Halloween 2012

Since Halloween fell on a Wednesday this year, I knew we would be in Alto.  I also knew I had to go to work in Alto b/c I had missed work on Friday and had a lot of catching up today!  Typically, the girls and I spend Wednesdays in Alto and then go to church in Jacksonville with Grammy and Pa.  This gives Keith a nice block of quiet time to cram in his school work and saves a lot of driving for me too.  An added benefit is that the girls get to go to class with their cousin Logan and their Aunt Chelle and Grammy are their Bible class teachers.  That's just pretty special.  :)

So, Tuesday night Keith and I asked Carli what she would like to do for Halloween.  We told her she could go to Trunk R Treat or she could go to Bible Class.  She quickly responded with, "I want to go to Bible class, and I want to see Maecey."  I was a bit proud.  :)  Granted Maecey had a lot to do with Carli's decision but any time a four year old picks going to Bible class over getting lots of candy, I consider it a win in the parenting book.  :)

Although we did not go to Trunk R Treat, we were not lacking for Halloween treats!  We got to the office in Alto and Becky had fixed up two Halloween baskets for the girls.  They were so excited.  Not only did they get some candy but they also got some blue glow in the dark hair and new flash lights.  It entertained them a good part of the day!

Then Grammy stopped by with some Halloween balloons and giant pencils.  The girls were pretty giddy about their animal print balloons!

Before we left the house Wednesday morning, Carli and Ava both colored a paper sack and filled it up with some of their candy from school and the fall festival.  Carli's sack was for Maecey but Ava had not decided who she would give her sack to.  At the end of the day she decided that she would give it to Becky.  It was pretty sweet.  Becky has a very special place in the hearts of my girls!

After work we went to Grammy's and ate a quick supper, grabbed some bathes and got ready for church.  Carli saw Maecey outside the church bldg and gave her the bag of treats.  But then it was time for Bible class so off they went.  After class, everyone comes back to the auditorium for a little devo.  The last few weeks Carli has been a big girl and she goes to sit with Maecey which is great b/c she actually sits still, looks up the songs in the song book and acts like she is listening to the speaker.  :)  It's so nice when peer pressure is positive!  Ava has wanted to go sit with Maecey too but I hesitated to put another adult in charge of both my kiddos.  This week, Maecey sat with her Mom so I made sure it was okay for Ava to join them.  Ava was thrilled to be a big girl too!  Both girls did great during the 15 minute devo.  Maecey has been an awesome, unexpected blessing on both my girls! 

After service, all the ladies had goodies for the kids, so we still are not lacking in the candy department at our house!  I would have to say that though this was not a "traditional Halloween" it was one that was blessed!

Fun with Cardboard

Back in September when we were getting ready to our service project of painting pillow cases, I came home with several large pieces of cardboard to use in the pillow cases so the paint wouldn't bleed through.  The girls imaginations went wild and they spent a good two hours outside making houses and Slip N Slides out of the cardboard.  It was so much fun to watch!

Who needs water to Slip N Slide?!

 

The videos are so funny to watch.  My favorite is when Ava says, "Ready, Set, Go!"  Just hearing the giggles and laughter makes it worth it.  But if you watch the whole thing, you might just see that Keith and I joined in the the fun.  :)

 

 

 

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ETCA Fall Festival 2012

Last Friday, Logan invited the girls to go to the ETCA fall festival with him.  Carli changed her princess outfit at least three times before settling on her Snow White outfit.  The girls got all princessed up and we were off to have some fun!

Ava wore her same Belle princess outfit as she did last year!

I wasn't able to get a picture of Carli in her outfit before she and Logan were off to play!  Aunt Chelle had bought them some tickets to share and the kids did really good at picking what game or activity they wanted to do and doing it all together!  I think the liked the bouncer and the big slide the best!

Ava may have been a little bit more interested in the prizes and candy than she was in the games!

We tried to get a picture of all three together and well, lets just say we had mixed results.  If I knew photoshop, I could combine the pictures I did get and maybe we would have one good shot!  But then all the personality kind of is lost...so maybe I'll just keep the ones I have! 

Belle, Snow White and Captain America

 

 

We had a lot of fun at the festival and enjoyed getting to spend time with Logan and Aunt Chelle.  Love doing things like this with all the kids!

 



Halloween Pajama Party

Last year for my birthday my Mom bought me a sewing machine - with instructions.  I say that b/c I have a sewing machine and have for a long time.  It is really nice, all metal parts but it has no instructions and it was a bit intimidating.  So Mom got me a real simple machine and it has an instruction book.  I've gotten a little more brave over then last couple of months doing random little projects.  This week I combined my new found sewing talent with my cool Cricut to make the girls some Halloween pajamas for their school parties today. 

The sewing the pajama pants was actually easy!  I had fun with it and made a few mistakes but hey, that's how you learn.  :)  I got the shirts at Hobby Lobby  and Ava's was way too big so I played with it to make it a little more fitted.  Don't look too close because it has far from perfect, but for four hours at school it should do just fine!  I was pretty proud that I reattached the sleeves and they are pretty close to being symmetrical!  Ha!

I found out my Cricut could cut fabric, so I got it out to cut the letters out for their shirts.  I did take some short cuts, b/c I should have hemmed Ava's shirt and gone over the letters with the sewing machine but such is life.  I don't think my 4 and 2 year old minded too much!  :)  The outfits are pretty cute, but I must admit the little models sure make them super cute!

 

Oak Tree Academy Fall Festival

The girls school had a fall festival last week.  I have discovered that I kind of like sewing so the girls and I picked out some fabric for some Halloween skirts.  It took me about two hours to make each skirt.  They maybe my new favorites.  :) 

 Anyway, the girls each went out to the festival at different times, so I got to hang out with Ava first.  She played a few games and ate some snacks but really wanted me to go play on the play ground with her!

 They had a miniature trick horse (or unicorn) that put on a little show for the kids.  The was really cute!  Ava kept telling ppl that a pink horse came to her school!

They also had a 2 week old baby miniature horse.  It was so cute!  Ava thought we should be able to bring it home.  She would hold it in the car while I drove!

Ava with some of her classmates and teacher on the hayride.

After Ava's class went to play on the playground, Carli's class came out to enjoy the festival.  She and her friend Shiloh are in a class full of little boys!  Ms. Donna has her hands full!

 Carli enjoyed playing the games and really liked petting the baby duck!

This is the only kind of decent picture I got with Carli and her friend Shiloh.

Carli finally agreed to get on the hay ride - she was so excited about it!  ha! 

 

The whole time I was with Carli's class, Ava was on the playground screaming and crying b/c I guess she thought she should be with Carli and I.  As soon as her teacher would get her to calm down we would have to walk right by the playground to go to the next little area and it would get her upset again.  By the time I left, she was hiccuping sobs and was so pitiful.  :(  I guess that means she really loves me though!  When we got her from school, she was fine and her teacher said she calmed down as soon as they got back to their classroom.  Pros and Cons of going to school events I guess...

 



Miss Sarah Jewel

A couple of Friday's ago the girls and I headed to Longview with Kayla to go see little Miss Sarah Jewel and her beautiful Momma, Michelle.  Ava was so excited to get to see a baby and so was Carli.  We got to the hospital and Carli told me she was scared of the baby and wouldn't even go look at her!  Ava on the other hand was ready to hold little Sarah as soon as we walked in the door!  Carli finally did get close enough to get a look at the baby but that was it.

Ava was so good at holding Sarah.  She just stared at her in amazement.  She touched her check and her nose and then gave her a kiss.  It was too sweet!

 

Fast forward to Monday and the girls and I went to go watch baby Sarah while Michelle went to the doctor.  The roles were reversed this time.  Ava was too busy taking care of her own Baby and Carli wanted to wake the baby up so she could hold her and love her!  Carli did an awesome job holding Sarah and helping me out with a diaper change and bottle.

 

 

See - Ava has her eyes on her Baby that she had put in the baby swing.  Stinker.

Baby Sarah was about as pleased to have Ava hold her as Ava was that day!  ha!

 

Thanks Michelle for sharing your precious girl with us.  We thoroughly enjoyed our morning of babysitting!

Texas Rangers Pumpkin

Uncle Tone's carved a pumpkin for Keith and I as well.  I guess really it was for Keith.  But Uncle Tone would say it was for me as well since I picked a little more challenging art work than the girls did.  :)  That's what sisters are for after all - to push their siblings to do their best.  Ha!