Fall Fun

Fall is the most beautiful time of the year in my eyes & we are fortunate enough to have fun activities to keep us busy during the season. They really have become traditions as the years sneak by and we realize how long it has truly been.

One of them is the trip to Gale Farms for the pumpkin picking, the train ride and a hayride. I can remember without getting out the picture albums of sitting Jack on a pumpkin that very first year in his blue overalls. He was 1 1/2 then... and this year as we had 4 boys running if 4 directions the youngest being 2. It was hard not to just stand back, have a moment and smile. It's official - I'm old - talking about how fast time flies!! Funny how this year it was a chore to get them all together for a picture - and even harder to picture that chubby cheeked one & a half year old that I was placing on pumpkins at one time. The big boys are now truly big - they are school kids, really not into smiling on pumpkins for goodness sake! The little boys are still able to be placed on pumpkins, it's the staying there part that is up for grabs. But what a difference a year made with them as well. This year they were running around pointing at all the bright orange pumpkins. We thought that maybe they would enjoy a train ride this year, but we soon found as the train rounded the bend that we were wrong. Both Andrew and Freddy, who were riding in the caboose, had their mouths wide and tears streaming. Apparently trains are still a bit scary for this year!

All and all it was another great year at the pumpkin patch!

Welcome Marshall Henry Hall!

On Sunday, September 21st Marshall Henry Hall made his grand appearance into the world. After giving his mom a full day of hard labor that the epidural didn't help with - he was delivered via C-section on Sunday evening. Not surprising to those that know his mother that he may be following in her stubborn footsteps! He was 8lbs. 3 1/2 oz. and 21 in. and is darling as expected.

I was lucky enough to sneak away after work on the Monday after to spend a few hours with Mandy, Dave and her family at the hospital. We all fussed and fought over who would hold him when and laughed as we did so. It was great to be there and share in such a wonderful day!

Mandy and Dave are doing well, we were able to see them just a few days short of Marshall's one month birthday this past weekend. We walked with them and other family and friends in Columbus's Light the Night. Team Hall participated in the walk to support and raise money for Leukemia & Lymphoma research. Dave & Mandy were touched with the support and we all walked with teary eyes as we remembered the unfortunate reason we were all together that evening. We continue to pray that Dave's treatment remains effective and that in April of 2009 he will be declared in remission for as long as possible.

Here are some pictures of Marshall in the hospital!

I know - never talk politics -

I try to not talk politics, but secretly I love it. I'm addicted to my free serious radio for it's endless news channels filled of nothing but people talking about the election updates and world news. I haven't always been like this, but I suppose that this new interest is part of getting older - or should I say - growing in maturity. (that sounds much better)


I won't tell you my party or my voting preference - even if I want to. Though I am finding that my interest of other's perspective and ideas about who to vote for are intriguing. In my job I talk to many people in a day and hear many views on many topics. I had a conversation yesterday that inspired me to share - and talk about this topic that is typically off limits.


It was with a conservative, who always votes republican. She was talking about - who else - Sarah Palin. You know the republican presidential candiate...oh, wait that's John McCain. Just kidding... Let me preface this by saying - I love women who have risen into the public eye that can be a voice for all of us who may not have that option. I love the mixture of women and power in a male dominated environment. I love that we, as women, are just as capable, intelligent and intriguing as any male candidate. Okay, on with the story...

She had a completely different point of view on Sarah as a mother and candidate then I had heard yet. She said - how can we live up to this new standard of supermom if this woman who is a mother of 5 with a 5 month old special needs child is elected vice-president? That spoke straight to my heart.


In this society in which we are already expected to work, clean, cook, be social, happy, raise well adjusted children, be a fantastic friend and partner, good christian, volunteer, be a good neighbor, coordinate schedules, remember every one's birthday's, exercise, have good fashion and then have a few minutes to ourselves to think about if we've even eaten today -- to name a few that apply to most women --- Are we raising the bar too high? In Sarah's case you'd have to add govern a state, hunt, be part of the PTO and now campaigning to the list.

Do I think that she actually does all of these things? No, I don't. I believe she has a stay at home husband and many close family members to help her as well as many amenities that the typical working woman does not. But what I would like to see - and realize now after this conversation - is the true portrayal of what a woman has to sacrifice to be in her position? I only hope that if McCain/Palin is elected that we can not only hear about what she does juggle, but about the things that she just simply can't. I know that I saw her cradle in her office in Alaska where she brought her son on day 3 of his life, that's a really big sacrafice. Honorable to those who elected her to office. But, I believe that in order for her to be a true voice to women she needs to be honest about what she has given up to do what she does everyday. I'm not so sure that the PTO mom gone VP candidate is the clearest, cleanest or most accurate portrayal of her everyday life.


Because for all of us mom's who juggle 45 million things a day - none of which involve running for office - all know that there are sacrifices, none of us can do it all.


I love a new perspective, and I thought her's was ingenious. In all of the upheaval that Palin has created I thought it was refreshing to hear something new...I hope it was a new thought to chew on for you all too!