Halloween Preview

What were you doing this morning at 6:00am? We were trying to exmplain to Will why we couldn't carve pumpkins right then. He literally woke up and immediately asked to carve pumpkins. Thank goodness he was ok with doing it later in the day! He had his fill of pumpkin carving by the end of the day. Sam and Will got to carve pumpkins at Grandma's today, then we did it again tonight when Ryan got home. 3 pumpkins, lots of "goop", and an hour past bedtime, and we were done. We all just had to do a test run before we went up to bed!

I'm sure we'll have some good ones after Will's class Halloween party tomorrow and the real deal on Friday. Until then, here are a few from our dress rehearsal at Trunk or Treat this weekend.

"What do you want to do today?"

Many of you know how our family really likes to have routines. We like to know our "plan" for the day, and we are often asked to repeat it through the day. Now that's not to say we aren't ever spontaneous, but we just know that those "unknowns" or changes in plans take some 'splanin', as Ricky would say. Well, one thing that has become routine is our Sundays. As I wrote last Sunday, we do church, soccer, then worker guy stuff with Papa. Today was a little change because it was the first time Sammy Lou mustered up the courage to ride with Papa. Once she did it, she didn't want to stop! I don't know what we're going to do after next Sunday's last soccer game!!!

I'm also sticking in a couple pics from the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome that we did on Saturday. We walked with "Anna Banana's bunch", a team formed for the daughter of one of the teachers I work with.

Baby Girl

I came home from class last night to learn that Ryan had changed Sammy's crib into a big girl toddler bed. Now, this is something we had talked about so it's not like he just suddenly did it, but I was still a little surprised. I went up to see her and she wasn't quite asleep. There she was, no crib railings, curled up in a little ball under her covers. This little baby girl is growing up so fast! She is almost officially 2 1/2, (going on 12)! This picture is one I dug up from just about 2 years ago. She is still our sweet little angel no matter how big she gets.

Sunday Funday!

Today is Sunday which is now "soccer day". We spend it like we do most Sundays. Church, soccer, and another new routine: riding on Papa's BIG construction equipment! (He has a job site right by the soccer fields.) Before his game he was sure to remind me that he wanted to ride on Papa's construction equipment after the game. Then afterward, the first thing he did was go to Papa and ask to go ride on the equipment. Today he got to ride in a giant dump truck and a big dirt scraper that you stand up to drive. We always ask Sammy if she wants to ride too, but they're just too big and loud. She just digs in the dirt while Will rides!

We're loving this beautiful fall weather, and can't wait for the changing leaves. Will checks the trees every day!

Almost every morning Will wakes up at about 4ish and comes into our bed. He usually goes back to sleep, but he wakes up a lot earlier than we'd like. Usually we tell him we can't get up until the sun is up. This morning he kept checking out the window to see if the sun was up. Finally, I got up with him and we took a blanket out to the front porch and watched the sun come up. It was pretty awesome! The little boy who usually doesn't stop moving and really doesn't have a whole lot of time to chat was cuddling up with me and telling me all kinds of stuff. He was telling me about how God made the sun, which led to talking about Paco! (Mom & Dad's dog who died last spring.) He said he wanted to see him up in heaven. Then I asked what he thought Paco was doing and he said, "I think Jesus is throwing a ball and Paco is getting it."

As if that wasn't sweet enough, later I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. First he said a police man. Then he thought for a minute and said "Can brothers be daddys?" I said yes and he said "I want to be a daddy too."

He never fails to facinate me, that boy!

Sammy Baby

Ok,so you know how we all think Sam has always been a big talker? Well, lately she's been blowing me away with what she says! Last night when I was putting her to bed she wanted to read another book, and she said "OK, let's go for it!" Sometimes she's so cute I just don't think I can stand it! She is really liking trying to get dressed by herself lately. As you can see, she was experimenting with Daddy's boxers yesterday! She always says "Please will you play with me?" How could we say no? This morning when we were having our usual Play-doh playing session she said "Bonjour!" suddenly. Lately she's been way into singing before we go to sleep. Some of her favorites are Itsy Bitsy Spider and Row Row Row Your Boat. Even though they have typical brother/sister tiffs, she thinks Will is the best thing ever. While he's at school, she constantly asks for him and says that we should go get him. It is impossible to stay mad or upset when she's around. Having a bad day? Just come by and spend some time with Sam.

I hope you enjoy the latest video of her singing!