Prize winning pumkin - Again!

The kids decorated pumpkins again this year at the Y and it was GRACE who won her age group this year! (Cooper won last year) I didn't even get a chance to vote this time, either! Unfortunately, she pulled off all of the pom poms before I could get her picture, but it was pretty!!

Sleepers

It is rare that I am the first one up EVER. But, on the day of my "Girls Day Out Shopping Extravaganza" I was. Cooper frequently crawls into bed with us sometime after 6 AM. We love how snugly he is at this time of day, and he's just the cutest thing to wake up to! Usually not long after that, though he announces "Let's go eat breakfast." and pushes, pulls, and whines until we get up. Not so cute at that point. :)

300th

The 300th post goes to....

Grace learning life lessons the hard way.

I found Grace crying in her room. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she couldn't tell me; she didn't know how. I had never seen her cry like this and was pretty freaked out, but convinced her to draw me a picture while I put Cooper down for his nap. When I came back this is what she had drawn:

"Is it a baby? Is it you?"

" No - Its like .... clothes."

"Ahhhh, I see. Grace did you cut the hat off of Twinkle Baby's outfit? The one I told you not to?"

Tearful nod accompanied by full body, uncontrollable sobs!

She had just asked me if she could cut the hat and sleeper apart, and I had told her no.

My baby was suffering from real, deal GUILT.

Life lessons are hard for everyone!

I love this little girl!!!

Volleyball in November

Yet again this year we were playing volleyball into November. We spent the day in Bremen at the Semi-State winning in the morning and losing in the evening. It was a long day, and is always bittersweet when the long season ends. That Saturday the kids did a great job both in the stands and in between games. Grace got creative with her Benderoos. We found a cool playground to play on, but at the end of the day we were ready to go home!

We've said goodbye to our 8 seniors who very much loved our children, and our children loved them - the Volleygirls. It was fun watching them grow through the years and we'll miss them.

And again I can say, we survived another volleyball season.

Nicholas

In late October our nephew/cousin Nicholas arrived on his great grandpa's 92nd birthday!

They had kind of a rough start with a ridiculously long labor, a pneumothorax (Spell check wouldn't help with this one) and weird blood counts for Nicholas, and a fever for Laura, but are all doing just fine now!

They had a four day stay in the hospital after all the craziness, and we rushed right up to see him when they got home. I never thought I'd have to fight my 4 year old for time with the baby! She can sit for minutes on end holding him (like 45 - if we'd let her!). And he is one seriously smiley newborn!

Our first play date!

Cinderella

I was able to take Grace to our local theatre to see Cinderella. She loved it!

One of the step sisters was our Children's and Youth pastor. She did awesome!