October gifts

 On a trip down to Rochester, I said to Derrick, "I think you connect with Micah more because you're a boy. You can talk video games, intelligently about football and you know who the superheros are." I think that got him thinking. He may not have boys, but he has nephews and he can do boy things with them. Here they are playing Mario Kart. Again, it is such a joy to be close enough to family to capture these moments with siblings, parents, nieces and nephews.

So, all I know is princesses and crafts. Honestly, it's what I'm interested in and my girls totally follow suit. So, while the boys Mario Kart race (Derrick would probably want you to know that he can still beat the boys...for how much longer will remain to be seen) the girls watch a movie...cousins snuggled together. Love it!
These pictures were taken the night we went to Litchfield to say goodbye to Micah. And while that was really hard, God is still good and you can begin counting His gifts to us just by looking at these moments captured in picture.
Aliya is doing well in preschool. And honestly, I'm really enjoying teaching her (minus the moments she decides she doesn't want to be teachable). Last week, we make a water xylophone. And while we were at it, mixed the primary colors to make secondary colors. Totally cool.

 Carving jack-o-lanterns is getting a bit more creative around here. Breanne spent time googling jack-o-lanter carving ideas to come up with a plan...a witch, a flower, a scarecrow...so many options!

Aliya had to have a princess jack-o-lantern. (Still not really sure how you're suppose to do that one, but she was content to top the pumpkin with a crown and "wig.") She tried to gut the pumpkin, but that was grossing her out, so daddy had to intervene. What a guy! Always willing to do the dirty work.

Madison is (surprisingly) very traditional in her pumpkin carving. She and daddy are a good team.

The costumes and decisions were not set until trick-or-treating arrived. Day to day (or hour by hour) decisions were difficult. To be Belle or Sleeping Beauty, that is the question.

We ended up with a Tinkerbell...complete with a bundle and wings,

a good witch (because, "what the munchkins want to know is, are you a good witch or a bad witch,") with a wand because the good witches like Glenda have a wand, not a broom,

 and the queen of the fairies with a sparkly wand made by Miss Creative herself.

After the candy is gathered and you're all sugared up, there's nothing like a warm bath and then wrap up in your bathrobe, slipper socks AND slippers. Time to cuddle. I love being a mom!