Pre Christmas Fun

We have super busy lately getting ready for Christmas. Emily helped decorate the house and even guilted Daddy into putting lights up outside. We had lots of fun at her preschool's Breakfast With Santa even though Emily wouldn't sit on Santa's lap. The first thing she wants to do every morning is "Countdown to Christmas" on our advent calendars and then she is off to find our Elf on the Shelf, Kris. It should be lots of fun this year when Santa arrives!

We have also just been busy with fun stuff: a friend's birthday party, going to see "Happy Feet 2" at the movie theater (Emily did great and loves going to the movies), Little Gym, Magic House, Christmas light display at the park and other stuff I can't remember right now. Here are some photos from some of the fun...

Enjoying a candy cane she got from one of her teachers at school. She immediately ran onto the couch and got comfortable so she could fully enjoy it!

Emily requested a trip to The Magic House last week so we went after school on Tuesday. This is at lunch before heading over to The Magic House.

Concentrating on a game of checkers (she has her own rules) at The Magic House.

Emily "teaching" me in a classroom at the new travelling exhibit.

We made Christmas cookies while Daddy was at work so he couldn't complain about the mess. Emily was in charge of the sprinkles. This is her first completed cookie which she immediately ate. She also ate her second complete cookie but after that she stuck to decorating only.

Our finished products. They are very good if I do say so myself!

Last night we went to "Wild Lights" at the zoo. It was a relatively warm night for December so it was perfect for walking around looking at Chrismas lights. We all had lots of fun!

Thanksgiving

Well, our Thanksgiving trip to Florida wasn't exactly as much fun as we anticipated. Emily got sick Thanksgiving night and it ended up being a double ear infection which really knocked her for a loop. An urgent care in Sarasota was not on our site seeing agenda! We did have a lot of fun the first couple of days we were there but needless to say, we don't have a lot of pictures from the trip. Here are a few we did manage to get before everything went haywire.

The night before we left. Emily was thrilled to wheel her own suitcase around.

Playing on Siesta Key Beach. She loved splashing in the water and putting wet sand in her buckets.


Helping Mommy and Daddy build a sandcastle.

Happy Halloween!!

Emily was super into to Halloween and trick-or-treating this year! We hosted a little neighborhood Halloween party and set off trick-or-treating with a bunch of her friends. Our neighborhood is great for trick-or-treating and we could have gone to tons more houses but still got tons of candy. Here's some pics of the fun...

Emily posing in her costume in front of the big monster BeBe and BoBo dropped off.

Happy about some of the candy she just got at a house. Emily was great about saying "trick-or-treat" and " thank you!".

Watching through the window to see if someone was coming to give her candy.

Some firemen were driving through the neighborhood handing out candy to kids as they were passing. It was super nice and the kids loved seeing the firemen and firetruck!

Emily asked for a specific sucker when we got back to the house. She was very happy about it!

A picture of her loot. Her bag got too heavy for her to carry at the end!

2011 World Series Champs!!

Cameron was very fortunate and got to go to game 7 of the World Series and see the Cardinals win it all! What an awesome experience! Here are just a few of the pictures he took while he was there...

Emily showing off the rally towel Daddy brought home for her.

Celebrating a big World Series win really takes it out of a guy. Cameron started coming around about lunch time. St. Louis is a great baseball town so there was lots of celebrating to partake in downtown after the game!

Pre-Halloween Festivities

I know the big trick-or-treat night is still a few days away but we have already had some Halloween fun around here!

On Monday we went to a Halloween party at The Magic House in the morning. It was lots of fun and Emily liked playing there as always but especially liked getting to go around and find treats at different spots. On Monday night we went to "Boo at the Zoo" since the weather was gorgeous. There were lots of Halloween decorations around the zoo and we had a good time walking around, enjoying possibly one of our last warm nights of fall.

Emily in full princess garb at The Magic House

Enjoying a donut snack


Posing in front of some of the cool decorations at "Boo at the Zoo"

On Thursday, it was Halloween party time at preschool. Several of the moms helped plan and set up a pretty fun party!

Emily doing the pumpkin roll...this was not easy in a princess dress!

Showing off her ghost tattoo

So princess like, sticking out her tongue

Eating Halloween cupcake (she really only licked the icing)

Fall Fun

Wow! It has been a long time since I updated the blog. I'm not sure what I've been doing with my time. I guess we've just been busy watching the Cardinals make it to the World Series. Emily is having fun watching the Cardinals games (until bedtime rolls around) while eating popcorn or hot pretzels (her own little ball park treats at home). Up until this week, the weather here has been gorgeous and we have been taking full advatage and playing outside as much as possible. Emily is still loving school and they have done lots of fun stuff including sending us on a nature walk to collect leaves, sticks and such for their sensory table. Next week there will be lots of Halloween activities for us so we should have more pictures soon!

Going through one of the tunnels at the playground.

Posing in front of the pumpkin pyramid at the pumpkin patch.

Taking a train ride at the pumpkin patch. Last year Mommy had to ride with her but this year she wanted to go by herself. What a big girl!

Pony ride!

Posing with a giant pumpkin.

Some Fall Fun

With lake season behind us, we are starting to enjoy some fall fun around home. The weather has been gorgeous so we have been able to get out and do lots of fun stuff. Here is what we have been into so far...

Emily playing with the iPod before heading off to "blue day" at preschool. They were supposed to wear something blue, bring in a blue item to put on their blue collage, and they did lots of blue activities like painting with blue paint and playing with blue play doh. She had lots of fun and still loves school!

Emily helped me clean the hardwood floors. She did a great job helping me dust them!

On Saturday, Emily and Daddy went to the Home Depot for their Kids' Clinic. This was a large one where they had lots of activities beside just the project they usually have. Here Emily is jumping in the bounce house. There was also a fire truck, a bracelet making station, temporary tatoos (Emily got a Cinderella one) and a bunch of other stuff. They both had a blast!

Emily is modeling her Home Depot apron and showing off the helicopter she made at the Kids' Clinic.

Saturday afternoon we went to Forest Park and went out on the peddle boats. It was a beautiful afternoon for it!

On Sunday, we headed out to the orchard to pick apples. Here are Emily and Daddy on the ferry headed to Grafton.

Heading out to the apple trees on the tractor.

The orchard had a kiddie plane ride that Emily insisted on riding. Here she is flying along.

Holiday World

On Saturday we went to Holiday World. It was Emily's first time at an amusement park and none of us had been to Holiday World (except Poppy who went as a kid but I don't think it was quite the same then). It is a great place! The park is very kid friendly with lots of rides for little ones, it is super clean and everyone was super friendly. Emily had a blast riding all of the rides. Mommy and Daddy went on some adult rides too. The one roller coaster, "The Voyage", is ranked the number one wooden coaster in the world and it was the most intense ride I have ever been on. Lots of fun!

Riding the kid sized carousel.

Riding a Christmas themed ride with Mommy.

Emily really liked the seahorse ride!

Getting ready to go on Emily's first roller coaster ride. We thought she wouldn't like it but she did!

Emily had to take a little break in the early afternoon. She had already had too much fun!

Giving a "High 5" while on the fish ride. This was one of her favorite rides.

Having fun on the rocket ships!

Posing with Grammy and Poppy.