Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!  Tonight Thomas stayed home to hand out candy while I took Julia and Andrew out trick or treating.  When we came back Thomas took Julia out to a few more houses while Andrew and I stayed home to hand out the candy.  First stop..our neighbor's house.  Andrew was a bit reluctant to walk up so I had to carry him.

 I had to get a photo of his cute lion tail.

 Julia and her friend Reagan who lives down the street.

 Once we got home Andrew enjoyed playing with the pumpkins.

 Checking out the pumpkins.

 Even Andrew had a piece of candy from his trick or treat bag...M&M's.

 Enjoying some M&M's and watching The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown after trick or treating.

Ready to sort her candy.  Hope everyone had a great Halloween!  It's been windy here the last few days but tonight was a great night for trick or treating.  The wind died down and it wasn't as cold as I initially thought it would be.

Pumpkin Carving and Painting

On Monday night we carved our pumpkins.  First Andrew enjoyed trying to pick his pumpkin up.

Checking out the inside of the pumpkin.

Hard at work.

Both Julia and Andrew using spoons to get out the yucky inside.  Julia still dislikes putting her hand in the pumpkin...I agree I'm not much of a fan either.

Our finished pumpkins this year.  Andrew's is a lion since that's what he is going to dress up like this year and Julia wanted hers to be a princess...hence the little crown on top of her pumpkin.

The next night Julia used the paint markers and painted her pumpkin.

Now that she's getting older she painted it all by herself...I just held it for her.  All ready for Halloween!

Fall Festival

On Saturday evening Julia's preschool church had their Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat so I thought we'd check it out. It was a chilly evening and I'm glad Thomas thought of bringing the wagon and I had a big blanket in my car because it was chilly!

Our little lion was all bundled up and nice and warm for the chilly evening.

We went on a hayride which was lots of fun.

A John Deere tractor took us on a great hayride around the church property.

We waited in line for the trunk of treat but the line was so long and it was freezing as you can tell by how Julia is bundled up.  We decided to go home and hide some of our candy and let the kids find it rather than doing the trunk or treat...too cold!  Maybe next year if it's warmer.

Halloween Party

Yesterday our friends The Staudt Family had their annual Halloween Party which is always a good time.  It was a beautiful afternoon for an outdoor party and the kids had a blast.  This year Julia decided she wanted to be Cinderella and I found this super cute lion costume for Andrew that has a cute little tail on the back that I need to make sure I get a photo of him from behind.  Two little cuties and Daddy all ready for the party.

Julia was eyeing all the yummy treats.

The kids were dumping in some fruit to make the witches brew (aka juice).

Best activity at the party...eating donuts on a string.  Julia did fantastic not using her hands but later kept asking me why she couldn't use her hands.

Licking those lips...yummy!

A great big bite.  I'm not quite sure that's how the 'real' Cinderella would eat a donut but it works.  Actually both my kids did great with eating the donut on a string but maybe that's because Julia has only had a few donuts in her life and Andrew has never even had a donut.

My friend Katie (the host) and her daughter Lyla.  Lyla did quite well eating her donut too.  Actually many of the younger kids did awesome.

Andrew is trying to decide if he wants to participate.  First, he touches it.

Second, he licks his fingers to give it a taste.

Third, he says that's yummy I'm going to eat it without touching it like everyone else.

Fourth, forget about not touching the donut.  This is yummy and I just want to eat it.

Andrew found a little chair that he enjoyed sitting in.

Julia and Liam eating lunch together.  They've know each other since they were about 8 months old.

Quick family photo as Andrew is trying to escape.

Andrew has recently learned how to climb up onto chairs and rather than sitting he likes to stand.  Just the other day he tried to stand on top of their little table.  We need to keep an eye on him...he's a little climber and tries things Julia would never even think of doing.  I guess it's a boy thing.

Two Cinderella princesses.  Julia with Whitney who lives down the street.  We had such a fun time at the party and thanks to The Staudt Family for hosting!

Parade and Fall Festival

Today was the Halloween Parade and Fall Festival at Julia's preschool.  She was very excited this morning to wake up and wear her Cinderella dress to school.  I must say she is one beautiful princess.  

All ready to go into school to show everyone her costume and see what her friends decided to be for Halloween.

Each of the classes made a craft that was on display on the festival.  On Tuesday I got to help Julia's class make pumpkin snowman which came out so cute!

Here's Julia's pumpkin snowman.  Isn't it cute?  The week before the kids went outside and collected leaves, sticks, and whatever else they could find so we just had to hot glue the things where they wanted them.

First up...the parade.  I remember having a Halloween parade when I was in elementary school but times have changed and that doesn't happen anymore so I'm loving all the 'fun' stuff she is getting to do in preschool in addition to the social, independent and academic aspect too.  We love Julia's preschool!

Such a beautiful princess!

Waiting for the parade to continue.

Julia said she loved the parade.

Parade is all over and they're headed to get a class photo.

Class photo and Andrew's head.  He kept trying to walk towards all the kids.

Julia and Alex.  I know Alex's mom from when I use to work at Sharon Elementary.  Since having kids we've both stayed home and I often see her around at the library or grocery store.  We were thrilled they were going to be in the same class this year and had a few play dates before school started so they would know someone in the class.

Julia and a sweet girl Chloe who was a princess too.

Let the Fall Festival begin.  They had lots of fun things for the kids including games, face painting, cookie decorating, bounce houses, slides and so on.  They did a great job of putting on a fun morning for the kids!

Julia and Andrew were impressed with the popcorn machine.  Once it started popping they both looked with amazement.  Obviously they have never seen a popcorn machine.

Another sweet girl in Julia's class named Grace.  We just had a play date with her the day before at a park and they had a blast running around and playing together.

Julia wanted to wait in line for the face painting and as she got closer she decided to have it on her arm so she would be able to see it.  Makes sense to me...if it's on your face other people can see it but not you.  She wanted to be able to see it too!  Thanks so much to everyone at Cumming First Baptist Church Preschool for all the work it took to organize today's event...we had a great time!  I asked Julia her favorite part of the day and she listed everything.  Then I asked her if she had one favorite part and she said the parade.