yesterday mom asked me to go up into the attic to see if i could find the old barbies that sinead and i used to play with... i found 2 rubbermaid boxes of dolls...the first was babies dolls (by the way, we opened and closed that box really quickly because those dolls were stinky and scary!) the second box was the barbies. completely preserved and just as i had last left them. sinead and i had the best time going through them and it was amazing how quickly the memories of each one and their outfits came back to me...i spent the next hour pulling them out and taking pictures of them...i must say that this was fun! sinead then proceeded in bathing all of them and washing and conditioning their hair!

lauren muzekari and i spent HOURS with these! i remember that their names were always Alex and Sam (short for Alexander and Samantha, of course! I can't remember if those were my names or lauren's, but i remember them clearly!)

here are barbie and the rockers...notice the brunette's cute stacked bob...i went through a hair dresser stage...clearly i was years ahead of the trend that we are currently seeing! i am pretty sure that the dark headed guy in the picture was a new kid of the block!

this is the wedding party of naughty bride barbie (notice the sheer top). pictured left to right...spray tan gone bad barbie, clearly 80's barbie complete with gigantic lace collar, drop waist dress, and heavy blue eye shadow, naughty bride barbie, and peaches and cream barbie (her real name, dad gave her to me for my birthday one year as we were leaving to go to ireland) they are ready for the ceremony so they can do the running man at the reception.

sinead said that this was her first barbie...i couldn't resist pointed out how old she was compared to the rest!! (love you sinead!)

this is future girls next door barbie...i wish you could see her whole outfit...the jean skirt is a custom complete with buttons in the back! i am sure that it won't stay on long seeing that her shirt really is a bathing suit!

here are the barbie twins...

twin number 1 is not at all bitter that her eye lids have falling out, the hair plugs went wrong, and that her sister is totally hotter than her. she loves her so much that she doesn't mind wearing the same dress that she has had since 1971 while her sister gets to look hip going to her footloose audition!

here we have beauty pageant barbies...miss red head doesn't look too upset that miss ponytail too tight ripped her dress before the evening gown portion.

and last but not least here are the future barbies. in the box there was a note explaining that in the year 2008 barbie would only wear metallic fiber since she was able to produce her own personal energy.

i thought that rocker ken deserved a closeup...he reminds me of barbara walters.

ps, don't tell john, but i found an outfit just like this for john for christmas on black friday! it is all about business up front and party under the jacket! anyone seeking a cpa who appreciates a wears neon mesh shirt under his jacket and ribbon tie, call john at boatwright!!

happy birthday katie!

obviously November is a busy birthday month for us...Friday was sweet Katie's. She is so cute...no matter what is happening she says "OH NO!"

something to hold you over...

i have SO many projects going on right that i have been bad about blogging, but i am super excited about thanksgiving and spending some time with the fam...and i am working on a new series...not sure if it can beat the sleep series, but this one is fun!

sweet maggie

happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you...happy birthday to yooouuuu...happy birthday to you! i love you, maggie. i hope that you had a wonderful birthday! love auntie fi!

happy birthday sinead!

happy birthday to my sweet sister, you are a terrific mother, friend, daughter, and person...i know that we always gave you a hard time, but know that we love you so much...oh and i am sorry for the trip to and from Notre Dame!

happy birthday margaret!

margaret and i have been best friends since the 4th grade...super funny story...when her grandmother "heard" that another little girl had moved into the neighborhood she made it her mission that we be friends. one day i was in the front yard minding my own business when this grandmotherly women drove into the driveway in a huge green car. she got out and said that she wanted me to come with her to meet her granddaughter...i remember it like it was yesterday...i turned to look at my mom who i had assumed would object to her youngest child getting in this car with a stranger...but she didn't...she said sure, that will be fine...i was thinking...that is not fine...she is a stranger, do you want me to get kidnapped!! well...turns out that it was worth the risk...margaret and i have been through a lot...a whole lot...thank god we made it out alive...there were a lot of close calls!

as you can see if the picture, we are about to go through more together. she is expecting a little girl in march...i can't wait to meet this sweet child that is going to be as mischievous as her mommy!

happy birthday margaret!! i hope that you had a great day friday!

happy birthday lindsey!

today is a big day for my sweet friend lindsey...happy birthday! i hope that you have a great day...i am sure that you will!

ps...i stole this picture from you!

change...

we witnessed a historic election yesterday. obama didn't get my vote, but i will come into the next 4 years with an open mind. i was reading facebook yesterday and was completely taken back by what people were saying...i couldn't believe some of the comments...i felt as though is was not 2008 at all. hopefully people will realize that even if they didn't want change...sometimes change is good...

okay last one, i promise...

so i had to post one last halloween picture...i love these...couldn't you eat them up for thanksgiving!!! kidding, of course!!

it was really spooky....


that i found this in our pumpkin...

we were invited to a pumpkin carving party and i lifted my cute green pumpkin up to put in my bag when i found this HUGE black widow inside...did i kill it right away like i should have...no, of course not, i grabbed my camera! after i got the picture, john got her out with a shoe and squashed her into the ground several times...poor lady didn't know what hit her.

john turned to the kids and told them that if they ever saw any spiders to come tell us right away...poor grady said "daddy, daddy, look spiders!" pointing the the fake ones on our porch...i wish he always listened that good!

halloween 2008

we had the best halloween ever. here are the pictures...there are a lot of them! aren't these kids the cutest?

here is mm is her costume...the headband didn't last long.

here is grady as an owl...i was really happy with how he turned out. he didn't keep the glasses on, but i still thought that they were really funny. notice how he has already gotten into the candy before we went trick or treating.

here is the practice run at our house...

hailey came over beforehand to take some pictures. it is really hard getting them to all be looking at the same time...go figure!


sitting was better...


here is our real first house...the livingstons are always so sweet.

after trick or treating, we all came back to alvin and lindseys to watch "the great pumpkin" under the stars...it was perfect ending to the perfect night.
here is mm snuggled up with her friends eating monster hands popcorn! fast forward a few years and i see these girls having many sleepover