Happy Halloween!!!!!

Tonight our small group met at Chris and Charissa's house for dinner and trick or treating! The kids were so excited and ready to go as soon as we finished dinner!! They were all such good listeners, stayed close to us and had a great time!

READY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stacey, Lia, Abby, Josie and Noelle

Our youngest trick or treater Liam and his mommy

the fam...

the group heading out for their first stop

T-birds and their pink lady

loved this picture of the girls

first stop, all smiles!

next stop

too cute!

An adorable outside ballerina and her beautiful mother

Pink lady and her T-bird

Cutest little puppy

After all the excitement, we came back to decorate cookies

Caroline didn't want to waste the sprinkles....

all smiles after the cookies

do we really have to go????

can't wait till next year..........

Pumpkin Carving with Daddy

Caroline has been asking to carve a pumpkin since she and her daddy went to the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. She went as far as to get a "chip and dip" knife to try to carve her pumpkin. We explained that she needed a larger pumpkin and a sharper knife. We picked up the stuff this weekend and she picked out the "scardy cat" design like on one of her halloween shirts. They had a great time!! She was one happy girl!

Holiday Weekend

We made a VERY last minute decision to head to the beach camping for the holiday weekend. My family booked their stay several weeks ago but we just didn't think it was a good decision for us financially. We didn't really think anything else about it. Then on Thursday, Andy reminded me that we needed to winterize the camper...we could either pay the campground to do it or go for the weekend and do it ourselves. So we decided to do it ourselves and I AM SO GLAD WE DID!!!!!!!!!

We had a fabulous time! It was very chilly, which makes camping even more fun! :0) Caroline loved everything about the entire weekend-the campfires, contests, trick or treating, etc.

She has officially been introduced to the arcade...thankfully we made it until 3!

Look at (what $5 worth of fun buys you...) her wonderful prizes-a beautiful blue ring and a blue care bear.

One of the contestants from the dog contest

waiting for the costume contest...couldn't believe she actually wanted to participate. :0)

When they got to the stage...she quickly changed her mind and clung to her daddy!!!!!!!!!!!

Afterwards we walked over to a shaded area for some pictures. She had so much fun and I love the different shots I got!

so thankful for this sweet face...even though it pushes me to the edge on a regular basis!

sweetest and cutest cowgirl I know

I love these two and I am so thankful for them!

Yeee Hawwww....these precious pink boots from Peep complete her outfit!

Several campsites (as in 100 or more) register to hand out candy. Caroline loved it...by the end she would tell us "I can do it by myself."

Our lovely chofrs...they drove us around in the freezing cold! Thanks Jared and Nicole!

looking at all her yummy treats...by the end of the night I think her bag weighed more than she did!

cleaning out the inside of the pumpkin

"I can do it mommy!"

even daddy got to help

Caroline and Jenna working on the face

After a yummy dinner of hot dogs, brats and chili, we watched the Carolina game outside while standing by the fire.

Caroline was more interested in catching the marshmallow on fire than roasting it.

her Sandy tattoo

This is what she did while we finished the game...

What a fabulous weekend! So thankful for sudden change of plans!

Cleaning Day

Yesterday was cleaning day! I am trying to tackle one extra project each week. This week it was the tupperware cabinet. It's a pretty deep cabinet so I asked my faithful assistant to help me. She loved every minute of it and was actually a HUGE help!

A Time for Everything

Those of you who know me well, know I am not a fan of change...I like things to stay the same. I like to know what I am doing, where I am going, etc. It's taken me 30 years to realize that life is all about change...whether we like it or not, change is inevitable. People, friendships, careers, families, interest, values, situations...they all change. I think about Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, there is a time or season for everything...a time to hold those we love dearly and a time to let them go. A season to focus on my career, my desires, my longings and a season to focus on the wonderful gift God has given me in our family. I too often take for granted the gift of each season...the trials, the struggles, the joys, the laughter until it's too late.

Meditate on Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8...

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Fall Cutie

Ready for the rainy fall day ahead...

Fall Festival At Church

Last night we had our Fall Festival at church and we had a blast! The weather was perfect and the kids had a ball!! :0)

Cowgirl (minus her hat and horse) and her police man

working on her pumpkin

others working at the table

Miss Sloan helping Caroline at the craft table. Sloan was in my jr. high youth girls group and is a senior this year! Man time flies!!

sweet Lincoln

I felt so much better know that we had a Seal at the party!!

Adorable Strawberry Shortcake

cheerleader cutie!!

Miss Lucy was an "oldies" girl, you know like a 80's girl! :0) YIKES! I was born in the 80's...