Sisters

Snapped this outside of church this morning in their matching outfits from Nana.

Fall Festival at Gigi and Grumpy's Church

 Team Meeting

 Sara was so excited to see Uncle Gray!

 On the Tilt a Whirl...Sara wasn't (quite) as miserable as she looks.

 Playing Games for Candy and Gum

Trick or Treat!

Piggy Reprise

We wore our piggy costumes again on Friday for school party day.  Here we are getting ready for school...

One day I'm going to learn not to take pictures of Sara in the morning...

Heehee...on second thought, maybe I won't learn...

Sanity Restored

Last night, Jason and I weren't feeling stellar.  We survived dinnertime and eventually got the kids into bed.  Finally....And then Hallie started howling.  She didn't have her green blanket.  The child has slept with this blanket since she was born, so she was understandably insistent that she have it to go to bed.  So we looked for it.

And we looked for it.  And looked some more.  No green blanket.  I swear, the thing must have sprouted legs and walked out of our house.  We turned the place upside down--checked in cabinets, the hamper, and any other random place she might have put it.  To no avail.

Thus began the wailing.  This led to several threats and even a couple of spankings because Brooks was already asleep and Hallie just would NOT give it up.  But finally she went to sleep.  Phew.

And then, about an hour later, I passed Hallie's room only to hear her whimpering, "Hold me..."  My heart sank.  I went in her room and climbed in her bed to hold her for a few minutes hoping that would help her go to sleep.  It worked--she was snoring.  But right in mid-snore, she shot up in her bed and said frantically, "Where IS it, Mommy?"

And so the hunt ensued again.  I realized there was simply no way Hallie was going to sleep without that blanket.  I offered her other options, including the blanket I used to sleep with when I was little, but it was blue and hers was green, you see, so that just wouldn't do.  I was nearing the end of my rope.  Jason was decidedly past the end of his rope and told her that she absolutely had to go to bed.  She started crying some more.  Desperately, Jason said, "Hallie!  I will buy you another one!  Go to bed!"

And she stopped.  Mid-sob, she wiped her bleary eyes, looked up at him and said, "Can I get a pink one?  Because I like all the colors."

"Sure, Hallie.  Go to bed."

And she did.  And she slept all night without a blanket.

The Three Little Pigs Hit the Town

 Bouncing in the Bouncy House

Getting coaching from Uncle James on the Bean Bag Toss...Sara wasn't going to cooperate until she realized there were suckers to be won!

 Getting our Faces Painted

 Checking Out Each Other's Selections

 Costume Contest...Awaiting the Results

 We won!  :) 

This was one tuckered out little piggy. He was positively delightful despite the costume that was a little hot.  He even wore his ears till the end.

Loving on Brooks

Bringing in the Cheese

Riding in the car, listening to a hymn CD, which is playing "Bringing in the Sheaves."

Hallie:  What kind of cheese are they bringing, Daddy?

Zoo!

 Watching the Sea Lions Do Tricks

 Ringing the Bell After our Train Ride

 The Zoo is Decorated for Halloween

 "Look at the Fish, Sara!"

 Gordon, the Giraffe

 Gordon likes to eat leaves.  Hallie wasn't so sure about feeding him.

 But Sara didn't even hesitate.  She kept telling the zookeeper, "I do it again!"

 Roaring at the Lions