We had a storm Sunday night. I ended up sleeping on the couch because it was so windy and loud on the top floor where my bedroom is. Then the cable and internet were out. Then the basement flooded. On the other hand, we didn’t lose power here at the house, but because it was out in other towns our super crazy busy afternoon ended up being a pretty relaxed afternoon. I’m still so tired I almost fell asleep in the McDonald’s drive thru.

Sunday:

My little pirate tried her first macaron

The face is part of the costume, he liked the cookie

Why does Linc look like he’s 10?

Monday:

Literally the only photo on my camera roll from this day

Tuesday:

Playing trucks while we wait for the bus

Package protector

I bought 4 of these in August when I heard they might be popular. I guess they’re not THAT popular.

Wednesday:

Hello gorgeous

He’s getting so LONG

Things that went through the washing machine this week

Thursday:

HUGS

Friday:

Caroline’s teacher suggested she might want a retake. Caroline couldn’t figure out why, she LOVES her picture. So we’re keeping it.

Fell asleep face down in the cookies.

Saturday:

Fancy fall hair

My little monkies on their favorite boat

He demanded I take this photo

I have this horrible cough that will not go away. I think it’s allergies causing post-nasal drip that’s clogging up my lungs, but whatever it is it’s ruining my week. I have these coughing fits that sound like I’m an old-fashioned lady dying of consumption. It causes a pounding headache and keeps me from sleeping. MOST of the time I’m totally fine and don’t feel sick at all, but then I get hit with an episode. Too bad I can’t take the nighttime cough meds during the day, That stuff is amazing.

I don’t usually dress up for Halloween. Grown-up costumes are either too cheap or too expensive and never fit right, if they fit at all. I don’t want to be a Sexy Crayon or a Sexy Elmo or a Sexy Fire Hydrant. I just want to be a regular mom in yoga pants who steals all the peanut butter candy after the kids go to bed.

But this year, we needed some extra Halloween magic, so we did a family Halloween costume.

Putting on a Supergirl costume – and wearing it in public – is terrifying. I am not Supergirl. I am a 35-year-old mother of 4. But during this deployment, I don’t get a choice. I HAVE to be super, all the time. With the kids, the house, the dog, the finances, my work, the holidays, all of it. It feels like I am lifting heavy objects, dodging bullets and leaping over obstacles on a daily basis. So if the cape fits, I’m going to wear it. And the boots. And some bright red lipstick.

And if I’m going to put that much effort into our family of superheroes Halloween costumes, you can bet I’m going to turn it into a photo shoot. We headed down the street and borrowed an abandoned mill (possibly the old Hopkins & Allen firearms factory? I’m not good at telling the many abandoned brick buildings downtown apart) for a cityscape. The kids had a GREAT time playing superhero and even if I still don’t love looking at myself in photos, I know I won’t be sorry to have these. I can’t wait for E to get a chance to see that I’m using my super strength to hold everything together well enough to still have fun.

Any of these that I am in were taken by Evan and/or Caroline. I taught them how back button focus, framing, and shooting works (with the camera safely on a tripod) and they did an awesome job.

In case you were wondering, Evan and Caroline’s costumes came from Chasing Fireflies (Caroline this year, Evan last year), Finnegan’s Robin and Supergirl are from Zulily, and Linc’s was bought on a local resale page. I’m pretty sure it’s pajamas, but it’s comfortable and he loves it.

What day is it? Where am I? When was this? All the weeks seem both a million years ago and like they are still happening right now.

Sunday:

Sleeeeeeepy baby

This is Lincoln running away because I am the meanest

The kids are doing yoga right now while I am typing this recap

Monday:

Pajamas on the porch

When he outgrows these boots, he’ll go barefoot forever

MORE NAPS

Tuesday:

Picking up Brutus at the vet

Stupid bug bite turned into an INSANE rash

WHY AREN’T YOU SLEEPING NOW?

Wednesday:

Sure, that’s normal.

Someone wasn’t getting enough attention

Thursday:

Sick, miserable kiddo

Friday:

Back to the doctor for some prednisone

SAVE ME HALO TOP

Farmer’s market night

Saturday:

The price I pay for sleeping in for half an hour

Corn maze adventure

Caroline does handstands, Finn shares his juice

The weather went from being full-time amazing to rainy and dark and it reminds me that in a couple weeks daylight savings will end and it will be dark by the time the kids get home from school. AND THEN WE STILL HAVE TO GO TO ALL OUR ACTIVITIES. I do not love this part of the year in New England. At least in a few weeks I can start on Christmas and that will cheer me up.

I’ve been using my phone to keep children quiet, so it’s often a) dead b) busy or c) so filthy I can’t use the camera. It reminded me that when I started this project three hundred and sixty weeks ago it was funny more than serious. They weren’t supposed to be GOOD pictures. So right now, bad is mostly what I have.

Sunday:

Not a black eye, a mosquito bite.

Rewatching all of Game of Thrones, because why not

Monday:

The days are long

Sweetness

Good kitty. I swear the older she gets the smaller she gets.

Tuesday:

THE INFAMOUS BUNCHEMS INCIDENT

Couch climber

Back naps!

Wednesday:

Faaaaaaaaaaall

Tiny pumpkins for a tiny boy

Thursday:

Ready for picture day! Except we were a week early.

They both love this game

Our town hall is cool

Friday:

My baby is cooler than me

He literally carries her around half the day but she still loves him

Saturday:

I really wish I could have gotten the geese flying OVER the moon

Ordering groceries and watching Outlander

My life is very exciting, if by exciting you mean incredibly mundane, normal, average and boring. It’s busy, for sure, but I’m starting to feel like my poor kids barely leave the state and I should really try to travel more. But then I remember traveling with kids is terrible so it’s back to the couch I go.

I think a month is the longest I’ve ever abandoned this blog since I started it 9ish years ago. I didn’t do it on purpose. I actually wrote a bunch of things that totally would have been blog posts in 2009 but ended up as Facebook posts because it’s 2017. We’re not even close to halfway through with this deployment and although we’ve found rhythm and a schedule that works, it’s exhausting being the only adult in charge of 4 small humans. Even when they have playdates or activities – and I am SO grateful for everyone who has helped – I play chauffer and social planner.

But it would be unfair to quit trying to document everything now, when I know E is looking forward to catching up on everything he missed as soon as he can. So onward and upward, once again.

Sunday:

All three, living their best lives

Mystic Seaport is our happy place

My eight year old beat me at bumper bowling

Monday:

We made slime every day for a week, then I got tired of scraping it off the floor

When both kids are awake and insist of being held at the bus stop

The CUTEST little soaps from The Rubber Ducky Soap Co

Tuesday:

Checking out the candy deals

Pretending he’s a big kid

Watching sissy do cheer

Wednesday:

I WON THE BUS WAR THEY MOVED IT HALF AN HOUR EARLIER

Trashing the car while waiting for Caroline outside ballet

Thursday:

I have a peach vampire in the house

OK, bye, just go be a big kid

Trampoline heaven

Friday:

The first of many, many vet appointments

HAPPY to go to school! YAY!

We put all those rocks in the kindness garden

Saturday:

Who can resist a selfie with a cow?

My little lambs

Another year at The Big E with friends