Happy Halloween

Happy Kate! She's laughing and cooing up a storm these days. She's so fun!Halloween shirts. Amazing I got this shot. I think I took at least 20.
Sugar cookies...a tradition. The process and the frosting being the best part.
"Mulalan", the "lucky Guckie" (cricket), and "Dragonfly"
Trick-or-Treating started on Saturday at the World Financial Center stores. They also had bowling for ghosts, bobbing for apples, and the best crafts I've ever seen...masks, wings, capes, skirts, crowns. Really well done.
Rachel's school friend Isabel
Saturday night we had our "trunk-or-treat" without the trunks at our church (no pictures). We knocked on the rooms inside the building. Tommy kept asking, "is it toy time?...is it song time." My favorite was when I found Tommy knocking on the bathroom door.

Pumpkin carving (not a forte of mine...in creativity or knife skills) but it's a must every year because I have to have the seeds! We thought it would be fun to make our faces. An angry Chinese man, a one eyed monster and a scared pumpkin.
Trick-or-Treating New York City style. I was pretty hesitant about this holiday here but it turned out to be quite fun and certainly unique. Those people who want to participate in giving out candy sign up on a list given by the doorman. A couple days before Halloween we were given the list of not only our apartment but every apartment in the neighborhood. Kids can really score a lot of candy. Or course, with it being so cold outside, we only did ours.
Here they are with our friend Merrick before heading out.
Tommy loved his costume! He has worn it all day every day since it came in the mail
Most apartments just had a pumpkin posted on their door if they were participating, but there were a handful that were really impressive.
My favorite part of the whole holiday was watching Rachel get excited about trick-or-treaters coming to our house. One small problem we had was that we did not put our names on the list. After watching her skip around, make a sign for our door and prepare a bowl full of candy (her candy) I didn't have the heart to tell her there weren't any coming. I texted (is that how you spell it...probably like the 4th one I've done in my whole life) a neighbor to have her daughter come by our place. Luckily it worked out that they were on their way home...
I have such ADORABLE kids...I'll have to admit!

Big Sister

I found this while importing pictures, and I get a real kick out of it.

Festival, Fire Museum, Fall and Fun

I think I've already said it, but Rachel is loving school. A couple Saturdays ago she got real nervous and said, "Are we late for school?" (she's always worried about being late) "No, Rachel it's Saturday" "Ah, but school is so fun!" This is a note she made for her teacher this week that I thought was too cute!
We went to the playground earlier this week (as well as half her class) and it was fun to see her play with all her friends.

Tommy has been getting creative with his time spent inside, squeezing into some tight places...

Or maybe he just wants to be little again. I pulled this toy out from the "attic" (kids closet) because Katelyn has started noticing and taking interest in what's around her. It's become Tommy's new favorite toy too.Just a cute pictureLast Friday we had a Birthday/Halloween party and we were asked to bring our scariest Halloween treat. I made these brownie spiders with the leftover licorice from the Hello Kitty cupcakes. I've always wanted to take a cake decorating class, can you tell?
PJ time!
We've had some GREAT temperatures the past few days but last weekend was awful. It may have only been low 50s and I may be a wimp but the wind really does make it unbearable! I know...I'm in big trouble. Here's Kate all bundled last Saturday all ready for a day at a Citi festival that Jake was volunteering at.
It was called a Global Community event and I think it was to celebrate their support to the veterans. The event had pumpkin decorating, face painting, blow up obstacle courses, free hot chocolate, candy corn, cotton candy, popcorn, hot dogs...a kids dream come true.


Jake was in charge of the Boot Camp
On our way home we stopped by the Fire Museum. The kids loved it...the old fashion trucks and the dress up. The 9-11 memorial was really neat.
Yesterday Jake took the day off of work. He didn't get any days off when Katelyn was born so he's taking some intermittently to help out around the house. He was really excited about the day...he started laundry at 7am. He took Rachel to school, went to the post office, grocery shopping, he swept, mopped, hung pictures, and even let me get out of the house for a few hours (without kids) to go buy a new shirt. It was a great day. After school we decided to take advantage of an afternoon with the whole family and the beautiful weather by going to Central Park. Living in the city we definitely aren't experiencing fall like we're used to. It was great to see some color and to just smell the fall air. We are grateful however that we don't have to rake this year :)

Rachel's "Already 5"

Rachel's birthday...an event that has been anticipated all year long. I was nervous about meeting expectations. I wanted to make it as special as she has hoped for, and in the end I think she had a very memorable birthday. We celebrated it all weekend long...

Friday
Her teacher lets parents come in for one "period" the week of their child's birthday to bring cupcakes, read a story and do an activity. Rachel requested Hello Kitty cupcakes. I'm happy with the way they turned out and that I was able to finish in time. I put the last whiskers on, the minute I needed to leave. They were a big hit.Jake was able to slip away from work to come read the story, "Giraffes Can't Dance."
Rachel wore this hat the entire day.
After eating cupcakes the teacher pulled out all her board gamesOn the way home from school she says, "in 5 weeks I'll be 10!" I corrected her and said years and then it hit me that in the same amount of time I will be the mother of a 10 year old. That's a really crazy thought!

Saturday
We wanted to take Rachel out to a restaurant, just her, Mommy and Daddy (and Kate) and I was planning on going to one nearby but at the last minute we decided to head to the Upper West Side to a place called Alice's Tea Cup. Such a fun place, with delicious sandwiches, scones, cookies and herbal tea :). It was so much more special than any random restaurant and I was SO happy we went.
Alice

Yesterday was her actual birthday. She gave a talk in Primary about how sharing the gospel helps others to come unto Christ. She even wrote part of it herself. She waited so patiently all morning, all through church, and Tommy's nap (well, patience was wearing thin at that point) to open her presents. She ripped through all of them in a minute flat.
Her request for dinner was "green spaghetti" (pesto) and a Strawberry Shortcake cake. I know she wanted the character, but a vanilla cake with strawberries was the best I could do.
In Rachel's mind one doesn't get older until after they eat the cake. Not sure where she got that idea, but it was so funny to see her take a bite and say, "Am I 5 now?!" and then she got so giddy talking about how she's taller and everything.
The Falimy
And now, I could go on and on about all the things I love about this lady, but I'm getting tired. But I will say she is one cute, silly, smart, thoughtful, creative, artistic girl. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter!

Random

Tommy and "Guckie" as he likes to call her (I have no idea where that nickname came from)
Fall pants...I mean leaves
Three's not a crowd!
Last week (I think) was Curriculum Night at Rachel's school. It was so fun to get to know her teacher a little better and see the activities they do and things they're learning. It has Rachel written all over it...she's really loving it! This is a little drawing up on one of the wall in her classroom. It says, "This is my very good dream last night. A carousel took me round and round. I didn't know, I was just at home sleeping"
This girl is getting so big! She's sure cutsie, but making me tired! We've had a few really rough nights...today I put cumin on my toast instead of cinnamon sugar. How's that for sleep deprivation.
I can't get enough of this kid!
When we hear the word "free" we go running. Last weekend Citi employees were allowed to go to the Bronx Zoo for free. A fabulous zoo! We saw some neat things. A Polar Bear throwing a ball up in the air and two bears wrestling. Tommy's favorite were the Giraffes. Rachel's favorite was the playground we found just outside the zoo on the way home.
Along for the ride...
Watching the bears
We saw a 4D Dora movie...a little too dimensional for Rachel
One morning the kids woke up and wanted to play dress up...they are super heroes.
Rachel had school off on Monday, Columbus Day. Jake was really sad he didn't have it off too, so we met him at the park for a picnic lunch.