Monday, October 31, 2011

Celebrating in {Color}

Third grade has been a big jump from second grade for me...and perhaps for Alex!  He seems to be adjusting very well...but there is definitely a much bigger expectation to go along with behavior and responsibility, as it should!  But the homework load each night is bit bigger too...with reading, a lot of writing and the math...don't even ask me for help!  But Friday was Report Card day...and I'm so proud of both of my A students!  Alex was on the Gold Honor Roll and Emily also got all A's!


Awesome job!  I am so happy that they are enjoying school!  They both love helping out in their old classrooms too.  It makes them feel pretty proud too when they are able to help other students with their reading and morning work!  We celebrated with homemade mint chocolate-chip milkshakes with lots of whip cream and movie night!  Hooray!

Last week was also {Red} Ribbon week at school which brings awareness to saying No to drugs.  Each day the kids did something fun in helping them learn more about the dangers of drugs and the consequences that go along with it.  The week ended with the third grade classes performing for the school about being drug free and making good choices!  I love watching Alex perform!  It's so embarrassing and crazy to say that I always get choked up when I see my kids up on stage or performing in front of others like this!  It was such a cute, peppy and fun program...and I was tearing up inside! ha!  Guess that's just the emotions that come with being a proud momma!  All the kids were adorable and their music teacher is awesome!  If only I could even have half of her engergy and enthusiasm!



{Elizabeth loved the show too!  And if you pay attention...I couldn't help but zoom in on a girl sitting in front of us...I loved her crazy hair for dress-up day...her pigtails were sticking straight out!  So funny!}






They performed three different times and I watched two and half of them!  Ellie was starting to vocalize along with them so we let the students finish without her help!  I know Alex was happy to see me, Dan and Ellie there watching him, but when I went to say goodbye...he kinda looked down and the other way from me!  ha!  Don't want to be seen with his mom around his friends!

The same day was also book character day for some of the classes...including Emily's.  So she went to school with {purple} hair!


She is my little reader!  {She is still the top AR reader in her class...and she tells me often that she is still way ahead!  Not that she has to be number one...but boy is she proud of it right now!  And so am I!}  She loves reading the Rainbow Magic series right now and decided to be Amy the Amethyst Fairy, one of the Jewel Fairies for her character.




Saturday Emily was excited to have {orange} slimy pumpkin guts all over her hands!


I don't really love getting the icky slimy stringy gunk all over me...that's why I take the pictures!  But Emily absolutely loves it!  She says it's her favorite part! 




Alex didn't want any help at all this year...he carved and cleaned out his pumpkins all on his own!




I love the faces they drew and all their hard work!




Elizabeth stayed busy picking pumpkin seeds off the floor and pulling off the dish towels!


What a great looking family of jack 'o lanterns!




I love Halloween and this time of year and I'm a little sad that October is already ending.  The kids are so excited to go trick-or-treating!  But I do love getting ready for Christmas!  It will be interesting and challenging to see how I'm going to keep all the ornaments on the tree this year between the cats and now Ellie!
Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Happy 11 Months!

Although it feels like the days are blowing right on by with the wind...{brrr...a chilly breeze at that!}...I feel like this last month was a little bit more slow-paced.  We've still been busy...but mostly just enjoying this wonderful season that I love!

And trying to hold onto the very last couple of months before this busy bee moves into her first year of life!  What?!







She has definitely found her mobility!

If I leave the room...she is usually right on my tail!  Or even if I'm sitting in the same room...this is usually my view...


{Skipper's my other baby...he's usually attached to my ankle too!}

I love these pajamas...they make her look like such a big girl to me.  ...sigh...

{and she finally almost fits into her bunny slippers from her cousin Cameron that he brought to her in the hospital when she was born!}


She is rarely still anymore...
{notice her first bruise on her noggin?  Yep...took a spill by the fireplace!}

...which means I'm constantly chasing her away from here...



...and she thinks it's fabulous!




And if I'm not chasing her away from the stairs...
...I'm trying to keep her out of something...



{That's okay...I didn't want those catalogs anyway... ha!}

{Actually...it was pretty funny...every time she would rip a page, she would go "ooooh..." like she knew it was a bad thing, but she couldn't stop herself!  It was pretty entertaining!}

I seriously can't believe we're about to end our first year of firsts...


We're looking forward to taking her out on her first Halloween! 

Alex wants to carry her up to a few doors so she can fill her honey pot up with some treats!


I think she's pretty excited too!

{I get candy?!}


I'm told by more people that she looks just like Emily...and a handful of people tell me she looks like Alex.
I think she favors both of them depending on her expressions or what she's doing at the moment!  They definitely all have the same big brown eyes...that's a big giveaway that they are all siblings!


But I thought it would be fun to share photos of Alex and Emily at this age...


{who do you think she looks like?}

Happy 11 months sweet Ellie!  It has certainly gone much too fast but we are so excited to celebrate your first birthday next month!