Day Out with Thomas

As you know, Evie is a big fan of trains - especially Thomas the Tank Engine, so when we heard that Thomas was coming to a railroad near us, we had to go!

Our Day Out with Thomas was unseasonably warm which was nice since we spent so much time outside. The train ride was fun, although not very long, and Evie enjoyed seeing the locomotives. Gigi and Poppy treated her to a ridiculously overpriced Thomas balloon and we picked up a wooden train whistle and a collection of the original Thomas stories to give to her for Christmas. All in all, our Day Out was a success!

Riding the rails

Here comes Thomas!

Halloween

This was the best Halloween I think I have ever had. I am not a big fan of Halloween. Never did much as a kid and we've always kept it pretty low-key with Evie. We planned on dressing Evie up and doing something but weren't really sure what. We had been talking about Halloween and dressing up with Evie, to get her used to the idea (she doesn't always do well with dressing up), but she hadn't been very excited about it (but every day she mentions getting a Christmas tree at least once). At 5pm on Halloween, after everyone was up from naps, Evie began talking about making a jack o'lantern, something she had seen on a Sesame Street Halloween special. So we dug out Rand's jab saw and paints and selected our pumpkins. Evie painted her pumpkin while Daddy carved the big pumpkin.

Then it was time to get dressed and do a little trick or treating. Our new town really gets into Halloween so we decided we'd do the Main Street tour and hit up a few houses before heading to Gigi and Poppy's. Evie dressed up like a pirate and did a lot of posturing and "Arr!" at home but of course, everytime we were at the door of a house, she whispered "Trick or treat" and "thank you."

A hook for a hand!

We popped a little bunny hat on Lily's head for effect.


At each house we visited, the kind people offered huge bowls of candy to Evie and told her to take what she wanted. She would only take one piece of candy, even when they offered more, and when her hand would scoop up two or three at once, she'd put the extras back, only keeping the one piece for her pumpkin bucket! I was impressed (although personally I had been hoping for a little more candy to satisfy my sweet tooth. I suppose its a good thing she wasn't greedy!)

Certainly a fun time with the moon nearly full, the clouds whipping through the sky from the wind, and the warm temps made a perfect Halloween evening. Now we only need to get Evie through four more weeks and she can have her Christmas tree!

Thirds

If anyone who reads this doesn't yet know (and you should be able to guess from the fact I have not posted in a month!) that we have moved. We had a successful closing this past Monday and moved two weeks ago. We're getting settled although there are still boxes around (mostly filled with books) and some pictures still to be hung and some rearranging done. The biggest thing is that there is a small barn on the property that we have filled with all of our basement junk that must be gone through and gotten rid of! I'd like to get the apartment settled and enjoy the holidays and then on January 2nd, when we're bored and feeling inspired to clean up, we'll start going through it.

The new apartment is great. We're saving almost a third of our mortgage on the rent and the heat is included. We've gained about a third more square footage and we now have three bedrooms! Lily has transitioned very well to sleeping in a crib in her own room. Thankfully, she is now sleeping for longer stretches at night and we don't have to share anymore. We've got a great backyard and are basically in the country. The only downfall is that its a two family home, we're on the first floor, another family's on the second. It's not too bad but they definitely keep later hours than us, including their kids, so we're still trying to adjust to the late-night noises. But all in all, it's been a good move and hopefully things will settle down and we'll get back to normal again.

3 weeks to go

Well, it looks like its really going to happen. Our house is going to sell (fingers crossed). Everything has cleared, the house inspection went well and there are only a few small repairs to be made. The closing has been set for October 26th, which is now only 3 weeks away (and a couple days). They say that moving is the second most stressful thing in a person's life and I believe it! I am a wreck and can't wait for it all to be over. Actually the real problem is that we don't know where we're going yet. We've looked at several places, called about several more, and haven't found quite the right fit. We're looking tonight at a place that we're very hopeful about. It would be great if it works because then we could be settled on where we're going and get down to the really yucky chore of packing. Ugh! I'll be glad when this is all done.

After all my grumbling, how about enjoying a few recent pictures of my beauties!

Waiting for rain? I love this picture with just their little feet sticking out.

Smooches from the big sis

All cuddled in a heap

Busy, busy, busy

And my latest Facebook profile pic. Look at those big, blue eyes! (Lily's, not mine)

Deal of the day

Last Friday I was shopping at Walmart for just a few things and while checking out in the garden area, I noticed swingsets on clearance for $25!!! Even though we're getting ready to move, I just had to buy one. Originally $229, marked down to $25 - how could I resist the deal of the day?

Daddy and Evie had fun putting it together.

Carrying Dad's hammer

Learning how to pump her legs to keep the swing going

And finally getting to slide - after soccer practice.

To the zoo!

Saturday was also my birthday and we went to Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI. We'd been wanting to go all summer but wanted to wait until the weather was a little cooler. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing the animals. The weather was perfect!

We saw the elephants last and it was certainly the best!

Me and my girls

Lily was fascinated by this crested crane

Lily is now 6 months old!!!

Evie watching the kangaroos

Soccer monster

This Saturday was Evie's first soccer practice (last week was rained out). She's playing mini micro soccer for 3 and 4 year olds. It's basically some drill work. Very low key, no competition. This is the first real activity that she's ever done and we weren't sure how she would do. She gets very shy but she did really well. It took her a little bit to get into it because she was watching everyone else, but then she started paying attention and followed directions well. We're right there and can help but once she got the hang of it, she didn't really need us.

Now we have some activities to work on through the week and next week I think she'll do even better because she'll know what to expect.

Her soccer shorts are XXS and still look huge on her. She's got cleats, shin guards and soccer socks!

The shirt that she got for soccer is a small and covers her shorts completely! It looks like a dress!

Dribble, dribble, dribble

Fair play

This weekend was the local Harvest Fair. Each year, Rand's work gives him tickets so we go. Gotta love fair food - we had strawberry sundaes and loaded baked potato skins. So yummy but I also felt a little gross when we got home. For Rand and I, we like to go to the fair for the animals and the crafts. You know, the real fair side of things, not the carnival. We've never done rides with Evie before, she's never wanted to, but this year.... Well, it's a rip-off but it was fun to see the girls have so much fun.

My neice Brenya came with us as well as Gigi and Poppy. The girls seemed worn out and a little overwhelmed by the end of the day but I know they had fun too.

Evie loved the helicopter ride and wanted it to keep going.

It was hard to get a good shot of the carousel, it was going so fast! But here are Evie and Daddy and Brenya and Poppy on the inside. The carnie charged Rand and my dad tickets to get on the carousel too. That was obnoxious.

Riding on the train.

Gigi and Brenya took a spin on the teacups.

And of course, Lily and Mommy got to hang out together and watch it all!

Ode to Fall

At the store today, the cashier commented on my pumpkin spice candle and we agreed on how much we loved the smells of fall, but then she said how this was the time of year when her depression began because she hated seeing the leaves falling off the trees and less light. I can sympathize but cannot empathize because I love fall!

This is the time of year when I feel most refreshed and alive, when I want to be outside as much as possible. It is crisp, it is cool, it is dry. I love seeing the trees change color and I love walking through them in the woods. I love wearing jeans and sweaters. I love the colors and I love the pumpkins and apple picking. I love mums. I like the dark coming earlier (although not too early, that is hard). I love how my house feels warm and cozy inside instead of stuffy and stifling. And I love how fall leads to holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It's a time of year full of excitement and mystery and nostalgia, more than any other time of year, in my way of thinking. So here's to fall!

Going right along with the weird weather we have experienced ALL YEAR, this early September has actually felt like fall. I always think September=Fall, but that rarely is the case. This year, we're actually getting cool weather and wearing our fall clothes. Yippee! We have a maple tree that is shedding its leaves already. It hasn't really turned colors, its just gotten spotty (which makes me think there is a problem) but the leaves are falling off of it. Evie loves it. When the wind sends a burst of leaves flying into the air, she runs through them yelling, "Woohoo, yeah!" Fabulous! So let the weather continue to be cool (let my cold go away), bring on the pumpkins and hot chocolate, and have yourself a merry little autumn!