Happy New Year!!

From our home to yours, I hope you have a wonderful New Year's Eve! Wrap up 2011 in whatever style is perfect for you. Here's hoping 2012 is your best year yet. Always remember to keep your dreams and goals in your sights. Our friends just popped by for some pre-party drinks and now Craig, Stella and I are cozying up for the evening with some wine and a movie. I wouldn't want it any other way. xoxo 

life so far.....

Tomorrow we will hit the two week mark of being parents to this little munchkin. I just thought I'd let you know some things we've discovered during these past few weeks:

Biggest transition: How little we get done in a day. Between feeds and diaper changes, if I get a load of dishes done or laundry done - it's an awesome day. Seriously. 

Best thing you can do for a new family: Drop off meals. We've had delicious lunches and dinners dropped off to us in the hospital and at home. I can't tell you how amazing this is. I will definitely do this for my next friend to have a baby. 

Dumbest mistake so far: Forgetting to put a diaper on the baby. Friends were over, she pooped in her onesie.  It wasn't pretty. Mom's reputation is quickly tanking.

Coolest gift: Little Stella library of books. My friend's mom gave us this collection. I didn't even know these existed. A series of books about a little redheaded girl named Stella - such a great find. 

Best Discovery: The soother. She loves it. We love that she loves it. Thank you clever creator of the soother, you mad genius. 

Best tip: Although my milk is still struggling to come in because of the labour I had, the best cure for sore nipples/boobs for new moms is lanolin cream and cabbage leaves. Cover nipples in pure lanolin.  Peel off a few cabbage leaves and place them in your bra. Ignore the fact your bra looks like a portable salad container. It works. Trust me. 

Biggest laugh so far: We were driving by to see what movies were playing at our theatre. We just turned to each other and laughed at how it really doesn't matter. Oh how quickly we forgot our new lifestyle. 

Peace and love amazing friends!! I hope you had a great holiday season. xoxo

Stella's Birth Story

I wanted to write about Stella's journey into this world, even though it is emotionally difficult and raw for me to write about.
I started feeling contractions at 4 am on Saturday, Dec. 17th (4 hours after getting home from the Prince concert). The contractions weren't too painful and I thought I was going to be a champion at labour. Bring it on! Once they were five minutes apart and gaining momentum, I called the hospital to see if it was time to come in. The maternity ward nurse said it would be good to come in for an assessment. In the assessment room, they determined that I was only 1 cm dilated and would have to send me home. As soon as I stood up from the hospital bed, I started to vomit. As I was vomiting, my water broke. (Clean up in aisle five!) I was lucky because only 15% of women have their water naturally break before labour.  (Most women have to have the doctors break their water for them).
In seeing my water break, the nurse said, "Well, forget what I just said, you are staying now, we're checking you in." Suddenly I was brought into my own private room and was preparing for labour. The contractions came fast and furious. I tried every breathing technique under the sun:  fast short breaths, deep long breaths, yoga breathing- you name it - I tried it. I counted backwards, did the alphabet backwards, anything to try and keep my mind off the pain. Eventually, I just couldn't stay on top of the pain and kept turning to Craig, begging for him to make it stop. I asked the nurse if it was possible at this point to get an epidural. She checked and because I was 4 cm dilated, they called in the Anesthesiologist (or as I like to refer to him, a God in a smock.) When he put the needle in my back, I instantly felt like a new woman. Suddenly I was able to talk, to laugh, to rest - I was even considering naming our child epidural. At that point in time, it was THE BEST decision I had ever made in my entire life. I was so happy. The on call doctor swung through in a cavalier fashion. I wasn't impressed by how little he seemed to care about my labour. He went out Christmas tree shopping and the nurses were trying their hardest to get him back to the hospital. When he returned, he determined that I was already 10 cm dilated. It was showtime. At 4 pm, he got me to start pushing. I gave it everything I had. I was so excited because he said that most first time moms give birth within two hours. I was so thrilled that we'd have a baby in our arms by 6 pm.  Everytime I pushed, I had to hoist myself upright using a towel slung over a railing. I had to push for 30 seconds every two minutes. It quickly became exhausting, and as the epidural wore off, quickly became painful. Craig helped lift me during my contractions so that I could push. The doctor kept encouraging me, "You're so close, don't give up, think of your baby!" Even when I had nothing left in me, I kept going. (I was also vomiting water every second or third contraction). After four hours of pushing, yes, four hours, the on call doctor finally got the OB/GYN to examine me. Within 20 seconds of feeling inside, she said that I should never have been pushing in the first place, that the baby was stuck far up in my pelvis. She immediately called for an emergency C section without hesitation. She said that the baby was too far up inside of me for forceps or a vacuum. By 9 pm, I was having a spinal and getting strapped to a gurney. Stella was born at 9:15 pm. The OB/GYN said it was the most difficult C section she had performed. After four hours of pushing, my uterus ruptured as soon as they opened me. The OB/GYN was able to salvage it quickly, enabling me to have children again if we so choose. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of blood and was a borderline case for getting a transfusion. As soon as they lifted Stella in the air, and I heard her cry, I burst into tears, so happy that she was safe and sound. They quickly checked her over and wrapped her up snuggly, resting her in our arms. I went into convulsions as a side effect from the spinal, and had to have Craig take Stella away, in fear that I would drop her. Craig went with Stella and the nurses up to the maternity ward and I stayed for a few hours of post op. On Sunday morning, the OB/GYN checked the bag hooked up to my catheter and was alarmed that it only contained blood, no urine. She called in a urologist who broke the news to me that I would have to have surgery that afternoon. He rushed me downstairs for some cat scans and bladder examinations. They were worried that the ureter (the tube connecting the kidneys to the bladder) was damaged from all the pushing. I wept when he told me about the surgery. I felt like I was constantly being pulled away from Stella, and physically I felt that I had nothing left in me to give. I hadn't had anything other than water since Friday, and they told me I couldn't have anything because it would delay the surgery. They wanted to put a shunt through my ureter to see if it was blocked, and if it was blocked, they were going to have to re-open my C section incision and reconnect my ureter to another part of my bowel. Luckily, the doctor was able to get a shunt successfully through the ureter and vacuumed out blood clots that were taking up my bladder. By Sunday night, I was back in the ward with Stella and Craig and on the road to recovery.
I am happy to report that the OB/GYN is launching an investigation against the on-call doctor, who she said should never had had me push in the first place, let alone for four hours. The hospital is doing an audit on him and wants me to write them a letter about everything. It gets me upset to speak about because I feel that he needlessly put my baby's life in jeopardy, and has no idea how long our road was to get to her. I am so thrilled she's happy, healthy and at home safe in our arms. Our little Stella has proven to be a real trooper. xo

all I ever wanted for Christmas

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas! This photo sums up my wildest dreams come true. Here's hoping yours do too. xoxo

Stella's first friends

This afternoon Stella (pictured right) got to meet Elle Portia Lebrun-Forbes (left)  and Alexa Quinn Caldwell (middle), her new little mates. My heart almost burst seeing them all together. They were all born within two months of one another. Their mothers and I worked together for years and have stayed close ever since. We can't believe our luck. Charlie's Angels watch out!

Introducing Stella Ruby Williams

Notice how she's flipping the bird in this shot? That's our baby girl! 

She's finally here. After all the months of wondering who was growing inside my belly, we finally got to meet our beautiful little girl Stella Ruby Williams on Dec. 17th at 9:15 pm, weighing in at 8 lbs 8 ounces.  When I saw the doctors hoist her in the air, my heart absolutely burst. We are head over heels in love. I will write more in days to come and take some photos.  Promise. It's our first day at home and we are busy setting up our little new life together. Here are a few photos of our new family. Peace and love. xoxo 

Let's Go Crazy!

It's pretty funny that the Prince concert has arrived. I knew it was a long shot when we bought the tickets last month - I thought either the baby would come quite early and hoped that my parents could babysit while we had our first evening out, or there was always the off chance the baby would be quite late and we could go. A lot of people thought I was crazy and would be selling the tickets at a big loss. I have to admit, as this week has unfolded with many sleepless nights full of sporadic contractions, I thought labour would have unfolded by now too. But now that it's here, I'm really pumped to share in this concert with my hubby. Maybe a night with the master of funk will get this baby dancing all the way out of the womb. I know that Prince isn't everyone's cup of tea. I fully appreciate that everyone has different musical taste. For myself, he was one of those ground breaking artists whose music instantly resonated with me and shaped a lot of my musical taste growing up. I remember being 10, spinning the 1999 album on my dad's turntable and being blown completely away. The funky beats, the jangling guitar, the sexy lyrics - I was instantly hooked. Over the years I have caught him twice live and marvelled in his talent. His endless library of hits, his extreme musical ability (for his debut album, he played all 27 instruments on the recording), his crazy funky dance moves that speak volumes of his James Brown, Sly Stone and Jimi Hendrix influences. These days you don't see too many performers who can just command a stage and put on a full out show like he does. I better go rest in case the show really does bring on labour :) Have a great night!!

the waiting game

I honestly feel like a little kid who is trying their hardest to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, but is too ramped up with excitement about what is to come. I toss and turn all night - I really can't wait to meet this little baby, to finally see them and to hold him or her for the first time. I keep envisioning everything - hearing Craig announce if it's a boy or a girl, seeing him hold our baby for the first time and knowing this is finally our time- our baby that we get to keep. I can't wait to introduce the baby to our parents, siblings and friends. The waiting is tough. It shouldn't be. I should be basking in these quieter moments before this little one bursts on the scene. But, I have definitely come to realize I'm not good at simply relaxing. I'm not a feet up kind of gal. TV doesn't really interest me much (with the exception of Breaking Bad, which blows my mind). Reading during the day is tough, it feels like too much of a luxury, I'm constantly distracted, itching to go out and visit friends. I don't know if it's from working on a fast paced trade floor for so long or if it's just part of my make up - but even when we travel, I prefer to load up a jeep and hit the road to explore remote locations instead of simply lying on a beach. So having the doctor tell me to just take it easy has been anything but. Do you find it easy to relax? Are you good at just having a day in? 

Creativity

Have you ever checked out Ted.com? It's an amazing free series of lectures by riveting speakers. This afternoon, I checked out Ken Robinson's talk on how school kills creativity - insightful, absolutely hilarious and inspiring. I highly recommend taking 20 minutes out of your day to watch it. As educators, why is more emphasis placed on mathematics and sciences and less clout given to the arts? Why are we always encouraging our children to pursue careers in business and technology and steering them clear of a future in writing or music? Ken Robinson gives an in-depth portrait on his philosophies as to how education should help discover children's passions instead of squander them. Why, when we become older, are we more afraid - more afraid of being wrong, of taking chances? Do you consider yourself a creative soul? Some people almost feel ashamed to admit it, like it's a flakey trait to possess. I have always loved the arts- my life's biggest passions are writing, photography, music, dancing, cooking, movies, painting, design - I am drawn to all things that tap into my deepest emotions or provide visual stimulation. My English Literature degree might not be held in as high esteem with my co-workers as their MBAs, PHDs, CMAs, etc...but I know that I am just as bright as they are, but my learning style is just rooted more deeply in creativity. I love discussing people's hobbies that they are most passionate about - because it is often something that has nothing to do with their day jobs. Let's face it, whether it's through parental suggestion or education, we are often encouraged to pursue occupations that provide a safe trail, steady income and gainful employment - a reliable paycheque so that we can pay our bills and sleep at night. What if we really took chances in our pursuits? What would the world look like then? A few years ago I went through occupational testing at UBC, just out of interest's sake to see what it came up with after a series of questionnaires and tests. The top five jobs? Musician, Photographer, Art Teacher, Advertising manager and Broadcast Journalist. Creative pursuits prevailed. I wasn't surprised. I just felt a little disappointed that I have never felt confident enough to take a chance on a trail that often feels so uncertain. That's why I honestly love writing this blog. Whether one person reads it or 100 people read it, it is an endeavour that lets me channel my photography and writing at once. If you pop in to read this, you are paying me the highest compliment because you are taking a moment to get to know the real me. Thank you so much valued readers. I hope you always try to make time for your passions. xo

o Christmas tree, o Christmas tree

Last night we put up the tree. I am so happy we got a tree in place before the baby comes. It's my favourite part of the Christmas season - sitting by the fire at night with the tree plugged in, listening to music. We found a great service at Art & Knapps this year - you pick out your tree, they will bag it, cut if if necessary and will tie it up to your car/truck for you. It was so wonderfully easy. Do you prefer real or fake trees? Do you decorate yours the same each year or change it up? I love how diverse people are with their choices. We saw white trees, hot pink ones, you name it, it was being sold yesterday. Some people still order their trees to be sprayed with fake snow. Whatever makes you happy, go for it. Tis the season for classy or full out, over the top blinking light cheesy. 

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hello Friends! Sorry for the delay between posts. We've been frantically trying to wrap up our kitchen reno before the baby comes. I think they call these situations shotgun renos - which will arrive first, the contractions or the appliances, the countertops or the baby? The race is on. Today is officially day two of my mat leave. I know already that I'm going to miss all of the wonderful people that I work alongside - you take for granted how many social interactions you have in a typical day at work. That being said, it'll be nice to have the time to focus on getting the house renos done, getting ready for the baby's arrival and getting into the Christmas spirit. Have you decorated your home for Christmas already? Do you prefer the fake tree or the real deal? Do you have any favourite Christmas traditions that you have set up for your family? Some of our favourite traditions include riding the Stanley Park Christmas Train and walking around the Van Dusen Gardens Festival of Lights with a hot delicious drink in hand. We also try to take in a cheesy local Christmas pantomime play each year, it's pretty fun to see the variety of acting abilities unfold on stage. What puts you in the Christmas mood? Setting up your tree? Baking delicious short bread? Hoisting egg nog with friends who are decked out in awesome reindeer sweaters? I hope you're starting to feel the magic in the air!

the home stretch

Each day now I wake up thinking, will this be the day? Our due date is Dec. 11, so it feels like it is rapidly approaching. I still vividly remember finding out I was pregnant, running down the street after Craig (who was walking to work) and leaping up into his arms waving the pregnancy test around like a crazy woman holding a winning lottery ticket. It seems like just yesterday and yet the journey of pregnancy itself is a long road. Last night the baby kept me up with another big bout of vomiting. I will not miss nights like those, but I will miss the phenomenon of pregnancy. I can't express how grateful I am of having the amazing fortune to experience this. It was something I never thought I'd get to do and I wouldn't trade it in for the world. All I wish is that every woman whose heart yearns to have a baby gets to experience it. I honestly still wake up in disbelief that our dream came true. It was years in the making, so please don't give up hope if you're also struck with fertility issues. You never know when your luck will change. I will miss having this little buddy with me wherever I go. I will miss that private feeling of having this little boy or girl moving and kicking inside of me. But now I am definitely ready to meet this little person who has shared my body for the past 38 1/2 weeks. Sorry for so many baby updates lately, but when the birth is looming this closely, it's really all I can think about. I'm just waiting for the baby to let me know when they're ready to meet us. I told Craig it's feels like someone's going to tap me on the shoulder in the night and say, "You know that marathon you haven't trained for? Well get up because you're about to run it. It might take you awhile to get to the finish line and it might hurt like hell along the way, but you'll make it."

the final countdown...

Two weeks to go.
This weekend our friends surprised us with a baby shower. I was completely shocked.  Our friend Tabb, who hails from Virginia, invited the gang over for a traditional American Thanksgiving feast. So, when we walked in and saw their place decorated with baby stuff, I burst into tears. The support and kindness that we have been shown throughout this process has been absolutely amazing. I've learned so much from our friends, their experiences in parenthood, their amazing skill sets, their suggestions, their heartfelt enthusiasm. It's getting so close and yet I don't feel quite ready. I mean technically, we're ready. The room is set up.  We've been generously inundated with gifts, clothes, supplies, everything a little bean could possibly need. From a position of "stuff", we're definitely ready. But on Friday night, while out walking the dog, I turned to Craig and just teared up. It suddenly occurred to me that for 17 years, it's been about us, just us. And I love what we've created together- our love, our friendship, our adventures, our teamwork. Are we really ready to have someone come in and tip that on its side?
I know that life will be different. It will be enriched yet challenging, bigger, yet somehow more insular, it  will be everything we dreamt of and yet nothing we could have ever predicted. I know we'll love being parents, we both have wanted this for so long. But now that the due date is just two weeks away, I'm feeling desperate to have a few more romantic dinners, a few more shared moments where we are fully engrossed in each other's company and not distracted, a few more evenings where it's just "us." I guess the fact that the clock is quickly counting down now just makes me sentimental about how lucky we've been to have all of this time together. I hope this new baby loves our little family as much as I do.

unexpected sunshine in November - bliss

Sometimes the swirling colours in the water remind me of beautiful impressionist paintings.

the name game

Nearing the home stretch, we're working down our baby name lists.  It's definitely a tricky process. I struggle with decision making at the best of times, and this decision feels BIG. What is most important to you when you're thinking of baby names? Some people prefer to name their baby after a valued family member. (My dad keeps campaigning for his name, Christopher).  Some new parents like the idea of choosing a popular name so their child doesn't have to worry about being teased. Then there are those lucky ones who just know their favourite name, have carried it with them in anticipation of having children one day, and do not sway from that decision. For others the meaning of the name plays a big part. My primary goal when choosing a name was to pick something a little more unique and something that didn't begin with the K sound because our family is already made up of : Karen, Kelsey, Craig, Claire, Carol, Chris, Kelly.....it gets a bit Crazy. I know that whatever name we choose might not please everyone and that's ok. It's human nature to associate names with those we encounter throughout our lives, some for better, some for worse. I thought I'd share with you our top ten names for boys and girls in random order.  We're going to try to narrow our choices down in the next few days and go to the hospital with a few top picks and then just see what suits the baby the most. I picked up a great baby naming book this weekend called A is for Atticus. It is full of more unique names based on characters from amazing works of literature. It's a great book for those looking for something off the beaten path.
Here's our girl's list in random order:

• stella
• audrey
• sophie
• ruby
• olivia
• hannah
• ava
• paige
• grace
• autumn

Here's our boy's list in random order: 

• parker
• ethan
• noah
• lucas
• ryan
• owen
• finn
• benjamin
• charlie
• logan

this weekend....

remember to look at the beautiful world around you.........

take a moment for yourself.......

know that good things come to those who wait...........

xo - have an amazing weekend!

baby steps

Tonight the first snowfall left it's pretty dusting across the yard. It was the perfect night to cozy up by the fire with a cup of tea. I've hit the 37 week mark of this pregnancy and I have to admit, I'm feeling a little trepidation. We had a tour of the maternity ward at the hospital last night and the home stretch is definitely feeling imminent now. The rooms are amazing - the hospital recently opened a new maternity ward where the suites are like fancy hotel rooms, complete with beds for mom, partner and baby, a flat screen tv, a big shower and bathtub, warming station for the baby, birthing yoga balls, mini re-fridgerator, a view of the ocean, the list goes on and on, but all I could stare at was the delivery bed. The delivery bed that is outfitted with bars to hang on to if you want gravity to aid in the birth. Can I do this? Millions upon millions of women have given birth. I am a pretty calm and relaxed person by nature, surely I can embrace the beauty of this miraculous moment. But creeping in the back of my mind is the thought that I will lose it during delivery, cling to the hospital bed bars, and advise my husband that I have decided to just keep the baby in my belly. And by advise, I mean scream at the top of my lungs. And by scream, I mean swear like a trucker. We can just enjoy parenting this baby through the womb and that will be just fine. I think it's just the self-doubt that creeps in when a dream is about to be realized. I've held this dream so close to my heart for all these years that the fact it's so close now, I am so eager to see it brought to fruition and want to succeed at it in the biggest way. I want this baby to know that they are loved. I want them to feel safe and cherished, to feel worthy, to embrace their talents, their purpose, their passions in life. I want to share in exploring the world together, to see the world through their eyes as they grow and learn. I want to create volumes of memories that bring joy to their heart. I want them to see me light up whenever they enter a room. I want to feel that first feeling of having them placed in my arms and finally meeting them after all this time. We're so close now, I cannot wait. But if only they could arrive by stork, like I was taught in the cartoons.

the last getaway

With the baby due in a month, we wanted one last getaway, so we headed over to Pender Island with some of our oldest friends. On Friday's journey over, the whole ferry fell silent at 11 am for a few moments to honour Remembrance Day. It was extremely moving to see everyone become so quiet and still on board, all you could hear was the ocean lapping against the ship. When we got to the house, the wind picked up throughout the afternoon, crashing huge waves against the rocky coastline, knocking the power out from 3 to 10 pm. We cooked up the dinner on the bbq, huddled under blankets and had a romantic candlelit feast. The rest of the weekend was full of great walks, lots of delicious home cooking and we even spotted a pod of killer whales swim right by the back patio. On Saturday night, we played a great game called Apples to Apples, where I cleaned up, but it wasn't tough given that I was the lone sober one and everyone was well into their mugs of rum. I can't remember when I have laughed so hard.  Initially when we were invited over to Pender, I was a little nervous to go over because there isn't a hospital on the island and I have been getting more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions lately but I'm so glad we went. It really was the perfect last pre-baby getaway. I hope you had a wonderful long weekend!

the best kind of drop in visit

I love it when days like these just happen unexpectedly. Our friends Forbes & Jacinthe and their sweet new little daughter Elle popped in today. I was just mesmerized watching Elle's facial expressions while she slept in my arms. It's one of those little blissful moments in life that I wouldn't trade for anything. There is something so amazing about watching friends embark on these huge life shifts. I'm so happy to share in it. Another good friend of ours -Kerry, her hubby Scott and their daughter Sydney welcomed a new little girl to their family on Nov 2: Alexa Quinn - how sweet is that name? I can't wait to meet her. We haven't settled on a name yet. We have shortlisted the girls names to our top three, but still have seven or eight boys names floating around. Each month I seem to rotate through different favourites. Did you have baby names picked out before you gave birth? Or, do you think it's easier to see the baby first? 

You know you're pregnant when......

I hit 35 weeks pregnant this week, only 5 weeks to go! As this body gets more challenging to haul around, I thought of 10 reasons you know you're pregnant: (in no particular order)

You know you're pregnant when........
10: The only time your bed is creaking these days is when you climb in
9: You classify putting on your shoes as part of your daily workout
8: You've mastered sleepwalking to the toilet
7: You apply stretch mark cream to your ankles
6: You refer to your panties as your big girl underwear
5: Your standing drink order is a Shirley Temple, on the rocks, and there better be a cherry in it, or else you are going to absolutely lose your shit
4: Shaving is done with blind ambition
3: Your outfits contain more stretched out fabric than a trampoline
2: Ducks envy your waddle
1: The last thing between your legs was a body pillow

Happy Movember!

Happy Movember! This year at our office, a wonderful collection of men are putting their money where their upper lips are. They are growing some sweet staches to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer. A prostate exam, which takes a mere couple of minutes, is of those check ups that so many men put off for fear of their own discomfort. But if detected early, prostate cancer can have a highly curable rate. I repeat, IF IT IS CAUGHT EARLY. So while women endure invasive annual physicals year after year, let's encourage and support our men to make Movember the month they get screened.
This is a photo that I keep on our fridge. My dad (sitting next to me on the left) is rocking his 70's moustache. (Worth noting, he still balks at any current trends and sports the same moustache today). The Mo-sisters at work raised hundreds of dollars for prostate cancer to nominate specific co-workers to enter the contest. I can't wait to see how their lip foliage grows.

we're ready

Finally, Halloween is here and the mini chocolate bars will no longer line our cupboards. I think we're onto our fifth bag! We needed this day to arrive. Badly. Have a great Halloween! Next year we'll have a mini pumpkin joining our crew.

my new vegan purse

Have you heard of Matt & Nat?  I love their company's brand - vegan friendly accessories lined with incredibly durable fabric that is created 100% from recycled plastic bottles. Animal friendly, environmentally friendly and stylish? I'm a fan. Here's some background info on the company. A local store in Vancouver (Obsessions) had a sale on Matt & Nat purses this weekend, so I splurged as a late birthday gift to myself. Inside the purse was a little quote tucked inside: Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. Love this company.

Illuminate your weekend

a new life

I got to visit my friend's beautiful new daughter Elle yesterday. She is such a sweet little soul. I just know she's going to learn so many amazing qualities from her moms and in return their hearts will never be the same. It won't be long before baby Elle realizes just how lucky she is to be born into the family she now has. I already feel like the world is a better place with this little girl in it. Holding her, while sitting in the rocking chair, just made me overwhelmingly ready to meet our baby. I can't wait. Just the idea of knowing that soon I'll be able to look into my child's eyes makes me giddy.

Boo!

Here are a few festive homes in our area. I'm always amazed that some people really do go all out for Halloween. In the bottom photo, the family has set up a Christmas tree in their living room decked out in Halloween lights. Do you like Halloween? Have you ever walked through a haunted house? Check out these photos of people being scared out of their wits: Niagara Falls Fear Factory photos. I'm so curious as to what happens there because it is only approx. 15 minutes to walk through and yet over 100,000 people have chickened out part way, too frightened to continue. We walked through a creepy tomb with live actors once at Universal Studios in California and needless to say, I'm pretty happy that photos weren't snapped back then and plastered on Facebook.  I swear all of the colour drained out of me (which isn't easy because I'm about as pale as they come), and there's a very good chance my hair was standing completely on end. Actors literally jump out at you down dark passageways or sneak up and tap your back. I remember jumping into my hubby's arms and screaming like a crazed little girl when an actor, dressed as a mummy, grabbed my shoulder. It is possible that I screamed so loudly, I frightened the actor. Do you like watching scary movies on Halloween? If I can cling to someone, I can watch them, but solo? Forget about it. Movies that completely scared me were The Ring  and Paranormal Activity where it's more about what you don't see than what you do.