Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween Festivities

We started Halloween a few weeks ago at Boo in the Zoo!!

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The highlight of our Halloween each year is our annual Pumpkin Party! This year we moved the festivities to a local park ~ this was our 9th Pumpkin Party! We started 9 years ago in a tiny two bedroom apartment. Eric and I didn't have a table big enough to seat our friends and I really wanted us all to sit together: we found 4 cinderblocks, took a door off the hinges and laid it on top of the blocks, threw a tablecloth and some candles on top and sat on the floor to eat chili and carve pumpkins! There was one little guy around then; this year there were 16 little heads bowed as Eric prayed for dinner! Needless to say, we chose the park this year because, although we long ago moved out of that 2 bedroom apartment, we've outgrown our house!

The park was a perfect option! The entertainment was built in and the kids played hard all night:



The dads worked hard on the pumpkins. The kids came and went offering advice or help through the process:


After dark the dads hid all the skeleton bones around the playground while the moms and kids went on a flashlight walk on the trail that surrounds the park. Once they were finished, those sneaky dads hid on the trail and jumped out in the dark to the delight of the kids!


Thanks for a ton of fun, friends! See you next year for #10!
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Tonight we took three little cowgirls trick or treating around our neighborhood! They scored way too much candy, but gave most of it to the Jack o Lantern in exchange for a $5 Target gift card and a Hello Kitty coloring book.

It's hard to believe tomorrow is November 1 -- time to shift our focus to Thanksgiving! Love, love this time with our girls!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Soccer Wrap Up

Soccer season has come to an end. Although Eric and I will probably (remind me of this next Fall!) never commit to coaching two teams again, it was a great season. Ella Grace and Annabelle both learned so much about soccer and the value of being part of a team!

At the beginning of each game, each player was introduced and ran through "the tunnel":

Ella Grace!


Annabelle!


Cheered on most weeks by their biggest fan, Katie!


Great season, "Soccer Sisters" -- we are so proud of you!!


Friday, October 22, 2010

Show & Tell



Annabelle chose opposites:



Her baby, Addison and her taggie.

How are those opposites?


Addison is hard!


Taggie is soft!


Duh!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Bulleted Update

~Soccer is over! (Final pics to come!)

~We're back to 4 kids!

~Grandma and Papa visited from Michigan last week (again, pics soon!).

~Ella Grace is studying weather in Science and loves it!

~Annabelle loves k4 and is constantly trying to fill her social calendar!

~Katie moved out of the room with her sisters into a twin bed with the foster child previously known as "baby sister."

~I've decided that "baby sister's" blog name should be "Sweet Cheeks." If you've met her, you totally understand!

~So, Sweet Cheeks is starting to laugh that delightful baby laugh that comes out as music to whoever can hear!

~Eric is staying busy at work and is in the beginning stages of writing his dissertation!

~I am staying busy (obvious, right?), but finding more and more fulfillment from my role as a mom.

~God continues to lead and bless us in ways that amaze us!

~I promise, more post ahead!