Halloween

Ava and Harper went trick-or-treating at Mt View High School with their friend Jason.  Harper was a Kitty-Witch and Ava was a Skeleton Mermaid. 

 They Face Timed us beforehand and were really excited with the makeup they got to wear,  Mommy got them ready at Papa Mike's house.

Rielee was our first trick-or-treater, she went as Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games.  She was going to take a serious picture but Papa surprised her by putting on a creepy mask and she couldn't keep a straight face.

The Woodruff gang were the only other kids to visit us, but they were worth waiting for.  Tor was the cutest Batman, you could tell he loved wearing his costume.  Uncle Steve had planned to scare the kids when they came in, he hid in the kitchen on his knees with his mask on. To his surprise, they didn't even flinch, instead they all just waltzed right on by, patting him on the head as they went.  Tor was last and lifted up the mask to look at him, too funny.

Bridget, Jillian, their cousin Adam, and Tor-in a blurry picture, they were in constant motion, obviously having a very fun night.  Such cuties.

Parker came over later to get his treat bag, Papa and his mask got a smile out of him.  He looked so handsome dressed in his Police Science class attire.   He's sure enjoying that class.

Conference days

Wednesday Papa picked up Ava and Harper early (they had conferences so we got to keep them Thursday and Friday).  I picked up Rielee from her early release.  They played dance party, Rielee and Harper have a whole routine they worked up.  Quite dramatic.

Thursday we went to the library.  Ava asked the librarian for a book on whales, she found her one and then made the girls crack up reading to them about the "dugong" which is similar to a manatee with a forked tail.

Next stop-bakery.  They love to eat there. 

We scored big at a garage sale, finding a box of stuffed animals and some legos.  Harper made a necklace for her puppy and Ava made earrings for her fox.

We saw Emmy (and Dan) at  Auna's volleyball match.  Selfie time.

Today the girls helped Papa set up the spooky graveyard.  Papa feared for his fingers as Harper was hammering!  They also hung up some skeletons and put out the light-up pumpkins. 

We went to Parker's game in Vancouver in the evening, then met up with Kelly in Kalama on the way home to give the girls back,  she and Luke, Theresa, Dale and Diane

were driving back from visiting with Lexi and Adrianna in Seattle.

Jewelry lesson, doctor store

 Sunday morning, the girls woke up at 7:30, having slept in their blanket fort again.  Breakfast and a bath and they were ready to play.  They wanted to do some beading.  Ava decided to try to make earrings but needed Papa's help.  They made me a cute pair, then she decided to strike out on her own and set up a "jewelry store" in the playroom.  She was having problems with her first customer (Harper's) order though, and had to shut the store down until she could get some more instruction.

They moved on to opening a "doctor store" - but had some issues over who was in charge.  Neither wanted to be the assistant or nurse, only the doctor.  Papa told them that everyone works together at the doctor's office, he got a band aid for a spot on his nose and I got a check-up, my reflexes were good but it seems I had a fever.

We moved on to playing with Legos, Play-Doh and then made cookies.  I looked at the clock and it was 10:30...break time for Grandma so I put on a Chipmunk episode.  Rielee came over later and started in on her Halloween house.  She got frustrated because it wasn't going together well at all, I tried to help, Ava,  Harper and Papa tried to put it together, and then we gave up.  With impossible design flaws, it went back to Michael's.

Ava enjoys being the older twin, even if it's only 11 minutes.  She likes being able to pack Harper around.  Harper tried to pick up Ava but her little legs started to shake and gave out quickly. 

Halloween houses, Jill & Russ, Parker & Auna homecoming

 First thing this morning the girls put together their Halloween houses, with a little help from Papa and I, but not much.  Mostly trying to decipher the very vague instructions.

Jill and Russ came to visit today.  They brought us lunch and we visited for the afternoon.  They are doing great. 

Tonight was Kelso's homecoming, Parker went with his girlfriend Maddie Speed. 

Castle Rock's homecoming was also tonight, having been postponed due to the windstorm last weekend.  Auna went with her friend Dakota Golden. 

 How have these kids grown up so fast?

Kelso football

Ava and Harper went to Parker's football game against Evergreen with us tonight.  They watched the game and munched on their popcorn for the 1st quarter, then played on Papa's phone and the iPad for the 2nd.  They liked the Homecoming festivities at halftime, especially the sign competition, princesses and fireworks.  Oh, and there was a bat flying around the stadium, that was different.  Near the end of the 3rd quarter they were getting a little tired and bored, so with Kelso safely ahead in the game, we headed for home.  Kelso won 30-12. 

Biggest apple ever

This was Emmy in her classroom yesterday.  She's holding a large apple she bought for herself, at least she thought it was large-until one of her students brought her the other one.  Gargantuan! 

Laury and I went in to help with a Halloween craft, which is always fun. 

Auna volleyball

 Auna had a home match tonight vs. King's Way,  a 3-0 win with some long, exciting rallies.

Being old, I had no clue what the heck this sign meant - greatest of all time. 

Art store, carrot cake

 Jillian and Bridget came up to play Sunday afternoon.  They drew pictures and opened up an art store.  When Cathy came to pick them up, Jillian had made $4.25, but Cathy thought that was too much and only let her take home the quarter.  Ava and Harper play store all the time, it's one of their favorite activities.  We buy their stuff, they forget and leave the money here and we use it again the next time they're here.  Once in  awhile, they'll remember to save the money, but not very often. 

Before she got sick, Rielee had asked to make a carrot cake from scratch, so we had to get it done Sunday before she went home (she woke up feeling better with no fever).  Papa helped with the carrot shredding.  She was appalled by the looks of the batter and honestly, nobody wanted to lick the bowl.  The cake turned out great though.

Rielee poster, Lucy, sick

Rielee has been staying a few nights with us while Mom and Dad are on a business trip to Boston.  Her "nifty number" project kept her busy Thursday night.  She has to give a presentation on it in class Monday.  She was excited for Friday because she got a limo ride to get ice cream at Subzero, a reward for her magazine sales.

Playing with Lucy before school.

Unfortunately, she complained of a headache when we picked her up after school Friday.  She took some ibuprofen and felt good enough to go to Parker's game (a tough loss to Mt. View).  But her headache didn't go away and later she had a fever, chills, and a sore throat so she missed her other reward today-a trip to Clackamas Water Park.  Such bad timing, she was so disappointed.

Lucy helped Momma hold down the couch, and was actually nice and didn't try to play or scratch her.

Pumpkins, Legos and water globes

Today was a busy one.  The girls wanted to get the Halloween decorations out as soon as they finished breakfast.  They had fun deciding where to put them, then asked where the rest of the crates of decorations were-they didn't think we had enough.

 There was a Harvest Festival at the High School gardens today so we went over there at 10:00 since there was a break in the rain.  As soon as we got over there though, it started sprinkling and the wind came up over the river-it was chilly and we weren't dressed for it.  The girls picked out their pumpkins, played slingshot and ring toss games and we were out of there.

 Ava's first choice but she ended up getting to a tall pumpkin.

Legos kept them entertained all afternoon.  We bought them a couple of little kits to build cars.  They got them almost all the way together without help, but both ran into problems and needed Papa's help.  They had each put a piece in upside down so things didn't fit right later in the building process. 

They also did a water globe craft from a kit.  Worst kit ever.  Wrong color clay to start with and not enough of it,

then we couldn't get Harper's to fill for some reason, so Papa had her push a toothpick in the hole to clear it, but she accidently let go of it.  So Papa told her to pretend she had a log floating in her globe...never did get it filled completely either.  And the glitter they put in it stuck to the clay and didn't float around, disappointing them.  No wonder the kit was on clearance...