Our Girls

Katie decided to go as Lady Liberty. The tablet and torch were made by Andrew. The torch even has a flashlight inside it! Molly chose Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz - complete with a Toto in a basket. Andrew and Jessica decided at the last minute to improvise some costumes as well. Emily wanted to be a witch, including dyed purple hair and tiny broomstick. Two other couples brought their kids over and we wandered the neighborhood together. Our small town becomes a crazy place on Halloween. The streets are packed with crowds, home owners sit out on their driveways next to fire pits and hand out candy. It was an excellent - though late - night. 

On Saturdays this is typically what ends up happening: Andrew and Jessica attempt to sleep in, but little people (loudly) head into our room, climb in and want to read or otherwise keep us from continuing to sleep. This is photograph also memorializes the fact that our children have some strange sleep rituals. Katie sleeps in a 'nightmask', puts a blanket ('night-night') over her pillow and snuggles with "pink puppy". Oddly, Pink Puppy is actually white with pink spots, so why isn't it White Puppy? Molly sleeps with her Duck and Puppy (this puppy is actually entirely pink, but is known just as 'puppy' to avoid confusion). Emily has no odd sleep rituals so maybe there's hope that one day we will be free of taking a separate bag filled with bed -time accessories when we leave on trips.

It is a semi-annual tradition that we get together with Andrew's brother and his family to carve pumpkins just before Halloween. This year Grammy and Gramps joined in!

Sometimes we get to chronicle just the parent adventures on this blog. Parent adventures are rare. But this summer, Jessica and Andrew took a whole weekend to explore St. Louis. We brunched, we shopped, we were out past 9 p.m. ! And the primary reason for this getaway? The once-in-a-lifetime chance to have seats on the field at Busch Stadium to listen to Paul McCartney! We saw a Beatle in-person. It was amazing. And it wouldn't have been half as amazing if we didn't get to share the adventure with Chad and Sarah.

This Summer we participated in an exercise program where the kids tracked their steps and their miles to see if they could go 26.2 miles (a full marathon) by the end of the summer. Due to scheduling issues (or luck for Molly) Molly was the only one who got to attend the finish line victory celebration, though all of the girls made the 26.2 goal. There was delicious BBQ, there was face-painting, bounce-housing, you name it. AND it was roughly 1000 degrees. So we all sweat away 2% of our body weight. Here is Molly with her finisher's medal. Note the face paint that has smeared from both the heat and from playing in the spray from the fire truck. Note also the chocolate on her face from dessert. It was messy and hot, but so much fun! Did I mention it was hot. So hot. So so hot.

Molly's birthday falls uncomfortably close to Christmas for there to be a big party. So we've taken the idea of one of our friends and started to celebrate her half-birthdays with a kid party and then her real birthday is a little more subdued, though no less festive! This year, she decided she wanted to have her party at Little Mate's Cove, which is like a wading pool/ water slide park for kids. It was a blast. Here's her sister alongside one of her best friends (whose little sister just happens to be Molly's age as well). Emily celebrating Molly 4.5 Jessica was clearly pretty excited about the Minnie cupcakes (not pictured: the intense heat unexpectedly melted the frosting off of most of the Minnie-cakes, but this ONE was still picture-worthy) The half-Birthday girl and Cousin Jack getting ready to blow out candles Do half-birthdays only get half wishes? Cousin Carly made it too! Happy half-birthday to Molly!

This is the way the 2016 school year began. Emily is now a fifth grader, Katie is  second grader. It's been a great year so far!