begining of holiday madness

The retail stores have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas decorations. I started to feel stressed and unprepared as I walk by those isles. I realize that I still have two months to prepare, but Halloween isn't even over yet. When did retail stores start selling Christmas stuff before Halloween? I always remember the red and green decorations after the candy feast. I haven't even fully decorated my house with Halloween decor yet. We have the pumpkins (which Kai has already murdered one) and scarecrows, but not the bats and spiders or skeletons...they are still all packed away in a clear tote in my pantry.
A week has gone since my last post and I don't even know what kept me too busy from logging on. I really can't recall. Is there such a thing as post-pregnancy brain? I guess that would be the baby!! Little Bella has a new nick- name 'Cascabella' - she's not spicy but we think it's cute.
I do remember one event this past week. Jimmy was a judge for a local apple pie contest. I believe there were over 80 pies entered. Kai and I only tried two with vanilla ice cream of course. Of the two I liked the caramel apple pecan pie. I didn't care for the sour cream apple pie, it was a good idea- just poorly executed. There were so many people there. The organizers really did a great job of putting together the event. They had silent auctions, children's play room, and a separate room for all the pies. I wanted to sign up for a beautiful Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy backpack diaper bag but I didn't bring any cash. I didn't know there was going to be an auction. Whoever got that diaper bag for $30 was very lucky! Those bags retail for $160. Crazy I know, but it's so beautiful it doesn't even look like a diaper bag. I came home on a mission to find that bag online then had to snap out of it realizing that I really don't need another diaper bag, so on a list to Santa it goes.
I did buy Kai new paints. I don't remember who makes them, (Elmer's I think) but they are awesome. It is like a marker, except it's paint in a paintbrush. We had so much fun painting with them at the apple pie contest that I had to get him his own set.