It's 6:42, and we're done with supper.  That happens four, maybe five times a year.  Matt came home early and worked from home, so now he and the kids are playing ROAR.  It's a simple game of running around the house andy trying to scare each other.  We have to get a little more creative in finding ways to burn off the extra energy in the fall and winter months when it's too cold and dark to go outside and play in the evenings.  At any rate, thanks to this extra time I can catch up on xanga a bit.

On Nov. 7 Alexandria celebrated her second birthday.  She got several cards in the mail leading up to her actual birthday.  Getting the mail was something she looked forward to every day.

"WHAT?  Alexandria is 2 already?"  Yeah, that went fast for all of us!

Just because it's her b-day doesn't mean she gets to slack off on household chores.

Opening a card and gift card from Tim, Jami and girls.

Playing with the glow sticks sent from Aaron, Jonathan and Lana.  The bathroom was the best place to go and get total darkness.

The birthday goodies (plus some things that weren't new) stashed on her new dollhouse/shelf that I scored at a yard sale.

Blake was the first one up that morning, so he took the trike for a test ride.

Good morning, b-day girl!

Playing with her new cupcakes.

The actual cupcakes.  They were heart-shaped, but once I got the icing on they sort of lost their heart look.  They still tasted yummy with Gma Foiles's homemade ice cream!

B-day girl in her tiara.

Blake really like the dress-up clothes that Alexandria got from Papa and Ma.

Butterfly princess dress.

New lawn chair that I found at our children's resale store in town. 

Then this week we got a package from Papa Bruce and Gma Suzanne!  I would have taken more pictures and videos, but my camera batteries died moments after I finished the second video.

The first Sunday of each new quarter is basket dinner and afternoon services at church.  We were blessed with plenty of sunshine on this particular Sunday, so the kiddos ventured out into the church yard after lunch and played.  Blake built a "mailbox" out of some wood he found on the ground.  As you can imagine, it didn't stand all that long with so many people eagerly waiting to knock it down.

There's nothing like a good box to play in.

I do believe that October is Fire Safety Month.  We celebrated by taking a field trip to our local fire station with Blake's Preschool class. 

All the kids (that wanted to) got to sit in the ambulance.

We watched a fireman get all suited up.

The kids practiced the "get low and go" strategy for getting out of the house in a fire.

Everyone got a turn at the wheel of the fire truck.  I could not compete with the coolness of the fire truck, so I didn't get a picture of his face!

Each student got a turn at spraying the hose as well.

There are actually eight students in Blake's class, but two were sick on this day and one just wasn't too sure about sitting on the truck!  In case you can't tell, Blake is LOVING Preschool.  And Alexandria and I are loving our girl time too!

Drawing the jack-o-lantern sketches.

Getting all the guts out of the 90 lb. pumpkin that Blake and Matt picked out.

Blake decided that we should have one scary pumpkin and one silly one.  This is the scary one.  Alexandria kept walking up to it, staring and walking away, saying, "It's just a little bit scary."

Alexandria and the silly pumpkin.  She prefers this one.

This is the day the ladybugs/Asian beetles/annoying little bugs came to visit.  Many hundreds have found their final resting place in our basement and subsequently the vacuum sweeper.

Hanging out with the pumpkin/gourd collection.

Blake had no time to get his picture taken with the pumpkins because he had some work to do.

He was placing all of these stick randomly around the front landscaping so it would look like a spooky jail.

Last Friday night we had visitors--Matt's Aunt Stephanie and cousin Annie.  They were in the St. Louis area to visit some colleges (Annie's a Sr. this year).  We enjoyed a nice dinner and visit with them.  Blake liked having someone to show off for!

One more video for the road.

At the end of September we went to the Forest Park Balloon Glow, a first for all of us.  And it might be the last for me--too many people!  Blake really did enjoy the balloons, while Alexandria preferred the fireworks display at the end of the evening. 

When they took the balloons down at the end of the night we got to touch them...not really that thrilling, but we took a picture anyway.

Getting sleepy.

Not so patiently waiting for the fireworks.

Freshly bathed kids getting ready to read books with Dad.  Remember short sleeved PJs?  It's been awhile since we've been able to wear those.

Also toward the end of Sept. I was able to reunite with my very first friends, Julie and Gretchen who now live in Wisconsin and Georgia, respectively.  They were our neighbors when we lived on Victor St. in Brighton and are Huebeners (for those of you who are familiar with them).  They were in Brighton for the weekend, so we made a trip up to Dad/Mom's to visit and get our kids acquainted with each other.

Back--Blake, Alexandria, Molly.  Front--Will, Lydia

Julia (due around Xmas, I think), me, and Gretchen.

The kids were growing weary of picture time.

Our first bit of jacket weather, which has quickly turned into winter coat weather.  YUCK!

Dad's 38th b-day.  Blake made the executive decision that Dad would like to have a truck party, just like Blake had.  Fortunately for us, we had some leftover party hats and plates.  So we ate our steak dinner from paper truck plates.

Playing "hairstyle" as Alexandria likes to call it.