A Week With Sheila

Grandma Sheila came out to visit this past week. Although we kept it pretty mellow since Camden wasn't feeling well, the kids did enjoy a few activities while she was here. 

Poor little dude still doesn't have any teeth, but from the few moments he has actually allowed me to look into his mouth, he appears to be sprouting four all at once. 

Not the happiest experience for him.

Avery enjoyed opening early birthday and Christmas gifts! Her new baby got to take turns with brother for swing rides.

On Wednesday we attended the annual Soup Feast at Avery's preschool. They serve soup and chili and do a little slideshow.  Avery thought this would be the perfect opportunity to wear her new princess pajamas.

Camden, who is still reeling from the recently discovered freedom of walking, loved the slideshow and insisted that every picture was of him. "Dah-Deh!" 

Friday was "Princess Day"...

And Sunday was Ferris Wheel day. 

Halloween Festivities

The kids got to enjoy lots of Halloween activities this year.

First, the Cal Poly Pumpkin Patch. I took Avery there before she could walk, and we haven't been back since. It was insanely crowded this year, so we didn't stay long.

My goal was to get a few pictures of the kids in the pumpkin patch. I tried to wrangle them while Josh took the photos. Not sure where we went wrong. Maybe it was the poses, or the lighting, or their lack of patience, or the nose-picking, but we failed miserably.

But it wasn't all a lost cause... We ate Butterfinger apples at my cousin's candy apple booth and I bought a pumpkin for Avery to decorate at home.

Avery asked to be Ariel (the Little Mermaid) this year for Halloween. I presented her with two options; the mermaid-style costume with the purple seashell top/green skirt that looks like a fin, or the blue princess dress with a teeny tiny picture of Ariel on the neckline. Avery chose the dress. I pointed out to her that she wasn't going to look like a mermaid if she picked the dress. She said, "I know. But princesses are better than mermaids." Alright, whatever.

On the 24th, Avery got to wear her Princess Ariel costume to school for their annual Halloween field trip to pass out candy at the senior center.

Then last weekend, I took Avery up to my cousin's house briefly so she could enjoy a Halloween party they were throwing for the kids.

The next day we went to "Boo at the Zoo" at the Santa Ana Zoo with Aaron, Becky, James, Braedon, and Gammy. I didn't get many pictures, but we looked at the animals, saw a tiny baby monkey, got some candy, and rode the carousel.

And of course, Halloween night..,

The trial run with Camden's costume (which is the recycled giraffe costume from Avery's first Halloween) didn't go so well a couple weeks ago...

But for some reason on Halloween, he did much better!

With cousin James:

And just for the record, my Starry Night pumpkin (which won the carving contest at my office!)

Avery's pumpkin from school:

And the rest of our collection: