Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! You will see that I have put a lot of pictures out on my blog but after a ten-year period of holidays being just average. It has been so much fun to see Avalee be so excited. Today, we took the kids to Nathan's Halloween party, walked down the streets of DC (I know a free secret parking spot but I have to walk a ways to get to Nathan's work), and then took the kids trick-or-treating. They had a blast! Avalee got the concept of "knock, knock, trick-or-treat, thank you" but she was more interested in staying in a pack with the other kids than actually getting candy. Both kids are exhausted and have colds after so much fun, I think we will have a "take-a-break party" tomorrow.

The Dupont Circle fountain. 

As we walked through Dupont Circle in DC, Avalee wanted to sit down and be like everyone else. For of those of you that have never seen Dupont Circle, people sit around and talk and play chess and look at the fountain. 

Lincoln loved to play with this helium balloon. He just couldn't figure out how to keep it on the floor! 

Avalee's Cake! Avalee gets so excited when we got to parties and she expects there to be a cake. Good thing there was cupcakes. 

Avalee and Lincoln were fascinated by the decorations and everyone dressed up. 

The bride of Frankenstein ready to go to "Daddy's Party!" 

Lincoln, the Witch!

Oh how I wish I could have got my camera a little faster!

Tonite Lincoln came riding the broom out of the kitchen into the living room. It was so funny to see him straddling the broom while walking and laughing. He made it about 20 feet before he lost his balance and fell over.

On the 25 minute trip from one party to the next, Avalee insisted on holding her bag of candy. She found these two lollipops and unwrapped and licked them. She then kept saying "Christian, Roland" over and over. We just thought she was naming who she was going to see. As she went into the grandparent's house, she went and gave one lollipop to her Uncle Christian and the other to her Uncle Roland. We have been trying to teach her to give gifts to other people but I guess we need to teach her about not recycling gifts.

Halloween 2005 pictures

Frankenstein and his bride taking a break between the two Halloween parties they went to today.

Sayings of the Week!

"Holy Cow! Lincoln stinky poop!" This came out of Avalee's mouth as we drove past a truck that was letting off serious exhaust.

"Naked bum, silly Lincoln." Avalee said this as Lincoln walked down the hall after getting out of the bathtub. Nathan let him get away without a towel because it is pretty cute to watch him walk.

"Lincoln's sign langauge." Nathan tried to teach Lincoln that he was a monkey and showed Lincoln how to hit his chest like a gorilla does. Lincoln now does the signal whenever we talk about daddy or when it starts to get dark at night Lincoln will stand by the door and do the monkey sign. I guess Lincoln thinks that is the sign for daddy, even though Lincoln says "da, da" to Nathan.

The Service of Others!

After picking Avalee up from playing with Benjamin (her favorite boy buddy), I took the kids to Old Navy to try and find Lincoln some pants. When we got in the parking lot, I got the kids out and noticed that I had left Avalee's window down. I got back in the car and put my key in the ignition and it wouldn't turn. I pulled it out and saw that it was slightly bent. I put the key against my leg to straighten it and it popped right in half. At that moment, I did not have a clue what to do.

We were about five miles from home so I couldn't walk. I couldn't think of anybody I knew that had room for two more car seats because of their own kid's car seats. I knew that it would take Nathan at least 1 1/2 hours to get to us by metro and bus with a copy of the key. So I took the kids in Old Navy and called Nathan. We decided that I should try to see if I could find someone to help me before Nathan tried to come get me. I called Alicia, my visiting teacher, and we brainstormed. Alicia came up with a person that might have room in her car to help me.

As I hung up the phone, four other mothers surrounded me and asked how they could help. They conversed amongst themselves and Diana decided that should had two hours to kill and would rather help me than spend more money. Diana was heaven sent. She took me home to get the title to our car and then we went to the Honda dealership to get a new key. She then took us back to the car. The new key worked!

Through the entire process, Avalee was so excited to ride in a van that had a hexy doo (aka scooby doo) magazine and Lincoln only cried towards the end because he was hungry and tired. I couldn't believe they were so good.

Diana took two hours out of her day to help us. I have never been so thankful. I know I was blessed because I have been trying to serve other even though some days I don't feel like I have enough time to sit down.

Lincoln is on to new adventures. 

Eating chips! 

Lincoln's Birthday!

Lincoln and all the fun!


















Lincoln was so happy on the day of his birthday.

















I didn't waste my time making a fancy cake. I knew Lincoln would just destroy it.

One night when Avalee choose to sleep in her big girl bed. She woke up looking like the Jolly Green Giant. The next day I put everything up high that could create a mess in the middle of the night. 

Family Updates!

Avalee
Has only peed on the floor once while being potty trained. Number 2 is a different story.
Loves to crawl after Lincoln and say “I got you”. Then Lincoln giggles and takes off again.
Loves to watch the “princess in the swimming pool” aka the Little Mermaid.
Loves to go to Preschool on Monday and expects a peanie butter sandwich and chips to be in her lunch.
While playing a game of chase with her friend Kylie, Kylie tackled Avalee and caused her to face plant. Avalee cried a little but mostly didn’t know what to think of the situation.
Weighs 28 pounds.

Lincoln
Teeth overachiever: Lincoln has three molars which is not common for his
age.
Will take six to eight step by himself before he falls down.
Is eating the same thing everyone else is (expect peanut butter).
Loves to go for car rides in DC because he can see so much out of the window now that he gets to face forward in his car seat.
Is into everything.
Loves to climb stairs.
Weighs 23 pounds.

Nathan and JoAnn
Have both suffered from a bad stomach flu this week.
Are tired at the end of day from work and kids.

Besides Avalee, Lincoln's thumb is his second favorite thing. 

Heffalump spotting in our jungle! This is a picture of what we see out of our window. Avalee thinks it is a jungle. The other day she say a "heffalump in the jungle." What's a heffalump? Check out this website http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/heffalump/main.html

Lincoln whined until Nathan let him sit on the couch by Avalee and drink his sippy cup. Don't think it will be much longer before he passes her up.