Halloween crafts

The papers! The papers! I would estimate that each day our kids bring home between 10-20 pieces of paper. In a week, I would guess close to 75 pieces of paper.

This is so overwhelming for me. Each page has to be examined and processed for pertinent information, assessed for skills that need to be reviewed, and reviewed for potential contribution to our "save" folder (shows personality, has clearly taken a great deal of effort/time/thought, or is a formal assessment of skills).

Gemma's fall into the pure cuteness pile almost every time. Here are 3 pages that came home ONE day last week along with about 6 others. Adorable, right?

Happy Halloween!

Here are three of the best pictures of our trio this year. Not the greatest pictures, but they still had fun!

William was a dragon. Not a dinosaur. He had the best costume as it was very warm. It was also great as it came to us in a box hand me down clothing and cost us zero dollars.

Amelia was a snow queen for a second year running. The costume is actually too small, but she would not be swayed into anything else. She was a trooper and walked for over an hour of trick o treating. This costume was also zero dollars in yet another box of hand me downs. (Two years running!)

Gemma wanted to be a "pink dress girl". Luckily, we had a Sleeping Beauty dress in the box downstairs. She doesn't know or care about Sleeping Beauty, but she was delighted to be wearing a beautiful dress.

It was cold here- lower 40's with a cold wind. Our kids were troopers and walked the whole block.

Some funnys:

We ran into William's teacher from last year and the teacher Amelia has been visiting for enrichment.

Teacher: Amelia! You look beautiful!
Amelia: (curtsy, smug smile on her face) thank you!
Teacher: what is the best part of Halloween?
Amelia: the CANDY!
Teacher: what is the best part of candy. (She is clearly expecting a certain answer:eating it)
Amelia: counting it! I can't wait to get home and count it! Then I can make a chart of the kinds of candy!
Teacher: (surprised look on her face). ...... Of course you do!
Teacher: (to me): you are raising little geniuses. They are hilarious little geniuses!


........

Halfway up a drive way:
Gemma: (loudly) TRICK OR TREAT!

At the door:
Gemma:..........
(Neighbor puts candy in the bag anyway)
Mom: say "thank you!"
Gemma: ......

Halfway down the driveway, without prompting:

Gemma: THANK YOU! Happy Halloween!


----------
Neighbor's house:

Neighbor: oh look! A dinosaur! Happy Halloween, dinosaur!
William: I am a dragon! A dragon!
Neighbor: oh! Sorry!
William: why does everyone think I am a dinosaur?

Yet another neighbor's house:
Neighbor: a dinosaur! Dinosaurs are extinct. I guess I'll have to give all the candy to the princess!
William: (disbelief on his face)
Neighbor: go ahead princess! Take a bunch!
William: but, but, but... But! I'm a dragon!
Neighbor: (squints eyes) hmmm... Well, dragons aren't real....
William: they are in my imagination!
Neighbor: (laughs) good point young man, good point! (Gives William a handful of candy)

Exciting news!

The rock pile is gone! The rock pile is gone!

John worked very hard both Saturday and Sunday to clear this project off our list (I helped a little here and there). We both wanted this project completed before the colder weather complicates things, but we have had a busy (1st excuse) and wet (2nd excuse) fall.

We are so happy to not have the kids crawling around in the rock at every opportunity and cleaning up the stray rocks from wind/rain and children. Im glad we don't see our pile every time we drive up and I'm sure the neighbors are glad to see our project completed as well!


It also doesn't hurt that the landscaping is looking pretty nice right now! At least the rock part is looking good - maybe not such much the plant part.

Soccer

Amelia played her last soccer game of the season on Saturday! Here she is with her medal!

Gemma

We were in our hotel room getting ready to go somewhere. I already can't remember where. However, getting 5 people ready to go anywhere is a lot like herding turtles. It is slow going and a lot of backwards progress before you get forward motion.

Gemma was singing bits of her favorite song, "Let it Go". William and Amelia were fighting about something. Gemma started Singh g louder to hear herself over the bickering between the two bigger kids.

Finally, she stood up on the bed and flung her arms wide belting out "Let it Go! let it Go! I love peanut butter jelly"!

Her declaration was just what the big kids needed to interrupt and derail their argument.

Everyone dissolved into laughter, which lasted less than 10 minutes before the next fight broke out.

Sent from my iPhone

Gemma

We stayed in a hotel this weekend outside of Chicago with the kids for their fall break.

I woke up Friday morning and heard Gemma flop over in her portable crib. She gave a big sigh as she started to wake up and made adorable sleepy noises. These little noises are so reminiscent of her baby noises, they strike me in the heart. Another flop, a big sigh and I prepared myself for the heart warming baby noises.

Instead, after the big, satisfied sigh sigh came words.

"Peanut butter jelly"

My not so little baby was thinking about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Sent from my iPhone

Not tired

Not tired mom. I not tired. Do you believe her?