A reason to celebrate!

Having great friends is reason enough to celebrate,

but going out with those friends to celebrate is even better! :)
Krista and Dale took us to the authentic german restaurant

to celebrate Krista's birthday
and Jim's successful completion of his dissertation proposal.
Oh yes, we dusted off the old lederhosen and Nathan dined in style! :)
Like father, like son. :)
Everyone was in good spirits as we celebrated with:
good food, (ah yes, my cheeks are stuffed!)
some folksy accordian music,

a little ballerina dancing,

some cutesy entertainment,
And the oh so traditional German chicken dance,

starring the"von Caldwell'"family. :)
Hugs to the Helms for their kindness, friendship and love!

Happy Halloween

Inspired by miss Krista's new webkinz, my kids all wanted to be bats for Halloween. It doesn't get easier than that! We snipped some black, sparkly fabric, attached it with hair bands and safety pins and voila-three totally happy bats flying around the yard. :)

Lindsey was a "Minnie Bat."

Aimee is the infamous Cinderella.

We got so much use out of this year's costumes. Elise wore hers to ballet, we had a block party and then a "trunk-or-treat" at our church. I was wary about collecting so much candy but Elise reminded me it was okay because we could just give it all away again on Halloween (that's my girl)! :)
The kids decorated the trunk (spreading out the spider webs that I can't touch) for the ward activity.They were super excited to show off the pumpkins they carved with Jim.

Nathan was delighted with his scary face pumpkin.

Aimee really only cared about one treat: her little "sweetie-pie" webkinz.Sweetie-Pie goes wherever Aimee goes. Lindsey so kindly shared sweetie-pie with Aimee one day and the rest is history. Lindsey is being very sweet herself about it and it's a perfect example of the way she loves and nurtures Aimee.

Some Trunk-or-Treat festivities.
It was especially fun for us because Allison and Krista came too.

Here's Nathan's excited to get candy look that came just five minutes before the "uh oh, I think I had too much candy!" look which was followed by the "I feel a little better" look after he 'lost his candy' all over the bushes. Lucky for us Jim had arrived just in time to take him home. :)
Thank you Daddy for saving the day!

Discoveries

I love this age in a child's life when everyday holds
a new discovery and the inevitable, triumphant "TA-DA!"

Aimee has loved the cooler weather (80s)
and the chance to make some discoveries outside....

discovering slinkies

discovering hula-hoops

discovering the belly :)

discovering nature

and more nature

discovering Lindsey's scooter: TA-DA

defending the discovery

looking to see if anyone notices

her new discovery: Elise's scooter

discovering chalks

and the wonderful world of chalking on the body

TA-DA!

But what's the world of discovery without someone to share it with?

What a beautiful time of year,
what a beautiful time of life!

It's a Webkinz Party!

"The Ultimate Webkinz Party"
First, we decorate!

Aimee and Lindsey were in heaven to think
they could finally color on the walls...

It took alot of little helpers to color in the Webkinz Clubhouses.

Now it's party time! The kids earned kinz cash during the games that they played and used it in my "W Shop" at the end of the party. This got everyone excited and kept them playing again and again.

Lily Padz: Toss the Frog on the Lily Pad

The "Wheel Of Yum" was everyone's favorite and became the most requested activity. They each had the chance to spin the wheel and collect 7 of whatever treat they landed on.

"Wheel of WOW"
Webkinz Walk

Dr. Quacks assistant (AKA pin the ice-pack on the cow's head) was a hit until Nathan cried because he put the ice pack on the horn and didn't get the full five kc. One of the girls tried to make him feel better by sharing her money. . I awarded her 5 kinz cash right then and there for her kindness and reminded everyone how Nathan had helped Lindsey earlier during a game and now someone helped Nathan. It was a great time to repeat my favorite phrases of "good things happen to good people!" and "everything comes back to you." It really was a highlight of the party for me to see how good these kids were with each other.!
The girls hunted for "gems" and traded them for a Webkinz Crown of Wonder. We made the crowns for the pets in advance out of gold pipe cleaners and beads as you can see modeled by my own webkinz "oreo." Then they went to the kitchen to decorate their own sparkly pink crown with sticky gems.
They had worked up quite the appetite, so it was time to watch "The Secret Chef" with Chef Gazpacho (me) making shiskabob sandwiches. I made it, put it on a plate (with the little french accent "weee meeex eeet all togezer and put it in zee oven....now let's see vhat vee made..) and then I placed a silver bowl over the plate and put it in the oven where I had another plate with chopped up jello on it hiding. I switched the silver bowl, brought it back out of the oven and declared, "Voila! -GUNK!" All the kids eyes were wide, "how did you DO that?" I smiled and had them make their own shiskabob sandwiches while we distributed more gunk. :) Getting to make their own creations allowed Elise to unleash her inner Carb Queen!
We played a few more games and it was finally time for cupcakes and presents (Elise's favorite part). Aimee really got into the cupcakes. At first she was all creative and trying not to get her hands messy. :) Then it was all business -get that cupcake NOW! :)

The End.

Well, of the party anyway. The cuteness just keeps going and going...

Aimee loves to find the tag on her special blanket and rub it across her face! She drags it around by the tag and it's so cute to watch her find the tag -searching all sides until she grabs it proudly, swipes it across her face and then toddles off with her treasured "tag" blanket.

When I picked up Elise and Nathan after school from the bus, I realized that they'd dressed the exact same that day! This only shows how busy the mornings are for me to get everyone up, fed and out the door. They were both so happy and laughing about being twinkies that I made them pose for a pic. I ran for the camera and found them in the tree. I LOVE this picture (taken yesterday) because it's so sunny, bright and happy. The weathers cooling down to perfect right about now and we spent the afternoon chalking on the driveway. Ah yes, the good days are just beginning in Florida. Now if Elise could just get over that crazy cough!