Mom's Group Halloween Party

Wednesday at our church's mom's group, we had a Halloween party for all the kids. They decorated foam pumpkins, went trick or treating at the offices for the various church ministries, ate lunch, played, and decorated cookies. I think they had a good time!

Jake, aka Thomas the Tank Engine


Grace, aka Snow White

Pumpkin Carving

We decided to carve pumpkins last night, with one little problem... We didn't have any pumpkins. After going to two stores in search of the elusive pumpkins, we finally found some at the third store. Daddy, being ever so ambitious, decided that we were going to carve some really difficult designs. Here we are:

Cleaning out the pumpkins






Keeping occupied


Smiling


Can you tell who they are?


And our most recent past time. I try to think of them as stickers. At least then I don't feel like we are wasting them :)

Banana, Nap with Daddy, and Letters

We tried food for the first time with Clare a few days ago. She's been reaching for things on our plates for awhile now, so I decided to let her have a teeny bit of banana. She gagged and spit out whatever I tried to give her, so I think her interest in our food is more from a desire to play and explore rather than eat. We'll try again in a few weeks and see if she does better then.

Gotta love the hair!


Playing with the food


Napping with Daddy


Letters that I made for her room

A Day Out With Thomas

For G&J's birthday, we got tickets to go ride Thomas the Tank Engine in Rusk, TX. We decided to make an overnight trip out of our journey and actually camped in a tent with the kids. It was lots of fun, and we definitely plan to do it again!

At the East Texas Oil Museum


Our Campsite


Roasting Marshmallows


Eating Marshmallows


Our Little Trooper


Walking from our campsite to the station


Here we come, Thomas!


All of Us + Thomas


Daddy, Grace, & Sir Topham Hatt (Jake was having a Tantrum off to the side)


Riding the Train


Mommy and Clare


The Girls


The Boys


Playing Together (...sort of)


Sleeping

Photo of Clare, Courtesy of Grace

I think it is one of her best yet :)

A Conversation with Grace

At dinner last night...

Grace: I a girl, Jake a boy, Daddy a boy, Mommy a girl.

Me: What's Baby Clare?

Grace: Baby Clare a baby!

Me: That's right. She is a baby. She's a baby girl.

Grace: No, me girl. Baby Clare baby.

Me: Baby Clare is a baby and a girl, she's a baby girl. Just like Emma is a girl dog.

Grace: Emma not girl. Emma a dog.

Me: Emma is a girl dog.

Grace: No, Emma a puppy.

Me: Emma is a girl puppy, just like Mommy is a girl, and you are a girl, and Baby Clare is a girl.

Grace: Baby Clare not girl, she baby.

...This continues in a circular fashion. Grace is quite insistent that Emma and Clare are not girls. It was the cutest conversation though!

G&J are 3!

How did that happen?!? These three years have just flown by. We had a great time celebrating Grace and Jake's third birthday. Daddy took the day off work and went to our first Friday class at church with us. After the class, we picked up Chick-fil-a and met up with some friends at a nearby park. That evening we went to Johnny Rocket's so the twins could get sung to by a crowd. Then we came home and had cupcakes and sang happy birthday again. The twins got a swing set for their birthday and have absolutely loved it! They go in and out playing all day long.

Birthday Cupcakes


Swinging


Sliding


We had their party yesterday at out house. We grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken, ate cake, played with a Cars piñata, and opened presents. All our friends and family helped make it a very special day! Thanks to all who visited us in celebration of Grace and Jake's third birthday!

Cars Cake


Princess Cake


Cars Piñata


Presents