Halloween 2013

What a fun Halloween we had!!  It was low key but perfect.  All week the weather people have been talking about how it was going to rain and storm all night on Thursday.  We were a little worried we wouldn't get to go but thankfully the bad weather held off and we were able to go out trick or treating.  

Each year we let the kids pick a theme and costumes to go with it.  Usually Ben is the one who picks so this year we let Kate.  After much discussion she decided on Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.  They looked so cute all dressed up!!

 We of course had to go down and trick or treat with the McClures.  It is our tradition!!  The kids always have so much fun!

 I think this is my favorite picture of the night!  Love how sweet they look and how they adore each other.  I know they won't dress up together for much longer.  It won't be too many years before they will be going out on their own.  I want to remember this moment for forever!

 It started raining pretty steady about halfway down our street.  We kept going a little bit but didn't make it as long as usual.

Kate and I came back and handed out candy.  She loved it!!  I think she liked giving it away more than she liked getting it.  Don't you just love her Tinkerbell hair??  She and I watched YouTube videos to figure out how to do it.  It involved a sock, lots of bobby pins and tons of hairspray!

 All her candy (really not that much but perfect for her)!

 It was a perfect night.  A little rain couldn't stop the fun!

Pumpkin Carving 2013

One of my favorite Halloween traditions (really our only one) is pumpkin carving.  It is always a really fun time.  We have started coordinating the pumpkins with the kids costumes.  This year's theme was perfect for 2 pumpkins.  Don't let these pictures fool you.  The kids did no work!!   

 Andrew, Kelly and Perry joined us this year.  It was their first pumpkin carving experience.

 Always lots of work to get it just right!!

 

 The kiddos just enjoyed hanging out together!

 The pumpkins turned out so cute!!!  Perry has a Perry the platypus which is awesome!!  Ben has a Peter Pan and Kate has Tinkerbell.

 

 Matt does an amazing job!!  Love it!!

Everyone is really excited for a big Halloween tomorrow!!!

A Week of Fun

I guess it is the fact that it is Halloween week but there is a bunch of fun stuff going on a schools and other activities.  Ben's school is having "say no to drugs week" with different things to wear each day.  Monday was wear red day.  

 Today was wear your PJs day.  He was so excited to wear his PJs to school!  He didn't have to get dressed!!

 Today was princess day at Kate's dance class.  They also got to bring a friend so Libby joined us.  I had a van full of giggling 3 year old girls.  Nothing more fun than that!!

 Aren't they pretty princesses??  Love these sweet girls and their special friendship.

 Look at all the pretty girls at dance!!  They had so much fun!!

So many exciting things this week.  I love watching my kiddos have fun and enjoy being kids!

Last Weekend in October

I cannot believe October is almost over.  The month has just FLOWN by!!!  It has been lots of fun but also really busy.  We enjoyed a really fun last weekend of the month.  It started Friday afternoon with a really fun fall family photo shoot.  NGN photography is a friend of ours new photography business.  Natalie is just 16 and has an amazing eye for photography.  We were happy to support her new business and get some really great pictures.  We've just seen a few little previews but how cute are these!!  

 We enjoyed a fun dinner at Chilis and then it was off to the airport to pick up my parents.  It was such an exciting thing to be able to pick them up after their exciting news.  Lots of hugs and tears!!  The kids made a Team Gary sign to welcome them home.  We are all still in awe of what God did.

 Saturday morning I was up at 5:15 to get in a long run before a busy day.  Paige and I did it!!  We ran 6 miles.  Didn't know if we could ever do it but we did!!!

 Then Matt and I had the opportunity to go to a wedding of a friend of mine Katy.  She is a wonderful blogging friend and God has written an amazing love story between her and Chris.  The wedding was beautiful and the most Christ centered wedding I have ever been to.  Such a picture of God's faithfulness.  Plus the wedding was fun because it was in the morning so it included brunch foods and who doesn't love brunch foods.  They had a grits bar - so Southern and so fun!

 After the wedding, we headed quickly back over to the soccer field.  We missed Ben's game but were able to make it to the end of the season party and see him get his trophy.

 So proud of our little guy!  He has had a really great season.  He got his first goals and also played so hard.  He has learned so much about soccer.

 Late in the afternoon we went to Isaac's 4th birthday party.  Kim did a great job with a fun Halloween themed party.  The kids loved getting dressed up in costumes.  Love our Jengo Fet and Super Girl.

 Kate and Eli looked so cute together as Super Man and Super Girl.

 There is nothing more fun than roasting marshmallows in costumes.  What a fun party it was!!

 Sunday was a great morning at church and then lunch with the East family.  The kids were so excited to play with Perry since he has been gone for a couple of weeks.  We also got to go to dinner with Uncle Brett who was in town for the day.  It was great to see him for the first time in almost 6 months.

I really busy weekend but full of reminders of God's love and faithfulness!

My God is So Big!!!!

So the past couple of days our family has been a little bit in shock.  My parents went out to MD Anderson last week to get a second opinion on my dad.  To make a very long story short they got some really amazing news.  The doctor does not believe my dad has pancreatic cancer but bile duct cancer.  After 6 months of believing he had pancreatic cancer we are all just in shock (really no other word to describe it).  This is still a very bad cancer but there are many more treatment options and prognosis is better.

We are so very thankful to God!!!!!!  I was thinking back to the post I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how God is the one who is in control and I am slowly learning that.  Well, once again He proved how in control He is.  He has a big giant, huge plan and we are just along for the ride.  We are trying to not look at this as a misdiagnosis but instead as part of God's plan to bring my dad to this point and to work towards continued healing.  We are so thankful for all the prayers and support from our friends and family.  I know we shouldn't be so surprised at this turn of events because it is exactly what we have been praying for but that just shows how small our faith is.  We serve a God who is so big and we are so little!!!!

Looking Forward to the Weekend

So glad it is Friday!!  We are excited for a great weekend. It is going to be busy but tons of fun!!  

But not to skip over Friday...  

Kate enjoyed funny feet day at school in honor of studying the letter F. She loved wearing her different colored boots. 

I was a "reading mom" at Ben's school this morning. I enjoyed listening to the kids read. I also snuck down to have lunch with my little guy. It was lots of fun to see him be the lunch helper. 

Finally, The Rest of the Weekend

I know it is hump day and I am just now getting around to posting about the rest of our weekend.  Just a little behind this week.  Friday night the kids headed over to Mema and Opa's house to spend the night.  They had a blast.  Matt and I enjoyed a night out.  We went out to dinner and then to the movies.  Gravity is super intense!!  We got up super early Saturday morning to head to the Liz Hurley Ribbon Run.  It is a 5K through downtown to support breast cancer research.  There was lots of pink.  Matt and I don't get to run together much so it was fun to do together.  

 There were 6,500 runners and tons of spectators.  It was crazy!  But lots of fun!

 Then it was pumpkin patch time!  After that we had to hurry home to watch the Auburn/Texas A & M game.  We were a bit nervous about the game and really weren't expecting a win.  Any Auburn game requires a cookie cake!!

 The Wrights came over for the second half of the game.  We had a fun time eating yummy football food and watching the game.  We were all shocked that Auburn won.  What an exciting game it was!!  There was a lot of screaming!  The kids didn't seem bothered by the yelling and enjoyed playing some games.  The rest of the night we played games and just reveled in the win!

 Sunday we had a low key day.  We participated in a special Team Gary prayer time for my parents and their trip to MD Anderson.  It was so amazing to see how many people were praying for them.  One of their neighbors filled their sidewalk with scripture and prayers.  It was so awesome!

The weekend seems like a long time ago now but that is the wrap up!!

Mom Of The Year

Don't they look so cute and sweet dressed alike?  Well, I may have had to pay one of them to get dressed like his sister. 

Tate Farms 2013

Saturday we took our annual trip out to Tate Farms.  It is always such a fun time.  It was really crowded but the kids had a blast!!  So many fun things to do.  Lots of playing, sliding, jumping in corn, hay mazes, hay rides and pumpkin patches.  Lots of fun memories made.  I loved watching Ben and Kate play together all day.