The Toy Box Years: Halloween Part I - Death to Squirrels........

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

Halloween is not my favorite holiday. In fact, it's definitely up there with Valentine's Day as holidays I wish were removed from the calendar.

When My Marine's home, we do decorate.....I put out cute little decorations, we carve pumpkins, and last year we put out cute little ghosts around our tree.

This year.....nada.....

No decorating. No ghosts in the front yard. No cute little witchy teddy bears residing on my living room end tables. I'm lucky I got the pumpkins carved. Normally My Marine does that. I just watch, clean off the pumpkin guts from the seeds, and make the best roasted pumpkin seeds ever.

So, this past Sunday, I figured I'd bite the bullet for the girls and finally carve those pumpkins!

And I have to say, I think I did a pretty good job this year.

That is, until the squirrels struck. I had the darn things out for ONE NIGHT before the squirrels decided to eat the face off one and nibble on the mouth of another. And to make things worse....my stupid-ass dog just sat there and watched them do it! Must be because she likes to eat pumpkins herself.....