Prepping for Christmas

Cutout cookies with Memaw

He asked on the way to MI whether Memaw had any special cookie cutters. We asked what he had in mind and he replied that he wanted one of Perseus doing the backhanded blow to behead Medusa. We replied that we were pretty sure that wasn't one she had.

The joys of animatronics with Bebop

Trains with cousins

Do you think Santa will come?

Punch drunk on chex mix after Christmas Eve service

Hair raising

courtesy of daycare

I wear my hat!

Deck the Halls

Reading together

Molly wants to do _everything_ with her brother

The appropriate way to watch football

Our new fake tree--mostly decorated by the kids (including the Gentrys)

Molly "doing homework"

Watching a Christmas carol on YouTube (via iPod)

Giggling at her brother

Rooting for the home team

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving in Wausau and LauraLynn was able to be there. I had more great pics I wanted to include, but Blogger is being annoying about flipping rotated photos.

Papa pile

Early Christmas present from Auntie LL

Tell me a story!

Someone loves her aunt!

Superheroes

The kids didn't have school Friday. We sent Leo to the morning two-hour Superhero Training Camp program at his afterschool program and in the afternoon he went to the Pirate Party at the Urbana Library. So what you see here is a pirate superhero, complete with eye patch, hook hand, and superhero backpack.

Molly's superhero power is making a mess before you can say "boo." Here she's taken the towel, napkins, and placemats out of the drawer.

Last night Molly decided she had to wear shoes and pjs at the same time. Since she was wearing footie pjs, this was the compromise.

Random around the house-ness.

This has been a full, busy weekend and Jeff was sick most of the week and finally better today, with me finally getting sick today. Yesterday we did farmers market for breakfast from the waffle truck, swim lessons, a trip to TJ's and Barnes and Noble (so Leo could spend BD money) and lunch at Za's. Then home for lots of laundry, planting bulbs, menu planning, and grocery shopping.

Today was gingerbread scones for breakfast, more laundry, house projects, and generally hanging out. We followed the end of the Packer game on ESPN.com, because they weren't shown on TV here this week. Leo had fun watching all of the plays being indicated by little arrows and such. And the Pack won--yay!

Got some lights on super clearance at Lowes awhile back

Jeff and Glenn spent most of a day installing them, with Leo's help, last week.

Molly trying Leo's hat and gloves.

She set herself and the stool up there like that. Sigh.

Can you see the cute little mouse peeking out of the sideways pocket?

Bought a curling iron yesterday (haven't had one since high school) and obviously forgot how to use it. That dark area is a burn.

Hemmed three pairs of pants today by folding and keeping the original hems--they all turned out great!

Both kids asked for oatmeal for dinner. Was trying to get a shot of Molly licking the bowl clean. Well , not "clean" since rarely is anything "clean" with her around.

That kind of day

Halloween

I had a hard time getting good pictures this year. We started out in Mason's crew, but then ran into another school chum and Leo decided to head off with him--and they were a much faster group. They hit many more houses and got a lot more candy. Halloween was a lot louder this year too. Even Molly got in on the action. I thought the dark and the chaos would freak her out, but she insisted on going up to the houses herself and getting candy.

Attaching the extra spider legs. They didn't want to stay on.

We just put out the jackolantern yesterday, and already he looks like this.

A rare front view. I ran out of glow in the dark paint to finish the web on the front and his web wasn't stiff enough--after run from house to house it looked more like an inverted umbrella on his back.

Molly didn't spend long in the wagon, but loved her costume.

Action shot.

Molly posing for the camera.

And now we're continue our tradition of hot chocolate while watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

Leo's BD party

Since Leo's BD falls in the middle of the week, and next week is right before Halloween, we had his party this weekend. Leo wanted a cheetah-themed party this year. So we had a cheetah cake, cheetah balloons, pin the tail on the cheetah, and a rousing game of cheetah, cheetah, leopard (duck, duck, goose), apple bobbing, and some Calvin-ball, and finally Angry Birds come to life. I think everyone had a good time, but Leo threw a huge tantrum at one point that made most of the guests a little uncomfortable and frustrated us.

There are no words

Molly wanted to wear her shirt like this all evening.

Daddy's hat/our little grunge girl

A leaf as big as Molly's head

A leaf bigger than Molly's head

"Slow" weekend

First there was a little boy with a stomach virus on Friday night. 

So, no swimming Sat morning, instead a trip to the Library.

  Later some yard work.

Then today was busy--Le Peep for a pre-Mama's BD breakfast, grocery shopping, then lunch and a nap for Molly.

While Molly napped we watched the Packer game (before she went to sleep we taught her to say "Go Packers". I think that's why they won), and I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Molly enjoyed the cookies when she got up from nap.

Then she did something she loves--coloring. After that we went and had some pictures taken at Meadowbrook (we won a free photo shoot with a photographer trying to build her portfolio). It was cold and we were not dressed warmly enough.

So when we got back Leo and Papa had hot chocolate--and Leo mirrored his sister's chocolate face.

Shenanigans

Pumpkin patch and mums

We tried a new pumpkin patch this year and this is our favorite so far--and it's just pumpkins/gourds--no games or food or animals. Best prices in the area.

Fall display inside

Fall display outside--can't wait until the mum blooms all the way!

I've always liked decorative kale and cabbages but this is the first year I've tried it.