THE END OF THANKSGIVING 2011...

They look like they could be related!

It was a really nice time spent with the people we love the best :-)

SCHOOL PROJECTS...

I am forever always behind in the posting of my pictures...though I think I do quite well at capturing the moments.... The first picture is a project Isaac had to do for science. It is a cell project. It was quite involved, and he got a great grade on it!

You may remember Isaac doing his longhouse project in 4th grade. Well, it is Esther's turn. She decided upon doing a wigwam. She worked very hard on this, and it turned out really cool! The outside fire actually has a flameless tealight candle in it...so it really looked like a real fire amidst all of the tissue paper. If you look close enough the Algonquin Indians are actually Esther and Isaac!

They had animal skins on their beds so she used an animal printed material to represent that. I wish we would have had time to go out and get real bark for the wigwam...but this material seemed to represent it quite well. She got a great grade as well, and I am so proud of my kids when they are working so diligently!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011...

This was an exciting year...I did not have to buy ANY costumes...or make any! I was able to recycle what we had from previous years...and thanks to my sister Amanda for buying the after Halloween sale stuff! We were very happy! Esther decided to be a Jailbird. She was just really not feeling well this year..and I thought that she was not going to be able to go Trick or Treating....but she decided that she was not going to miss out.

This was the before picture....I should have kept her home...but I am glad that she got to go since she was looking so forward to it.

HALLOWEEN 2011 CONT'D....

Optimus Prime....This is Eli...and he is very proud to be a Transformer! He was excited to have a Halloween Party at his school as well...He has far too much candy!

Gayle used the witch costume...she wanted a green face.....she still looks like a pretty witch.

Okay...I did break down and buy her a pair of purple and black striped tights...but I justified it with saying that she could wear it all year long...so it really doesnt count :-)

HALLOWEEN MONSTERS 2011...

Asher was difficult to get a shot of..he did not like the hood on....as you can see it was a little large..so he trick or treated with it off..

He was not sure what to think when people met him at the door.....and then held out a basket of candy to him..he took one..then looked back at the candy....for about 2 houses...then he got it. He was SO excited to go and get the candy and then he would say "thank you for the canny" in his baby voice....he was very cute... the other kids had run on ahead of us...so Cory and I got to really enjoy his antics, and take our time with him.....it was very enjoyable.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011 PARTNER...

Handsome Isaac.

Goofy Isaac...I wonder how long it will last. How many more years will I have with him dressing up? This is an Aunt Manda special....we sure had fun this year!

POSTS....FROM A LONG TIME AGO....

I realize I have not posted in ages...I have a ton of photos...but not a ton of time. Still.....I like to keep a little photo journal of our adventures. The following is a whole slew of pics from the most recent...(breadmaking..to the first day of school...) It may be outdated...but still noteworthy:) The top photo is our trip out to Homecoming at Geneva. Isaac brought his friend with him...they plan to be roommates. We gave them the full college experience....from dining in the dining hall...to seeing the dorm rooms...they were surprised how messy they were :-)
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At one of the rest stops along the way...

they look related.

Hmmm.....I wanted to make sure I got a shot of them in the Library... You never know what their study habits will be...I hope to see them in there quite often :-)

ELI...HIS FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL...

Eli....what can I say...I think he is as cute as can be...and really excited for school...he just loves it!

PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES...

Of course...there is always playdough!

....and friends to play on the computer!

Snacktime is a favorite!

MORE PRESCHOOL STUFF...

Eli is pretty good a puzzles..

This table is always filled with something different every week! It is fun to see what could be in the table :-)

I had to put this in...because it is SO Elijah....ruining lots of photographic moments!

Eli really doesn't do all that many art projects..apparently he is too busy playing!

MORE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PICS!

Gayle... Looking like such a little girl! So excited for 2nd grade!

Both girls together ..... if only they could look that way more often!!!

I stuck this photo in because it was humorous to me. We had been watching a dance show....and one of the teams was a girls dance group that dressed up as zombies, and then did strange dancing. The girls thought it was really interesting...so they made themselves up and choreographed a dance for us. Such a change from the above shot!