The Only Way

It seems the only way blogging will happen these days, it to do it from my phone. Its hard to find time to keep it up, but as I look back on the last few years, I treasure the memories the documented here and I don't want to loose that.

The picture above was a little dessert celebration at Chilis after I had my conference with Addison's teacher. She got a rave report! I was so proud and fighting tears as her teacher told me that she does great academically, but what really stands out is her character. She described her as a kind, loving, nurturing, helpful leader. She said she hoped Addison was president some day!

Sophie came to play with us one day and, as always, she and Gracyn played dress-up. The hula skirt hair was a new addition this day.

Gracyn started ballet a few weeks ago. She loves it. I usually just sit there wondering how she could possibly be in the ballet class Reagan and all her friends were in last year. Time is going to fast over here!

A rare morning with Daddy at the bus stop. He put the girls on the bus and then left us with the snow and cold while he headed to Miami for the week.

First snow of the year! Girls were super excited!!! Mommy, not as much. It was freezing. I did manage to get a coat on Addison (first time this year) without much of an argument. However, she has on an unzipped coat, while the rest of us had several layers of jackets, coats, mittens and scarves. She got off the bus that afternoon, in a brisk 26 degrees, with they jacket stuffed in her backpack.

I worked at the cake walk at Addison's school carnival. Reagan was my faithful assistant. She loved it.

Gracyn went to the "Wacky Salon" they had there.

Reagan and her friend Addison, the girls from her class had a blast at a crafty birthday party. They made duct tape guitars.

Reagan had an ENT appointment and Tommy happened to be working from home that day. I sprang her from school a little early and he met us for a lunch date. I think it seriously might have been the first time this middle girl has had a meal alone with both parents!

Gracyn is my little artist. This is just one of the many pictures she made one day.

Addison and Chloe reading together.

He's a good Daddy...entertaining our 3 girls and their 3 friends. They love watching YouTube videos with him. Current favs...."What does the Fox Say?" and "Charlie bit me".

Women's Ministry banquet at church. Wonderful night with friends.

Gracyn's field trip to the pumpkin patch.

Happy Halloween 2013

We began our Halloween festivities last weekend, with many (3 in one day!!!)  fall festivals and some pumpkin carving. They each carved their own pumpkins, with only a little help from us. Uncle Steve joined the action via Skype.

This picture was from the 3 in one day Halloween festival afternoon. I was a lame Halloween mom this year and told the girls to come up with costumes from the dress-up bucket and things we already had. We bought princess dresses before Disney in April and I didn't want to spend any more money on costumes. Gracyn wore something different every time we dressed up. On this day, she was Barbie, Princess and the PopStar. Reagan was Taylor Swift and Addison was a cowgirl. 

When the actual day of Halloween rolled around, the weather was terrible!!! We can roll with cold and even with a little rain, but thunderstorms, winds up to 40mph, and sideways rain is no good. Gracyn and I got busy and made plans for some indoor party activities. Our friends the Janzen's came over at 5:30 for dinner and other friends traditionally join us throughout the night. The plan was then to trick-or-treat if possible, or play games if the weather got too bad. 

If you live in a neighborhood with a person who works for a candy company, Trick-or-Treating is very good for you!!! Our first 40 trick-or-treaters got KING size Twix. We labeled them with stickers that said, "God LOVES you BIG, not just fun size!". 

It had been a super-busy week and Reagan was having a hard time getting in gear for the evening activities. She perked up after a few minutes of quiet time and some dinner, but this is as dressed up as she ever got that night.

My little cowgirl was ready. She would have been game to go door to door for hours regardless of the weather! This Mama knew I better have a fabulous alternative, or I would be soaking wet and going door to door with her.

Waiting for friends and neighbors to arrive. Notice the rain!!! No good!

Cody and Baby Grayson got here and we played pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern before dinner. Gracyn switched to a fancy dress and the red cape. Not sure what she was going for. If you know me well, you know these rag-tag costumes would have never been okay with me a few years ago. Now, Mama is busy and her girls are too opinionated to keep everyone perfectly dressed and coordinated. I am learning to let go!

Dinner is done and we made them stop for one quick picture before embarking on a very wet trick-or-treat experience.

If you came to our house after the king size Twix were gone, you got HAND FULLS of these goodies. I think there were 4 of those boxes, full, in my entryway. Our house is legendary for treats.

We made it to our neighbor's haunted house and to about 20 houses before the rain really started coming down. Gracyn, Reagan and I quit. Addison went with some friends and persevered for a few more houses. Reagan likes cold and winter about as much as I do (which is not at all), can you tell?

Good thing we were prepared. The girls and their friends went upstairs and changed into warm, dry jammies and we started on games. Bobbing for apples was a big hit. I put Halloween stickers on 1/2 the apples. If you came up with one of those, I had a bag of prizes you could choose from.

Somewhere along the way, Tommy ended up with various pieces of people's costumes. He is Where's Waldo without even trying!

When they got tired of bobbing for apples, we put donuts on a string and raced to eat them off with no hands. This was a blast for all ages!!! Addison is unbeatable!!!

We managed a rare picture of the mamas.

After the donut game, Tommy got his guitar and he played for us, while the kids played hot-potato with a pumpkin. After that, we just hung out, played and visited. It turned out to be a perfect Halloween despite the yucky weather. We got to do a little bit of everything and we enjoyed it all.

She's on 2 Wheels

Some time back in August, Tommy took the training wheels off of Gracyn's bike. In my head she is still a baby, so I thought there was no way she was going to be able to ride. I was wrong!!! He used our tried and true method of wrapping a pool noodle under their arms and holding on to them for balance. As they get better he loosens his hold on the noodle and before long, they take off without it. 

She was riding quite well within an our and the next day she mastered starting and stopping. Now she is just one of the crew, riding like a maniac all over the neighborhood. She is daring and often makes me cringe....thankfully so far, we haven't had any major crashes!

All my loves....pretty much what a fall weekend looks like around here. I have no idea why Gracyn is wearing a gymnastics leotard and sandals. Probably not the best choice for bike riding. 

These days, she bikes daily. At least to the bus stop and back. And, she begs for Reagan's bike (it's bigger) whenever she can get away with it. We have taken many family bike rides (walk/jog) for Tommy and I. We have also loaded the bikes up and spent the evening riding around a local lake trail. Having everyone on 2 wheels has opened up a whole new phase of life and we are loving it.

Braces

Addison got Phase 1 of her braces today, to go with her expander. She will be sporting this smile for the next six months.

Life

Addison and Reagan were in a children's theater play. More on that later. It was so much fun, they learned a ton and it consumed our lives for the last several weeks!

Dressed as Storytellers and ready to hit the stage with their BFF's.

We have baby-sat this little dog a few times now. The girls LOVE Griffey. They shower him with love and affection when he is here.

Chuy's opened in Cincinnati!!!! Happy Texans!!!! It opened one month ago and we have been there 3 times....if it wasn't 30 minutes from our house we probably would have been there twice that. 

We love our Maggie Dog. Best Lab a family could ask for.

Seems they inherited my love for a good book. She is in the middle of a series called "Winnie the Horse Gentler" and I don't here a peep from her for hours at a time.

Reagan was a butterfly in the play. The animals marched in a Labor Day parade. It was freezing!

Chloe the bird and Addison the pig ready for the parade.

They built this ark for the play, which the animals followed 2 by 2. This was the ark set up in front of the show on opening weekend.

My baby is getting big! She got this ribbon last week at swimming lessons, for swimming across the pool by herself

After expressing NO interest in the past, she has suddenly decided she loves letters and words. She writes all the time.

Bracelets and more bracelets. The Rainbow Loom has been a huge hit in our house.

Gracyn just sharing a little pasta with her friend at lunch one day.

More Griffey sitting. Gracyn and I were trying to play a game, but he kept running off with the cherries.

Poor Reagan, this was not a fun day. We waited 1 1/2 hours at the ENT. Can't keep her ears well. :(

And Gracyn doesn't have the best teeth. Despite the same dental hygiene practices as her sisters (who have never had a cavity), she had 4 cavities. That is one in EACH of her bottom molars. She had to have them filled one side at a time. Not fun, but she took it like a champ.