Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone.  This year the girls both wanted to be princesses.  We have a lot of princess dresses, so they each chose one.  Skylar chose a pink Sleeping Beauty dress and Larissa chose a blue princess dress.  Skylar also wore a pink Aurora crown and carried a pink wand.  I didn't have a blue crown for Larissa, but I did have a purple Ariel crown that she wore.  She also had a blue wand. 

First we went to our neighbor Monica's house.  She always makes the girls something special.  They got a Halloween cup filled with some candy, bracelets, fake fangs and a bouncy ball.  Monica said she didn't have a chance to carve her pumpkins this year but she had an Elmo decoration that was pretty cool.

Then we were off.  At first they were running from house to house.

After we got around our first block, the girls were getting cold so we stopped back home to put sweatshirts on under the dresses.  We then went down the block and got about 10 houses down, both girls lost their steam.  We turned to head back towards the house and got the wagon.  At first Larissa wanted to just go home, but by the time we got there, she decided she wanted to come back out with us.  We then went a few more blocks and came home.  We were out about an hour and a half, which was enough for all of us.  We live in a very hilly neighborhood and our legs are all tired. 

When we got home we combined all their candy and went through it.  They each got to pick 1 piece to eat right away.  Larissa picked fun dip, Skylar picked hersey bar.  When we were going through the candy, I was surprised to see there was not one piece of gum, and very little hard candy (gob stoppers, jolly ranchers, now and laters)  I just don't feel comfortable giving them hard candy that they can't bite easily, not until they are old enough to sit still long enough to suck on it and not choke on it.  As for the gum, here is the scenario I witnessed tonight.

Skylar: Trick or Treat!!

man: hi there, here is some candy.  Here, let me give you some gum too.

Skylar: no thank you, I'm too little for gum, you can have it back

man: Really? 

Skylar:  yep, my mom says we can't have gum yet, we might get it all over the place.

Larissa: (from the wagon on the sidewalk) yeah, I'm too little too, I just want candy, no gum. 

I'll keep gum away from them as long as I can.  I have let them try it before but they swallow it right away.  Since then I've just been telling them they are too little and they don't care. 

At another house Skylar comes screaming back to me, mom I got cheese crackers, I LOVE cheese crackers!! 

At another house the lady let them choose.  Their choices were a pencil, chapstick, choclate candy or fruit snacks.  Both girls chose fruit snacks.  (I actually thought they'd go for the chapstick, but Skylar just got some for her birthday yesterday so they were happy with having that) 

Towards the end of the night Larissa was really tired and didn't get out of the wagon much.  Skylar would go up and after she got her treat she'd say, my little sister is too tired to come up here, can I take her a candy?  Every once in a while Rissy would chime in, I'm down here!!  Most of the people laughed and gave Skylar something for her.  One lady even came down to us to offer Larissa her choice. 

here is a picture of their catch spread out over the table.

and the girls enjoying their treat. 

Skylar's first kid party

Skylar had her very first kid party today.  She was so excited when she woke up that she kept asking and asking, when is my party???  Both girls went with John to the store to get the cake and some food while I stayed home and cleaned.  My parents came and we finished decorating.  Finally it was time for her friends to come.  Only 2 of her little preschool friends came, but that was ok.  They had a blast playing together.  4 of her cousins also came, my nephews Jake and Cameron and my nieces Shelby and Hunter.  It was only 2 hours, but that was enough!!  The girls had fun, but by the end, I think they were ready to go home.  We played pin the cutie mark on the pony (My Little Pony themed "pin the tail on the donkey")  Then we had cake and opened presents.  Then they wanted to play with the presents.  She got a lot of nice things and is thrilled.  Now the girls are camping out in the family room with their older cousins.  Hopefully they sleep ok.  Here are some pictures of her day. 

the family room all decorated

Skylar in her party dress

the gang, Larissa, Kelsey, Skylar, Jake, and Tayah

Pin the cutie mark on the pony

she got a doodle bear (something she's been asking for every day) 

yeah, a new Barbie

I thought this was cute

Eating dinner with the cousins

Just hanging out with the cousins

Skylar's birthday at school

Today they celebrated Skylar's birthday at school.  They sang Happy Birthday to her.  She brought in a special snack (popcorn in a Halloween bag with some candy corn and bat rings thrown in).  She got a birthday ribbon sticker and a card from the school.  She also got to pick from the birthday box.  This is what she picked. 

She just loved being the center of attention.  She was smiling all afternoon.  She can't wait for her birthday party tomorrow, and honestly, I'm a little excited too.  John is taking her with him to the store tomorrow morning and Rissy and I will decorate.  She's going to love it. 

Fall Festival

So tonight the girls had their fall festival at school.  It was like a fun fair.  They had games set up and the trike-a-thon to benefit St Judes Childrens Hospital.  At the festival the girls played the cupcake walk and each won a cupcake.

I glad they picked the same one, no fights!!

then they got tattoos, played a buried treasure game (a big rice bin with little treasures buried each with a number in them, coordinating to a prize box), decorated hats, played the duck pond game (similar to the buried treasure) and a fishing game where they put the pole over the wall and game back with a prize on the end.  Then I got the girls some popcorn and lemonade.  After they played some more games and we left.  Skylar said she was having the best time.  Larissa was a little scared with all the people around and clung to my side.  She wouldn't play some of the games at first either.  She did participate in the cupcake walk right away, but was aftaid of some of the other games.  Here are a few pictures of the girls enjoying themselves. 

cake walk

Skylar's crown

Rissy's hat

Trike-a-thon

bean bag toss

their goodies

silly ladies

They were playing with their stuffed animals.  I heard Larissa say, ok lets get in the car and go to McDonalds.  They "buckled" them into the bumbo seats and "drove" to McDonalds. 

impressed with Skylar's drawings

I have been really impressed with Skylar's drawings lately.  She puts so much detail into them now. 

this is me and Larissa in a boat and that is a shark in the water. 

I love the bumble bees in the air and the ants underground. 

orange frozen yogurt

After lessons today we took the girls to the mall to play for a bit.  We got hungry and decided to go to Old Country Buffet.  It's not our favorite place, but the girls like it.  We like buffets because we all get to get what we want.  Larissas first plate consisted of mac and cheese, black olives, salad (lettuce, cheese, corn and beets) and french fries.  Skylar had ham, mac and cheese, french fries and a roll.  Both then had some cottage cheese, raisins, craisins and more beets.  Then they got to have orange frozen yogurt in a cone.  They thought that was pretty cool!!  lol.

Swim lesson update again

Larissa is really doing well now.  Her teacher says she is really improving with every lesson.  She no longer clings to the teacher or to the side of the pool.  She is jumping into the water (to the instructor) she is trying to do her glides and kicks.  She can almost float on her back.  She tries really hard now.  I think our Friday night swims are really helping.  Her confidence is growing with every class. 

Skylar is also making great strides.  She CAN swim on her front, float on her front and back and glide on her back, but she doesn't have the confidence to do most of it on her own yet.  When she's floating, as soon as she feels your hands leave her body, she freaks out and sinks.  If she'd just believe in herself she could easily do it.  When I am helping her, I am barely touching her.  She is doing it all on her own, but my hands are on her, so she thinks I am helping her.  She will get it soon enough. 

One of Rissy's favorite parts of her lesson is when they  make a train and go by Skylar's class.  Here is their train today.  Rissy is the third child in. 

Skylar floating on her back

drying their hair after lessons

dress up

last night the girls got on their dress up dresses again.  they just look so darn cute playing princess. 

Rissys dress was a bit big on her, but this was the only one that didn't itch her. 

Now this morning they are balerinas.

they added skirts from their princess dress up box.

and a little video.