The Fighter's

I am a sucker for outside.  I love everything about it - Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall.  And I want my girls to learn to love it too - it's free, often times breathtaking (even in Toledo, OH) and in my mind, the best artwork on the planet (thanks God!).  Today was no exception - we hiked on a few paths in one of my favorite metroparks - and the leaves were gorgeous.  Their true colors shining through.  I love Fall, the smell of it, the beauty of it and the feel of it.  And I cherish hours like these with my girls where we get to slow down and just be and chat and learn and take in beautiful things and each other. We were on a hunt for deer.  A few people told us that they saw some - the girls were on the lookout.  We never spotted any, but we did find some pretty cool trees, leaves and trunks! I love my brown eyed girl. At one point we had to start putting down leaves because she couldn't hold any more:-) Dancing a...

Today we had our first Halloween Party of the season and it was an absolute blast!  The kids got to make crafts, take pictures in a photo booth (I think they drove the photo guy nuts:-)), ride on hayrides, eat, decorate cookies and dance to a DJ.  All dressed as a turtle, cheetah and butterfly. It was an absolute blast - such a great time.  My 3 munchkins all dressed up! Ava's cookie masterpiece.  Complete with buckets of frosting and gummy worms. The girls anxiously awaiting the hay ride with friends...and Darth Vader. Hayride time.  Doug and Pete (aka Darth Vader) were the lucky ones who got to chaperone the adventure through the golf course Kate and one of her favorite friends from school/soccer. Busting moves on the dance floor.  So. Much. Fun. They really had a blast! Ava doing the chicken dance! Kate getting down!  Most happening cheetah in town!

Beautiful day outside so we made some time for a little work... A little play.... A little more work (well...at least for one of them.  Ava was determined to fill up the pumpkin.  The other two...)... And finally...done and proud of their pumpkin man. 

Staples of Fall...apples and cinnamon sticks...made it into our crock pot today.  We got domestic made our first batch of homemade applesauce.  So easy - and SO good (best applesauce I've ever had) and it made the house smell so Fally as it cooked.  Girls had fun helping put it together.  So. Yum. Here's the recipe.... 8 apples (all varieties) 1 strip of a lemon rind 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp lemon juice (fresh) 5 tsp brown sugar Chop the apples, throw all ingredients into a crockpot on low for 6 hours - and then enjoy.  I loved it especially when it was warm.  So good.

Olivia was super lovey tonight.  She had her Ellie and kept hugging her, hugging Doug, the girls and I, giving us kisses and hugs.  An abundance of 4 year old love.  Then when I put her to bed our conversation went something like this: Olivia: "Mommy, I love Ellie super bad."  Me: "We love you super bad."  Olivia: "Is Jesus in my heart Mommy?" Me:  "yes" Olivia: "Does he eat my food?" Me: "no."  Olivia: "Can he see my sugars?" (back story on this...every single morning she asks for Cheerios with 10 sugars on top.  Usually we hand her the bowl of Cheerios and she says that she can't see her 10 sugars - so we sprinkle a tad more on). Me: "yes - he can see your sugars...he can see everything." Olivia: "Jesus can even see when I only have 5 sugars, but I can't see when I have 5 sugars.  But I can see when I have 10 sugars." Love her!  Love the things that come out of her mouth.  I...

Life has been busy.  Sooooo busy since end of August.  That we made an executive decision to be lazy this weekend.  And we needed it.  Lazy can be so therapeutic.  And so good.   Doug and I went out just the two of us to a new Mexican place last night and came home to find Ava & Kate snuggled in bed like this.  Best sissies.  And I love my husband.  And guacamole.  Then Saturday morning ensued - dance for Ava & Olivia this morning and then soccer game for Kate.  Ava is learning the "Thriller" dance in her jazz technique class, Olivia is learning the difference between her left and right foot in tap...and Kate is SO much fun to watch on the field.  She is small but so quick and fierce when kicking the ball. After that - it was PF Changs for lunch...just the five of us.  Yum.  A quick stop at Meijer for Halloween costumes...Ava will debut as a teenage mutant ninja turtle, kate a cheetah and oliv...

Loving my Tuesdays and Fridays home with just my Olivia.  First time really getting one on one time with my girl - and I think we're both enjoying it.  She is my little running or walking buddy/errand buddy/cleaning/yardwork buddy.  Although - she always corrects me when I call her my buddy and says..."I'm not a buddy, I'm a girl".  So I have to sub "girl" for "buddy".  She also talks my ear off...I don't think she stops...unless it's snooze time...

All aboard the train to Chicago!  The girls had been planning a "surprise" trip to Chicago for my birthday for the last year...and Doug made it happen.  They really did not sneak a word about it until my birthday - and Ava was bursting at the seams to tell me.  Couldn't believe they kept such a big secret.  They were even at one point saving all their money in a baggy in Ava's dresser - just for the trip.  So sweet.  Love my girls.  They know how to make a Mom feel special.  Best birthday present ever - time with my four favorite people in one of my favorite cities.  Our weekend started early, early on Saturday at the train station.  Doug figured the girls would get a kick out of a train ride...and he thought right.  Ava was enamored by the train station, the trains (inside and out) and looking out the window. Olivia caught a snooze on the way - she was getting over croup from the past week.  Glad she got some Z's...and ...