Leaf Me Be

I'm such a sucker for comparisons from year to year. So of course I would be so neurotic as to do a picture comparison for leaf day. Here are a couple shots of our little one-year-old last year.....

Yes, of all days I could compare....leaf day!?!  In all fairness, leaf day may not seem like a big day but at the Fanning house it is. And by big I certainly mean long, drawn-out, laborious and tedious. Riley seems to crave days like this whereas I try to avoid them at all costs. I'm not afraid of a little hard work but not when there is a crazy two-year-old attached to your leg. Not to mention I ended up with double pink eye last year the morning after leaf day. Boo! But pink eye wasn't going to keep us from pitching in this year. While I'm pitching in I can't help but wonder why on earth Riley won't pay someone to do it. His response every year is "babe, it's the principle." Alright, alright, I get it. Let's put baby girl to work!

She jumped right in with vigor and enthusiasm not knowing what all leaf day entailed. I stood back and counted how many seconds it would take her to realize that she'd rather go inside and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

"Let me do it"

"See, I know what I'm doing here"

It took about two hundred fifty seconds for her to come to the conclusion that leaf day stunk. See ya later dad...hello pile of leaves!!! These next few shots were during her very convincing attempt to skip her afternoon nap. I kept snapping pics because each click of the camera meant one less bag I'd have to fill. ;)

She shouted over and over "momma! Again!!" begging me to toss her in the pile of leaves. Lots of giggling and plenty of laughs. She did eventually take a nap that afternoon which meant that I did eventually mosey on out to really help with leaves. Five hours and thirty bags later we were finished. Next up was Christmas light duty! I took charge on this task and wrapped the trees while Riley searched for our lights which were somehow lost in the move. Eight strands of brand new LED lights just vanished. I was not happy. But the trees were feeling loved by the end of the day wrapped up in Christmas spirit....

Seeing as how Hallie had pitched in a whole three minutes of work I decided to let her start counting the huge bag of change that Gman had sent home with her. She was in heaven digging into the bag with nearly her entire body inside......

Counting her gold dollars 

She earned a buck or two that day and I earned a week's worth of allergies and headaches. Riley earned a sore shoulder and some exhaustion on the side. My quest to end Leaf Day 2013 before it ever begins has begun NOW!!!!