Happy Halloween!

We started preparing for Halloween just over a week ago. It began by choosing our pumpkins and then decorating them. We decorated one as a princess thanks to a gift from Aunt Dena and then we carved a jack-o-lantern in the other. Alyssa has enjoyed seeing pumpkins on everyone front porches and Lauren has even worked on saying pumpkin. You can't really tell that's what she's saying, but it is!





Then this weekend Alyssa and I participated in a Halloween 5k and Kids Fun Run. I loved running with all the other characters who were out to have a good time. Then Alyssa ran with a bunch of other kids - I think she liked it. She won a prize for best costume among kids (a large Hershey bar) and a raffle ($10 gift card to a local cafe). Lauren enjoyed seeing everyone around and Aaron was there to cheer us all on!





Sunday, the girls were able to wear their costumes to mass and received a special blessing from the priest. This was followed by "Coffee and Donuts" which is always a hit. Alyssa then made a Halloween beaded necklace and baked and decorated some cookies for her friends at daycare.

But today was the big day. We picked the girls up a little early from day and came home and got in costume. I think both girls were excited as they both got changed rather quickly, with a few extra layers underneath to help them stay warm. We went to a bar-boo-que at a neighbor's house (which they loved playing with the neighborhood kids; we loved that they took care of our girls) and then we headed out. Alyssa got braver as we went, saying "trick-or-treat" louder and with more gusto each time. And Lauren even got the hang of it by the end, reaching for her own candy (although that's par for course for her!). She even tried to say trick-or-treat a few times, but again it sounded like "ta-ta". They both got to eat one treat when we got home - Alyssa ate a twizzler and Lauren, a rice krispy treat - Aaron says we have a lot to teach them when it comes to choosing treats out of a bucket! They both had smiles on their face all night long and Alyssa said she liked Halloween. What a fun night with our little goblins!

Cousins

We traveled home to Pennsylvania last weekend. It was one of those weekends we couldn't miss - a good friend's wedding reception and Drew's baptism. We were all pretty excited to see our family and friends, but I think Alyssa was most excited to see "Baby Roo" (aka Drew). She hadn't seen him since our trip back in July when he was just days old, and all she wanted to do was hold him. And hold him she did while we were there.



I was surprised to see how interested in Baby Drew Lauren was as well. She'd go over and check him out, try to rock him in his chair, and tickle his toes. At one point, she took the bow out of her own hair and tried to put it in his. I've just started to see her "playing" with Alyssa's baby here at home as well - she put her in the crib and covered her up for bed tonight!



It was fun to see the three of them together, and I know it will only get more fun as they get older. But the love is already there.

Footloose

Alyssa started gymnastics back at the beginning of September. Right now she's in a parent & tot class, which means we go along, help her listen to directions and help her do the different activities. We weren't sure what they'd be able to do at such a young age, but it's been great. Every week they do everything from stretching to balance beams, to tumbling and bars/rings. On occasion they get to jump/run down the tumble track (a long trampoline) and most weeks they get to jump in the foam pit which is underneath the high bars where the big kids practice. Alyssa makes us laugh because she'll say she wants to jump in the "arm pit!" She loves gymnastics, and she can't wait until she's three when she can switch classes and go with the big kids all by herself! I took this photo one night as we were headed out the door to go, and it made me laugh. I couldn't decide if she looked more like the actors in Footloose or Flash Dance, but it was a fun look nonetheless.



The girls also broke out some moves at Jodi & Joe's hometown wedding celebration last weekend. Alyssa was quite the dancer, making some new friends with other kids and showing off her moves. It was a lot of fun. And Lauren even got in on the action a little bit - she was doing some fist pumps on PapPap's lap. I love my two little dancing girls!

October?

This day started like you might expect for the first Saturday in October. After both girls woke up earlier than normal, we got up and moving and headed out. We got a few Halloween decorations, flue shots, and some pumpkins...pretty normal for an October weekend, right?

And even when we got home, it was pretty average...Aaron worked on putting some gutter covers on, I raked leaves, and the girls played in the yard. Alyssa really enjoyed the piles of leaves, as soon as I'd get one made, she'd run through it and giggle.



After eating lunch out on the deck, the girls headed upstairs for naps, and Aaron and I continued to work, raking and cutting back plants. As we were picking up leaves to dump them in the woods, Alyssa woke up and really enjoyed riding around in the leaf-filled tarp through the yard. Lauren didn't like being in the leaves, so she didn't get to ride around in the yard.





And that's about where our normal day ended. Alyssa wanted to play with Lauren's water table while I mowed the grass, so we got out the water table that we thought was done for the season. Within minutes of starting to play, she asked "Can I put on my swimsuit 'cause I gettin' all wet." We let her do so and she then proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon in her swimsuit - running through the sprinkler, playing with the water table, riding her bike, and following me around with her lawn mower.







Apparently, the straps hurt her shoulders so she didn't want to keep them on. It seemed hard to believe that in October she'd be running around in her swimsuit. After we were all done with the first round of fall cleanup, we decided to get cleaned up and head to dinner. Alyssa wore a skirt and a t-shirt and Lauren wore a sundress. Again, who would have guessed that in October Lauren would be wearing a sundress!? We have truly enjoyed this little gift of gorgeous weather over the past week, and we look forward to a few more sunny, warm days to get outside, whether it be to work or play!

A is for apples

In Alyssa's world A is for Alyssa, but lately in our house A is for apple. Each of the past two weekends, we've visited apple orchards, enjoying fall weather, yummy apples, and a few other treats as well.

Nana and PapPap visited two weeks ago and we went to Robinettes.



It was kind of a gray day, but we enjoyed our visit. Robinette's is pretty commercialized, but I've never seen so many apples on trees as I did there. There were so many apples on the tree that the branches were reaching the ground, and there was almost more red than green as you looked out at the orchard.

After a horse-drawn hayride through the orchard, the girls enjoyed playing on the slide, and we all enjoyed some cider and shared some pumpkin doughnuts. They were pretty tasty. Alyssa wanted to jump on this big pillow jumping thing, but because it started to rain, she couldn't go on much to her dismay.



When we mentioned to the girls last weekend the possibility of going to an orchard, Alyssa had two comments/questions:
1. You think Lauren and I can share a doughnut?
2. Let's see if it not rain so I can jump.

The second orchard, Sietsema Orchard, was much less commercial. We went out to the fields when we arrived and picked some apples. Unfortunately a hail storm had come through a few days before and many of the apples were damaged, but we were able to pick 1/2 bushel.





Of course, along the way, we each enjoyed an apple out in the fields. Watching Lauren carry her apples around reminded me of Alyssa at that age, and just made me smile. She was so happy and content wandering around with an apple in each hand. Apples have fast become her favorite treat, and she loves to just walk around with one, taking little nibbles now and again. And if she's got a hold of an apple, you don't dare try to take it away from her.



Out in the fields, both of them had juice dripping off their chins and just loved the experience. We laughed as we watched Alyssa eat her apple because she ate it from the top down as opposed to from the sides. You can kind of tell in the picture.



We then had some of the best fresh out of the over doughnuts and enjoyed another hayride. It was a really fun day and we've all enjoyed the apples over the course of the week.