Happy Halloween!

I had to share some quick pictures of our kiddos all dressed up for Halloween. Emmy was Supergirl - a perfect fit for our girl who dreams of having super powers. Bria dressed up as Sharpay from High School Musical 2, but she decided not to wear the wig. . . . which leads me to Bailey's costume: she was Hannah Montana - what a pop princess! And Bailey decided to try and be a pirate, but she wasn't too happy about it. I think this is Emmy's favorite day of the year - is there anything better than getting to dress up and parade around the neighborhood and ask people for candy (even though she doesn't like candy - none of it, not even suckers!)

Hope you all had a great halloween!

Puppies for Sale

If anyone is wanting to get a puppy for Christmas, I just happen to know a girl who has a dog who just happened to have a litter of puppies! There are still at least a couple of the male yellow lab puppies available and they will be ready to go home for Christmas. They will be 8 weeks old on December 21st. If you are interested, post a comment and I'll get you the contact information from my sister. These are purebred puppies with papers.

Favorite Pictures From this Fall While We Wait for Halloween!

Today is yet another quiet day around here. Quiet, that is, except for Emmy asking me when Dad is going to be home about every 5 minutes because she just can't wait to go trick-or-treating! It could be a long day. . . . ! And tonight my parents and Greg are coming up to spend the weekend with us. We'll miss Megan this time around, but we'll get her up here this next time. So, I thought I'd try putting together one of these fun videos I found on my friend, Sadie's, website for you to enjoy. I probably won't post over the weekend while we have company here, but I will try to get up some Halloween pictures! Have a great weekend!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sunflake Preschool Halloween

Emmy (otherwise known as Supergirl) has her Halloween party at preschool this morning, so we brought goodie bags and cupcakes with bat rings and all the kids are dressed up in their Halloween costumes. What a fun morning she is having! Here are some pictures from preschool today, including an "after" shot of all the loot she brought home!

Quiet Days

Well, due to doctor's orders, daycare is cancelled for at least the next couple of days. This nasty cold I've been fighting for the past 3 weeks has turned into bronchitis. So it looks like it will be me and Emmy and the dogs and lots of tv time today and tomorrow. Thank you to all the daycare parents who had to rush and change plans today. This is the worst part of being a daycare provider - having to cancel on all the families I work with. Again, I apologize, and hopefully my plan to be open on Friday will work out. Thank you all for coming and getting your kiddos and making other arrangements for afterschool as well. I appreciate it and will be using these next two days to rest and let the medicine work.

Bria and Emmy with their puppy masks.

Here are a few random fun pictures from this month. . . now I go to try to take a nap!

Playing in the leaves outside Emmy's preschool

Looking for a Truck?

Anyone looking for a truck? My sister and her husband have one they are trying to sell. They live near the Omaha/Council Bluffs area and if you are interested or know anyone who is interested, let me know or click on the link and there is a phone number to reach my brother-in-law. Craig's List 2003 Ford FX4 Lariat

Makeup Time

Well, the girls aren't old enough to really be wearing makeup, but they do enjoy playing with the Hannah Montana makeup sets sent by both aunt Serena and aunt Megan. Here is Emmy's do-it-yourself makeup look!

Thanks for the Visit

This weekend Jon's parents came up to visit and we were able to enjoy going out for lunch at Ground Round, watching "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" at Riverside Cinema, and seeing the season's first snowfall Sunday morning. Thanks for the visit!

SNOW

We are getting our first taste of winter today! It's 33 and lightly snowing with 20-40 mph winds and higher gusts. . . . it's just a taste of the next 5-6 months! It will be back in the 50s most of this week, but today is kind of fun. I know - you all probably think we are crazy, but the girls and I were really excited to see snow this morning. Wrigley didn't quite know what to make of it, but I'm sure Bailey will teach her the ins and outs of winter playtime.

And Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Happy Birthday Dad! Sorry we won't be there tomorrow - but since Mom messed up the frosting on the cake, we just refuse to come! (just kidding!) We can't wait to see you next weekend though and hope you have a great birthday - no working, ok?! And you're going to have to come up and see us to get your present! Happy Birthday! We miss you!

Growing Some More!

Well, Miss Wrigley keeps growing! At her checkup the end of September she weighed 11.8 pounds and today she is up to 18.8 pounds. . . . . so we are definitely seeing some growth! We're guessing she'll end up about 35 pounds or so - which will still be noticeably smaller than Bailey is. They are fun though. . . . and traveling to Iowa for Christmas should be quite an adventure with both of them - won't our families be SO excited?!?!??!? :)

Wrigley in September with the girls

Wrigley 2 weeks ago with the girls

Oldie But a Goodie

Since it's Thursday and today looks like a very busy day around here with no school and 3 extra school-age kids in the house all day, I just thought I'd post a couple favorite pictures. These are from April 2004.

Bria's Fairy

Bria wanted to show you this picture of the fairy she created on a website for you all to see. Would you guess she likes the color purple?!

Tikatok

I just found the coolest website. . . it is called Tikatok . It is a website where kids can go to create their own books. I haven't tried it out yet or checked on prices or anything, but I hope to explore it more this weeend. I know both of my girls would be absolutely delighted to create a professional book, and I'm hoping to give them both a chance to work on creating one between now and Christmas. I found the idea in a Family Fun magazine. There is even a fun option that lets you work on the story with other family members and it sends emails back and forth so that people can take their turns adding a page. . . . I'm thinking that sounds like a lot of fun! I'll look into it more and maybe we can find a way to send it via email around . . . . . I'll let you know! I can think of at least two of my afterschool kids you would maybe love doing this too. . . . I'm excited to check it out!

I also had to share a couple of fun pictures from the past week. . . enjoy!

Gospel For Asia

I know some of you are familiar with Gospel for Asia but I wanted to share a little bit about this organization to those of you who aren't aware of it. "The primary aim of Gospel for Asia's ministry is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who have never before heard His name." This organization works in Asia and does a number of things: sponsoring and sending native missionaries, sponsoring children to attend Bridge of Hope schools, GFA Bible study, Dalit Awakening, Compassion Servies, GFA Radio, sharing the Gospel,
K.P. Yohanan is the founder of this organization and "Gospel for Asia sends 100 percent of the money you donate for work on the mission field to the field. Nothing is taken out for administrative expenses."
There is a book you can order from their website if you are interested in knowing more about this amazing man's life story and to gain a better understanding of how and why Gospel for Asia was created and the amazing work it does. When we attended church at Cornerstone in Ames, Iowa, K.P. Yohanan came and spoke at a service we attended. Growing up in the church, I've heard of a lot of mission organizations, listened to a lot of missionaries speak, and am a little bit familiar with "missions" in general. . . . but this organization has taken a revolutionary step in how they reach people with the love of Christ and God is moving in might ways in Asia.

If you are at all intereseted in finding out more or getting involved in this ministry, check it out. One of the "fun" ways we like to get the girls involved is coming up soon. At Christmas time there is a catalog available to purchase gifts/donations for families in Asia who are in need of some very basic things: items ranging from $5 blankets to $1000 Jesus wells which provide clean drinking water for an entire community. Last year I believe the girls picked out buying a pair of goats to give to a family as well as a bio sand water filter, a blanket, and some Vacation Bible School material. Some of the other gifts you can purchase are sewing machines, a pair of chickens, water buffalo, rabbits, pigs, lambs, cows, tool kits, LED solar light systems, new fishing boats, new homes, tracts, bicycles for missionaries, Bibles, kerosene lamps for missionaries, mobile public address systems, musical instruments, generators, winter clothing for missionaries, motorbikes for missionaries, and more.
The amazing thing about this organization is that 100% of the money you give goes to help the people in Asia or the missionaries. None of the funds are used for administrative costs. I know that Christmas is coming up and I'm sure that if you are like us, your pocket book is filling the pinch this year a bit more than usual, but if you are feeling a nudge to do something for someone else, please consider Gospel for Asia - God would bless your gifts.
This is a link to a photoshow on the Gospel for Asia website if you want to see more about the good this ministry does. Photoshows at Gospel for Asia

Happy Birthday Rylee!

Happy Happy 2nd Birthday to Rylee!

Saturday Afternoon Trip

Saturday afternoon we headed back out to Nelson's Pumpkin Patch. This time it was the four of us plus Jenna. Bria was bummed she had missed out on the daycare field trip to Nelson's so we all headed out there to enjoy the fun and games on a beautiful October afternoon.

Dogs

Bria and Wrigley Emmy is trying to teach Wrigley how to pant.
Now that we've had Wrigley for a month and a half, we've settled into life with 2 dogs. She's almost housebroken - hopefully she will be completely housebroken soon! She and Bailey have so much fun together. Jon compares them to lions - Bailey is kind of like the male lion of the pride who lets the cubs (Wrigley) climb all over her, chew on her, do whatever to her, until she's had enough and then she'll let Wrigley know her place in this pride. They have a lot of fun though. Bailey also likes to try to taunt Wrigley - she'll take Wrigley's toys and run away with them or lie down on them so Wrigley has to try to wrestle them away from her. And they're just like kids - no more buying 1 fun new dog toy - I'd better get 2 identical ones so they don't fight! But it's fun having the two of them in the house. I thought I'd post some cute pictures with our littlest puppy.

Wrigley on her throne.

Emmy and Wrigley enjoying the sunshine

Playing in the Leaves

I know I've added several new posts today. . . . . I'm trying to keep myself awake while the kids are sleeping! It's been a sick week around here: runny noses, coughs, sneezing, watery eyes. . . . you name it! I myself have not been immune either. So now that the house is quiet and everyone is sleeping, I thought I'd take the time to update some daycare photos on the blog.
With the leaves almost completely gone from several of our trees the kids have enjoyed playing in leaf piles. I abstain from jumping in the leaves with all the sneezing and coughing that causes for myself, but the kids love it!

We've discovered the Wrigley loves leaf piles too - she just plows through them and tries to scramble her way to the bottom. Bailey doesn't care about the leaf piles once they are created but you'd think she is trying to kill the rake while I'm out making the piles. She attacks and barks and has a regular fit when we get the rake out (or the broom or the snow shovels. . . . anything used for yardwork in my hands. . . . she barks like she's trying to fend off a giant dragon!)
Enjoy the pictures - the kids have have definitely been enjoying outside playtime. Even with the cooler temperatures that are just a taste of what is to come soon, everyone loves being outside in the afternoons.

This is a picture of the kids in the leaf pile - while Bailey and Wrigley were trying to be included in the group photo.

This is the picture of the kids - more subdued - after the dogs tried to participate! :)

Phineas and Ferb and The Backyardigans

I know that some of you are fans of Phineas and Ferb - like I am. The girls love the show and I think I love it even more! How can you not love kids with such huge imaginations a pet platypus who is a secret agent?!?!?!? I doesn't get much better than this! I used to think the answer to world peace was for everyone to watch one episode of "The Backyardigans" every day and take an afternoon nap. Now I'm thinking that people could be offered a choice - Backyardigans or Phineas and Ferb, although I still think a world-wide nap rule should be enacted. . . . . really. . . couldn't this all lead to world peace?

Here are some of our favorite Phineas and Ferb and Backyardigan songs!!

Gichi-Gichi-Goo

Beach Song

Squirrels in My Pants

Pirates Say AARGH

What's Bugging You (one of Emmy's favorites)

Spongebob Squarepants Pajamas

We finally found a pair of pajamas that our youngest is willing to wear. She has been an anti-pajama kid for the past 2 years, but we were at the store last weekend and she found a pair that she fell in love with . . . . . so officially have a pajama-wearer in the house now!

Emmy, the Photographer

Emmy was busy using our old camera the other day while we were out picking apples, and I thought I'd share what life looks like from the camera lens of a 4 year old.