election Day. I cannot wait to cast my ballot, and I was NOT kidding about making stickers to read 

"I VOTED FOR MITT." 

How many is too obscene to wear at one time? 10 too many??? Kidding...maybe. Okay, okay, just the one. I hope I don't have to take all three of my kids to the poles with me. It just wouldn't be pretty. Will take pictures if I have to drag them all, as it will be the only way to get through the pain of gathering them all while i fill in the bubbles. I can hardly wait to hear the outcomes of all of the local and national runnings. There are so many local politics I am interested in this year that I all antsy to find out if "my person" wins. Sean and I watched this amazing show on PBS last night about Obama and Mitt. I think it was Frontline. Anyway, it went back and talked about their life histories and where they were throughout their lives and political en devours. Very interesting and frightening all at once. There were so many things about each candidate that I never knew. See if you can watch it online. If not, I'll save it for you on the DVR.

I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for you to be here. It will be so fun to see Megs as a MARRIED WOMAN! and visit with your entire family. I have lots of food planned for us to eat while you stay with us {choc covered strawberries rolled in the peanut butter cups, candied apples with while choc, caramel, and crushed oreos, homemade hash browns, BACON, i found these mini-dr peppers that i'm in love with, Lord of the Rings to watch, but just mainly the Shire scenes b/c I always lose interest after that anyway.} 

The time changes tonight. I guess the only good thing about "fall-ing back" with kids is that we will for sure be up and ready for church on time. I like the SPRINGing forward business better with little kids, but I guess a little change is good. We've been putting the kids to be earlier. OH HAPPY DAY! 

Love and kisses,

See you soon!!!

XOXO,

Emiline Harris

P.S.

i had about 5 people tell me they LOVED me with short platinum hair. i told sean, PLEASE when we are old and gray DON'T EVER let me have short platinum hair and let it be crazy. ESPECIALLY not with purple streaks. i do not want to be the 92 year old lady with dementia with the crazy hair. fun for halloween, but it can't be crazy hair in the nursing home. it must be at least styled a bit. i don't like my hair short though. that is all.:)

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all 10 of them were gone in three days.

note: granny smith, not fuji. 

{for furture reference.}

there is a reason.

sour is better with the sweet.

the end.