Happy Halloween!

We had fun celebrating Halloween as a family this year. We started out on Monday by having our annual family Halloween party. We played games, ate yummy treats, and let the girls go trick or treating door to door while Don and I pretended to be various funny people. On Tuesday by going to Krogers and participating in a few Halloween activities there, like a big bouncy house, decorating cookies, and getting a little treat bag. Then on Wednesday we had a family Halloween movie party and watched an old kids Halloween movie called "Double Double Toil and Trouble" that starred the Olsen twins. On Thursday they had trick or treating nearby so we took the girls. They had blast and Ashley really got into people giving her candy. She held that pumpkin so tight and at one point couldn't even wait until we got home to eat her candy. :) On Friday night our fun week ended with the ward Halloween party where they played games, roasted marshmallows, and the girls both got to go on their very first pony rides.

playing feed the monster at our family Halloween party

playing broom races at our family Halloween party

the girls favorite activity was eating donuts on a string

playing pass the cotton ball ghosts

our Halloween centerpiece - Alexis designed the one on the right and Emily designed the one on the left

getting ready to trick or treat

we simply could not wait to try our candy..."MMMMM!"

pumpkin bowling at church Halloween activity

pumpkin bowling

our little cutie pie

Alexis's first pony ride

Emily's first pony ride

"I got a rock." :) Ashley was not interested in getting candy at the church party. She was only interested in putting rocks into her pumpkin and taking them out again.

The Funniest Park

On one of the beautiful days recently we decided to take the girls to the park. The park we were planning on visiting was having some sort of construction work done so we tried a new park we had seen from afar but never visited. It was a nice little park, but the funniest thing was that it had an area of exercise equipment for adults! (I mean, kids could use it, too, but definitely looked adult-like.) I think the philosophy was that while the kids play and get their exercise, the grownups could get theirs rather than just sitting on a bench watching. Don tried a few out, but we spent the rest of the time chasing Ashley, playing with all the girls, and yes... sitting on the bench. :)

Fun With Flour

One day last week I had gotten a tray out and filled it with flour for homeschool time.  Emily used it to practice her handwriting in a fun way and Alexis used it to practice spelling a couple of her spelling words she was having trouble remembering.  Well, of course Ashley really wanted a turn, as well.   So, knowing it would be a good sensory experience for her, of course, I indulged her.  She had a blast feeling the soft flour, squeezing it in her little hands, and 'drawing' with it.  After about 15 or 20 minutes, before I could stop her, she took the whole pan and dumped it right on top of her head.  :)  Luckily, flour isn't too difficult to clean up and it had gotten plenty of use that day.

Pumpkin Farm

For Family Home Evening on Monday we went to the nearby Pumpkin Farm.  I'd say it's one of our favorite autumn traditions.  We got some really cute pictures of the girls and had a lot of fun together. 

They had a lot of fun on these huge rocking horses.

A swing built for many.

"Oh no!  We're lost!  Which way do we go?"

A fun hay play area.  the girls had fun having a hay fight with Daddy.

Who's been sitting in my chair?

Ashley loved chasing the turkeys.

.....and the chickens.

Ashley was done.  She wanted to nurse and after a quick "nursie" she was alright again.  :)

After the farm we headed over to a favorite family restaurant.  They serve the best Stromboli and have a shelf full of blocks and games to playu while you wait.  So we ordered a large Stromboli to share.  After that we ordered to "Monster Ice Cream"  It's 8 scoops of ice cream covered in whipped cream and chocolate syrup.  They take your picture when you order it and if you finish the whole thing they put the picture up on a bulletin board that says you "Tamed the Monster".  However, after the huge Stromboli, we came about a scoop and half from finishing it.  So we'll have to go back another time after having a light dinner at home and try to "Tame the Monster" again.  :)

Apple Picking

Yesterday we all went apple picking as a family. We found a different orchard than last year, wanting to try something new, and we were really impressed. I wouldn't say one was better than the other but they were both very nice and we got quite a few apples. I plan on canning some apple pie filling and maybe some applesauce.

Alexis picking apples with Daddy's help holding down the branch.

Emily picking an apple.

Even Ashley found some low enough to pick. She grunted and worked hard but eventually got it off. :)

Alexis

Emily


Ashley

"Mmmmmm!" is what she kept saying as she kept taking bites out of apples. :)

Little Clothesline

A while back I found the cutest little wooden clothesline. I put it back for a birthday or Christmas gift and almost forgot about it. Luckily I remembered in time for Emily's birthday. She loved it! As soon as the festivities were over Alexis and Emily ran to their playroom and gathered up a bunch of doll clothes and wanted me to wash them in the washing machine. After they were washed they carefully hung them all on the new little clothesline to dry. It was so cute.

Here's Ashley flashing a big grin as I was bringing the clothesline outside on the back deck.

Here's the little clothesline. Isn't it cute? :)

Happy 5th Birthday, Emily!

In September, Emily turned 5. We decided that every other year we would have a friend party and since this was the odd year, we had a family party. Her birthday was on a Wednesday, which wasn't good for some of the grandparents so we decided to have her party on the weekend. However on her actual birthday we still had to celebrate, so I made her a huge bowl of her favorite dessert....dirt. (Which is a combination of pudding, cream cheese, cool whip, and oreos.) We sang to her and she blew out 5 candles. Alexis also simply couldn't wait another day to give Emily her gift she had picked out so Emily got to open one present. She gave her a princess CD that was full of princess songs, each one singing Emily's name in them. Emily was thrilled and we all danced and danced to Princess Emily songs.



Well, because of sickness going on in the family, we couldn't do her party that weekend, so we postponed it until the following weekend. All of the grandparents could make it, but Aunt Becca and Uncle Jason couldn't. This wasn't a big deal, except Emily REALLY wanted them there and since they were coming up the following weekend ANYWAYS, we decided we could bake another cake and have another little party. This thrilled her, of course. So the grandparents all came over and the girls dresses up like princesses. They even put Ashley in a little pink sparkly skirt and a necklace. She loved being one of the big girls.

They played pin the stars on the Princess crown.

They played musical chairs with Mommy, Grandma, and Nana.


Luckily they both ended up winning by both sitting down on Papaws lap at the same time.


We also played princess and the pea, where we gave someone a green marble and the girls took turns leaving the room and then would come back and had 3 guesses to figure out who had the pea. Afterwards she opened up her gifts. Emily got many lovely gifts.

He cake was a fluffy cloud design with princess sprinkles all over it. Emily kept sneaking licks, she thought it was so yummy.

She blew out her candles and played and played with her new presents and her grandparents until an hour after bedtime. :)

The following weekend we had the Princess party part 2. :) This time I decided to try to bake a fancy castle cake. It didn't turn out quite like I wanted. (It kind of leaned a bit), but Emily was thrilled with it, which is all that matters.

They played all the same games as the first party, but we also added a pinata. I think it was almost the last string they pulled before it opened.

Alexis read Emily's card to her.

She opened up more wonderful gifts.

My leaning princess cake. :)

Emily getting ready to blow out her candles.

Emily blowing out the candles.

When it was all over I think we were all birthdayed out. :) But we definitely had a lot of fun celebrating our little girl's arrival into our family. Emily is such a sweet little girl. She also has a very sensitive spirit and is very in tune to others feelings. She loves following the example of her big sister and wants to do everything like Alexis. :) She always watches out for Ashley and loves trying to help take care of her. She's really into babies and her favorite game to play is pretending Mommy and Daddy, (or Grandma or Aunt Becca, or anyone else who wants to play), are babies and she's our Mommy. She's very nurturing and she says the only thing she wants to be when she grows up is a Mommy. She had the sweetest little smile that melts our hearts and we are so thankful to have her in our family. Happy birthday, Emily!