Halloween 2016

We don't do ghouls and goblins but we do love to let the kids dress up and have a little fun...and get themselves some "loot" in the process!

When Mike and I were pregnant with Natalee we found this almost new Old Navy pirate costume at a yard sale.  We bought it and were so excited.  Can you believe it didn't fit a single child until now!?  They just didn't hit the right size at the right time to be a pirate.  To go with the pirate theme I wanted to do family costumes and have Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, Wendy and Peter Pan.  Unfortunately my kids all have their own opinions and no one else loved my idea.  Isn't Halloween about dressing up for fun?  Anyways, I'm not fighting about costumes.  

And so we had:

Minnie Mouse...

Natalee completely planned her own costume, actually using one of her dresses.  She likes to be comfortable!

a football player...

 

{A huge thank you to Colby for the helmet and to Miss Darla for saving the day and loaning Xavier the pants and jersey.  He was over the moon and had the time of his life!}

the lovely Cinderella... 

{Cinderella was almost Minnie Mouse at the last minute because she loves to match big sister, but in the end she stuck with her original choice.  She chose her own costume from our dress up options all on her own too.}

and our pirate... 

Seriously.  

We were also joined by Taco Teddy!  Darling boy.

We walked the wagons around the block and let the kids go door to door at a few houses before going to the town square to do Trunk or Treat.  Trunk or Treat was packed but what generous people we have in our town!  For.real!  After that we walked to Great Grandma Betty's and let her house be our final stop.  She always loves to see the kids in their costumes and they love to see her.  

It was a full, sweet night that ended with a little candy to eat and some loot sorting!

 Mia tried to collect everyone's Snickers bars...lol.

Dating Our Kids

This year Mike and I have tried to focus more on taking our children one on one to do an activity.  When there are more children than parents, in such a short time span, it's important (to us) to make sure everyone has an individual time to chat, make a memory, and be together.

At the beginning of the month, Mike and Xavier had a boys day and went to the Home Depot kids workshop to make a firetruck.

{The finished product.}

 

 

 

This was our first experience with a Home Depot workshop.  Mike said it was very well planned and laid out and that Xavier really did get to build his own little truck.  It was a perfect daddy/son morning!

This week there was a speech and hearing clinic at a local University that I wanted Ameliya to attend.  We had her articulation screened by an SLP friend 6 months ago and she said she was doing okay, but in the time since we haven't made gains on the errors that she's making, even with me trying, so I wanted her re-screened.  The clinic happened to be on a Wednesday night, which is our busy night with JAM, so Nannie readily agreed to accompany Ameliya to the clinic.  The children got to dress up so Andrea got to spend the night with Cinderella.

 

Ameliya wouldn't readily talk to the student clinicians, so Andrea took her to the other side of a two way mirror and talked to her that way.  We're still working on the disobedience of not replying when you're spoken to.

Her screening ended in them saying to bring her back for a 3 year screening to see if some of her errors have improved.  Ameliya was glowing about her date night with Nannie!  They had a great time!

Today was mine and Natalee's turn to get out of the house and have some fun.  We went to a Science on Saturday even hosted by the same University.  

What a well planned out event!  They had ample student staff for the day, and they even had made a special dye free snack bag for Natalee!  I was very impressed by the activities!

Natalee could three sessions to attend from around a dozen choices.  She chose:

Oreo Moons

Grooveology (Lava Lamp Laboratory)

She met up with a good friend at this class!

 

and We All Scream for Ice Cream 

The student instructors of the classes Natalee chose touched lightly on a science topic (moon phases, polarity, freezing temperature) and did a great job of having FUN with the kids.  We declared our girls morning a success!  I was glad to get to go along and just focus on my oldest girl for awhile.  We held hands a lot and chatted in the van - just me and my gal!

Zayden hasn't had any formal dates lately, although he's the only one who gets to "date" mommy in the wee hours of the morning!  He did get to spend Wednesday evening with Daddy all alone while Mia was with Nannie and the big kids and I were at JAM.  He thrives on having us down on the floor pushing trucks around with him. 

Beeler Family Pictures

We had family pictures done about a month ago for our family on Mike's side.  Thanks, Kristin, for working with us and our schedules and taking them for us, even though our gift certificate was long overdue!

Party of 11...

My sweet family...I had a hard time with clothes - always go white when in doubt!  My kids look so clean!

 Look at these sweet cousins...

 

Apparently the little ones were over it...

 I love this one!

My man...love of my life!

Oh Zayden!  Turn your head! Oldest to youngest...

 They were getting tired but they hung in there. We might have bribed promised chocolate milk. 

 My cuties!

Papa George and Granny...

Kea, Miguel, and Adelyn...