Wednesday, December 4, 2013

A Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving Babies, and Decorating the Tree

We made it back to Schuh Farm's pumpkin patch this year, and it was so fun now that the girls are old enough to really get into the pumpkin spirit!

Okay, so maybe I got into the spirit, too. :)

Chickens!


Here, chickens, chickens, chickens.

Eat up!


Chickens are so funny!


A pig in a doghouse?  Pighouse?

What a delightful smell!


Moo!


Strike a pose.



Okay, Avery, let's find the pumpkin patch.

It's over there!

Let's go!

Are you coming!

We are almost there!

We found it!

This seat is just my size!


Now to find the perfect pumpkin.
 
This isn't looking promising.

Please tell me there is a good one in here somewhere.

Aha!  I found it!

Avery, do you like this one?

Mom, I don't kiss pumpkins!

Avery, you forgot your pumpkin.

Um, no I didn't.

You're doing just fine with it!
 

It's full of seeds... and goo.

Ew.  How do we get it out?

I have to put my hand in there??
 
Okay, I can do this.

I got one!!

Okay, okay, I'll get a handful.

Maybe not.
 

Uncle Chris stopped by to color!

That is true talent right there.

 
Happy Halloween!  We surprised the kids and drove down to Laura, Tyler, and Julian's house for trick-or-treating!  Tinkerbell and Wendy were so excited!!

Superman was just as excited!!

Happy Halloween from Neverland!
 
Happy Halloween from the Superhero family! 
 
 
Of course Peter Pan and Batgirl are best friends!
 
Captain Hook and Superman are pretty good buddies, too! 
 
Nice selfie, Captain Hook! 
 
Arr, would you expect anything else?

These professional trick-or-treaters owned the neighborhood!

Wendy was NOT going to be left behind and often squeezed her way to the front!
 

Mmm... we LOVE trick-or-treating with warm, yummy beverages!;)

Loot!






The daddies are trying to get in on the loot, too.

Dad, I got lots of CANDY!!

Apparently, Tyler took one piece too many.  Attack!

Serious game time.

And not-so-serious game time.

Oh, yes, we won!  Thank you, Superhero family, for a wonderful Halloween!
 
Grandpa is a good sport at letting the girls show him where each picture is hidden. 

I don't think Grandma and Grandpa stand a chance with Alli and Avery helping!
 
Avery experienced her first respiratory infection of the season.  She became a very good sport, though, about using her nebulizer for a solid week. 

See, I still have a mere eight teeth, and you can see them all!  My mom is wondering if I will start Kindergarten in three years still like this!

Coloring is serious business.

Gabriella Jane was born on November 17th!  Congratulations, Jennifer and Jake!  Alli was a bit intimidated by her noises, but not Avery!

I LOVE Baby Gabby and can't stop talking about her!

Such sweetness.

Alli finally held her, a little.
 
 
Gabby is perfect! 
 
Official crib tester-outers.  Gabby, it's approved!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kid craft time.  Wait... BJ?

A true artist, proud of his craft.

Sweet Baby Emilia had a very smiley Thanksgiving!  Thank you, Ryan and Alisa, for sharing her with us!  She is a doll!

Time to decorate for Christmas!

Ugh, this... bag... is... HEAVY.


Master decorators at work.
 

Each ornament must be hung perfectly.


A quick break!

And back to work.


And this one goes here.



Our tree turned out a bit bottom-heavy. :)  It's perfect!
 
HO HO HO!!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Avery's 2nd Birthday and MORE!

It is hard for us to believe that our baby girl is 2!!  Avery is such a spunky, funny, energetic delight, and we can't imagine our lives without her! 
 
The birthday girl!
 
 
 
Birthday bubble fun!

Isn't it present time?




 
 
 
 
Avery sleeps with Bunny and Tino every night.  She love, love, LOVES dogs, so I had to use her favorite as the model for her birthday cake.  Meet Tino!





We took Aunt MJ to Tugboat Park!

It turns out she is an expert at making sand castles.



Don't worry, Alli, someday we will have kayaks, too (we hope).






Talking to Daddy on the phone!







 
Alli is officially in her second year of preschool, and it is going great!
 
 
Coloring with Mia Mouse! :)
 
 
It's a Dr. Seuss train! 
 
 
Playing the Pinkalicious game with Papa and Mamo!  I believe they are a hopscotch train! :) 
 
Princess Abby and Princess Alli!
 
 
And then it was time...  Picture Time.  Time to capture Alli's 4-year photo and Avery's 2-year photo... and (hopefully) one of the two girls together.  (We all know how well that usually goes, don't we?)  Did I mention that I was planning on doing this in one take?  In the past, it's taken several, but not this time; I was determined to get at least one good photo of each of them in record time.  Well, I captured the following pictures in about 15 minutes....




 
 


 

I'd say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  Wouldn't you agree?