All Things Halloween!

Our first bit of Halloween celebrating was with the Tokarev's on the 27th.  Michelle, Alexei, Marisol and Amelie all came over and we had brunch and the girls played.  The girls were all dressed up.  Sadly I didn't take a picture of Alice and Amelie but I did get some cute ones of Kate and Marisol.  I love that our girls are the same age and that they get along so well.  YAY!

Later that day we drove to Richmond Hill and went to a Plumb Party!  The Plumbs are warm and fun and we love going to parties at their house.  After a yummy potluck dinner we played a big game of TABOO - men vs. women.  It was so much fun.  Last year our family did Peter Pan, this year, Snow White!  I took this picture of Snow White and Dopey before we left.

This picture was taken by Ruth right before we left.  Dopey is no longer all smiles.  I kind of wish we'd taken one when we first got there.  Oh well, we're still pretty cute.  And just in case you don't know, I'm the wicked Queen, Alice is Dopey Dwarf, Kate is Snow White and Ken is the Mirror - sans make-up.  We decided the make-up (face paint) would be more trouble than it was worth.

Our next bit of Halloween fun - was on the 30th.  I was the duty Mom at Kate's preschool.  Kate and I went as the wicked Queen and Snow White and I brought my camera with the BEST of intentions... however the camera stayed on the teacher's desk the whole time, oh well!

This brings us to Halloween Day.  Antoinette, our care-giver extraordinaire took the girls Trick-or-Treating at the Cookstown Mall.  The girls had a BLAST!

Ken got home from North Carolina in the wee hours of the morning on Halloween.  He'd been gone since Sunday and we never did get around to carving pumpkins before he left, so we carved pumpkins when I got home from work. 

Then it was CANDY TIME!! Alice was so all over it.  It was too cute.  We only went to a few houses quite close to our own home, but I swear Alice could have gone for hours.  She wouldn't even let me carry her pumpkin bucket, she was so determined (as always!).  Both the girls really had lots of fun.  Halloween really is such a fun holiday!

Kate's First Field Trip

Ken should really be writing this post as he was the one who went with Kate to the farm... oh well!  When we received the notice from the pre-school regarding the trip I wasn't sure what we were going to do.  Every child that went on the trip had to be accompanied by a parent.  When Ken saw the notice he volunteered to go.  Not only was Kate able to go, but a younger sibling was welcome too, so Ken took both girls on Kate's class trip to Round-the-Bend Farm.

The kids learned about how pumpkins grow.  They each got to pick something with the farmer and they went on an EPIC wagon ride.  Ken said that it very muddy, very bumpy and slightly scary!  I'm so glad that Ken was able to take the girls and I'm so glad that Kate LOVES preschool.

Ken took lots of fun pictures.  Here are a few.

Alice is 20 Months

I was simply going to put up a pic of Alice, and that was it, but I've been thinking and I must share Alice's latest sentences/phrases.  "Scissors are sharp," which is then quickly followed up with "scissors hurt."  (I feel to say that she does not enunciate every syllable of each word, but I can clearly understand what she is saying.)  She is slightly obsessed and if she sees scissors, she repeats this over and over and over again. (And sometimes even if she doesn't see scissors, she repeats it again and again!)  ALICE!!!!  We love you!

South Simcoe Railway - Fall Colour Excursion

1 steam train + 4 three year-olds + fall colours + potluck lunch = ONE FUN DAY!!

South Simcoe Railway which operates all summer on Sundays and Mondays has Fall Colour Excursions on Saturdays and Sundays in September and October.  This marks the third time Ken and I have been on the Excursion, the second for Kate and the first time for Alice.  We thought we'd invite a few friends and make it a party, and so it was.  We had the first four compartments in the second train.  It was a beautiful day.  I must admit, that although the script for the tour hasn't changed since the first time I heard it, I still find it enjoyable!

Alice and Ken

Kate

Shawn and Cooper

The Plumb Family

Kate and Ciaran

Kate and Ciaran and Cooper.  (I'm mad at myself that I didn't get one with Ava too.)

Alice

Happy Zorana

Kate checking out the scenery. 

Kate looking very concerned as the Conductor told the story of the ghost train.  (This was the talk for the rest of the afternoon with the four year-olds, ghosts and zombies too)

Ruth and Jasmine

Alice licking the window and me letting her.

Going under the train trestle bridge.

Cooper and Shawn

The Conductor

Jason and Ciaran

Zorana and the four year-olds.

The McCartney family and the steam train.

The Plumb Family and the steam train.

The Tiesma Family and the steam train.

Thanks everyone for a lovely, lovely day!!

Canadian Turkey Time American Style

I think I am slightly addicted to going to upstate New York for the Thanksgiving long weekend.  We all love the children's museum, we all love the Egan family, and we all love TURKEY!!  (Okay, the little girls not so much, but they just don't get it yet, the turkey that is!)  We had such a great weekend.  It was awesome.  It was also General Conference weekend, I didn't see as much of it as I would have liked to, but I did enjoy the parts I saw and I am determined to watch the rest...  SOON!

We left Friday after work and drove to Rochester.  The roads were great, the border was great, the girls were great - YAY!

Saturday morning we got up, had the complimentary breakfast in the hotel, went swimming and then went to the Museum of PLAY!!!  And we played, hard!

We started at the carousel of course.

Said hello to the friends at Sesame Street.

Did some grocery shopping.

AND THEN!!!! DORA!  When we got the circular in the mail from the museum that said Dora was coming, Kate was so excited.  The special exhibit was fun.  Kate just ran from one spot to the next.  She just didn't stop moving.  She loved it.  Alice enjoyed it too, but Kate was in Dora heaven.

After saying goodbye to Dora and Diego we went back into the first main area.  Kate played on the stage, and had a tea party, while Alice laid down in the pebbles and did some arts and crafts with Dad.

Then it was off to storybook land.  Kate loved wearing the Cinderella dress and sitting in the pumpkin carriage.

She also played damsel in distress.  A cute little prince came to her aid and helped her down the beanstalk.  (Even though she had done it all by herself moments before?!)

Alice played in the plastic sand for ages.

 

Next we made a short trip to Berenstain Bear land.

On our way back we stopped for the must have pose on the steps of Sesame Street and this cute little boy joined the girls for the only photo that I got of the two of them... oh well.

We stopped off at the diner (inside the museum) for a late lunch - the kids meals come with oreo cookies and I couldn't resist talking a picture of Kate's oreo cookie smile!

Our last stop was a walk around the pretty garden.

Successful museum trip over, we made our way to Seneca Falls to see the EGANS!!  Saturday afternoon was filled with visiting, conference watching and playing.  It's fun visiting friends with older children because then Kate and Alice are doted upon, and there's the added bonus of asking for a hand with the girls here and there.  Sunday morning there was a flurry of activity preparing for Thanksgiving.  It is very true that many hands make light work.  All the kids (the Egan kids that is) had jobs.  After the meal was on its way we all went for a walk before Conference.  It was a little chilly, but beautiful.

After the walk we watched Conference and after that we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner.  I love turkey.  That night before bed I asked Kate what she was thankful for and the first thing she said to me was you.  I love my crazy girls so much.  I am so thankful for my family.

The next morning we got up and got ready to go.  This is when I decided that I must document, document, document, hence all the pictures!

Here we are, Heidi and Wendy, Chip and Dale, friends since we were three.  I love my Hedi-did.

This is Sam and Maggie.  (I can't believe Sam will be 16 in February... crazy!)  Maggie is going to be 14 in November.  I think she's just a little excited to be old enough to go to dances!

Here are Maggie and Lily.  Lily is such a laid back young lady.  She's going to be 12 in December.

Next is Josie.  Josie is a cutie.  We had the privilege of attending her baptism in April.

Last is Ruthie.  Ruthie and Kate had fun playing together, for the most part.  Ruthie was caught between being the big kid to Kate, but still wanting to be the baby.  They had a minor pillow war on Sunday afternoon (not to be confused with a pillow fight), but were playing together again before we left on Monday.  I love that Ruthie never wore socks! (Or shoes!)

Heidi having Alice time.

The Egan residence.  I made sure I took a proper picture of their house this time.  It's really an amazing house - there is so much room.

You can sort of get a sense of how long it is here.

I had to get a picture of Maggie's socks.

Cutie Ruthie.

After leaving the Egans we made a quick trip to the outlets to pick up some winter coats for the girls - which they will grow into sometime this winter.  Then it was on to Palmyra.  I wanted to go to the grove (more info on that here) and get pictures of Alice as a little girl in this special place.  Kate was about the same age when we brought her here for the first time.  We had a nice time walking through the trees.

I am thankful for my family, for my sweet friends.  I am thankful for the fun weekend we had.  I am thankful for my Savior, for His gospel, for the peace and clarity it brings to my life.  I am thankful for so many things.