It's the Great Pumpkin, Alison Charley Brown!

Special programming alert - I changed the settings on this so you don't have to be a registered user to post a comment on a particular post. So, feel free to let us know what you think of the pictures and stuff without registering with blogspot......on with our regularly scheduled pictures.

Today is a pretty big day in the life of a 4 year old (if you're a 10 months old baby girl or a 32 years old man, you're just happy if somebody feeds you and puts up with your whining like every other day of the year)......Grace had an awesome time today.....and quite a few wardrobe changes today.....Ariel costume for daycare this morning....then for pre-K today, she had a "fall party" that had a ranch theme, so she changed into a different outfit for that.....and then tonight back to Ariel for trick or treating.....

I always thought the carriage turned back into a pumpkin, but apparently in the Storm version, Tinkerbelle turns into a pumpkin......here's some pictures of the day.

Someone's not happy about the costume switch this morning.......
Grace in her pink cowgirl hat, kerchief, and sheriff's badge.....

Grace showing off some cowboy boots she borrowed for the party.....
There was a ring toss game at the fall party......
Riding out to on the "range"......
This is Grace and her best friend at school, Amber.......
Grace trying to win the 4 year old rodeo......

Decorating pumpkins during the party......
Chowing down on some vittles.....I didn't know cowboys had juice boxes??!!
A class photo......
The class with Mrs. Mikesell........
Another picture of Grace with Amber......

Somebody's ready for trick or treating......
The pumpkin's ready for her close-up......
the mode of transportation for the night......
Alison's ready to hit the streets....

Grace at her first house this year....our next door neighbor's......

"I can't have chocolate bars until I'm HOW OLD?"
One of the last houses of the night....one lady was so impressed with Grace's light up Ariel shoes, she gave her 5 pieces of candy (one of each kind......thanks Papa and Nana!!)
Alison ended up attacking Halloween with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.......
Grace showing off her candy bucket....it was pretty full from just our small neighborhood.....

Halloween Party

Last night, we had a Halloween party in our old neighborhood......the girls had a really good time. Grace got to catch up with some of the old boys from her little circle of friends. Here are some pictures of the girls in their costumes.....

Grace was The Little Mermaid.....since she's a Disney Princess, she wore her crown, because as she puts it, "every princess needs a crown, daddy"........

A close up of Grace as Ariel......
We found this Tinkerbell flying around our bedroom yesterday afternoon.......

A close up of the costume, complete with hair band......
Happy to spread her magic dust.....
They don't have anything this cute at Disney World!
The Chicken hosted the party......that's Braden from across our old street......

10 months already?

Time continues to fly for Little Miss Alison......her 10 month birthday is today!!! She continues to grow up pretty fast......she's crawling really fast now and she can get into quite a bit of mischief in the short time it takes me turn my head to the left. She's also been walking around while holding on to the couch or a table or a chair for a little while now......and she's getting better with walking when you hold her hands. She still has just the two teeth, but she seems to be trying to get herself off the formula and on to "real" food. She's a big fan of mashed "taters", cheese, noodles, scrambled eggs, bananas, and even the sweet treat here and there. She also just got over a virus that included a slight rash and a double ear infection. Here's a few picutres from the day -





Side note - Grace got her first "report card" today....she seems to be doing pretty good with mostly consistents and a few "in the middles"......and no seldoms. Not a big surprise that "Waits turn to speak" and "Stays on task" were in the middle. Common phrases around our house are "Grace, mommy is talking!!" and "Grace, focus, focus, focus" (She's famous for the one hour PBJ) We'll find out more details this coming Wednesday when we go to our first parent/teacher conference. I told Ashley we'll find out what kind of parents we are that day - Old School (believe the teacher, blame the kid) or New School (perfect child, crazy teacher)

Sunday Nights

Just winding down the weekend here.....Grammy and Pop stopped by today with Uncle Brian on their way back to Chicago.....they brought Grace a new Halloween outfit; she was so excited to try it on tonight, that she put it on over her nightgown after her bath!!

Alison is sporting some new purple unicorn PJ's.....she took a "first step" today......one small step from mommy's knew to the Leap Frog play table.......big stuff!!!! She wants to do what everyone else is doing in the h0use....walking, eating real food, etc.......hopes that bodes well for potty training some day......

Here's the new outfit......
Grace with her "scary" face......which she usually saves for when you turn off her "kid show" to watch football.....
Miss Alison smiling for the camera......can kind of see the two teeth in there.......
"You talkin' to me??"
Grace giving Ali the happiest Heimlich maneuver ever!!

Witch-ay Woman

It's finally cooling down around here today, so Alison broke out her Halloween wear for the fall season. Here's a couple pictures from this morning (bed-head included).

A trip to the pumpkin farm

Is it just me or does it feel like I haven't posted anything since last month? (New TV shows + Bible Study starting back up + Grace in pre-K + busy at work = less posts for a couple weeks)

Anyway, we headed down to St. Louis this weekend to do the girls' annual trip to the local orchard near the grandparents. This was Alison's first trip "in person". The running joke is no matter what weekend we pick to go to the pumpkin farm, it ends up being in the upper 80's/low 90's when we go. Not bad for a summer day, but it's weird for a "fall" event. Didn't stop me from enjoying a danish, fudge, and kettle corn while we were there!

Here's a few photos from the day (and a couple from this afternoon) -


Alison was trying to rest up right until the last minute to have energy for the orchard
Grace and Grammy check out the mums, pumpkins, and other "stuff"
Grace poses by one of the friendly scarecrows in the outdoor garden center
Grace liked this one's hat
Alison was still sleeping, but here's a family photo minus one
Grace poses by the giant pumpkins

Guess who woke up? Ali poses as a ghost.....
Alison the Friendly (and Smiley) Ghost
Alison wasn't sure what to think of hanging out in the grass
And I don't think she appreciated being snickered at.....

The devil made her do it........

Ashley, Alison, and Pocahontas hanging out at the Putt Putt course
Do these shorts make my pumpkin look big?
Grace ready for take off on one of the little rides
In flight photos.....
Grace climbing up the rope in one of the inflatables

They had a swing ride too....this one actually moved at a pretty good clip
Mommy and Alison on a little train ride.....
Alison and her Pop Pop after church this morning.....
Alison's happy to hang out with her Grammy.....