Halloween

My Cheetah Girl and Wolf Boy had a fun-filled Halloween this year! We are loving our neighborhood and this year I helped plan our 1st-annual Halloween block party! It was complete with burgers, hot dogs, bounce houses, and a hay ride!

Our church also had its annual Fallfest. Becca and Avery also happened to be twinkies at church that morning!

Finally, we trick-or-treated around our block and this was the first year our kids really got to just trick-or-treat with friends without us chasing them. Our block is one big village and I love it!

Avery's 9th Birthday

Avery is NINE! How is this possible? She started her day off with breakfast on the Red Plate, then it was off to school with birthday donuts to share with her class!

That night we went to dinner at Houlihan's with the Dixons, and we also had a special surprise for Avery. Aunt Kelly was in town from Colorado and came to dinner! Avery had no idea and was so excited (she LOVES Aunt Kelly!).

For her birthday party, we invited all of her new friends from the neighborhood, plus Sage and three friends from school, over for a Red Carpet bash! It was complete with a red carpet and a "walk of fame" out front with the girls' names on it. The girls came in their pajamas and had pizza and then enjoyed a popcorn bar with candy they could top their popcorn with. Then we watched a movie (Ever After) and then had cupcakes and present-opening. It was LOUUUUD (Daniel found some of his hunting earplugs which made a huge difference in our sanity!) but all the girls went home at 9:00! Thank you Sage, Ryleigh, Haylee, Siyah, Olivia, Kennedy, Maysen, Kayden, Maryn, and Cailyn for celebrating with us!

Happy Birthday Avery! We love you so, so much :)

GCA Homecoming

The kids had Spirit Week at school leading up to Homecoming on Friday. They had Crazy Sock/Hair Day, Crazy Clothes Day, Crazy Hat Day, and What I Want to Be When I Grow Up Day. I only got pictures on two of those days! Friday was "White Out" day plus the parade!

I Heart New York (Part 2)

On the third day of our trip, we went to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. I had been to Ground Zero but not since they had put in the memorial. It was breathtaking, also since Todd Beamer's name is the name I happened to walk up on. The museum was a little overwhelming but very well done and respectful. It brought back a lot of feelings from that day that I will never forget.

That afternoon we walked around Chinatown and had lunch in Little Italy, went to Macy's where we saw the oversized piano from "Big", walked to Bryant Park, and ate dinner at a trendy tapas place in Chelsea!

On our last day, we took a water taxi tour to see the different boroughs and the Statue of Liberty! It was the perfect day to see her...not a cloud in the sky! We got off in Brooklyn where we ate at a pizzeria, then walked across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan where we caught our ride to the airport to head home. I had SO much fun and couldn't imagine seven more fabulous travel companions! Thanks for the birthday trip, friends :)