1st Snow / Early Winter

November 9 looked like:

Happy Howl-O-Ween!

I know it's almost Halloween when...

we carve pumpkins (Witch hat, Jack-O-Lantern, Monkey)

And try on our costumes: Bee, Fairy, Ladybug

(I think these are my favorite costume collection because the kids like putting them on, they are portable, cute, and most of all with each getting a skirt, wings and headband, they're fair ;) )

Yes, we packed them up and took them to Great Wolf Lodge.

Lydia had more fun this year going down the slides in a solo tube and spinning. 'Can't do that in a double tube! This also helped out with the paring now that we're a group of 5. 

 I love to see how they decorate the clock tower and lobby for the seasons/holidays. This moose was a mummy, the great wolf was wearing a cape, the beaver was a fairy, and the wolf ears were howl-o-ween orange. 

There was a trick or treat trail and chance to meet Violet, dressed as a butterfly.

When we got back, our door bell rang because a group of people in the neighborhood decided they'd rather trick or treat on Saturday. This ended up being good because they girls got to hand out candy and trick or treat the next day...both are fun!

Ready to go! JaQuay trick or treated for about 45 minutes before warming up at home with soup. Lydia and Abigail covered the entire subdivision in 1.5 hours.

Special pumpkin pancakes before school on October 31st. 

Happy Howl-O-Ween!

Proud Moments

At Prince of Peace, 3rd graders are special and get presented with their very own bible in front of church. Here she is with her bible and church friends, Audrey and Molly. It makes me very happy to see them all so excited to get their bible!

Lydia chose John 3:16 as her verse.

 Abigail was very excited as well to see her skeleton art work on display at the public library. She came home the second week of school telling me it was going to be up, and when the art finally was up, we ran right over to see it! Abigail is squatting down next to her art skeleton with the orange hat.

JaQuay got through a rough week of being sick and not sleeping well. A stop at Georgie Peorgie's helped along the way. Quarter 1 progress report from Mrs. Guzman was shining...she's a model student and can count to 40!

China Lights

Lanterns and smiles illuminated our night at Milwaukee's China Lights.

Bull-Tiger Fight

PANDA-MONIUM!!!

Walking through Boerner Botanical Gardens was a cultural delight!

Ping Pong Panda
Say that 10 times fast!

Chrysanthemum Kids

Chinese Dragon

Palace Lights

Squirrel Island

Wishing Tree

Ni Hao

Zaijian

Stone's Apple Barn

 We got to wish Gma Jan, Gpa Bruce and Kaitlyn "Happy Birthday!"s, see Will & Aubrey, Aunt Lisa and Diane & Larry, and do a quintessential Midwest fall activity together...apple picking!

Delicious!

Where do I begin?

There's been so much this month. So much life. Let me just share some pictures with you...

 Dress Up

 Monkeys

"I made my own pizza!" Smileys all around

Levi Time!

OC Drexel Farmer's Market

Puppet Show

Picnic at Racine Zoo

Eager participants

Aw, cute! 

Brave

"I fed a giraffe!"

Water balloons and sprinkler at neighbor George's in September

Lydia @ Dee Dee's birthday party

shaving cream

Dancing

"helper car"

ready for pool 

Game night

"I'm a grown up"

kite flying

kite string wrapping

kite watching