I'm so annoyed. I have tried to post a couple of times and every time this is how my pictures look! You can see in the last post they had the color change at the very bottom of the photo. Any ideas why this is happening?

Thanksgiving

The kids and I made our way up to Cincy a couple days before Trevor did for Thanksgiving so that we could go to my cousin Jeremy's wedding. I'm a slacker blogger now but were I leave off my mom always gives extreme detail with lots better picture so see her blog for more info there. Anyway, in our extra few days there Emmy and I made a trip to Goodwill were I found my new favorite purchase. I finally found us a piano. None of us know how to play but it is definitely on our homeschool agenda!

After having Thanksgiving a day or two early with my family (mom's blog) we packed up and made our way to IN. Oma and Opa packed in the fun for us!







They took us to see Arthur Christmas, we went swimming in their new YMCA, we got to see Oma's bookstore, made a gingerbread house, watched movies, watched the parade and ate lots of good food.














Maddie came with us on this trip but we aren't sure that she will go anywhere again! The vet advised us on how much Dramamine to give her because we already knew she got car sick. She did great on the way there. I think Ellis is a comfort to her. On the way home her belly got upset and she got sick all over Ellis in the Chick-fil-a parking lot. Thankfully we weren't on the highway!!

Early November

These are all in random order but I am blogging!

Ellis got to have a friend birthday party this year and Michael was one that he wanted to invite. I'm so glad he could make the trip down for this because he is the master Lego builder and Ellis received lots of Legos from friends.










I think he loved every minute of his bowling party..... that is until they started singing Happy Birthday! He coverd his face with his hands for that and then it was back to fun!!















After our Halloween of super heroes he requested a super hero party and capes for the party favors. At first I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to pull that one off but Trevor helped me cut and it actually went really quickly. I did lightening bolts for the boys and hearts for the girls. One of the families texted me a picture of their kids eating breakfast yesterday in their capes so I think we may have started a new fashion trend for kids! :)






Monday is Trevor's day off so it is also an extra subject day in school. He does an at lesson with them each week and this week's was super cute! They made turkey puppets. They glued the faces on first and then turned the bag over and glued all of the feathers. They didn't seem all that impressed with it until he had them turn them over and put them on. You could tell when they saw the feathers hanging over the edges that they loved it! I think they are sooooo cute!











Two weeks ago Trevor's day off was gorgeous so we took a family bike ride on a trail suggested to us from a friend at church. It was so fun we are going to hit her up and see if she has any more ideas for us! This was Alaire's first solo long ride and she did fantastic!! The ride was about 4 miles long and the whole time they were asking if we could go there again some time.










There were a few long hills that Alaire would not have been able to make up on her own. Trevor just waited for her to start to struggle and then rode along side her, stretched his arm out and held the back of her pack and assisted her up the whole hill while they both peddled. It was really funny to watch because he went so fast and she was all smiles peddling as fast as her little feet could go.























Trevor and I made Ellis' bday invitations. Here is his front design, again all at Ellis' direction. The back said, calling all super heroes: Ellis is turning 6!

More October

Oma and Opa got to come to celebrate Alaire's birthday with us. Opa even took them for the usual McDonalds breakfast trip.They loved every minute of it and told us all about it when they got home.

Alaire and I made a crown for her to wear on the big day. She also got a Kid Mover shirt from her Uncle Bryce and Aunt Tini that she hasn't taken off!
















She loves to try on the scary masks at the grocery store..... weirdo!












Oma and Opa were also here for one of Ellis' last soccer games. He had a great season, made some new friends and scored a few goals!!














Alaire had another batch of cupcakes. These she decorated with Oma. They did sprinkles and swirly candles.














Here is Maddie in her super hero cape. Ellis deemed her "thundercloud."

















The crazies at the Cincy zoo.
















we went up to Cincy for the weekend in hopes to celebrate wammy's birthday by camping out but it was just to cold. we found lots of other fun stuff instead.


They even got to hold the new bunny.





























we went on a little hike and had a fence race where everyone got splinters.

wv, Halloween Etc. (or, just be happy I'm posting!)

Ever since we moved I have wanted to go to wv for a visit but with soccer and all of the new stuff we have been getting into we were having a hard time figuring out when. Finally last week we took a Fall Break and went to see my grand parents.

Ellis and Alaire were fascinated by the guns that Peep has hanging in his basement. He even let them hold one!














Mamaw let Alaire set up one of her Christmas displays. She wanted to do it exactly like the picture on the box. Every time we handed her a figurine she checked the picture first and then displayed it.















we got to meet Tristan this time too! Mam and Pap with all of their great grandkids!


















Ellis, Tristan, and Alaire












Pap measured E eventhough we had just measured him when we stopped to say hello on our way to the beach.















There really is nothing else to say here but two peas in a pod! Stubborn as can be the both of them! She just hops right up in his lap and tells him who knows what. Earlier that day after her shower she brushed her hair in his lap.








As soon as we got home from wv we had to rush to get ready for Halloween. Pappy had gotten us pumpkins from his last visit so the kids both painted theirs and I carved mine and Trevor's. Alaire went with an abstract look. Really no surprise!












Ellis debated for literally an hour on what he would do until we threatened no painting and bed and he FINALLY landed on Diego. It is a good thing Trevor can handle artist requests because I'm sure he would have been in tears with my attempt. He actually did lots of this himself with lots of patient coaching from his Dad.











The night before Halloween I had my middle school girls group over for a "spa party." This was their party theme and I was a little unsure of my ability to pull it off as "spa" time is not really my thing but they seemed to have fun and thankfully a friend let me borrow her foot water massage thing. Trevor and Ellis took it as a night out to bowl and although Alaire was given the choice to go with them she chose Spa Night.






(to lazy to move this back to the wv photos) This is my best friend from when I was little's daughter, Gracie. She and Alaire were born just a few hours apart. we got to go over to their house and visit for awhile when we were in H-town.












Trevor was the M.C. at our churches Fall Festival. He was a cowboy/sheriff with a weird accent all night. So many people have told me since then how funny he is!

*Ellis only looks miserable because he had to pause and take a picture instead of jump back into a inflatable line.











These two are sisters and 2 of Alaire's idols!! Kennedy is in my MS small group and they both are Kid Movers. Our church uses ReThink's Orange curriculum and they do a 45 min. Disney like production every Sunday for families that is centered around teaching the month's virtue and Bible stories. There are high energy songs through out the production and the Kid Movers are the dancers on stage. Alaire had made it her life goal to learn every song and motion so that when she is old enough she can be a Kid Mover too......... it so reminds me of me, my sister and our cousin Sarah Beth and wanting to be Continental Singers.







Trevor has been doing "Thumbs Up Thursday" on the student FB page and yesterday I posted Ellis' picture. You can tell he had no idea what he was doing! You may also see that ever since his dad was a cowboy/sheriff for Halloween Ellis has been one too!











This is another "Kid Mover" development. She is much more open to letting me put a pony in her hair. Yesterday she said as long as I, "tuck it like Claire Marie, Kiley and Kennedy!" (They are all Kid Movers from my small group.)

I remind my girls all of the time that there are little girls in the church that look up to them so very much. Nearly every day Alaire wants to wear her kid mover shirt and pants like them, or hair like them, or something like them. They have quite the responsibility to point her toward Christ in the way that they act and in the things that they say. I hope that is stays this easy for a little while longer! Just keep wanting to be like a kid mover!!!!




Here they are in their costumes. Alaire was Exclamation Girl (perfect for her!) and Ellis was Bolt. He came up with and designed most all of their costumes I was merely his seamstress.

A Different Kind of Nut

Alaire is funny! If it weren't for me knowing her dad so well I would wonder how she turned out so so so very different from me. It seems her goal in life is to do every day just a little different than the last. The two of them really liven up Ellis and I!

I took this picture of her a few days ago. After breakfast the kids have four things that they are supposed to do before we start school. They make their beds, brush their hair, brush their teeth, and get dressed. For a while I had to kind of supervise Alaire but she has it down now and she does it all on her own. The outfits always, I mean always MAKE. MY. DAY! This one isn't that crazy but the socks made me smile.

The reason I took the picture is because that is not her toothbrush in her hand. I had come out of my room after getting dressed and was looking for her to see if she was finished with her four things. She answered my calling with, "Mom, I'm in here doing my last thing in a funny spot with Ellis' toothbrush!" I didn't know what that meant so I checked and this was what I found.

Last night I let the dog out in the backyard and a cricket hopped into the house. I yelled for Ellis to come and get it (he loves bugs) and Alaire came instead. She picked it up, pinching it to death and said, "Mom I'm gonna flush him." She did just that and then came back and said, "mom wanna know what he said to me?" I asked and she replied in a high pitch squeal, "oh no, oh no you are flushing me down to all of the poop. oh no!"

She keeps me laughing!

Lots of Firsts!

I started homeschooling Ellis last week and I thought Alaire would be only mildly interested. Boy was I wrong!! She would only be in 3 yr. old preschool this year because of where her birthday falls but she loves all things school. I didn't plan on doing any curriculum with her but by the second day I had to go to target and search the Dollar Spot for preschool workbooks. She is in the school room with us the whole time and surprises me with what she actually knows.







This is our new dog Maddie. For those of you that had the unfortunate experience of meeting Eli she is nothing like him!! Thankfully!! She is so so sweet and we already have her sitting on command.









Ellis had his first Upward Soccer game and he said it was super fun. It took him until the 4th quarter to really warm up and play but when he finally did he was all about it.
































Here is the big Kindergartener on his first day. He seems to like it so far. I think his favorite is probably the Bible story. He told me today that the Numbers we have been doing are too easy. He also wants to make a deal with me that he only has to stand to say the pledge every other day. :)