We Have A Winner!!!!...and Halloween Pictures Too

We have a blog give-away winner!!! Monica from Monkey Musings was picked by Reid to receive a $100 American Express gift card...yeah Monica!! After trick or treating tonight we dumped out "Elmo" of all the loot Reid received from neighbors and used it as our "bowl" to pick the names from. Monica, he picked your name and I realized later that you actually commented on my last post about missing the "comment cut off" for the give-away...you must have forgotten that you commented earlier in the month, lol, and good thing...because you won! Monica Email me at tlcforeman@verizon.net and I will get the gift card in the mail to you.
...and for everyone else, I hope you had a fun Halloween!!! Here are a few pictures from our evening.

Poor Reid refused to nap all day and then fell asleep right on the floor before all the festivities began, we actually had to wake him up so he could go trick or treating to at least a few houses. This kiddo can sleep anywhere!

Luke decided to be Albert Einstein for Halloween. This totally fits him, he has been saying he wants to be a scientist when he grows up for several years now. As I was buying the costume for Luke I saw they had it in an adult size, so he and his dad were my scientists for the evening. As you can see Albert Einstein Sr. was rooting for the Yankees amidst handing out candy! :)

Waiting for the last few trick or treaters.

Last Day to Comment for Blog Give Away-$100 Gift Card

Oh my poor, poor neglected blog....I have had so many things I've wanted to blog about in the name of Down syndrome awareness but life has been so full lately that it has been a challenge to get my fingers on the computer keys lately...or before I pass out from exhaustion. Tonight however I had to overcome my exhaustion and press on for my little ones as Luke needed 60 cookies for his Halloween party in a few hours and needed his pants hemmed for his Albert Einstein costume, and...and....and, the list goes on so I am now finding myself still up at 2:45 am. Oh the joys of motherhood...! :)
So......since I am up and am realizing it is now October 30th I wanted to send out a reminder that today is the last day to leave a comment on my blog give away post, in order to be added to the drawing for a $100 American Express card. If you haven't commented yet, please do I would love to have you included in the drawing...but would also love to hear from you! Scroll to find the Give-Away post or click here.
Happy Friday! ...off to bed, hopefully I can sleep as soundly as the little guy pictured above. :)

A Blog-Anniversary Give Away! $100 American Express Gift Card

I am super excited to host my first official "Blog Give Away" in honor of my "One Year Blog-Anniversary". Actually this is a little delayed since my true anniversary for my blog was last August....it was 8/08 when I first entered this amazing blog world (to be honest... I didn't even really know what a blog was before then, I know... a little sheltered this girl is :)! However, since then I have met so many amazing blogging friends from... literally all over the world and I just love it!!!!

When life was getting a little crazy in August and I knew I would miss the opportunity to do this then due to sheer busyness I thought I would delay my blog anniversary until now.....October, Down syndrome Awareness Month, and this is why.........

As much as the month of October is set aside as a time to bring awareness to those that may not know much about Down syndrome......I feel I AM actually the one, who over this past year, has gained a "heightened awareness".... from all of you. I have definitely learned to stand a little stronger and a little taller in these shoes. I have learned to not fear the future thanks to those who are a little further along on this road. I have benefitted from hours and hours of research many of you have done and been gracious enough to share. I have learned about nutrition and supplements specific to children with Down syndrome. I've learned about sleep studies, sleep apnea, and blood panels to have drawn consistently (um okay, yeah that one I'm still a little fuzzy on :) ). I've watched BEAUTIFUL children come home to their "Forever Families" who would have otherwise been institutionalized because of their extra chromosome. I have learned about nasty words like Leukemia, Infantile Spasms, and Atlantoaxial Instability. I have watched families fight like hell to keep their children alive and I've cried and cheered right along with them! I've watched as others have stepped out and gracefully advocated for their children....for our children. And over the last year I became ever so aware of what an amazing group of families and what an amazing source of support and resources there are in the Down syndrome community.

So, part of the intent of my blog anniversary give away is to say THANK YOU, a hundred times over....for sharing your stories, sharing your struggles, and sharing in this amazing journey with me...and to say thank you for popping in and checking in on us over here...I am always so humbled and tickled every time I look over at my site meter and I see that someone has come for a visit, whether you let me know you are here by leaving a comment or not....but I'm hoping that you will for this post so I know who you are and so you can be entered into the drawing...whether you have a family member with Down syndrome or not.

To be entered into the drawing:

Simply leave me a comment....whether you've been here 100 times or just once

by October 30th 12:00 midnight (PST)

Reid will pick a name from a hat and I will post the winner on October 31st

If our winner lives internationally I will make sure the gift card is in the proper currency