Trick or treat!

Before we went trick or treating, the girls enjoyed 

Some kettle corn and iPad time.

Mommy took the girls to the Town Square candy parade.

Aubrey the purple butterfly

Avery the ice cream cone

Then after supper, Aubrey changed costumes into Elsa

And went around trick or treating at night with Daddy.

Meanwhile Mommy and Avery stayed inside and did this:

:)

Family Fest!

Tonight it was COLD, but Aubrey and I ventured out to the

Gateway Nazarene Church for a FREE Fall Fest!

We left Daddy and Avery home and we had a blast!

We could have stayed longer, but needed to get to bed before preschool the next day.

We were there from 6:00-7:45.

All my pics are blurry since we didn't have Daddy's iphone ;)

First we stopped inside the church for hotdogs, chips and drinks.

next stop - the barrell train 

petting zoo inside a HUGE outdoor tent

This was CRAZY!

Aubrey painted a REAL SNAKE and then the snake slithered onto the paper

and made a design - so fascinating and a little freaky, too! 

climbing the hay stack

yee-haw - photo op on the saddle

corn box is always a hit - until it gets down your pants ;)

night time hay rack ride!

FIRE TRUCK! 

This time she could get up close and personal,

and tell the firemen AGAIN she wants to be a fire girl :)

inflatables inside the church

there she goes - a fast blob ;)

This was a VERY FUN FREE event and well put-on!

We were glad we went even though it was COLD! :)

Night Eyes!

We have continued our tradition (2nd year now) of going to 

Night Eyes at the Blank Park Zoo.

We took Grandma Char and met the Palmers there.

family photo op 

getting our costumes on and ready to go!

Aubrey was a purple butterfly this year

Avery was an ice cream cone/cupcake

We finally got in at 5:00 and it was definitely busy!

Aubrey the butterfly and cousin Noah the Lego

cousins

Wizard of Oz crew with part of our gang :)

on the train ride!

Aubrey found the "firegirl" right away :)

Avery....you want to be a firegirl too?

the armed forces crew of:

Aubrey, Avery, Daddy, and Noah :)

Cifford with Noah and Aubrey

popping up through the tunnel

Mommy and the girls 

She turned into a monarch butterfly now!

she waited in line for quite some time to drive the jeep

It was getting close to sunset, so the lights were coming on :)

Grandma and her 3 (of 5) grandchildren :)

peeking through behind the dragon!

K's Birthday (& extra fun)

(THANKS TO SARA FOR MOST OF THE PICS!)

On Sunday, we celebrated K's 10th birthday at the Pella Pizza Ranch.

Avery entertained herself with the bows

all the kids gathered round watching the present opening

Aunt Andrea with Noah and Avery

all the kids with one trying to escape

Then on Monday, K and Sara got to come over for a little while

in the afternoon and had more fun!

girls enjoying some ipad time

snacks on the playset 

juice boxes in the playhouse 

Avery hand in hand with Sara for a nature walk ;)

Avery wishing she could play with the big girls 

(she was invited in the house later :))

Firetruck at SONshine Preschool!

On Tuesday, Aubrey's class spent the day talking about fire safety

and all fire things related.

 That also meant a firetruck and firemen visited their class!

Aubrey was so exited! For quite some time now, she has always said

that she wants to be a "fire girl" when she grows up.

So she loved it!

Here she is outside looking at the firetruck -

just a little excited!

(I snuck out for a few pics :))

checking out the fireman in his "outfit"