Happy Thanksgiving!

Following a week's worth of pep talks, we ventured across the street & down to the bridge for an attempt at some family pictures via my camera. Thankfully we had Uncle Kyle to help with the wranglin' this crew needs plus we had my cousin Kelly who is handy with a camera & was able to swap the photographer role with me during our time on the bridge. I was a little shocked with how well it went....I am pretty sure that is a good thing ; ) It is not often that we get a picture of all six of us looking at the camera at the same time BUT the following picture was the first one Kelly snapped!

Looking at the camera was short lived then all took off at full speed. The rest of the pictures don't really need words to accompany them. Our surroundings were absolutely beautiful which made for an easy opportunity for lovely photographs.

I am thankful for marrying this man nearly ten years ago & for the children God has given us. I am also thankful that we managed to get along quite well compared to other attempts at family photos ; )

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

Autumn at the Nest

This morning started with the usual Special K breakfast or "Feh-shel" K as the girls once called it, milk was spilled (also a frequent occurrence). There was a moderate amount of screaming from O&A since Mommy can't move fast enough.  Once they were eating their oatmeal I finally got through on a call I had been trying to make. While I was away for about a minute & a half they poured the rest of their oatmeal out on the floor & I walked back in to Bella licking it up. Sidenote, whenever Bella is gone, I will want a puppy just for floor cleaning purposes but any of you who are reading this should convince me it would be easier to just clean the floor myself ; ) I cleaned up the boys & threw all the dirty dishes on the counter. Char asked if she could play with Bella in the backyard, Eloise followed. We bid farewell to Robby as he left for work....I could hear my inner voice yelling "Please don't leave! Stay with us!" but he was in the big red truck driving away as Owen & Anson watched from the window. When I peeked out at the girls, I noticed they had raked a massive pile of leaves onto the back patio. I was actually impressed! I looked at the dishes, the icky floor & a couple towers of dirty laundry & without much thought, I stepped out into the backyard. It is so nice to breathe some fresh air & take in the lovely season that is now upon us.  

I had looked through a Family Fun magazine I subscribe to & came across a photo of a hideout made from a box & covered with leaves. Their leaves (of course) were beautiful orange, red & yellow...they were probably fake. Our leaves are brown as brown can be. The girls thought it looked like just about the coolest thing ever. They have asked relentlessly if we can make one in our backyard but it wasn't until this weekend that we experienced the Pecan Trees surrendering most of their leaves to float down into our yard. I immediately thought "Today is the day!" I climbed up in the attic to retrieve one of our million moving boxes & cut out the peep hole. I realized that being only 24 inches tall, the girls would have to lay on their bellies to look out so, I headed back to attic to get another box. I made the necessary cuts & added some duct tape for reinforcement.  We decided that it would be most sturdy against the side of our house. We also put the kid sized adirondack chairs up against the other side for support. Then, me & my chickadees got to work moving the leaf pile to the hideout. In no time at all we had this....

With the added height of the other box, Eloise could stand up straight & Charlotte only had to hunch over a bit.  They said they were ready to squirrel hunt! Honestly, we could have a feast of squirrels from our own "land" and the best part...they'd never even see us coming ; )

The bubsters joined in. They look a lot alike in the first pic so I will go ahead & label...Anson on left, Owen on right. Once Owee took off, Anson found his thumb & took a break from the activity. 

 Then he decided that running through the leaves offered much more excitement!

Wagon rides are a must for playing outside...even if it just around the yard. Almost two year olds are so easy to entertain!

well only if you keep the wagon moving at all times...so pitiful.

The girls being quite domestic decided they needed some markers to make their hideout feel a bit more "homey." Eloise colored some leaves to put inside while Charlotte added a kitty cat & some flowers.

Owen got bored with the hideout pretty quick & took a stroll (ie speedy run away from mommy) down the side of the house. Here is the grin he gave me when he realized I was only steps behind.

He could hear cars going by in front of the house & was pretty darn excited to find a peep hole! 

I chased him back to the rest of the crew who were begging for me to rake all the leaves in a pile to jump in. Hilarious how it always sounds so good but is a bit painful when the pile isn't at least 2 feet deep! I certainly did make a large pile & certainly did not take into account the dog poop hiding underneath the blanket of leaves. So as not to talk too much about it I will just say that I did get to clean off some shoes & wipe down a camera that Charlotte set down without my permission....SICK! Anyway, the pile of leaves...poopie smell & all proved to be extremely fun!

I love the leaf stuck on Owen's head in the background. He was struggling to have a good time at this point in the morning.

He helped bury Charlotte then joined me on the sidelines to watch the leaf fight that ended with me having to break it up.

I faked being a really good sport when all four threw leaves on my head....it was hard to do as I pictured what I wiped off my camera moments earlier ; ) 

My buddy Owen who sat quietly on a rock next his mommy repeating "Leaf! Leaf!" over & over as we watched them fly brought a stillness to a moment that was anything but still.

With a deep sense of joy, I watched my little brood experience something new, something that they will remember as they grow & look forward to as the seasons change & something that God orchestrated in order for our playtime to happen. It reminded me of a song that when I think of, I am brought back to my first year at Texas Tech. My roommate Cheryl & I would turn this up quite loud & do some lyrical dancing (not a shining talent for either of us haha) when we hit our breaking point while studying for our pre- nursing course, Anatomy & Physiology. There were a lot of breaking points that year of studying which means a lot of this song & a lot of lyrical dancing ;) Oh how I loved being roommates with her! Never a dull moment.

This beautiful song is called Every Season by Nichole Nordeman.  I have chosen to share only the Autumn portion in this post but plan to cover each season over the coming year. 

And even when the trees have just surrendered 
To the harvest time 
Forfeiting their leaves in late September 
And sending us inside 
Still I notice You when change begins 
And I am braced for colder winds 
I will offer thanks for what has been and what's to come 
You are autumn

It is lovely to be in a place to experience a bit of Fall, something we missed while having only palm trees in the Sunshine State. As I looked up at our trees this morning noticing how the "trees had just surrendered" I was thinking about change. I was thinking about all that has happened since last fall when we had no idea we would be abruptly moving, starting new jobs, dealing with multiple health issues & life change. In some ways it feels like we are experiencing the "colder winds" that we "braced for." We are missing friends & our CCC family which in turn causes us to "offer thanks for what has been."  There is much to be thankful for as we reflect on all that God graciously provided for us during our time in Orlando. Just to name a few: a church family that encouraged us in the Gospel on a daily basis, four children, a home where we were able to host others often, neighbors we connected with, the stripping away of pride within each of us as we learned to lead others & a deep appreciation of friends who feel like family when far away from what we called home. We can "give thanks for what's to come" knowing that God will continue to make us more like him, He will deepen relationships with friends & family here & He will provide all that we need. 

My prayer is that I will continue to notice Him when change begins, that I would reflect on his faithfulness & look forward to what is ahead. Turns out that neglecting the inside of the nest this morning might have been the best decision of the week!  Such a good reminder to just "take it easy" sometimes....easy on yourself, easy on the dirty house & easy on the kids...let them roll around in poopie leaves & add to the pile of laundry ; ) Praying that your week would offer reflection on all there is to be thankful for whether you are in a time of great joy or deep sadness or possibly both at the same time. Happy Autumn!

Chirps from the Tree ~ September, October & half of November

Outside the Nest...

it is SO cold I don't even know what to do with myself ; ) It has been in the 20s the past two mornings....definitely chillier weather than the Valentine family has experienced in years! We did love the sun & heat in the Sunshine State most days of the year but are excited to have cool temperatures for the holidays like we enjoyed growing up. The girls love that they can see their breath outside & attempt to escape out the back door as frequently as possible to run about in the arctic like weather (according to them). Due to all the growing, three of the Fab Four are jacket-less at the moment...poor, cold, little children! We have been layering until I can make it to the store. I just carry around my space heater to keep my tootsies warm. Inside the Nest, I am childless for about 36 hours! It is extremely quiet minus a pacing dog who's not quite sure what to do without children trying to touch her paws or take her for a ride. Bob & Jeannine offered to keep all four kiddos from 10am this morning till tomorrow afternoon. I am enjoying some time alone today, a little shopping with a friend, date night in with Rob & a day at the spa with my Aunt Deb tomorrow. What a lovely 36 hours!

I am thankful for...

the care of others. This season of life has been a reminder of God's faithfulness in providing others to serve us. This really all began when we were expecting the boys, followed by their arrival, months of sleeplessness, moving, Robby's emergency appendectomy then me not being able to drive for four months. We have been overwhelmed with friends & family who have cared for us even when it is not super convenient for them. Most recently it has been friends & family that are offering to grocery shop, take me to appointments, watch kids, help with getting us to & from school on Thursdays, the list goes on & on.  What a gift it is to be surrounded by selfless people. Jessica, a friend from long, long ago...like late elementary school brought us the most delicious Taco Soup last week & brought her adorable daughter along for a visit with my four. It was sweet to catch up with someone who I have known for many years.  Kate, a friend & neighbor texts me weekly when she is headed to the store & usually ends up picking up a couple things for me. She is also our only friend within walking distance & has invited us over to play. Just yesterday, we were all ready for school & attempting to get everyone in the Expedition when we realized the battery was dead.  Big bummer to shuffle everyone & bags back inside & explain to a very disappointed pair of girls that sometimes we deal with unexpected things that happen to change our plans for the day. I told the girls to pray that someone would be able to take us. I thought I would just text my friend Brooke to see how her morning was looking. She responded within minutes & said she would be there soon.  We still made it without missing much of our school day & were so thankful for her changing her day to meet our needs. There aren't too many friends that have vehicles large enough to cart the five of us around town. I kind of feel like that woman in the poem "There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many children she didn't know what to do..." I was mentally crossing "helpers" off the list while practicing simple addition of carseats, adults & number of children in each family.  In many ways it is hard to be at the receiving end of all this assistance but it reminds me of my needing to rely on the Lord & be blessed by the unending service of others. 

I am thinking about...
how physical rest has been a greater component of life since I wrote last.  Due to my diagnosis, I am on leave from work until I am therapeutic on my medication & seizure free so I have the opportunity to sleep every night of the week which has been wonderful. Rob has encouraged me to head to bed much earlier in the evening than I am used to. I have felt better than ever following the nights I have heeded his advice & gotten in bed by 8:30.  This is just a season of exerting much energy in the physical tasks of caring for little people & apparently I need more sleep than I was allowing for my body. 

how rest in the Lord has been a greater part of my days lately with a bit more discipline in seeking Him through reading my bible & being mindful of the music we have playing around the house. We just started a new sermon series on Exodus which is not typically the book I go to when thinking "I have a few minutes to read" but has proven to be helpful & a wonderful reminder of God's presence & plan through all of time. 

being a mommy. The girls are hooked on watching old videos of themselves & brothers (and cousins) on my computer. One particular video they love is when Issac is born. I think I have mentioned before how Charlotte wanted to keep re-watching the short clip of Jenny's face when she is pushing....still an obsession & provokes questions. This week she said "I just don't think I want to have two babies or even one baby. It will hurt too much." I reminded her to pay attention to her Aunt's face in the following picture & many of you can imagine (or personally remember) the delight in seeing a baby seconds after delivery, listening to their precious cry & thanking the Lord. My eyes filled up with tears as I told her that someday if God decided to make her a mommy that He would give her the strength she needs to endure the pain & bring her great joy in caring for that baby. She still was leaning more toward the side of avoiding it at all costs ; ) Oblivious Eloise on the other hand keeps talking about how she wants to have five babies & she will name them "Don, Caffy, ClaraAnna & Alex" which is the entire Ziel family minus Holly the puppy dog...haha! ClaraAnna is two individual people by the way. In the days following our little discussion at the kitchen table I was thinking about how much having a baby hurts (and I had epidurals) in the moment & how with time that memory fades a bit BUT in actuality, there is suffering all along the way with parenting....and we are only to 5 years of age with our oldest ; )   Caring for our little brood takes more energy & patience than I could have ever imagined. There are moments in the day where I have to put everyone in a room away from me & take a breather, ask God for help & jump back into the action.  There is much intensity in many parts of the day which I know is no different than any other family. I have never given so much of myself day in & day out but on the flipside, I have never experienced as much joy in my life as I do when reflecting on what God is doing in our family. In conclusion, what I would like to continue encouraging my little ladies in as they grow & dream about what their life may entail someday is that even though the gift of raising children brings many challenges (and pain) God makes it worth the hard work. We say to them often "God's way is the best & happiest way to live." That holds true in all life stages. My prayer is that in living this way & teaching my children to do the same, we will be more like Jesus.

In the schoolroom...
I am loving schooling at home. It has been easier the past 6-7 weeks of being in a more "homebound state" than when I wrote last. We are in a pretty decent routine most days that includes review of Classical Conversations memory work, Geography of the USA which the girls LOVE, math & reading. A couple days a week we focus a bit of time on handwriting & occasionally add in an activity to reinforce a portion of memory work. I do say "a pretty decent routine most days" because there are just some days that we can barely make it without school whether it is someone being sick, extra whiny, irritable or just plain lazy & I am not just talking about the kids ; ) We have made it all 11 weeks to CC on Thursdays which is amazing considering the amount of people that have to be well to go! Three younger children on top of a Kindergartner has its challenges but I am getting the hang of including/entertaining others. In the morning the boys are usually present with our CC review time where we go over our current weeks' memory work. It is incredible how much they even pick up on. We have hand signs for "What are some parts of the Circulatory system " that Anson does almost as well as the girls. He gets a kick out of himself too which is pretty adorable ; ) Eloise pipes up & answers questions if Charlotte is too slow...this makes someone quite upset but I am always impressed with her memory. Owen & Anson have gotten comfortable with spending about 45 minutes in their cribs with some toys in the morning while we knock out a math lesson or complete some other school related activity that is easier without two precious distractions. Eloise is hit or miss as far as distracting goes. It really depends on her mood for the day as I decide whether to include her in certain educational activities.  She too is capable of spending some alone time with a puzzle or book (sometimes). In the afternoon, three out of the four nap while Charlotte & I do a reading lesson & a math lesson if it has not been completed yet. We have also been working on this awesome Human Body coloring book that supports our science memory work. She got it from her buddy Calvin for her birthday & is a perfect activity for the two of us to do together. She feels very loved if you color with her : ) Over all, math has been Charlotte's strong suit while reading was quite the struggle at the beginning of the school year. I shelved it for about 4-5 weeks & when we started again something clicked & she is progressing through lessons well. It's hard to be the "teacher" when your "student" is not doing well ; ) It has been a wonderful opportunity to work through things she finds difficult offering many snuggles & cups of tea along the way.  She loves learning & I am enjoying my one on one time with the oldest of our brood.

From the kitchen...
Another perk of being homebound is that during the weekdays, we are forced to eat at home & spend less money at Chick-Fil-A ; ) I think Rob likes that too. It is a challenge to shop for all that we need for the week since I can't just run to the store for things that were forgotten (or something I am craving in the moment). I have been making a few things to throw in the freezer one of which is meatballs. It worked very well the first time I used them in this amazing recipe called One Pan Spaghetti & Meatballs. Who doesn't love a meal that can be cooked in one pan? Anyway, round two did not go very well. My meatballs were all frozen together since I skipped the step of freezing them spread out on a tray & instead laid them nicely in a ziploc bag. To make a long story short, my meatballs had to be smushed into the pasta & sauce. I threw it all in a baking dish, topped it with cheese & baked it like a casserole...it was still tasty. Overall, we have been grilling more often which offers all sorts of delicious options & the best part is...Rob is the griller! I love this part of the year as far as cooking goes. Hot soups are even more yummy in the cold weather! There are lots of dishes on the list to cook in the next six weeks....I'm hungry just thinking about it : ) 

I am creating...
I actually finished fall dresses & they turned out quite cute. The girls were automatically trying to rip them off though saying they were itchy....not funny to the seamstrss at all. They will wear them on Thanksgiving Day since we still haven't made it to a pumpkin patch yet.  I pictured long sleeves but due to amount of fabric I pre-bought without a plan, they are short sleeved & happen to look adorable with a denim jacket on top. Let's just hope they will actually wear them without ripping them off during lunch. 

We are halfway through hanging leaves on our Thankful Tree. I ended up cutting them myself because my machine was driving me insane. I need to look as some "diy- fix it" tutorials & get it back in working order.

Robby has banned me from making a dollhouse or refinishing one with homemade decor. He said my brain needs to rest : ) I am following his lead & have found one to purchase instead...still thinking it would be a fun gift.

Hilarious that when I wrote last I mentioned that the fabric for recovering the dining room chairs had just arrived. Six weeks later, that project has been moved to the back burner although, Eloise dumping my entire cup of coffee on a chair this week reminded me of the great need to replace those dirty things.

I am hopeful that a few homemade gift ideas will come to fruition in the next few weeks. I want to hunt down the perfect fabric for some infinity scarves...gift for myself & others if they turn out  as pretty as imagined.

Clicking around...

I have spent nearly zero time on my computer lately....not much clicking around here. 

I am reading...
Girl Talk by Carolyn Mahaney- Robby gave this to me once we knew baby girl number two was on the way.  It is definitely information to recall years from now but brings much excitement for the years ahead regarding close relationships with my daughters. 

The boys are hooked on From Head to Toe by Eric Carle & are hilarious mimicking motions of the animals inside the book. The girls are happy reading anything. Our library visits came to a halt with my no driving status but we are making do with the books we have. 

I am praying for...

My friend Halie who is now just mere weeks (or potentially days) away from welcoming her little girls!  They are measuring a great size for gestational age & causing their mother much discomfort as can be expected in the third trimester with twins : ) I remember that pretty clearly!

The Dennis Family- I have mentioned them before but here is a recap....we share a couple mutual friends in Orlando & have followed their story for the past couple years. They welcomed their first daughter in 2013 at full term with anencephaly, a condition where the brain does not develop. She lived for 10 hours & they said goodbye. This past week they welcomed a second daughter also at full term with acrania, a condition where the skull does not develop. She lived for 12 hours & again, they said goodbye.  The 40 days leading up to Dasah's birth, Lindsey wrote a series titled "40 days in the lonely places- an invitation to discover treasures only found in the darkness" I read bits & pieces & hope to return to read the rest. Wow, what a testament to the Lord providing all we need when we call out to Him.  Please read their story & pray for this couple who are with empty arms, two daughters in heaven & a need for the Lord to draw near to their hearts.

I am hearing...

or shall I say I am looking forward to hearing Christmas Music! 

        

Plans for the rest of the week...

Robby in Tulsa for an overnight trip, last week for CC this semester, a couple doctor appointments  & surviving the frigid temperatures ; )

Life via Instagram....

Tootles & the cast of Peter Pan

It all started a couple months ago when Robby could not resist watching the Robin Williams' movie "Hook" with the girls. It was followed by multiple showings at the Nest, many that included me as a watcher. We loved it, quoted it & the kids pretended to be characters. As time passed we realized that the girls had never seen the Disney Peter Pan so of course, we had to watch that on the next family movie night. It was decided around that time that Peter Pan would be our costume theme. My mind got to work, earlier this year than last thankfully ; ) There had been so much obsession with the two movies that one night when we were in Kingwood, I got up from the couch & moved to the guest room in the wee hours of the morning. My parents woke up to the girls screaming "MOMMY!" in the living room when they couldn't find me. They took care of them so I could continue on in dreamland, undisturbed by the screaming. Later that morning the girls told me that they thought Hook captured me! Haha! Definitely more exciting than just walking like a zombie to the guest bed....or is it? 

Once the week of Halloween rolled around we got our pumpkin & prepared for a relaxing yet festive evening. It started off quite exciting when I put some taco shells in the oven on "broil"and then....forgot about them. I walked back in from the garage & could smell something out of the ordinary & when I glanced over I saw flames from the shells up to the top of the oven!! I screamed "ROBBY!!! THE OVEN IS ON FIRE!" thankful that he was already home & could intervene. I'm sure he thought I was crazy, He ran over, opened the oven & attempted to pull out the baking sheet then decided to put it back in & think for a second about the safest way to put out the flames. Me on the other hand...I was in a complete panic yelling "do we need to call someone??" hahaha....like the fire department maybe? We have laughed hard since this event about my ridiculous comments & actions. I ran out the back door leaving it open & turned on the hose. Robby carried the flaming baking sheet out the back door & sat it down on the rocks. He did end up using the water hose (see, I was helpful). The boys watched in amazement from their high chairs saying "taco, taco, taco, taco, taco" over & over while the girls were so zoned in on their TV show that they didn't even notice! A whole new meaning to Torchy's Tacos right?! We still enjoyed our black bean taco dinner followed by moving out to the backyard to carve our pumpkin.

We started off with a little pumpkin drumming by the Fab Four. Owen was so attached to his "baby" this evening which was actually my baby when I was little. 

Eloise enjoyed the carving but was much more interested in the roly-poly who crawled all over her pants. This worked out okay since she might be the most dangerous around a knife ; ) Daddy got smart & moved our pumpkin up out of reach while all the little ones watched him draw on our design & carve away.

He turned out pretty cute thanks to the carver! After a short discussion the girls decided to name him "Jake" from Jake & the Neverland Pirates but shortly after renamed him "Tootles" after a character in Hook. He is an old man who says "I'm looking for something, I've lost my marbles!" Tootles was one of the Lost Boys & his namesake made for a great little pumpkin on our front porch for the week.

 Love my boys...wish they weren't out of focus.

Once Tootles was shining from the inside out, Anson spent the majority of his time in this position.

It worked out well that the kids & I spent the first week of October at my parents house. I am always inspired to be more crafty when in the presence of my mother & it's always more fun to go shopping for fabric together (with our four best friends).  We had a hilarious interaction while shopping with a loud bunch of children. This older woman stopped me & was trying to make nice with my grumpy three year old & twins who weren't having any of her baby talk. She of course told me I had my hands full...I did at that very moment.  I ended up having to exit the premises while my mom & Charlotte waited for our fabric to be cut. Later she shared that the older woman who had spoken to me also spoke to my mom. She said...and I quote..."She sure has her hands full, she needs a Valium or at least some marijuana or something!" Wow, we have never heard that one haha! Anyway, back to the costume making. Charlotte was given the task of making the first draft & I was super impressed. From left to right, top to bottom we have Wendy, Captain Hook, Peter Pan & Mr Smee...

Charlotte was the first to say that she wanted to be Wendy & we originally thought Eloise would be Tinkerbell but that little firecracker had her own plan that included a hook & sword. We just went with it....go with the flow works better when handling that sweet little thing ; ) My mom & I did not actually do much sewing in Kingwood but, since she was our chauffeur back to Dallas & then stayed for a few more days, we knocked out the rest! My first round for Owen's costume was made size wise from my memory while he was napping. Apparently I still picture him as a preemie because I could not even get the top on him & his Peter Pan hat looked like a yamika. Round two was a vast improvement. All items fit for each character & we could hardly wait for Friday to arrive! 

Enough stories & onto the cast....

Little Captain Hook was a bit grumpy during picture taking but then again, Captain Hook is a little grumpy anyway so maybe she was just playing the part well ; ) She LOVED having the mustache drawn on & thanks to GGran we had the mustache "paint" just in time. Since I couldn't drive, she picked it up on her way over on Halloween morning. We got the kids dressed & took a little stroll down to the bridge. I was thankful to have her assistance since it is far from safe to go there alone with our crew.

She was so pretty when she arrived on my front porch & said she was dressed as a Red Raider fan for Halloween, haha! SO creative! Anson did not like his hat & much preferred to be Captain Hook from the neck up which made for lots of laughs!

We chose for Anson to be Mr. Smee because his belly hangs out of his shirt on a daily basis. He was pretty adorable....sideburns, big brown eyes, belly button & all. 

and yet, another pair of brown eyes belonging to such a sweet boy that kept his hat on for Mommy.

We spent some time looking for turtles but decided it was much too chilly for them to be coming to the surface.

Love these two together. Peter Pan who we called "Peter Man" instead since that is what Eloise thought the title of the movie was for about a month borrowed Captain Hook's telescope. It actually belonged to Uncle Scott & Uncle back in the early 1990's & can be used as a weapon as well.

GGran & I had it made on the way home. Wendy Darling, being so motherly pulled the rest of the bunch home in the wagon...the whole way!

We got some naps in then donned our costumes once again & made our way to the Clark's house for Trick-or-Treating. Captain Hook was very upset when we arrived because Peter Man had rubbed off half of her mustache while riding next to her. We grabbed a marker & filled in what we could...it was half black, half brown & she didn't care. They hosted a wonderful (quick) dinner, had a fire pit out front & a HUGE pumpkin full of candy. Here are some of the kiddos we ran with...

Peter Man & Smee were a little protective of their wagon when Dorothy & a cute little cheerleader tried to "help" the baby boys.

and those little ladies up close...aka Karlee & Khloe. Then Charlotte & Owen the tiger who is Khloe's big brother buddied up long enough for a picture.

Kids swapped out walking & riding & we were glad to have a three seater wagon for the evening (and always).

Andrew, Khloe & a sticky lollipop...

Speaking of lollipops, O&A were delighted to have their first. They were pretty excited about all the candy & were screaming while we were walking. Rob was yelling to me requesting some baby friendly candy. We figured out Whoppers were perfect for these two & we sugared those boys right up to keep them happy. You should have heard Peter Man's unending happy squeals on the way home!

Hook & Wendy remembered just what to do & had a blast running from house to house. They were polite & could not help themselves so they started chowing down while still walking. I was shamed by one woman & wanted to say "You should see how many pieces of candy we gave those babies over there lady!" Charlotte looked beautiful with her hair pulled half up. For about 2.5 years she has refused to do anything to her hair other than leave it down but all of the sudden she is requesting a ponytail nearly every day which looks just adorable. While on the subject of hair, Eloise decided to lose the wig for trick or treating....must have slowed her down ; )

one last pic of the Valentine Six. The girls were sorely disappointed that we did not dress up. They really wanted Robby to be the Tick Tock Croc. Maybe another year ; )


It was a fun night with friends & we made it home, got the little ones to bed then did what all parents of trick-or-treaters do...raided the pumpkins! We enjoyed some treats while watching an episode of Dateline then got a fabulous nights sleep when all stayed in a bed (two in mine as usual) until 8 AM!

I can't post this without including a picture of our very own Nana. You can tell that she really loved her costume ; ) She is too old & feeble to trick or treat but sure looked cute!