Halloween Pics

I doubt there is anyone out there who has yet to hear my good news (given that I have done all but fly a plane with a banner over Gville) but just in case.........I PASSED MY QUALIFYING EXAMS!!! I still am in a state of denial that it is all behind me and I may be suffering from a minor case of PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome) b/c I still stop myself and think I need to be studying. I am now officially ABD (all but dissertation) and have the signatures on my form saying I am an official doctoral candidate and cleared to graduate upon my dissertation defense. So basically this means I just need to write it up and turn it in. Easier said than done BUT I have almost all of my data collected so I am anticipating defending in the summer!!! I am not officially allowed to graduate until a year has passed between my quals and dissertation defense but my committee agreed that I can move and start a job if I find one and just come back to Gville to defend/walk for graduation. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!! We all know it is ONLY by the grace of God that I have made it this far. =) That two hour defense was just about as stressful as the written exams. They drilled me and I actually had sweat under my arm pits but was relieved to hear that I "wowed" them and they said I passed with flying colors and really knew my stuff. Funny b/c I still don't feel in anyway like an expert which is somewhat unsettling.

I have really been enjoying some down time amidst caring for our yet again sick boy and have been rather "unconnected" from the internet which has been great. I started to miss my blog though, so had to pop on and get all caught up in pics. So much has happened in the last few weeks!

Here are the rest of our Halloween pics, oh and Sammy is having a ROUGH time dealing with the closing of the pumpkin patch. He asks about it almost every day and sometimes his little lip quivers when I tell him it is closed up until next year. Today we drove by construction and they had that plastic orange makeshift fence stuff up and he literally screamed and about jumped out of his carseat yelling "pumpkin patch mommy! Acqa !!!" (there in espanol) b/c it was the same they had at our little patch. Poor baby. I seriously am considering starting up our own pumpkin patch in our little yard for him. ha ha. =(

HF n TD= Sisters 4-eva (as Hannah writes on EVERYTHING) - she is growing up WAY too fast
Hannah has taught Sammy how to strike a pose

We each picked out a pumpkin and had fun carving

Sammy loved the giant stem
Obviously this was Sammy's idea to hug our pumpkins. I love that little guy! He's too much
Ready to draw a face on Sam's giant one
We read his "happy pumpkin" book to relate the pumpkin to God's light shining in us, not sure how much it sank in but was fun anyway
He wouldn't keep his head out of there! Kept saying "Hi-yo (hello) Punkin! "
Silly boy in his favorite place on earth ~ this is excluding the grandparents' & Gloria's house of course

Posing like Hannah Banana
Spent the day with Jane!
I loved their "classic" costumes, such a fun day!
He was holding her hand, awww!
Then went in for a kiss and was REJECTED!
Halloween day! Hannah was Cinderella, isn't she beautiful!
Boo at the Zoo with Erin & Amberly and Molly & Jane
Molly and Janey!
Checking out the black swan
Our fall festival plans fell through (b/c I had the wrong day...oops) and so we ended up trick or treating in Kim's new neighborhood and had a blast!

Sammy got LOTS of candy b/c he had no shame and asked each person for "mo candy peas?" with his little sad eyes and not one single person turned that little rascal down!!
We surprised Kim and Chris!!! Look who was wearing her wedding gown?? ha ha!!! It had only been 3 weeks since the wedding and she was itching to put it back on. You gotta love her!
The newly weds, too cute!!!
Hannah just had to try on Kim's veil...
which meant Sammy had to have a go at it too
This was clearly Hannah's idea but Sam really took it and ran with it huh?? That's my hubby!!!