Trick or Treat!

The girls did what all kids in our area did, trick or treat. Abigail ran into a number of her friends from school while we were out... including a whole family of clone troopers. After we hit a couple of our streets, Emma and I made the walk over to Luke's house. Since our last Luke posting, we found out that he lives in our neighborhood and will be going to the same elementary school as Emma next year. With actual make-up being included in her costume tonight, she kept saying 'I'm sure gonna look pretty for Luke'. Did I miss something... she is only 4, right?

It just so happened that Luke and his parents were coming our direction to see Emma. After meeting in the middle, we let the kids trick or treat a few houses before we got to his house where he took Emma through their 'Spooky Cave' in their cul-da-sac. How cute, huh?

Emma and Lauren

Emma has a great friend, Lauren, that we met through Lifetime Fitness a few years ago. Her mom and I have become great friends as well. Usually, on Tuesdays after our master step class that we both go to, we take turns bringing the girls home and letting them eat lunch together and play. It works out great, and this year especially, we have noticed how well they get along and that they play together with less supervision than was needed in the past when they were younger. I love the age of 4...it has probably been my favorite age so far for both of my girls. Lauren and Emma play so well together and are best pals.


Today, they got to go to the Pumpkin Patch together. It was a beautiful 64 degrees and not at all crowded at 1:30 in the afternoon. We had a great time!

HSM3

Well, we've been waiting and waiting for this weekend. I took the girls to see HSM3 on Sunday. Emma has refused to see any movies at the theater since we saw "Underdog", which completely terrified her. I've been building and building the movie up hoping that she would be fine again at the big screen. She did keep asking me why we couldn't just watch it on tv, but I had to explain to her that it is only at the movie theater.

I didn't think the 3rd movie would be any good. But, to my surprise, we loved it and thought it was "fabulous"! Abby, who has never made it through a movie without crying, lived up to her reputation by once again crying at this movie. She really does have such a tender heart. I don't think I'll spoil the movie by saying that this Disney movie, of course, has a happy ending, so she loved it as well. And, Emma was a perfect angel. Yeah! Maybe we can go back to seeing movies again as a family.

Small Group Costume Party and Busy Weekend

Our Small Group (a.k.a. Sunday School Class) had a costume party on Friday night. We wanted our kids to wear their costumes more than once, hence the idea for the party was born. Julie did a great job organizing and planning. The kids had a great time!

Emma said the party was so much fun, but that her feet sure did hurt (she refused to take extra shoes to change into and insisted on the high heels).






Unfortunately, Abby came home from school on Friday and went straight to the couch. When I asked if she wanted a snack, and she said no, I knew something was wrong. I (Jennifer) had been fighting an apparent stomach bug all day as well. Nothing really that typically goes along with a stomach bug (you know what I mean), but my stomach was cramping, I had a terrible headache, no energy, and wasn't hungry - at all (even after completing my favorite, high calorie burning spin class). Abby had been complaining for a few days of an upset stomach and headache. So, I'm guessing I caught whatever it was she had.

Anyways, I asked her to go upstairs and get dressed for the party at 5:00 (after we had both been laying on the couch), and I found her upstairs in her bed 10 minutes later - not dressed. Emma had gotten herself all dressed - complete with high heels and accessories at 1:30 that afternoon because she was so excited. Brian, in the meantime, took a half day off and made the 6 dz. sugar cookies (yes, from scratch) that I didn't have the energy to make (what a great hubby)! When I took Abby's temperature and told her she had a fever and couldn't go, she cried and cried. She told me she had waited her whole life to go to a costume party. Needless to say, Abby and I stayed home in our pjs.

Saturday morning, Abby was fever free. Brian went to Austin for the football game while I took the girls to Emma's 9 a.m. soccer game, a 10-12 skating party for Abby, dropped Abby off at dance at 1 (even though her rehearsal wasn't until 2) and headed to a 1:15 haircut with Emma. (Note to hairdressers...please don't give a 4 year old a rolling, spinning stool to sit on - because they don't use it for sitting -...they really will be just fine sitting on the floor) :). We went to pick up Abby at dance, and I could tell just by looking at her, that she once again had a fever. 102.4 when we got home from dance. But, she stayed fever free all day Sunday, so hopefully she is back to health.

Brownie Pumpkin Patch Visit

Abby's Brownie troop met at the Pumpkin Patch after school last week. The girls went on a hayride, "picked" their own pumpkins, and had cupcakes. They had such a great time. It was a very hot 80+ degrees, but the girls didn't seem to mind.

Nana's Visit

Brian's grandmother, Nana, came to visit us last weekend from Tuscon, AZ. We had a great time with her. She was able to see Emma have a very unenthusiastic soccer game (probably one of her worst games so far this season...she just really wasn't into the game).

We also got to take Nana to The American Girl Store and Bistro at the Galleria in Dallas. If you have a girl, it is a must visit! We oohed and awed over all of the dolls/accessories and had a great dinner at the bistro. Brian's impression was that it was completely overpriced (which it is), and they just want your money (which they do). But, there is certainly something magical about it. The girls were also able to do play-doh with Nana, which seems to have become a tradition every time she visits.

Picture Tag

I was tagged in a fellow blogger's blog a week or so ago. I know I'm a little late joining the game, but I had to play along as well.

This is how the tag works:
Open your Picture folder
Go to the SIXTH folder
Go to the SIXTH picture
Publish it to a NEW POST and tell the story of the photo

I've been pulling up all of these old pictures. In many ways, it seems like so long ago. But, in other ways, I can remember Abby being 20 months old like it was yesterday. In this picture, we were living in our first house, and Emma wasn't around just yet. Abby has always been very creative and has always enjoyed playing by herself. Here she is, playing at a table we had in our family room. Those were the days! I miss her being that small, and I get teary-eyed looking back at these photos, but I'm so proud of the young lady she is becoming. We are so very blessed!

Pumpkin Patch x 2

As mentioned many times, my family frequently visits the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. Well, on Sunday I think we had a first... we visited twice in one day! The morning started out with our church small group electing to hang out at the pumpkin patch instead of having our class. After running around the hay maze and playing in the bounce houses, all the kids found the merry-go-round and enjoyed spinning in all kinds of circles.


After awhile, we took off and headed back to our house to get a couple of things ready (i.e. clean up the mess we left while trying to make it to church by 8:15) for Jen's family who was coming over to meet us at the Pumpkin Patch and then come back to our place for lunch. Back at the patch for Round 2, we attempted (like we do every year) to get a picture of all the cousins together. It's always an adventure and of the host of pictures that I have, below are the best ones I can find.







Afterwards, we made it back home for pizza and more playing by the kids. All in all, the girls had a lot of fun. Any guesses on how many more times we will go out there?

Family Feud

Every year our respective universities play in college football. Jen and I have been to a handful of those games in person, but this year we weren't able to make it. And thanks to the beauty of the big 12 tv contract, our only updates were provided via internet radio. Unfortunately (for me that is), OSU has been on the losing end of these games way too often. This year, however, OSU has been on a roll and were able to take care of business over the rebuilding Aggies.

In the same weekend, we were able to extend our rivalry into the NFL. Once every 4 years, the Bengals and Cowboys get to do battle. 4 years ago, my Dad and I made the trek up to the Queen City for a Bengals smashing of the Vinny lead 'boys. My dad called a few weeks back telling me that he wasn't going to be able to go to this year's game (they are his season tickets though), so I was fortunate enough to find a sitter for the girls and take my Cowboy loving bride with me to the game.

Expecting a Romo lead blowout, we got treated to a desperate game from a winless Bengals team that let the look respectible (who am I kidding, everyone who reads this blog knows how the game went). The best part was going to the game with Jen, it had been since pre-kids that we had made it to a Cowboys game together. We stayed in the stadium until the final 4th down play by the Bengals and I was still able to get home and make it up to the softball fields by 7:30p to try and help out my team. Gotta love knowing the easy ways in and out of Texas Stadium.

Go Bengals!

More Soccer Success

Today was game #5 in Emma's fall season, our only noon game, and it turns about to be nearly 90 outside. At least we had a bit of a breeze to make it bearable. Emma has started to figure out a few things, including a few times when she ran back to the goal while the other team was charging to try and stop them.

We started a couple of weeks ago with rewarding Emma if she scored a goal. Today, she said she wanted to have Halloween cookies (last couple of weeks it has been ice cream). Well, in the first quarter she proceeded to score a goal off of the other team's goal kick. I'm sure you can see the excitement above. Then, in the second quarter after subbing in for a girl that wasn't feeling well, she took the ball in the middle of the offensive zone and took it all the way in.


Finally, was the most impressive move she made all day. She took the ball close to her own goal and ran with it, making 2 big kicks along the way and getting out in front of everyone else. However, her second big kick went just slightly wide and ended up going out. She was that close to a Hat Trick!


So, as her reward, we stopped at the store and picked up 2 different types of cookies to make. She was so excited and was really on her game today. Way to go Emma!

Pumpkin Patch, Part 1

We made the first of what will be many trips to the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch (just see last October's blog). Since it's early in October with smaller crowds, we decided to chance it by bringing Bailey out for a few pics. All in all, it went well.


With the place being fairly empty, we were easily able to get on a hayride.


Gotta have the Star Wars picture when it comes to our family.


The girls just keep growing and growing and growing...


Bailey was getting a little tired toward the end, but she hung on for one final picture with younger Sesame Street gang. I really love this picture of her.

Luke Skywalker

Most of the people in our family are aware that Emma and Abby have taken a rather great interest in Star Wars. This is mainly because of the Lego Star Wars game we purchased for the Wii, and it is also due to the fact that Brian is a huge Star Wars fan.

Emma came home from school the first week saying there was a "pretend Luke" in her class. I thought she had an imaginary friend. Then, when looking at the names on the coat/backpack hooks, I spotted a "Luke". When I asked her further about this, she told me he is a pretend Luke because he's not the REAL Luke...meaning Luke Skywalker.

Last week, Emma began telling us that she has a boyfriend...yep, Luke. All the 4 year old classes at her preschool share recess time together. She has 2 of her very best friends in another class. She has attempted to get them involved as well chasing Luke at recess. Her friend, Jordyn, told her mom that "Emma has a boyfriend named Luke, but I don't know why she likes that Luke."


Emma has been asking me if we can invite Luke over to our house. She even drew out a map which "showed" him the way to get to our house. She makes him notes and cards every day. She asked me yesterday what our phone number is. I was impressed thinking she was being responsible and eager to learn. When I asked her why she needed to learn it, she responded, "So I can tell Luke and then he can call me."


Tonight, during our bedtime prayers, she prayed for Luke and asked God to please let her see him at school tomorrow. After the prayer, she asked, "Mom, does Luke love me?" I couldn't help but get teary-eyed wondering how many times I'll hear that phrase from her with just a different boy's name inserted in the question. Emma makes me laugh on a daily basis....I am so thankful God blessed us with our little firecracker.