Our Cute Clowns

Dave's Ariel pumpkin

Savannah clown

Preston clown


I just love the way they are looking at each other

Our Family

Our kids had precious, hand-made Halloween costumes this year. Thanks to Aunt Cherry they both went trick or treating as clowns! The big red nose lasted about 3 minutes for Savannah and Preston's hat never lasted a second, but at least we got a few cute pictures. I organized a pizza block party so it was fun watching the neighborhood kids run crazy and enjoy the pizza and desserts that everyone brought. As the party starting dying down, the kids all took off treak or treating. Our little ones had a blast and enjoyed going through the neighborhood with Ms. Marlene. This was the first year that we just left the candy basket out and went trick or treating together as a family and I have to say it was super fun watching the kids get their candy. Preston kept trying to go into everyone's house and Savannah kept making us look in her pumpkin to see how much candy she had! Fun, fun. Now if I can stay out of the candy we'll be doing great!

Pumpkin Carving

Preston is SO excited that there is something he can make a mess with in the middle of the kitchen!!

Preston trying to put the top back on and Savannah scooping out the seeds.

Each Halloween, Dave always handles the carving of the pumpkin. (The task is much too messy for me, plus I have no carving skills.) This year we're actually early by carving it 2 days before Halloween!!! I wish I had videoed the beginning, because our kids were hilarious! Preston watched very carefully as the top was taken off and didn't seem to understand why we cut it off . . .but was sure excited when he saw the seeds inside. Savannah was quite the messy scooper so we had seeds everywhere. The goal is to have an Ariel pumpkin so we'll see how it turns out.

Savannah's Fall Activities

This past weekend Savannah had her first dance performance with her new "blue class" as she calls it. Her little class did a cute tap dance outside of the YMCA for a festival they were having. They obviously still have a bit of work to do before the winter showcase in December. Never the less, according to her teacher they definitely stole the show with the biggest group of people the entire weekend.

Today I was the party mom in her WEE school class. We made scarecrows, read a Fall story, and had a yummy cookie snack. Here she is showing off her scarecrow craft. We're looking forward to a fun weekend with nothing on the calendar other than a block party and some trick or treating!!! Woo hoo . . .more candy for me to eat, that I really don't need!

Race Day!

Savannah getting ready to run

Running fast!

Showing off her medal

Part of our Sunday school group

This morning our family participated in another race for a great cause. Our friends, the Williams, have a neighbor who has been diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Jake is a 6 year old boy who has been through so much already in his little life. Our Sunday school class had 20 runners who participated in the 5k run to help raise money for DMD research. It was a great event and fun to do the race with friends . . . well as fun as running can be (the neighborhood is SUPER hilly and I pushed the kids solo). Savannah also had a chance to do her first race, a 40 yard dash. She did great and was super proud of her gold medal!

Markers

This is what can happen in the time it takes me to start one load of laundry. Check out the marker that is ALL over both of their faces, hands, and clothes. Kristin, don't worry, I'm sure all of those marks will wash out of Ben's outfit! By the way, I'm not sure what Preston was doing to Savannah . . . probably trying to push her away to keep her from eating his breakfast cereal. Wait, no, that can't be right. He threw his cereal all on the floor and when I put him down he proceeded to eat it off of the floor. Happy 16 months Preston!

Adventures with Preston

I decided last week to start taking advantage of Tuesday and Thursday mornings alone with Preston. Since Savannah is in school and he's dropped his morning nap we have quite a bit of time with just the two of us. Sooo, I signed him up for a library class and also a trial class at My Gym. Savannah loved going to My Gym every week, but Dave and I weren't quite sure Preston was ready for the class. Well, after the hour long class I'm still not sure he's ready for the weekly thing (or maybe I'm just not ready for the extra workout I get), but he sure had a blast today! It's funny how the two kids like totally different things. Preston couldn't get enough of the slides and the ball pit, where as Savannah would have spent the entire class on the "jumpy thing" and in the swings. He was obsessed with picking up the balls that were on the floor and putting them back in the pit too. :)

So when we finally get home I tried to do a little computer work and look over to see him standing on my eBay bin. Nice. Never a dull moment . . .

Great Grandma Bettie

Last Friday I received a call from my Grandma saying that Great Grandma had passed away. Although we weren't shocked to hear the news since she had just recently been doing pretty poorly in the nursing home, and since she lived an amazing 99 1/2 years, it was still a very sad time for our family. Her late husband was Preston, who we named our Preston after, and I so regret that she never got to meet little Preston in person. Although she isn't biologically my great grandmother, she is the closest thing. She married my Great Grandfather, Preston, after Pawpaw's mother passed when he was very young. All our life she has been our Great Grandma . . . and what a blessing she has been. I have so many memories of delicious holiday meals with fresh sausage and biscuits, summer days at her house, and even one vacation we took together to the mountains. She had such a great sense of humor and always kept us laughing. Although we'll miss her a lot, it's nice to know that she is now happy, healthy and reunited with her husband, Pawpaw, and even my mom ~ who loved her so!

Obituary

The Pumpkin Patch

This afternoon we took full advantage of having some down time and headed to the nearby Hall Family Farm's Pumpkin patch. They always have a hay ride that leads to a petting zoo and then the kids get to bring home a pumpkin of their choice. It was hilarious watching Preston walk, or stumble, through all of the pumpkins. Of course he loved picking up and throwing the pumpkins. All boy. Watching the kids at the petting zoo was also pretty funny. Savannah was hesitant at first, but finally enjoyed feeding the goats. Preston loved seeing all of the animals and kept pointing to a different one. I think the ducks were his favorite . . . daddy is so proud! :)

Preston with the ducks

Savannah feeding the goat