Halloween

 All the kids (minus Jake) went trick or treating together as a pack of kids (no adults!) L to R:

Ethan's friend Ringo from school, Ethan (Robin Hood), Jack (jack hammer), Reid (pirate), Sydney (Gryffindor student), Ella (gypsy), Jake (cowboy)

 We adults sat in the front yard and Jake got to pass out candy to our many trick or treaters.

 Sydney and me with Brandy and Ella

 Checking out loot

 After their time out, the kids called for trick or treaters to come and passed out candy.

What I found on my front porch when it was all over!

Marine Mud Run

We did the Marine Mud Run today near Pilot Mountain. Jeff & Ethan ran the 5K and Sydney, Reid & I ran the Polliwog Race (3/4 mile with obstacles). 

Jake came with us, but the highlight for him was fist bumping the Chic-Fil-A cow! :-) Jeff & Ethan finished in less than 40 min and Sydney was the 3rd in the Pollywog Race...she was the first girl to finish!

Before the races began

Jeff & Ethan had run through all the obstacles and were on the last leg of the race here...on the way to the giant mud pit!

Finish Line

Look at this girl MOVE! She got to the mud pit way before Jeff expected so the next picture he got was at...

The Finish Line! 5K for Sydney next year!

Here is the giant mud pit at the end!

And here's Reid swimming through it.

What a Marine! :-)

 After the Pollywog

The day had a fun start for Jake, but toward the end he was done! He wanted his shoes taped up like ours, but he never got to go in any mud. Maybe the Pollywog for him next year!

Ballet Recital

Sydney's ballet recital was today. Here are some pics. Each level showed their class work first and then there was a performance. Jeff bought Sydney the pretty pink roses. It was her first year in ballet and we were really pleased with all she learned.
Way to go Sydney! You shine!!!

Shakespeare Festival

Our school's Shakespeare Festival is the biggest event of the school year. This year's play was "The Comedy of Errors." Reid's class collected "a pence to enter" at the door, Ethan's class recited couplets & Sydney's class recited a sonnet before the play began. The middle schoolers perform the play.

Jake Lets It Go!

Watch our little entertainer Let It Go! Watch to the end to fully appreciate!

Happy Birthday Jake!

Jake turned 3 on Monday, but we celebrated Sunday night- just our family of 6. Jeff &I had been away the week prior, so we kept it simple, but oh so sweet! I took the older kids to Toys R Us where they put some of their money together to buy him a gift. Then I took them to Party City and let them pick out all the party decor.

First was dinner...

Best attempt at a family photo!

Then ice cream for dessert...

Then a game...

Check out Jake Reid in the blindfolds!!

Then presents:

This is the coloring book Reid made for Jake:

Jake got his groove on to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:

volume will come on after a few seconds

Snow Day

We had no school or work yesterday due to the snow. The kids have never seen this much snow before! They loved it and wanted to stay in it all day. We walked to Panera for hot chocolate mid-morning.

The kids and our neighbors had so much fun sledding down our street and the slope on the front yard. Sydney and Ethan made snowboards out of various materials, but they didn't withstand the snow. :-(

They haven't been skiing or snowboarding yet, but they sure are ready! This was especially fun as they've been watching the Olympics.  Jake just joined right in and did what everyone else did!

Everyone got a turn being pulled on our neighbor's sled to Panera.

Wacky Tacky Day

School had Spirit Week last week. It started with Wacky Tacky Day and ended with a big 100 Days of School celebration. Here are Sydney, Reid, and Ethan in their wackiest, tackiest clothes.