Joel's Birthday

Ok - I know Joel was not born in November, but somehow I did not post any pictures from his special day. Above you can see Joel in his special Incredible Pizza hat!  He took a few friends to celebrate with him.  We had a great pizza buffet and then played games and did rides after.  A good time was had by all!

Halloween in review

Clearly no family theme this year!

Matthew was "Mine-craft guy".  He made the costume himself.  He did a great job, Google "Mine-craft guy" and he looks just like this.  (Mind-craft is a computer game that has low pixels I guess, that's why Mine-craft guy looks so boxy.)  If you want a better explanation you will have to ask a teen-ager.

Matthew went trick or treating for canned goods with the Youth Ministry again.  Carolyn can't wait to join him next year when she ages out of "normal" trick-or-treating.

 Anna clearly is a sailor.  We found the costume last year when shopping the day after Halloween!  She won runner up at the YMCA Halloween party.

 Joel is a race car driver.  He wanted to be something scary, but I told him we don't do scary at our house.  He seemed to really like this costume, thank goodness, since we really only started thinking about it a couple days before Halloween and I had this stored away from last year or the year before when I bought it after Halloween at a deep discount :-)    See a pattern?  Spoiler alert - next year he will be a Ninja that I got after Halloween this year.  I decided being a Ninja isn't too scary :0)

 Carolyn changed her mind about 5 times re: her Halloween costume.  In the end she decided to wear the dress I wore last year to help with Trick-or-treat for canned goods (with the Youth Ministry at church).  She was another runner up at the YMCA party.  You might think everyone was a runner-up, but there were only 3 girls - 2 just happened to have my last name :0)  When I wore this, I thought it "Juliet"-ish.  I am not sure what Carolyn called herself.  Will have to ask when she returns from basketball practice.  (Guess what - we got this costume 90% off a few years ago - I know you are shocked!)

Although I couldn't help with the Youth Ministry this year (I had class), I did dress up to go to get frozen Yogurt at Cherry Berry and to walk around the block with the kids.  I am holding the Halloween book we left outside full of candy while we were gone trick or treating.

Climbing Camp-out

Matthew went on a climbing camp-out a few weeks ago and had a great time.  (and came home completely exhausted - both from climbing and lack of sleep)

If I ever thought my camera took good pictures, I realized it was untrue when I saw these great photos.  They were taken by a parent in his troop who takes hundreds a pictures at every event.  He has a GREAT camera and I love the shots he took at this event.  I normally don't do an entire scrapbook page on one event, but might have to for this one.  (and for Maria......I mean theoretically because I haven't scrapbooked since I started school.)

Soccer Season

Soccer season is over. I think everyone had a great season and all will return next year.  They will be joined by Anna who for the first time clearly realized that "everyone else is playing but me".  I should have signed her up, but she will be joining the ranks of participation with Swimming lessons next week and basketball in January!

 Carolyn played on a team with 5th -7th grade girls.  That is quite a range of ages (and sizes), but it worked out ok!

Joel played with 3rd and 4th grade boys and several had quite a bit of experience.  Quite a change from last year when he was the only 2nd grader on a 1st and 2nd grade team and the only kid who had played before!  It was fun this year, because a boy from my religious education class was on Joel's team, so it was fun to cheer on another player I knew well.

Matthew has been on the same team since we moved here. His coach is great and during one of the first games he scored his first goal in a couple of years.  It was awesome!  Last year they were the "young" team in the league and this year they were better placed with some older boys on their team and more equally aged competition.

Storybook pumpkin

At our elementary school kids can bring storybook pumpkins to display in the library.  Of course some of our favorite characters of all time are from Cynthia Rylant books.  I almost cried when we read the last in the series of Henry and Mudge (when Matthew was 5ish) and so we sang for joy when she started to write about Annie and Snowball.  My Anna's pumpkin is Snowball.  We made it the day after we bought the pumpkins and she could hardly wait that long.  (ie. I heard, "I don't think we will ever paint my pumpkin", etc. the first day and early on the 2nd day when I realized - it would't take any longer to create Snowball that day than it will if we waited, but I wouldn't have to listen to Anna's longing for a painted pumpkin.  

Fourteen

We took Matthew to Smashburger to celebrate his birthday.  We had never been before, but rumor at the middle-school was that it was delish.  We agreed, definitely the best hamburger I ever had, although to be fair, I rarely choose a burger at a non-fast-food place.  This was semi-fast food and how could I not get a burger at a place called Smashburger?  YUM.

 Matthew chose Legos for his birthday, which is not a big surprise.  He had it built within an hour or 2 and declared it very awesome.  Ken surprised him with an architecture game (didn't get a photo) and he got a new "cool" sweatshirt.  Only teenagers think clothes are ok for gifts if they are "cool".  (although Carolyn picked out a sweatshirt for Christmas this year.....oh no, I guess "tween" girls think it is ok too)

 I know we have steered away from cake-themes as Matthew has aged, but this year he brought a fish into our home, so it was only right that he have a fish tank birthday cake.  (Henry and Mudge books gave us the idea.)  Actually the fish live in Joel's room because he had the big counter for it...but Joel's birthday is far away and how can you not love this cake!

Of course as I look at these pictures I think - where are Matthew's glasses?!!!  (He doesn't really like contacts, but he really needs correction.)  Oh well despite probably squinting....I think he had a great birthday.  The day after, not as much, because he was required to help with the great clothing swap, which really is no fun for anyone (see separate post).

Singing and loving it!

Carolyn was the cantor for the children's choir last Sunday.  She was supposed to share the role, but one girl had to go to grandmas and the 2nd one no-showed.  Luckily another choir member joined Carolyn, but Carolyn had to introduce all the songs.  She and the other girl sang from the podium for all the songs and lead the responsorial psalm.  She was more composed that I would be now, let alone at age 11.  Today she pinched-hit for a missing alter server, so she is really serving the Lord lately!!!  (Ken has an alter server picture on his phone that will come later.)