Look out for Cookie Monster!

This is just a preview of the many pictures to come in this post. This Halloween was a very eventful day! We got to spend the day relaxing and then headed out to see the parents! Jude was Cookie Monster...I know...seems like a lot of Cookie...but, you know us, everything has a theme. Really I had wanted him to be Cookie last year and all the costumes were sold out or didn't have his size. So, this year I learned my lesson and was super pro-active and ordered his costume in like August?!? Whoa...go me!

We left around 5 to head towards my parents house. We stopped to vote early on the way...and then got to the parents house!

Of course Gigi and Papa G got Jude a cute gift to celebrate the event. This is Jude's face...he seemed to be a little more interested in Papa G's chips, but we got him to look at his new cute outfits and then...

there was the P is for Pumpkin book...Jude LOVES books!

Jude L-O-V-E-S his Papa G! We hung out and ate some dinner and then got dressed and headed out to trick or treat around their culdesac. First, we had to try and get some pictures since Jude hasn't been so excited about taking pictures lately.

One with Mommy

One with Gigi...we had some others, but I love this one because of Jude's serious face! We headed out around the street...Daddy took the lead with walking Jude up to the doors. We would carry him from house to house and then let him walk up to the door. They were so cute walking up there. They would get up to the door and then Daddy would say trick or treat and Jude would then try and go into everyone's house!! He would get so mad when he couldn't go into the different houses. I guess it is so sweet that he is so friendly, but makes me a little worried that he will want to go into anyone's house?!?

So cute!

I know that this is not the best picture, but I have decided that I am going to capture some of the "not so happy" times so that I can remember them and tell Jude when he gets older. This was him during the not wanting to have his picture taken...so funny!

And then the cute little smile!

Our friend Christi shared with me a neat trick to get a good picture...CANDY! And it WORKS!

We got back to my parents and Jude helped give candy out to the other trick or treaters. He was really interested in the big bowl of candy.

He really enjoyed the M&M's from Gigi...

And his new love for SUCKERS! Daddy introduced him to them last week while waiting at a resturant for our food. I have decided that I am going to keep some in the bag for those occasions that Mommy needs some extra help! We left my parents and we went to Kevin's parents house (mama and papa)...to see the other niece and nephews!

Had to say hello to Libbie!

Jude, Kaitlyn and Charlie

Jude with Paxton and Blaton (not so happy face)

We got to spend some time with mama, Kat, Charlie, Ashley and Tony and the kiddos. Overall it was a great day! Hope your families had a great day too!

Anyone for some lunchmeat?

We were eating lunch today and I turned back around from my computer and this is what I found...lunchmeat on top of his head! The funniest thing is that he just kept it up there until I took it off when he was done eating. We can thank his daddy for this since he is always putting things on top of his head...love you daddy!

Counting the time until The Office Premieres

Okay...so I am so glad that the new TV season has begun!! Most of you know that Kevin and I are now very much into The Office...after great suggestions from many of our friends we watched all the seasons during "the strike". Now we are definitely hooked and can't wait to watch the new season premiere!! Will Jim and Pam get engaged??

We have takeoff...

So you know how people always ask you certain questions during certain periods of your life? Well, the question of the hour has been: "Is Jude walking yet?". The answer has been not really until Thursday night. He had walked a few steps with you holding onto his shirt and things, but Thursday night he started that way and then let go and walked!! I actually got him to do it twice and we got it on video.

Then Friday Kevin and I were playing with Jude and decided to try our "walking exercise" and off he went! It was so exciting!!

Sorry for the diaper pics, we hadn't quite gotten dressed for the day yet. He isn't comfortable enough to just start walking by himself, but we are making progress. Hope you enjoy the videos!

Jude's 1 year old pictures

As you know, Jude is 1 now and luckily my Uncle Keith and Aunt Karen came into town with Megan and Jesse. During the time they were here Karen was so sweet to take some pictures of Jude for his 1st birthday!! We got so many great ones, but here are some of my favorites. I know that I am partial, but he just gets cuter by the day!

NYC: Last Day

Our last day we decided to get up early and see the Today show...I watch the Today show almost every morning while we get ready, so it was really neat to see what it was like to be there.

Here are the banners that are always on TV.

The area where the fans stand.

Here is Lenny...and the girl that stood next to me trying to get on TV.

Meredith...she kinda skipped over me...bummer.

Matt Lauer...this is for you Sunni!

Even closer to Matt...they did a little joke on Conan and we were on it...as well as the Today show! Whoo hoo!

After the Today show, we grabbed some lunch, went to the hotel to grab our stuff and then headed to the airport to come home. Unfourtunately our plane was delayed on the way home and I was so anxious to see Jude I couldn't even stand it. We got off the plane and came down the huge escalator in the new terminal and at the bottom...was my mom and Jude!! Oh how I missed him!

What a great trip...but oh how I missed this face!

NYC: Day 4

Day Four started off early and ended really late. We left at 7:45am to take the subway up to the Yankees Stadium to take the tour. Kevin is NOT a Yankees fan, but wanted to see the stadium before it was torn down at the end of the season.


Here we are...please forgive the yuckyness...it was very humid and not the most flatering outfit!


These are all the retired numbers


This is the closest that we got to the clubhouse.

This is the listing of all the years that they won the World Series...pretty cool.

Us in the Yankees Dugout.

The view from the press box.

The tour was really interesting, but the stadium is very old and not nearly as nice as our stadium.

This is the outside of the old stadium...

Fun Statue of Libery for the All Star Game.

New Stadium...it was almost done when we were there.

After going to the Stadium we went to the Mac store and FAO Schwartz where Kevin got to see the Big Piano.

After that we decided to venture into Central Park...I wanted to see all the places that are in all the movies that I love that were filmed in NY.

This was at the entrance of the park...thought it was fun.

This is the tunnel from the Jodie Foster movie...Brave One I think...scary!

One of the famous bridges that is in lots of movies...pretty good picture for an amature.

The Plaza Hotel (Home Alone)

This is called "The Mall".

This is the Bethesda Terrace.

The Boathouse Restaurant...from 27 Dresses. We actually ate there and it was really close to where they sat in the movie. Very neat setting, although the food was not that great.

This was the main thing I wanted to see...The Bow Bridge...it is the bridge in all the movies that is long and beautiful...like Made of Honor.

Here you go...I finally caught it when no one was on the bridge.

This is the waterway that goes under the bridge and has a bunch of fun buildings.

The Imagine Memorial...which was crazy because there were all these people there that were singing Strawberry Fields forever.

After our really long trip through Central Park...we had to make one stop at Grand Central Station and then we could go back to the hotel and rest before our night out. This is my favorite building in NYC...the Chryler Building.

Grand Central

After some down time in the hotel, we went to eat at Tony's pizza...I was starving, so we had Bruchetta...it was SO good!

Then we had pizza...which wasn't as good as Lombardi's pizza, but still good.

After that we ran to get in line at the Iridium Jazz Club to see Les Paul play. For those of you that don't know, Les Paul is a great guitar player and even has a guitar model that is named for him. He is like 93 years old and still plays almost every Monday night...we missed him last time we were there...so Kevin was really excited about getting to see him. We got to the club and there was already a long line. I was really frustrated because I have tried to plan every detail and make sure that Kevin would have great seats to see him. We had made friends with the people in front of us and this kid came up that was in charge of the seating...we made a comment about front row seats. He told us he could get us those seats if we gave him extra $$...both Kevin and the couple in front of us was totally for it. We totally thought he was kidding, but sure enough he came and got the other couple...and then came and got us...took us through the back of the club and sat us right up front.

Les Paul's pedal board...

Les Paul's guitar

Les had a friend come and play with him...Steve Miller

The Harmonica player from the Steve Miller band...he can totally play that thing.

Nikki was the bass player and she was totally great.

After the show we waiting in line for what seemed like forever to get his signature on the items that we searched for all week. Here I am getting my pick guard signed for Layne.

Here is Kevin getting his signed. Kevin really enjoyed it and I was so tired...we are too old to be staying out until like 1AM! Day 4 done.