Halloween

Trick-or-treating night!  We had friends over for dinner before dressing up the kids and heading out after dark.

Our "spooky" Halloween decorations.

Ava's pumpkin

Jameson's pumpkin

Pumpkin carving time!

Morning of Jameson's preschool Halloween party...siblings invited ;)

Jameson's preschool is attached to a fitness gym, so the kids trick-or-treated through the gym.  A little strange (I know), but they made it really fun.

Jameson watching out for his sister the whole way :)

Back in the classroom for party fun and snacks.

Ava joining in for story time.

Ava participating in the craft with help from Ms. Heather, Jameson's teacher (who will also be Ava's teacher in the fall).

This little girl wanted a picture with Jameson.  And if you can't tell - she has a crush on him (per her mom), while Jameson is utterly oblivious ;)

Halloween stroll around the reservoir.  I was worried Ava was going to take off (haha).

Wonder woman!  Thanks for the great costume Aunt Karen!

While Jameson wanted to be a dinosaur for his preschool's Halloween party, the rest of the time he was wanting to be a TMNT.

The kids hanging outside of the local high school for the trick-or-treat-street they host for the community.

Ava going through the "maze" the high school students created.

Trick-or-treating through the school halls.

Jameson having fun with all the festival-like games they had set up for after trick-or-treating.

Still our little dinosaur and some other summer moments

Last year's Halloween costume still gets regular use!

Ava's first ponytail :)

A sick day calls for some shakes...somehow that made sense at the time! Actually, I think it's because I needed an excuse to leave the house - and a drive-thru is a "safe" bet with a sick kiddo ;)

First time Jameson wrote "Ava" and "Jameson" totally unprompted/without help.

Jameson came up to me while I was washing dishes and started swinging Ava's baby doll.  I asked him what he was doing and he said "I don't know what to do with it."

Fourth of July fun with friends.

The kids chasing our friend's self-designed and built remote control lawn mower.

Summer date night :)

Summer gathering with friends to tie dye shirts.

Random goodies from the fall months

A morning snuggle :)

Smoothie treat after getting flu shots.

Enjoying the game on the outside patio of the Packer Bar.

Epic light saber fight!

Ava not enjoying the stroller ride as she "should" be - I mean, look at that nice weather!

A sick Jameson insisting on still going out to play...hmmm.  And he's not tantruming, he's seriously just so tired that he's laying down to rest on the deck!!!

I was sitting at the desk when Jameson brought this to me - one of his earliest "person" drawings.  He said that it was me "happy doing (my) bible study".  I asked him what everything on the picture was, and well, the bottom middle vertical line...yup, an anatomy part that I don't have.  I was trying so hard not to laugh and instead use it as an educational moment, but it was quite challenging!

Beautiful morning outside after church and probably after some donuts, too ;)

J and I had been working on reading and spelling the word "and".  I gave him the chalkboard to doodle on, and later he came over wanting me to see what he had written - I think this was the first time I'd seen him string written words together.

This picture really impressed me.  Jameson's dot art has been full of randomness up until a couple of months into preschool. So when I saw Ava do this on her own at just 2 years old, I was shocked!  We each have our strengths and some areas we develop in sooner than others!

Fire pit!!

Late summer/early fall we bought a fire pit on sale at Lowes.  We are so excited to have a yard we can roast marshmallows in!

So happy Jameson loves my favorite dessert :)

We've taken advantage of it with some backyard "date" nights, too.