Olivia's Preschool Turkey Program

Olivia's preschool has a Thanksgiving feast right before school gets out.  I love to go up there and have lunch with her.  The teacher was so sweet and had a little chair for Alec to sit on next to Olivia too.

Before the feast there was a short little program and Olivia was so excited to see that Alec came to watch.

Waving to Alec.

Perot Museum

Several moms got together one Monday morning and we took our younger kids to the Perot Museum.   This time we spent the whole time in the little kid section.  

While Olivia and Alec played in the outdoor sand pit we heard some sirens.  Alec wanted to see fire trucks or police cars, whatever was making the sound, so bad he ran up the stairs that were outside that lead to an emergency exit and hit the door open enough that the alarm went off.  I wasn't quick enough to grab him.  I waited and waited for someone to come out but no one came so we continued playing.  I  mentioned that on our way out I'd say something to a worker.  We played for another 30 or so minutes out there and the buzzing became white noise we just kind of forgot about.  Another family came outside and immediately complained about the noise to the worker and that was the end of that.

There is also a great water table inside that you can wear aprons so you don't get wet.  Alec refused to wear an apron and of course got soaking wet.  They have those cool Dyson hand dryers right there so I took his shirt off and stuck it under the dryer and got most of it dry.

Our group headed outside to eat lunch and Alec had other ideas.  He decided he wanted to run off and have me chase him.  I thought he was going to put me into labor!  He took off so fast and around the corner.  I stuck him in the stroller for some time out but when he came out, he took off again.  This time I was hurting and I just asked a stranger down the hill to grab Alec - he was headed for the road.  The strange man grabbing at Alec sacred him enough, he jumped into some bushes and didn't try running off again.  It was nice then to just sit and recoup from all the running after him.  

Leap Frogs we played on after lunch

 Monkey see, monkey do

Everyone left right after lunch but Olivia wanted to go into the big kid area and so back in we went.  She was determined to do the earthquake simulator and look at the stuffed animals.  We stayed another hour before heading back home.  Now she wants  to go back and see the Animal Inside out exhibit.

October Misc.

Costco runs with the kids means getting yogurt prior to shopping.  

I don't mind because I always take half.  This little guy was happy with his cup.

Hide and seek.  Olivia is counting and Alec is supposed to be hiding. If you click on the picture you can see that Alec just has covered his eyes.  2 year olds are funny. 

 Doesn't always take a nap but needs it from time to time.  After arguing with me on not taking a nap I told her she could read in bed.  I came in 5 minutes later to find her like this.

 Like all boys, Alec is fascinated with the garbage man.  One day we didn't have any where to rush off to so I just followed the garbage man for 10 minutes while Alec was happy to watch and take pictures.  I think the workers thought I was a little strange but it made one little boy extremely happy.

Halloween

Our Halloween started off with a fun costume parade at Olivia's school.

Her class afterwards.

It was just our little family this year trick or treating.  We did our yearly pumpkin pizza and pumpkin juice (Fanta) before heading out the door.  Costumes were actually pretty easy this year.  Olivia wanted to be what Kaitlyn was last year, easy.  Abby wanted to be a greek goddess - just ordered a pretty costume online.  Kaitlyn decided on Darth Vader girl once she saw the costume at Party City.  And a friend loaned us a light up red light saber!  I wanted Alec to go as a minion but didn't like the one costume I found and I was too lazy to make one.  While shopping at Costco I saw their cute fireman costumes and picked one out for Alec thinking he'd love it.  Any time Alec walked by the costume he'd go "we-new" and point but when it came to wearing it, that was a different story.

Todd was able to get Alec half dressed and I called it good enough.

 With a bribe of a sucker Alec stood in a picture with his sisters.

 Alec stayed in the stroller halfway down the street but once we came to a house with a dog, out he came and he walked the rest of the night.  Plus grabbing a piece of candy to eat every now and then helped.  Olivia was the first one to claim she was tired and done for the night.  We hadn't even been out for an hour yet.  Kaitlyn decided she wanted to hand out candy and Abby left with a friend and went around for another hour and came home with so much loot!  Too sad for them we do a parent tax and let them only keep about 30 pieces.  The rest go into a big bowl for everyone.  Abby was upset that she did all that work to get candy and had to give most of it up.  I did sneak some more into her bowl later.
The kids had a lot of fun and enjoyed the holiday.

 Olivia put a post it saying "Olivia Yost candy" on her bowl.

 Off they go!

 Our pumpkins this year:  Pegasus (drawn by Abby), Darth Vader, Hello Kitty, and Thomas the Train 

Candy thieves story for this year:  As soon as we left, we were standing at our neighbors house, we saw a huge group of boys go up to our door.  I stood and watched them because I thought that they'd probably clear us out of our candy.  As they ran past us, I recognized one of the boys and mentioned that I hope they left candy for others because I knew their moms and who they were.  Sure enough, the next group of kids walks up, looks in the bowl, and turns around and walks away.  The boys took everything.  I took the kids trick or treating and Todd went looking for the group.  He didn't go far because they traveled fast - they just hit the houses that left candy out because we were not to far behind them.  So Todd went back home to pass out our backup candy.  Also, my neighbor later told me she was near the group and heard the boys talking about only going to the houses that were empty.

I had texted the boy's mom that I knew.  Poor kid.  He was the only one I  truly knew but I knew his mom would let the other parents know.  I felt like a tattle tale but if that were my kid, I'd want to know and I'd make them return ALL their candy to the house.  Later, one of the brothers came up to apologize and bring a handful of candy back, I mentioned to him that you never know who's watching you so you have to watch your actions.  Hopefully they learned a lesson.

Pumpkin Patch - Visit 2

Trip #2 the following week went so much better.  Our cousins met us at the patch as well as Abby's best friend.  After a few pictures of the group Abby was off and we'd catch glimpses of her here and there.

Alec was in better spirits and ran around with all the cut outs but his favorite was the big hay maze.  He went in the small one to test things out and then into the big one with his sisters.  At one point when the girls were in a bounce house, Alec took off for the maze and climbed in before I could grab him.  Luckily he found another kid to follow and came out shortly afterwards.  After that I just let him go through as much as he wanted because I figured some kid would help him out and they did.

Our favorites: the merry go round - everyone rode it, the pig and turtle, jumping off the haystack, and playing around with cousins.

All the cousins

 I just like this picture of Kaitlyn

 My girls - Alec refused to get in this one, little stinker

 Playing on the tractors

 I couldn't get Alec to stand in front of the "how tall" scarecrow but he was as happy as could be with Mickey.

Pumpkin Patch - visit 1

It was getting close to the end of October and we hadn't made it over to the pumpkin patch yet.  Between piano, soccer, Activity Days, and drama I was having a hard time finding a free afternoon that I could take all the kids.  Finally one appeared and the kids and I jumped into the van after school and headed over.  

Alec had just woken up from his nap and was very unhappy the whole time we were there.  Once I gave the kids the 5 minute warning to leaving he decided to be happy.  He did refuse to go into any bounce house but he did like the pumpkin house.  Hindsight I should have taken Alec and Olivia early one morning while the older kids were at school to get him used to the patch and then go back with the older kids.

Our yearly - how tall:

 Alec wouldn't stand there.  

This is Alec when I took him out of the stroller to do the hayride. 

 A little happier once he saw the cut outs of Thomas the Train.

 And finally a smile with the pumpkin.  

Too bad he won't let go of that pacifier!

Mother Daughter "Tea"

Abby's Activity Day group at church had a mother/daughter tea date planned for one Friday evening.  Abby and I made our own hats out of wrapping paper, ate yummy treats, and the mom's all had baskets filled with items to tell the others all about their daughters and their talents.  It was a fun little outing with my oldest and I ate way too many treats!

4th grade program

Cowboy Vampire

IMG 3857 from sassy momma on Vimeo.

Back in October the 4th graders put on their program at the PTA meeting.  They talked about Texas and sang a couple songs.  This video is for the grandparents.  Abby is on the right hand side wearing a red bandana and I think this was the video Kaitlyn took.

Fall soccer- Olivia/Todd

Our Pixie

We have season 2 down for Todd and Olivia and they were undefeated!  What a season for this team!  We had 2 new players join the team and they all played well together.  I wasn't able to go to as many games as I would like - that's what happens when you have 3 kids playing on the same day and Dad coaches.  The games I did get to go to were fun to watch.  4 year olds playing soccer is fun to watch and Todd is really good with the kids.

I had to do a little bribery with Olivia - a quarter for every goal she made.  Money seemed to motivate her a little and she needed it for the afternoon games when she was already tired from the day.  On average she'd score 1-2 times a game.  I'm just glad she's active, making friends, and spending time with Dad.

Determined face

 Someone loves her coach.

Fall Soccer - Kaitlyn

Our Dragonfly

Another season with the Dragonflies for Kaitlyn.  This year we played on a bigger field and gained 2 more players.  This was a killer season for the team.  The poor girls were so tired from all the running on the big field.  We had many sad games of 20 something to 1.  A lot of teams were dissolved and as they put the brackets together some of the stronger teams were put against some of the weaker teams (ours) but next season should be better - so they say.

Kaitlyn did play very well and the last couple games she made some awesome goals!  We actually won a few games and the last game the whole family came out to watch.  Kaitlyn made a couple of fantastic goals and it was fun to watch the team finally gel a little more together.  And of course, win the last game.

At the last game Olivia did happen to lay under the bleachers to play on my phone but she accidentally laid in a fire ant hill.  She had tons of ants all over her that we had to strip her down.  She had over 20 bites on one leg alone.  She was quite the trooper and didn't scratch or touch them.  After the game we stopped off at a drug store and got her some medicine.  Because she left the bites alone she healed quickly within a couple days.

New uniform

 Entertaining themselves by wrestling at Kaitlyn's game.

Fall Soccer - Abby

Soccer season started once again in August.  Abby is on the same team - 5 years going!  We have lost several of the stronger players that have moved onto select and no longer play with us.  This season was a bit tough because because 4 of the 5 new players had never played soccer before.  It was hard on the girls that have been playing for years having all these brand new team members.  

We won a few games but it wasn't our strongest season.  Abby is playing better and better every season though and she still enjoys playing.  I think we have until middle school when she'll probably move onto something else.  The positions she played this season were sweeper and defender.  Every now and then she'd get moved up to striker.  We are proud of how well she played and she's a great asset to the team.

An early practice that was so hot the coach had to cool the girls off by hosing them down.  

This is how you grow a team :)

 Our Hot Shot