Thanksgiving Blessings

Lauren brought this letter home from school on Tuesday!  What a sweet letter from a sweet angel.  I am truly thankful for my husband who treats me so wonderfully and two beautiful daughters who bring me so much joy and happiness.   I'm thankful for being able to spend time with Bill's family at lunch today and then heading on up to spend time with my family.  Thanksgiving couldn't be any more perfect!

The Week's Events

We had our Thanksgiving lunch at WEK on Thursday.  Bill was able to come and eat with Allison.  She was so excited to have Daddy with her at school.  Her class sang a couple of songs in the church auditorium before the lunch.  Bill got a couple of pictures of her standing up front ready to sing.

Allison's preschool class

4 year old Native Americans

Our little Native American smiling at her Daddy

Allison

My 3 year old kiddos

This was Lauren's story she wrote in school this week. 

I love reading her writing. She has many things she wants to be when she grows up, a doctor (Pediatrician), an Artist, a wife, a Mommy, a Teacher.....the list can be longer on any given day.

This week I got a little note in Lauren's Kid Book (a notebook that comes home daily with homework, finished work, class schedule, behavior chart, etc.) yesterday.  Lauren had a green day all day, as she calls it, but her teacher still wrote a note.  It said she was having trouble with Lauren telling the other kids what to do.  Well, we who know and love Lauren, know how she likes to tell her sister, and a few others what to do.  (Must be that first child syndrome, something I'm not personally familiar with.)  I had a talk with Lauren about how she feels when friends (or her sister) try to tell he what to do.  I told her she needed to make sure she was doing what she was supposed to do and not worry about what anyone else was doing.  

I helped out in Lauren's classroom today with a Thanksgiving craft, so I told her teacher that we had talked about the problem at home.  Her teacher teacher told me that when she was talking to Lauren about telling others what to do, Lauren told her, "Well, I'm going to be a teacher, you know...."  Guess she thinks she needs to get started early preparing to be a teacher! 

Random Stuff

  This week has been Spirit Week for Lauren at her school.  Each day has been a different dress-up day.  I remember I never really enjoyed those times when I was in school.  Lauren, however, LOVES the idea!  Wish I had taken pictures of her all week.  Guess I was a little slow to get on the band wagon with it.  Monday, they wore their school T-shirts, Tuesday was dress in their favorite sport attire.  (That goes along with their AR theme this year, which is Sports).  Wednesday was Mismatch day.  Today was Pajama day and Crazy Hair day.  Here's a picture of Lauren in her jammies and her crazy hair.  She wanted me to put lots of ponytails with some braided and some not braided.


Spirit Week---Pajama Day/Crazy Hair Day



Lauren's Crazy Hair



Driving to School....my how big my girl looks!

Allison is really enjoying school!  She continually amazes us with her vocabulary, writing and language skills.  Her favorite thing to say these days is, "Oh, my!"  She loves cooking with me and is a great helper in the kitchen putting away dishes and cleaning the table after meals.  She writes and colors so well.  She is even sounding out words occasionally trying to read.  I found her in Lauren's room one day "reading" the book, Chicken of the Family.  I love hearing her version a story.  She is also interested in the computer.  The other day she asked me to let her type her name on the computer.  Here's a picture of her hunting and pecking!


Allison typing on the computer



Checking her spelling!



We signed Lauren up for Upward Basketball.  Tonight was her first practice.  She was so excited.  We can't wait to watch her play.  Games don't start until January, so we have a while to wait.  She got her uniform at tonight's practice.  I think she would have slept in it if we would have let her.



Lauren, our little basketball girl.....watch out Lady Vols, she's getting ready early!

So many wonderful memories to enjoy with these little ladies.  Love you sweet girls! 

Halloween Fun

Another year of multiple Halloween celebrations is over and now we can move on and begin thinking about Thanksgiving.  I certainly wish the retail world would allow us to enjoy one holiday at a time.  I HATE seeing Christmas decorations up before Halloween is even over.  We haven't ever decorated our home for Halloween or Thanksgiving, but I must admit that there are more and more decorations available that make me reconsider my feelings on decorating.  

Our first celebration was Lauren's class party.  I somehow managed to agree to be room mom for her class and plan this fall party.  I think it turned out pretty well and the kids seemed to enjoy the festivities.  I made these "Spooky Spiders" with the kids.  My wonderfully, sweet husband spray painted all the mini-pumpkins ahead of time.  This was the one I made to show the kids.  They turned out pretty cute...well as cute as a spider can be.                                     

The next celebration was our neighborhood Halloween party at Cole's house.  That was Saturday evening and we had a fun time with our neighbors.  This next picture is of the neighborhood kids together.



Allison, Lauren, Carissa, ?? Jaycee, ?? Kenleigh, Alexa, Reagan, Chloe

Then it was on to Trunk-or-Treating at our church.  I was so happy that they moved the date for that to Sunday evening rather than Wednesday.  We had a devotional on the lawn and then games and crafts in the parking lot, followed by Trunk-or-Treating.  The best part was the fact that it was over at 6:00 instead of 8:30 or 9:00. 

April, David, Mackenzie, Josiah and Lauren

Allison, Mike, Julia, Lauren and Mackenzie

Mackenzie and Lauren.....sweet friends, sweet girls!

Allison, Lauren, Mackenzie and Josiah


Finally, it was Halloween night.  Our sweet little Allison informed me on Saturday that Mackenzie and Josiah were going Trick-or-Treating with us.  Well, in my mind I had hoped they would join us, but I had failed to ask them to come over.  Luckily, the kids, I think all four of them decided they wanted to Trick-or-Treat together.  I'm glad they want to be together, because I sure enjoy the grown up time together with our sweet friends.  It was a most perfect evening for strolling through the neighborhood.  The kids got so much candy they had me carrying their pumpkins at the end of the time and they would just go up to the house and get the treat in their hands.  I don't know what we are going to do with ALL that candy.

Chloe (our neighbor) and Allison before going Trick-or-Treating

Allison and Lauren

The Watsons arrive

Mackenzie, Lauren and Allison

The neighborhood crew, Josiah, Allison, Mackenzie, Lauren, Carissa, Jackston, Jaycee, Cole, Chloe and Matthew

Trick-or-Treating

Allison, Lauren and Mackenzie

School Project

Lauren's homework assignment was to make a diorama with an animal habitat.  She chose a monkey for her animal (I think it was inspired by her love for Curious George).  She loved the entire process of making the diorama.  I was very proud of her work.  She was, too!  Way to go girl! 



Lauren with her diorama



Lauren painted the background scenery in sections and glued them in place



She made the monkey (with only a little bit of help) and snakes and bananas with modeling clay



Daddy helped her with the trees and hanging the bananas on the trees



Kisses

Last night as I was putting Allison to bed she gave me a big hug and kiss and as I was kissing her back, she whispered to me, "I love your kisses."  She certainly knows how to melt her Mommy's heart!

Oakes Farm

I love fall for so many different reasons, but one of my most favorite reasons is going to the pumpkin patch!!!  We had a spectacular fall day to enjoy Oakes Farm (my all-time favorite pumpkin patch.  We also got to enjoy it with the Watsons.  (This has become a tradition for our families....that we all seem to really treasure).  I posted sooo many pictures here because I really had a hard time leaving out any of these. 

This was a new activity this year.  The kids had a blast rolling this huge tube.  I have a video that I'll try to post later.