Happy Halloween!

We had the best Halloween ever this year! I think mostly because Maddie is getting older and is able to understand how it all works now. She was so excited to be a ballerina and carry her Hello Kitty bucket around the neighborhood.
It was also pretty exciting because my Trish stayed with us to go trick-or-treating. She's from Houston, so we never get to see her on Halloween. That was my treat. :)
We were also joined by our bestest friends Dominic and Lucia, who are always included in our family functions and are always so much fun to be around.

Maddie, before we started trick-or-treating...twirling around in her tutu.



Dylan & Maddie, trying so hard to stay still for the picture...



Then the trick-or-treating begins...




Holding hands with Mommy...


I love how they decorated their house!


My handsome guy...



Holding hands with Daddy...


Halloween Picture with Grandma Trish! Pretty special.


Awesome costume, Dominic!


So cute. I owe all the credit to Lucia for taking all the pictures...they are wonderful! I wanted to experience all the fun without being behind the camera the whole night.


2 of my favorite people...Dylan is missing for some reason.


In action!


Dominic helping Maddie!


These guys were scary. I swear those were real pumpkins on their heads....though I guess that could have been the travel cups full of vodka-cranberry talking.


And last but not least...going through their loot.

Costume Parade

Always late, but worth the wait?

Either way, here I am again, with a post that should have been written in October. What can I say...life is so much more fun LIVING than BLOGGING. Still, I can't quit the blog...we're attached.

So back in October, Dylan was in his school's Halloween costume parade. It was first thing in the morning, so the whole family walked over to check it out. He was dressed as my little air fighter pilot.

He was so proud of his costume...


His teacher, the lobster...


The parade...




This costume never gets old...




The teachers get their own parade.

USC Game...back in October

I went to the best ever USC game with the Millers....back in October. You didn't expect a post about it less then 2 months later, right?!

Anyone that knows me, also knows that I am in no way a sports fan. Not even a little. But it's become sort of an annual tradition for us to go to a USC game every year with my Dad & my Trish. This year was USC vs Stanford. There's just something about actually being at a game. The cool, crisp fall air, the excitement of everyone around you...it's just awesome. It was a great game...but a sad loss. I can't wait until next year!

My Dad, before we left for the game...


The crowd...







The Stanford marching band...WTF?





The USC marching band...much better. :)


And the hot-as-ever Erin Andrews...


A great time was had by all.

46 Days till Christmas!

I'm sitting at work...the first day I've even had a chance to look at my blog...and I realize I haven't posted since Dylan's first day of school!

I'm the worlds worst blogger.

So I am not popping in to remind everyone...it's only 46 days until Christmas!! The Mac's are so excited, and already prepping! My house is already about 30% decorated, and I am currently listening to my Christmas music station on Pandora in my headphones at work while typing this. Nothing like a little "Let it Snow" while I'm entering petty cash envelopes!

The First Day of 4th Grade!

It seems like summer went by so fast. Since we moved right before the end of the last school year, Dylan was to start a new school in Burbank. All summer he was sad to leave his best friend, and nervous that he wouldn't make any new friends at his new school.

In the weeks before school started, we did his school shopping, shoe shopping, got his haircut...all in preparation for his 4th grade year. I started to get really nervous.

The morning came, and there was no way I could tell him that I was nervous. I was supposed to be the strong one. He got dressed, ate his breakfast, and I helped him do his hair. We left the house at 8:10, and I drove him to school. I said my goodbyes to him as he got out of the car, and I was choking back the tears. He walked through the gate to school, wearing his backback and looking cute as ever, and didn't seem nervous at all. I, however, watched him walk away and realized that this was the first time I dropped him off at a strange place all by himself. I was worried...what if he didn't find his classroom? What if he really didn't make new friends that easily? I drove to work right after dropping him off, and couldn't stop thinking about it. All.Day.Long. At 3:02 when I was sure he had to be out of school, I called my Grandma, who picks him up. She put him on the phone, and I could almost hear him smiling through the phone. He said that he just asked someone where to go and found it just fine. Then he told me he made a friend before he even found his classroom. That friend introduced him to his other friends, and there you have it....he has a whole group of friends on the very first day of school. Why was I so worried? Yes, that's right...because I'm a Mom. Everything worries me, and everything makes me a little emotional. I'm watching my baby grow up right before my eyes, and it's the most amazing and terrifying feeling in the world.

One Final Stop...

On the way home from San Diego, and the day before they had to go home to Houston, there was one final stop we had to make.

Disneyland, of course!! No trip to see the McCarthy's would be complete without a visit to the happiest place on earth!

My little pumpkins on the old fire engine...



I LOVE this picture of Dylan laughing!






The last time I had my camera out all day was on the carousel...Maddie's favorite ride!








We left Disneyland a little early & finished our night off at Casa Vega...the best mexican food, well...anywhere. Had a couple margaritas, and went home to sleep.
They left the next morning, and I was sad. My house felt so empty.
So it's a good thing they will be back in October!