Wordless Wednesday

Merit Trick or Treating / Primrose Fall Festival

We had an extremely busy weekend and it got kicked off Friday afternoon.  Each year my company has trick or treating up at our office.  It's a chance for all the employees to bring their kids up and go trick or treating.  I was super excited about bringing the kids up, especially since this was the first year Evan would really be able to participate.  I wasn't sure what to expect with him.  At first he was a little unsure, but after he discovered he got candy, he was all for it.  He insisted on carrying his own bag around and went up to each person, grabbed some candy and then put it in his bag.  Emily had a blast walking around with my friend Michele's daugter, Haleigh.  And thanks to Michele, I actually have some pictures.  :)

After trick or treating at my office we ran home and ate a quick dinner before heading back out to go to the Fall Festival up at school.  Em had a blast at this event last year, so I knew she would enjoy it again this year.  Each classroom had a different activity in it.  Em loved seeing all her friends and teachers and getting to do all the activities.  We stayed for about 45 minutes before both kids were just worn out and were coming down off their sugar high. 

 

 

The cake walk - Em won and picked out a giant cookie cake.

Cutest Fireman - black eye and all.

Em and Aubrey go to school together now.

Interview With Emily - 4 Years Old

I started interviewing Em when she turned 2 and have done it each year since.  My plan is to ask her the same 20 questions each year on her birthday. It's fun seeing how her answers change from year to year.  Here are her answers from 2 years old and 3 years old.

1. What is your favorite color? Pink 

2. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Mac and Cheese 

3. Who is your best friend? Serena

4. What is your favorite toy? Piano

5. What is your favorite TV show? Caillou

6. What is your favorite drink? Milk

7. What is your favorite movie? Pocahontas

8. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Waffles 

9. What is your favorite book? Cat in the Hat

10. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Seahorse

11. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Hot Dog

12. What is your favorite snack? Goldfish

13. What is your favorite holiday? 4th of July

14. What is your favorite song? ABC's

15. What is your favorite outfit? A Nightgown

16. What is your favorite animal? Elephant

17. What do you want to be when you grow up? Cheerleader

18. What is your favorite game? Tic Tac Toe

19. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play 

20. What is your favorite thing about school?  Math and Writing

To Emily On Your 4th Birthday. . .

Dear Emily,

How is it possible that my baby is turning four??  I joke with you all the time that I want you stay little forever.  I know that's not possible, but if I could bottle you up right now, I would!

You've grown so much in the last year!  You are the best big sister and I've loved watching yours and Evan's relationship grow as you both get older.  Of course there are times that you guys fight and are jealous of each other, but the majority of the time you both are so sweet to each other.  I know you love him so much and would do anything for him.  You love to give him hugs and are always there to help him with whatever he needs.

You're becoming so independent now.  You want to do everything yourself, whether it's getting dressed, getting snacks and water for yourself or even turning the bathroom light on.  Sometimes it drives me crazy because it obviously takes you longer to do these things than it takes me to just do them for you, but I sometimes just have to take a step back and realize this is something I need to let you do.   We took the rail off your bed this year and you also learned how to pump your legs on the swings.  You've cut out your nap most days too. We try to still make you have "quiet time" in your room, but that usually consists of you just playing in your room until you decide it's been long enough and are ready to come out. 

Over the last year, you've been involved in so many new activities - dance, gymnastics, soccer, cheerleading and swimming.  I've loved watching you in all these activities and you are always making me so proud of you.  I know this sounds like such a parent thing to say, but you truly are good at almost everything you try!  You are so determined and quite athletic. You tell me that dance and gymnastics are your favorites, so we'll probably stick with them for a while.  I know some may think that we have you in too many activities, but if they only knew how much energy you have.  You thrive on being kept busy! 

You are a very smart little girl and very outgoing.  Lately we have had a few issues with you being bossy at school, but we're working through them and hopefully it will be short lived.  I think you were just born to be a leader and you need to learn how to handle that.  You are the perfect mix of girly girl and tomboy.  You love to wear dresses and love all things princesses, but also love to play outside and wrestle with your brother.  You are very artistic and creative.  You love to draw, color and do crafts.  You also have quite the imagination.  I love the stories you come up with. 

Our lives changed for the better 4 years ago and I can't even remember what life was like before you.  I hope you have the best birthday ever and can't wait to see what's ahead for you in the next year.  So to my outgoing, determined, funny and sometimes sassy little 4 year old. . Happy Birthday!  Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know!

Love,
Mommy 

Em's School Day

Shawn was getting Em ready for bed last night and she told him the story of her day.  It went something like this. . .

When we get to school we sit down and eat breakfast.  Then Ms. Julie (her teacher) gets out the big broom and sweeps all the crumbs we dropped into a pile.  Then she gets a big vacuum out and vacuums us and the crumbs up.  She puts us all in a big trashbag and puts us in the trashcan.  The trash man comes and picks us up and takes us to the dump.  We get thrown out at the dump and a little while later the school bus comes and picks us up and takes us back to school.  We take our nap.  When we wake up, Ms. Lupe (the school cook) comes and gets us and she mixes us up with flour and eggs and puts chocolate chips on our bellys and bakes us into chocolate chip cookies.  So at the end of the day, when you eat the chocolate chip cookies that are in the front, you are really eating my friends.

So that's my child's day.  She has no imagination at all!  :)

Battle Wounds

Last night Evan got his first major battle wound (well, I didn't count him putting his teeth through his tongue).  He was playing on the shelf in the middle of his easel when Em decided she wanted to tickle him.  She tickled him a little too hard and he ended up falling right into the wall/ window sill and hitting his eye.  As soon as he hit, it started to turn purple.  :(  Poor guy now has a very purple and swollen eye!  It actually looks worse in person than these pictures.

Big Orange Pumpkin Farm 2013

Sunday afternoon we headed out to Celina to go to the Pumpkin Patch.  There was a chance of rain, but luckily it held off.  I think the rain chances helped us, as we almost had the place to ourselves.  We didn't have to wait in any lines which was great!

 

We stopped to feed the animals first and let me just tell you, Evan was SO excited!  He didn't stop yelling "moo."  The smile on his face the entire time was priceless.  He would stomp his feet and just scream with excitement.  This boy was in heaven!

Of course we had to get our annual pictures of the kids sitting on the hay bales.  While I was taking Em's pic, I heard someone yell "Hi Emily" only to see my niece standing there.  My brother's family was there too so of course I had to take a few pics of all the kids!

This was the best shot I could get of both the kids.  Evan was way too busy to sit and smile for the camera!  All he wanted to do was carry around pumpkins.  He would try and pick up the biggest pumpkins and get so mad when he realized they were too heavy for him to carry. 

Again, I couldn't get Evan to sit on the hay bales - but hey, at least he's in the picture still.  :)

 

Next stop was the hay maze.  This was a favorite of Em's last year and she loved it again this year.  She led us through the maze all by herself.

Last but not least, we loaded up for the hay ride.  I wasn't sure Evan would sit still for the whole ride, but he loved it. 

They have several decorated hay bales on the path of the hay ride.  Both kids enjoyed pointing them out to us.

And we couldn't help but stop by the animals one last time before picking out our pumpkins and heading home.

 

It's still so crazy to me that we've now visited this pumpkin patch 4 times!  The kids sure look grown up compared to the last several years!