Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Grammy!  Grammy's birthday cupcakes!

Jack was ready to find some treats!

Jack & Daddy!

Julia wants to get in on the action (check out the clean window!)!  Julia took about 7 steps and walked in a circle tonight, but was unwilling to "perform" as soon as I got out the video camera!

Debut Preschool Performance!

This morning was Jack's first preschool performance at the church!  I wasn't close enough to take a picture (and Julia was sitting...I mean wiggling on my lap), but this short video is the best I could get.  Jack is standing to the left (extreme left) of all of the children.  You can see Jack directly above the bald gentleman (sorry to point out the lack of hair!) and near the plants.   I guess we should be thankful that Jack wasn't playing in the plants...

Trunk-or-Treat

Another one of my crazy ideas...we needed yet another reason to wear the gorilla costume so we headed to the Trunk-or-Treat at one of the local car dealerships...actually it was quite fun! 

Jack couldn't wait to sort the candy...he didn't asked to eat any of it...he just want to sort and sort and sort....

Noah's Ark

Jack's school doesn't have a Halloween party, but they did have a Noah's Ark party.  Jack got to choose the animal he wanted to be and his choice was a PINK PIG...not just any pig, but a pink one!

Nothing fancy...I sewed a tail on a pink t-shirt and added a pig on the front...

This is Jack lining up (yeah, right!) with his class to take pictures! As soon as I got there the only thing he was interested in doing was holding my hand.  Which also meant that he needed to hold my hand during the parade.  Thank goodness one of the mom's was kind enough to push Julia around in the stroller as I was lucky enough to parade through every classroom!

Singing (once again, yeah right!) a song after the parade...Jack LOVES to sing at home, but at school he would rather watch and listen!

Julia on the other hand was ready to participate!

All of the parading around makes a little guy super hungry for a snack!

Party at the Chiropractor?

We needed an excuse to wear the Halloween costume and a party was advertised in the newspaper at a local chiropractic office (they were even going to have a DJ!) so we had to check it out.  Just because it was advertised in the paper doesn't mean it's going to be a great party...so 10 minutes later we headed to the library!

Jack & Isaac at the chiropractor...

Jack and Isaac were the only ones at the library in costume, but it didn't bother them!  Julia loved the library...stories, toys and music...what could be better!

Party like a Pirate!

Saturday afternoon Jack and I went to a 4th birthday party for one of his preschool friends!  Jack was a little shy at first, but it didn't take long for him to join in on the fun!

Jack loves cupcakes...or rather the frosting...just like his Mom!

Checking out their booty...Jack was even sharing things from his treasure chest and then he would say, "oh, wasn't that nice".  That was nice Jack, but you have not learned yet that you NEVER give away the chocolate candies!

Miss Julia - 13 Months

Miss Julia you are 13 months old today!

You are such a fun, happy, little girl!  Oh, my how you have grown...last week at your one year doctor's appointment you weighed exactly 20 pounds (25%) and were 29 1/2 inches (53%)!

This month you have completely turned into Mommy's little girl and at times want nothing to do with anyone but your Mommy!  As the month has gone on it has eased up a bit, but right now your favorite place to hang out is on my pant leg!

You are still a good eater (you have been downgraded from great!)...you have started to form opinions on what you will and will not eat, instead of eating EVERYTHING!  Currently your absolute favorites are grilled cheese sandwiches, bananas and raspberries (I think you could eat an entire pint in one sitting!).

You are cruising along and are barely holding on while walking along the furniture or by hanging onto my pant leg!  You like to walk around and hold on to just one of our fingers...you have taken a few steps by yourself and any day now you are going to be walking on your own.

You are still a great sleeper (except when you had croup last week).  You sleep 12 hours a night plus a short nap in the morning and a two hour nap in the afternoon.

So far your vocabulary consists of dada, mama, hi, uh oh, baby and Jack (you yell Jack...wonder why?!).

Your favorite toy is your cookie jar and whatever Jack happens to be  playing with.  You love to sit and play cars with your big brother.  The only thing you don't like is when your brother rides you like a pony...yep...I turned around for a second and you were crawling as fast as you could and Jack decided that you would make a fun pony, so he hopped on your back for a ride!

Twister!

Not one of my better ideas...Jack does a great job with left and right, so I thought it would be fun to give Twister a try!  I think I was the only one that was playing...Jason was spinning the wheel, Jack was running around the mat and Julia wanted to sit right in the middle of all the action (then I thought it was funny that she was wearing her big dots to match!).

Rowe's Pumpkin Patch

What fun at the pumpkin patch this morning!  First we went raspberry picking (you can pick raspberries until the first hard frost...who knew?).  Jack LOVED picking raspberries and the amazing part was that I think he only ate one!

Jack may have only eaten one, but Isaac and Julia made up for it!  Issac was eating them as fast as his Nonna was picking them and then Jack and Issac were both feeding Julia!

The little raspberry pickers...

Jack was in love with this pig...he kept telling me that the pig was saying "gruffy gruffy" (from the Fiddle-I-Fee book)...I guess it doesn't surprise me that he wants to be the pink pig for his Noah's Ark party next week!

In the corn...

This is the "best" picture with Isaac, Julia & Jack!

You Are My Sunshine

Croup!

Today was our very first ill child doctor's visit.  We have been lucky and have only been for regular check-ups (Jack too)...but now that our little germ monster (that would be Jack) started preschool I think he has brought home more than his artwork!  This sweet little gal has croup and I feel so sorry for her..I think this picture sums up how she feels!  They have their 1 and 3 year appointments tomorrow so they will check her again...I sure hope she feels better soon, but unfortunately the doctor said it could get worse before it gets better!

More Pumpkins!

We made another trip to the Country Mill this morning with Miss Valerie and Isaac!  So much fun!

Julia enjoys checking everything out from the wagon...we are so lucky!

Jack is actually cooperating for a picture!

Julia loves Isaac...he is kind enough to let her touch his hair and she couldn't stop laughing!

Isaac & Jack checking out the pumpkins...

Wait until Jason sees this one...last minute we decided to eat lunch before the doughnuts (smart move!)...and it was quite liberating to eat without a bag full of supplies...Clorox wipes (don't worry Jason...it was clean!), bibs and placemats!

Lots & Lots of Pumpkins!

You gotta love sunny and 80 in October...so we had to check out another pumpkin patch (our third in the last few days!).  Jack had fun picking out a few pumpkins at the Country Mill this afternoon.  Today's pumpkin purchase totaled a whopping 58 cents (they were obviously very small pumpkins, but very cute!). 

This little guy LOVES apple cider!

Julia wasn't too sure about the straw on the ground, I think it was tickling her little feet...

Jack giving Julia one of his kisses...

A little bit mischievous...

This picture won't be making the Christmas card, but a rare shot with the four of us...

A little bit of swinging fun with Grandma & Grandpa!

Grand Ledge Color Festival

Another beautiful Michigan day!  We had so much fun at the GL Island (one of our favorite GL places to hang out!) Color Festival.  Jack was interested in all of the demonstrations, but his favorite was the very kind Amish gentleman that showed us how they make ice cream...

...Julia's favorite part was eating the ice cream!

We actually went to the festival to see the high school drum line...we thought Jack would really like it, but Julia was the one that LOVED it!

We couldn't pass up taking a few photos at the Opera House...

Our little Spartans were all dressed for the BIG game!

The only time it's cute to have writing on your booty is when you are 1...

During half-time we headed back to the festival to see the balloon launch!