Kids Halloween Party

Fall Break

Since it is fall break, the girls and I had a 'stay at home' day yesterday. We slept in until 8:30 (yipee) then we cuddled in our jammies and watched a movie. We made pictures and cards for Dad. Then after a long and fun bath time, with all of our new bubbles and soaps, the kids went out and rode their bikes.

  We saw tons of geese across the street at the 'pond' and tried to feed them, but I think Olivia's growling bear sounds may have scared them away.

 We topped off the day with dinner together (with Dad) All in all, a very fun day.....

Ohhhh, I almost forgot the best part. The girls costumes  came in the mail today. Wonderful and talented, Grandma Peggy made them. I know, I know, they need smaller hats. I am working on it!!!

Pumpkin Patch

Last week we went to the first school trip of the year (and Olivia's first ever)
We went to Russell Farms. They got to go on a tractor ride, pick pumpkins, see (and touch) farm animals, listen to a Halloween story, play and 'do' farm work. Too much fun!!!

One Blue Eye, One Brown Eye

The other day, I was laying on my bed talking with Olivia and right next to us was JoJo (our kitty)

Olivia points to each of JoJo's eye and says "One blue eye, one brown eye.... wait. Where is JoJo's blue eye?" Then she points to her own eyes and says, "One blue eye, one brown eye." I said, " Yes, you have one blue eye and one brown eye. JoJo  has two brown eyes." Now in her perfect little self involved 2 year old way, she says, " Poor JoJo, he has 2 brown eyes, no blue eyes. Poor Kitty."

I completely love that Liv thinks having two different color eyes is perfectly normal, but how weird to have two the same color!!!!

Weekend Fun

If you scroll down you will see that on Saturday we took the girls to the Renaissance Fair, but on Sunday I think the girls had the most fun. We went to church as a family, then Shawn had to go to work. So the girls and I went to the park & headed to the grocery store. While Olivia was sleeping, Lauren and I made Apple turnovers (Lauren loved this) and then for dinner we made pizzas, and they both got to make their own. Which was so much fun. Unfortunately since I was helping them I did not think to take pics, but I do have some of the park:

Renaissance Fair

Yesterday we took the girls to the Renaissance Fair at Conner Prairie. I was totally shocked at

how many people were there. There were so many cars we had to park right next

to Allisonville Rd. But it did not seem crowded inside. The girls seemed to have fun and of

course snacked on Kettle Corn through out the event.....

They enjoyed walking around and looking at all of the booths and of course the

fun costumes

They sat and listened to the Story teller...

And before we left Lauren had a blast playing with the wooden castle.

Which are you

I am sure many of you have read this before but I loved it.....

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee (we all fall into one of these 
categories)

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again. 

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how 
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to 
make 
it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. 
It 
seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. 

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water 
and 
placed each on high heat. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first 
she 
placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she 
placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying 
a 
word. 

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners She fished the 
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and 
placed them in a bowl. 

Then she la dled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to 
her 
daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied. 

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She 
did 
and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to 
take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed 
the 
hardboiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The 
daughter 
smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What 
does 
it mean, mother?' 

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same 
adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went 
in 
strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the 
boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile 
Its 
thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting 
through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground 
coffee 
beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, 
they 
had changed the water. 

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on 
your 
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? 

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but 
with 
pain and adversity do I wilt 
and become soft and lose my strength? 

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the 
heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a breakup, a financial 
hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does 
my 
shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a 
stiff spirit and hardened heart? 

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot 
water, 
the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, 
it 
releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean , when 
things 
are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around 
you. 
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you 
elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are 
you 
a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? 

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to 
make 
you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and 
enough hope to make you 
happy. 

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; 
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The 
brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't 
go 
forward in life until you let go of your past failures and 
heartaches. 

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was 
smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and 
everyone 
around you is crying. 

If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opp ortunity to 
brighten someone's day!

May we all be COFFEE.