Forever and a Day

Oh it has been so long since I have written anything. I often think about it, then get caught up in my vicious circle of guilt. You know the one, it is the same with my pictures. I wait too long to do anything with them then I feel bad, then I can't get caught up and so and so forth. Well here it goes. I guess I will just have to ump in to it.
Charley, at 13 months is practically running everywhere. She climbs on everything and rides her trike and anything that moves. Where Frankie was verbally driven Charley is very tactically driven. She loves to put things in a bag and take them out, play with screw drivers and hammers, press buttons and touch the touchy feel books. Frankie was and still is very into her books and pretend play. She is always 'someone' whether she be Dorothy, Willy Wonka, Rapunzel or another one of her favorites.
For Halloween Frankie dressed as Dorothy and Charley was a strawberry. We went trick or treating around Gran's house and Frankie had a great time. Charley was in the back pack and loved looking at all the lights and decorations. She did not, however, like the fireworks!

Frankie is taking swimming lessons and is becoming more comfortable with putting her head under the water and what not. She is, however, a little frustrated at the process. When asked how her lessons are going she replies "Well I can't swim yet!"
They had a joint birthday party this year and it worked out really well. Mom and dad were here, we made scary cupcakes and the weather was nice enough to do it all outside. The kids went on tractor rides, and played on a bouncy castle. It was really a lot of fun and of course the kids got spoiled. Charley was walking before her birthday, and her actual first steps were at 11 months.

I find myself getting sad that fall is over, it is such an amazing season especially where we live. The leave changing, the crispness in the air, the chill in the morning makes me feel like a new beginning is happening. I think that fall is my New Years, or even spring. When all over the place the vegetation is dying and becoming dormant, I always feel like a new rebirth is happening. It is probably ingrained in all of us from school, where it is a new year for school every September, but it seems to always be a rebirth for me in life too. I met and started dating Quag in October, I had both girls in October, the most beautiful season to me is autumn....just seems that it is 'my' time of year.
Now we find ourselves coming in to the Christmas Season. Don't get me wrong, I love Xmas but not as much as fall.
This year will mark a change for our family. Everyone on my side is driving out here. It will be interesting and fun, I am just starting to get excited as I start planning out gifts and what not. Frankie will be uncontrollable! It will be awesome! Anyway, enough for now, I have to upload some pictures before I get distracted again