Halloween

We had a fun Halloween...especially since we got to celebrate it twice!  On Friday night (28th) we attended a Halloween party at our church where we enjoyed dinner, carnival games, trick-o-treating, and a costume parade.  I even won first prize in the lasagna contest!  Then three nights later on Halloween we went trick-o-treating with some of our neighbors, finishing up with dessert at my friend Julie's house.  The kids and adults all had a great time!

Grace the Hula Dancer

Eve the Fairy

Daphne the Monkey

The neighborhood troop of trick-o-treaters

Eve's Birthday

I love that Eve is so easy to please.   In order to fufill her request for a strawberry birhtday party I made a strawberry flavored cake and decorated it to look like a strawberry, put up a few strawberies made out of construction paper and voila...the party of her dreams!  She really was so impressed and grateful for what seemed to be a pretty simple party.  It was fun to have Grandma and Grandpa Lewis along with Aunt Sarah over for dinner and a celebration of Eve's big day.  Grandma even brought a salad that had strawberries in it...how perfect!

Eve's birthday request was to have a baby doll "of her very own."  (By this she meant one that Daphne hadn't taken over.  Somehow every baby doll in the house has been claimed as territory of Daphne.)  As part of this request Eve was very specific to the importance of a baby-back-carrier to put the doll in. (Now that I think about it I'm sure this was her strategy to assure that the baby could stay with her at all times thus avoiding being claimed by Daphne!)  Daphne did not react well to Eve having a baby doll that was off limits.  In the end, sweet Eve couldn't resist sharing with her little sister.

Eve with her new baby doll

Daphne's reaction when we told her that it was Eve's baby

Sarah, Grace, Grandma L, Grandpa L

Sarah demonstrating to Daphne and Eve how to properly diaper a baby

Pumpkins

I love going to the pumpkin patch.  It's the quintessential autumn experience. The crisp air and the warm colors make me happy!  The girls sure had fun picking out their pumpkins and even cooperated for some photos (a certain individual had to be bribed with a lolly to sit still, but I won't name any names.)  Looking at these pictures of pumpkins makes me hungry...I am on a real pumpkin baking kick lately.  I have made pumpkin cookies, a pumpkin roll, even pumpkin pancakes.  Still on the agenda: pumpkin bars and a pumpkin pie!  And while we are on the delicious topic, you have to try Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses...they are amazing!