Fun, fun, fun!

I downloaded these picture well over a week ago. I have been run down with a cold, working 4 days a week the past 2 weeks and have a schedule that has been non stop. About 3 weeks ago we met the neighborhood kids in the park for some fun playtime and arts and crafts. Here a few of the kids, including Axel, are rocking out the mustache look. 

The moms decided to get a picture with the mustaches as well. I believe I have another picture of the three moms in a text message, but here is Chantal and I.

We had amazing summer like weather until this past week where the temperatures have finally dropped and rain has been on the radar.

We fully enjoyed the nice weather. Here are the kiddos running home from school.

Axel is quite charming most of the time and is quite the helper with Phoenix. I just love how much they love each other.

Here Phoenix asked me to pick her up but Axel volunteered. She was happy with brother's help!

We have had some nice family time the past few weeks as well. Here Axel and daddy are playing in the park together.

They were having fun making up games and tricks.

A couple of weeks ago we went to a friend's house for dinner. It was a get together with the folks that we have been racing with during this year's Low Key Hill Climb Series. Unfortunately, I hadn't been feeling well all day, especially after doing an extremely hard effort racing up Hick's/Umunhum road that morning. My migraine and sickness climaxed at the party so Phoenix and I went home to bed while Axel and Daddy returned for some more fun. Here the kids are enjoying some food while the adults were chatting away.

Are neighbors purchased a new washer and dryer and since then we have had a giant fort in our house for over three weeks!The kids have been having loads of fun in it.

To top it off our neighbors dropped off another box that the kids called the car. I recycled the car after 4 days and the fort will being seeing its end after Thanksgiving as we make room for Christmas decorations.

Last weekend we headed up to New Castle to a surprise 60th birthday party for my Uncle David. The kids had a great time with all of the fun activities Grandma provided. Here is Phoenix asleep with her cute puckered lips.

Axel was resting here, but ended up falling asleep himself.

Axel and Phoenix absolutely love bath time. Axel wanted me to take a picture of him as bubble man here.

Over three weeks ago Axel made an awesome marble maze. I am extremely impressed at his engineering skills. He made this all by himself even with it being bigger than himself.

Axel continues to be quite the artist as well. He was drawing on his leap frog while Phoenix was napping. I think he is quite the artist for 5 years old!

Phoenix continues to amaze me at how physical and independent she is. I love how much she loves Louis and loves to walk him.

She continues to develop her climbing skills and has recently mastered the climbing wall.

She can also climb the slide now without using the slides edge. I think she is part monkey.

And my brave little girl copies what all the big boys are doing.

She is so proud of herself for going face first!

We are having 20 people over for our annual Pre Thanksgiving Feast. After this weekend is over I am looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend next weekend of family time and Christmas decorating. We hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

When I was cooking dinner on Thursday night Axel and Phoenix were coloring. Axel yelled, "Mommy come here". This is what I found. The funny thing is I was checking on them every couple of minutes, because I am always expecting a fight of some kind. They were awfully quiet. How could I not see that she was drawing on her face! I had to get a photo of this so when she is a parent she can see how happy she was to draw on her face. 

On Friday Axel had a school party. They had four stations. Two were different craft stations, a memory game station and a snack station. 

 The snack was chocolate pudding with Oreo "dirt" a sugar pumpkin and ghost. Axel was one of the few we scarfed it down. I explained to the other mothers this was the first time he had any of these treats since he just outgrew his allergies this past January. They all enjoyed him enjoying his treat.

 Here is a class photo of the kids and their masks they made.

 Here is one with their teacher, Mrs. Tolbert.

 We headed out early to go trick or treating. Phoenix is crying "Annika's house" as I was asking them to smile for a picture. She didn't quite get that I wanted a picture before going to see Annika.

 Daddy said, "go outside and take a picture." This made Phoenix much happier. Phoenix was a princess carrying her baby in her dress and Axel was superman.

We met up with the neighbors. Chloe was superwoman.

 Here is the neighborhood "gang" we trick or treated with. Cohen, Henry, Phoenix, Rishaan, Axel, Zain, Saif, Sonya and Chloe.

 Our pretty princess did an awesome job keeping up with the big kids. She ran the entire time at 100% before she crashed and burned at 6:45pm. Daddy took her home while I stayed out with Axel to finish up the neighborhood houses. We were all done by 7pm. It was nice to start and finish early.

 Axel had a great time this year. He was able to keep up with his friends and was extremely confident and self sufficient. Keith and I were really enjoyed watching the kids enjoy themselves.

Here is a picture of our neighbor's house who had the huge Halloween party that we went to last weekend. The inside of their house was just as decorated.

 Here is Rishaan, Axel and Cohen.

Even though it rained off and on most of the day, we lucked out with dry conditions for the evening. The rain started again after trick or treating was over and ended mid morning today. Keith ran an awesome time trial hill climb today.

My car started smoking after I took it in for an oil change and for them to check a leak on Thursday. They told me they couldn't diagnose the leak because it was too dirty and to go get it steamed clean. Well, my car was smoking so bad today and overheating it was by God's grace that my car stalled within a few hundred feet from the shop on the way home from the bike race. God then provided 4 strong men to help me push it there. I must have looked ridiculous trying to push my car by myself, but one has no choice when their car is in the middle of traffic :) Keith was able to go and get everything settled after he returned home from riding. Hopefully it will be done by Monday. As a result we have enjoyed a fun game night at home instead of going to another party/get together.

We already took down the Halloween decorations and started on our Thanksgiving directions. Axel is excited beyond belief that I purchased some fun craft Thanksgiving directions and can't wait to decorate the house tomorrow.

Phoenix jumps, runs and rides the bike

Here is Grandpa and Phoenix reading together last Sunday.

 Sunday night we went to a neighborhood Halloween Party. Our neighbors went over the top decorating their house, indoors and out.

 We enjoyed a quick visit with some of our neighbors and Grandpa stayed home to rest since he was tired from all of his travels.

 On Tuesday when I went to pick Phoenix up she was out with Angela on a walk. Here she is excited to see me.

 This morning Phoenix went down the slide on her but for the first time.

 She was extremely excited. She said "big girl". Last night when I was mopping the floors she was helping so I kept saying Thank you and calling her a big girl. She remembered!

Phoenix is running faster and faster these days. I wasn't able to capture her on film, but I did capture her jumping on the slide and .....

Riding her bike! Today Phoenix was riding around the garage by herself. She is still learning to steer, but can peddle with her own power on the flat surface and downhill. Uphill is still too hard, but I know she will get it soon!

We are looking forward to another action packed three days. Check back in the next few days for some Halloween Fun!

Pumpkin Walk and Surprise Visit from Grandpa Bruce!

Last Thursday I spent about 5 hours in the kitchen. A couple of those hours were baking delicious muffins and cookies for the pumpkin walk, which is one of Axel's school's biggest fund raisers. It was a labor of love, but I am glad to was able to contribute since I wasn't able to give my time elsewhere. 

Axel and Phoenix had a fun time being silly after we picked up Axel from school. So cute!

On Friday, Grandpa Bruce stopped by on his way to San Luis Obispo for Great Grandpa Burgess's 80th birthday celebration! We were sorry to miss the celebration, but glad we got to see Grandpa Bruce. Grandpa arrived in time to walk to Axel's school and pick him up from school. When we got home Axel wanted to start a Halloween project. While Axel and Grandpa were making the Halloween Monster project I spied this lizard on our screen door. I was amazed at how still and patient this little guy was before he finally scurried off after we tried to touch it.

Once our Halloween Monster was complete we headed to the park for some fun play time. Grandpa is showing his skills by multi- tasking with Axel and Phoenix. Hi Five for Axel and a push for Phoenix :)

Phoenix was enjoying the swings as usual.

Grandpa ran around the park and even jumped off rocks with Axel. Not to bad for a Grandpa!:)

Here is a great picture of the three of them!

On Saturday the four of us enjoyed four hours of fun at the Pumpkin walk!

The kids played games, jumped and slide in the bounce houses.

It was quite an exhausting day of fun.

It is hard to say which of the two enjoyed the bounce houses more :)

Daddy took Phoenix to get "face paintings" while I took Axel to play games.

One painting was I love daddy.

Another was a rainbow with Pheeny's name.

Axel loved Phoenix's face paintings so he got a super hero mask.

After the long day of fun Keith and I then had a long night of fun at his annual company party. This is typically our only night out all year. It never fails us to be a great night of fun with great food!

Grandpa surprised us with another day of fun. He hung out with us all day on Sunday and even managed to walk Axel to school on Monday morning. It was such a nice visit and we were so glad to see him. We did miss seeing Grandma Sonia, but understand she needed to heal her cold and back.