Halloween

Halloween was on a school day for Bonnie so their class did a little parade in the morning with all the kids dressed up. This year looked a lot like last year for us - as we went with the Wizard of Oz theme again. Bonnie wanted to wear the red shoes one more time and all the costumes still fit, so we figured why not one more year?!

Bonnie's class

October was so booked up with visitors this year that we never got around to carving pumpkins. So instead we decided to paint them before trick-or-treating! 

Dorothy and our cowardly lion.

Plus the tin man and scarecrow. 

This was such a fun year of trick-or-treating for the kids! They both were so excited and knew exactly what to do. After every single house (even after having to dump the bucket once because we had so much candy already), Riser would turn around to me after being handed a piece of candy and yell in complete excitement and awe "Mama, wook at dis!!!" and show me what he got, as if it was the very first time. It was very sweet. 

It was fun to be able to go home and have the kids rummage through all their candy. It was a very successful and fun night!

Happy Halloween!

Mom and Eric visit

We were lucky enough to have Eric visit two weeks in a row this past month! He came with us to take the kids to the new playground, Taylor Farm Park. The kids enjoyed playing together, we had a picnic lunch, and took a nice walk.

We went out to eat and then played games one night after the kids went to bed.

The next weekend mom came down to help watch Katie's kids while they were out of town for a wedding. It was also her birthday! We took the ferry over to College Run Farms. The kids had fun feeding the birds on the ferry.

We did the corn maze which had a little sand pit treasure hunt at the end where you could dig for a piece of treasure - a very exciting ending for my kids.

Riser blazing his own trail.

Afterwards we got seasonal ice cream, a must at the end of each trip here.

We enjoyed the ferry ride home then I took my kids home for a rest. But mom went straight to feeding kids lunch and taking them to a volleyball game to see friends - amazing!

We came back over with the kids after their nap to make dinner for everyone - lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. Jane was also able to get Grandma on the trampoline!

Jane had decorated a very sweet cake for mom which we all enjoyed after dinner.

Then she got to open a couple gifts and cards from the kids.

The next day after church we all relaxed and watched the Commanders football game in the afternoon. The kids always play so well together - they love their time together.

It was so wonderful getting so much family time recently and spend Mom's birthday with her! 

Baptism

Last weekend Eric and I got baptized. Eric was inspired when he saw Eleanor get baptized in the Summer. I had been wanting to do it for years, but my propensity to avoid being on display had me dragging my feet. After Eric decided he was doing it, I was grateful for the opportunity to get baptized together.

It was much more emotional than I thought it would be, and it was so special Bonnie got to watch the whole thing. We also were fortunate my mom happened to be in town! Sadly we happened to sign up the weekend Katie and Chris were going to be in Boston but it was super special to have Eleanor and the rest of the kids see it. 

It was a beautiful morning and I'm so thankful Eric and I got to do it together and that we were able to share it with so much family. 

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. -Romans 6:4