Maddie poses for a shot with Daddy before beginning her race!
Do we live in the best neighborhood ever, or what??? Every year since we have moved in, we have had a Halloween cookout. The kids play in the cul-de-sac, while the parents enjoy some connect time. Of course, our conversations are always short because of a little voice calling for mommy or daddy, but it is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Once darkness hits, the kids get all costumed up and start trick or treating, and the dads put on loud music, sit in folding chairs, and hand out candy. Oh, if you look closely at this picture you will see Matt pitching and Ryan batting. The boy loves balls and loves hitting things, so for him, there's nothing better than playing baseball!
Look there's Blue. Oh wait, it's Ryan. The boy is obsessed with our Elmo Jack-O-Lantern. He loves pointing to it and looking at it. He is especially intrigued with it in this picture because of the lit candle. He has probably just finished saying, "What dis?".
Here's Madeline with her bag ready to start trick or treating. Though she went around with friends, Matt tells me that she continually ran ahead of everyone anxious to get to the next house as soon as possible. And though the night was chilly, she refused a jacket in order to display her beautiful ballerina costume. Already she is realizing that fashion comes at a price. :)
Guess who took this picture? Madeline. She has become quite the photographer, always wanting to get her hands on the camera. These are our dear friends Nate and Becky and if you look closely, you will see that Becky is about to have a baby! Upon leaving, her poor feet barely fit into the shoes she was wearing when she arrived. The Lord has definitely blessed us in our relationship with Nate and Becky. We love them and are so grateful for their friendship. And I cannot wait to get my hands on little Elizabeth Jonathon.
This is Ry Ry on a sugar high.
Can you tell that we have just told them that they can eat a piece of candy? What else would elicit such joyous smiles from the faces of a 2 and 4 year old?
Here's Madeline sitting with, or should I say guarding, her bag of treats. When she got home we told her that she could pick out one piece of candy to eat. Meticulously, she looked through each piece of candy, making sure that she made the best decision. I wonder if she would have made a different decision if she had known that Daddy was about to loot her bag once she was fast asleep.
