What a difference a year makes!

Tonight Brian and Kelly carved our pumpkin.....I know we are a little behind this year! What a difference a year makes!!! Last year, Kelly was all for sticking her hand in the pumpkin and pulling everything out. She wouldn't even touch it this year! She would only use the scoop to dig out some seeds...and that's about it! She kept saying "yucky" and "me no get dirty hands!" Anyway, the pumpkin turned out great! We hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween!!!

Kelly thought it was fun to watch Daddy pull all the "guts" out with his hand. She kept saying yucky and me no get dirty hands!

It's Kelly's turn to scoop out some "guts".

Kelly and Brian cleaning out the pumpkin!

Daddy & Kelly's final masterpiece!

Making posters with the swim team

Kelly came to the first hour of swim practice with me today. Today was the first day I had only my varsity team (9 swimmers, 3 divers). The team made there district poster to hang up at school today with there goals on it, before we got into the water. Kelly had to get in on the fun...she painted a picture too!

Kelly painting her picture....while the team paints there poster.

Kelly in the middle of all the painting!

(The poster says Dominate at Districts....each star is for one of the girls and they write there goal times on them.)

Aquarium

Yesterday morning Brian, Kelly, Katelynn, and I went to the Aquarium in Dubuque. It has been opened for a few years now, but we have never gone. My aunt Nancy won 4 free tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) through the radio station and gave them to us! (THANKS NANCY!) We all had a good time. Kelly only lasted a little over an hour....she wanted to see all the animals.....and then move onto the next animal/fish/etc. We then took her to my Dad and Jackie's house for a nap, went out to lunch with Katelynn for her birthday (which was last week), and then went back to the aquarium for another hour and a half to look at everything else. It was a great day and everyone had fun!!!

" Look Mommy......FISHIES!"

Kelly and Katelynn looking at the little alligators.

Kelly thought it was pretty cool that Daddy was touching the BIG FISH!!! "Daddy touched a BIG FISH!!!"

Kelly thought it was fun to put her head in the "snake"...she kept saying "Mommy, take my picture!"

Kelly LOVED drinking out of the water fountain with Katelynn. She thought is was pretty cool.....Kelly would take a drink, and then she would make Katelynn take a drink, etc., etc., etc.

Racquel's 1st birthday

After the aquarium and Kelly taking a nap yesterday, we celebrated Racquel's 1st birthday.

Some of the kids around Racquel when singing Happy Birthday!

Racquel enjoying her birthday cupcake!

Grandma & Papa Mulgrew's anniversary party!

Yesterday we had an anniversary party for my Dad and Jackie at Timmerman's in Dubuque. We had around 60 people there.....family & friends. All 6 of us kids and all the grandkids were there....we even managed to have a family picture taken...thanks Tom Bierie! (27 OF US IS QUITE A GROUP!!!)

Dad & Jackie during the toast....Jackie was giving a thumbs up, because Dad said that the 6 of us kids were great.....but the GRANDKIDS were even better!

Kelly and Benjamin sitting on the window sill.....I had trouble with the lighting, since there were so many windows.

Daddy carrying a TIRED Kelly out after the anniversary party! All the parties and playing with all her cousins, wore her out!

(Yes, Kelly still sucks her thumb when she is tired!)

Benjamin's 3rd & Daniel's 1st birthday

After my swim meet today, my family was waiting for me at our house to celebrate two of my nephews birthdays. My brother Brian and his wife Katie (who live in Minnesota) are back for the weekend. (Yes, we have more things planned for tomorrow!) Today was Benjamin's 3rd birthday (10/18) and next Friday (10/24) is Daniel's 1st birthday! Since they were home for the weekend, we celebrated there birthdays! We had a BOB THE BUILDER THEME! A lot of the cousins came out ***Logan (5 yrs.), Brice (3 yrs.), Benjamin (3 yrs.), Jackson (3 yrs.), Helena (2 yrs.), Kelly (2 yrs.), Landon (1 ys.), Daniel (1 yr.), Racquel (1 yr.) ***and everyone had a great time! (We were only missing Isabella and Peyton!)

Brothers....Happy 3rd birthday Benjamin and Happy 1st birthday Daniel!

Singing to Daniel for his FIRST BIRTHDAY! He already got into the frosting a little bit! :)

Benjamin blowing out his candles!

Benjamin enjoying his cake!

Daniel eating his "1" cupcake! (YUMMY BLUE FROSTING!)

Kelly enjoying her cake!

Brice, Landon, Jackson, & Logan enjoying cake and ice cream!

Kelly, Helena, and Benjamin playing in Kelly's closet!

MVC Varsity

Today was a BUSY day for me! It started off this morning with our Mississippi Valley Conference Varsity Swim Meet. The meet went from my 9:00am conference coaches meeting until 5pm. Then we had the trip back home....where I met up with my entire family for Benjamin and Daniel's birthday parties! Here is a picture of my 9 crazy varsity swimmers!

WCHS Swimming Homecoming Float

Today was Wahlert's homecoming parade. The swimming and diving team always has a float in the parade. Kelly came with me to the parade today and rode on the float. She had a GREAT TIME!

Emily, Tabby, and Kelly.....the girls thought she needed the black face paint too!

Kelly came on the homecoming float too....she thought it was fun! Here she is with 4 of my seniors.....only missing is Ali because she is on Homecoming Court. Kelly is wearing one of the girls vests!

My three team captains (Emily, Ali, & Jordan)....Ali is on homecoming court!

Picking a name for her little sister!

Brian and I looked through a baby names book today during Kelly's nap. When Kelly woke up, she wanted to help! Brian was reading a lot of names and Kelly would say "YUCK" to most of them. Even the few Brian and I liked, Kelly said YUCK! I'm beginning to think Kelly is getting jealous of her soon to be baby sister. When we ask her what the babies name should be....she says BABY! Here she is with the baby names book after we were finished looking at it....she would flip through the pages and point to names.....unfortunately, Brian and I didn't like any of the names she pointed to! We are still in the process of finding a girls name.....we have a couple that we both like.....we will keep talking about it!