Fall fun

Another week goes by, nothing too exciting... the girls are getting geeked for Halloween and we're trying to enjoy the outdoors while we can.

Adventuring in a park
"Mama it didn't even have a playground!"

Buds

Just thinking

Jamie took the girls to do a ceramics project for my upcoming birthday as a big secret.  Maggie is especially bad at keeping secrets, but so far she swears she was at the park the whole time hanging from the monkey bars!

My first thought - why the hell isn't there smock over her expensive
uniform jumper... I mean, aww so cute

Slap happy crazy girl

A few others:

Maggie's tallest tower yet
(and yes, that's U of M beating State in the background)

Llama head

Peeling carrots at Grandma's house

Hanging with some old coworkers from NTH... Jamie said he understood
almost nothing from our nerdy conversations

Apple Season

I love fall!  We went to Yates this past weekend for cider, donuts, pony rides and "adventuring" as Maggie calls it.  It was super fun!

Family selfie

Tastes like fall

Cinnamon and sugar are her favorite

Wanted only the plain donuts

In her happy place

Too shy to smile, but very pleased with herself

The girls

Exploring

Baby violet came over for a visit on Saturday!

I see lots of giggles in our future

Maggie's school library asked students to decorate a fake pumpkin as a book character for Halloween.  Maggie decided on Rainbow Fish.  Daddy took over (though I will say she helped out at every step).

Rainbow fish!

Fish out of water

Some others from the week

Squeezing in time at the park before it gets too cold

Not quite as fun as a real horse

This is how she looks after every PB&J sandwich....
a bit like the Joker from Batman...

Cutie

Another park visit after school

Buds

She may be cute, but don't get on her bad side

Friend time

Andy and Katie had a wedding in Detroit last weekend, so they hung out with us for a couple days!  The girls were pretty annoyed that they went to the wedding and didn’t take them, especially Maggie.  On Sunday we hung around the house, watched the Lions, and Mike came over with Tommy for a visit!

Friends - and a blur of Tommy!
Photo cred to Maggie

Classy

Another photo by Maggie... Tommy pretending to have new parents

We visited my parents last weekend – my mom had heart surgery the week before, and so I was expected a very tired and recovering person – nope!  She is doing awesome, still runs circles around me!  She even made homemade cream puffs, which we demolished!

More fudge!

Grammer knows how to do dessert

Gymnastics continues to be a highlight for both girls!

Needing a little hand-holding from Maggie to get started in class

We got the girls' school pictures back this week.  They were... pictures of people I love very much.

Perhaps not quite awake yet

A bit forced... lol

Here's a few others from the week:

Proud of this little girl's art work!

Hanging at the Foley Powderpuff game

Making cookies

Will eat one bite of pancakes and all the bacon and sausage!

Another week in the life

The girls started gymnastics a couple weeks ago, and they love it!  Evie was anxious when we started, but once she got to start doing all the activities, she was in heaven!  Maggie is working hard to figure out a cartwheel.  Spinning or hanging on the bar is definitely their favorite!

Scoot your booty!

Maggie's spider hang

Maggie took this picture of me helping Evie do the spider hang....
can't totally see it, but she's got some major joy on that face

Doing a reverse spin with teacher's help

Ball stretches

Jamie took the girls to the zoo really quick after school one day, and they got to see their buddies!

Pretend you love each other

I can't "bear" the cuteness

Gaggle of girls

Evie is doing awesome in school!  She has a few sad times here and there, but mornings are no longer the worst part of the day, and I love how happy she is when she comes bouncing in the door every afternoon! 

Arting with Dad after school

Jamie has been trying to get to the Star Wars costume exhibit at the DIA all summer, and we finally made it for the very last week!  It was pretty cool, and they had these little phone gadgets that talked about the various exhibits.  I think Jamie would have enjoyed a little more time to take it all in, but after a long day at school, the girls' patience was limited.  The pictures are pretty rough since every room had special lighting... but you get the idea.

About to enter

Droids!

Chewbacca was perhaps my favorite costume - I can't believe how tall
the actor was!

Evie, I am your father!

The cutest puppet ever 

Here's some other randoms:

Shopping for Halloween costumes

Playing after school

Turtle power

Maggie and Evie's jog-a-thon day!

My father-in-law... that hair....
but wow, I can see so much resemblance to Jamie in this photo!

When they get along

Boo!

Too cool for me

No big, just hanging with my bro

Evie's special gift for getting her smile-chart
filled out with 25 stickers!  I don't like to resort to bribery,
but in this case, it got her through the preschool woes!