Orchards

Yes, that IS Francis competing on the far left against two guys from church. One Monday, we headed to an orchard with several families from church. He even won a round, and was thoroughly exhausted at the end :) It didn't help that the track was muddy, and his legs were about 10 inches too long for the pedals.

Here the girls are hanging out with friends.

Pumpkin patch and apple picking

Sister Love

Yes, this is Jack's kennel. No, we didn't put them there. It has, however, become a favorite spot, particularly for reading books with a mid morning snack. This does become a temporary problem when Jack is choosing to nap here. However, with a quick, "Dzack, OUT!!" Emma quickly takes care of that problem :) He has also become quite adept at curling around doll beds, and princess castles when he needs to return to it!

Enjoying some time at an orchard.

Summer

Yes, the impish grin is Emma. Both girls have developed a love for the park, and we've been enjoying the last days of summer going down slides and having picnics in the park.

In September, Grand Rapids hosted 'Art Prize' which was the largest open air art competition in North America. The prize was $100,000, and the general public voted. 'Nessie' (the loch-ness monster' made it into the top 10 - definately a crowd pleaser!

Twin-vantages from today...

Advantage: learning to climb out of your crib
Twin-vantage: teaching your sister, so you can have a playmate during naptime

Advantage: forcing a rattle into the dogs mouth

Twin-vantage: your sister pinning him down so he can't move

Advantage: throwing apples off the deck (and when you get in trouble, yell "ball!!)
Twin-vantage: your sister runs to pick them up and bring them back for you

Advantage: once mom explains that apples are food, not balls, stack them in the dog kennel and
say 'jack eat'
Twin-vantage: have your sister put them in jack's mouth, so mom doesn't want them back anyways :)

And should I be worried? Francis is gone for the week, and the girls are convinced that the landscaper is daddy... and the meijer guy... and the gas station attendant.... and a little plastic figurine of a fireman :) hmmm...

Things I learned this week

• it IS possible to blow a fuse, a power bar, a treadmill engine and an electrical outlet all in 25 seconds
• I am not an electrician.
• it's also possible to wreck a sewing maching within the same hour
• Nor am I a washing machine repair-person
• blue playdough stains teeth blue
• rice is very tricky to wash out of hair, highchairs, walls, dog fur/AKA never use the washroom at mealtime
• if you burn your fingertips off, it could be adventagious in a bank robbery
• silence does not equal naps - occasionally it means that your daughter is stripping naked, then trying to clean up her own dirty diaper
• and the other one is dismantling the miniblinds
• kids/Sammi can get out of tights, jogging pants, onesies, jeans, and a sweater in less than 7 minutes
• things are always more fun when your sister does them too, so encourage her at all costs
• Sammi can climb out of a pack'n play
• date nights are always interrupted
• doing summersaults off the couch are more fun off the low part (the high part doesn't end well)
• the girls LOVE bible study fellowship, and did very well singing and cleaning up, and loved the leaders
• I have healthy daughters who are learning how to climb and potty train and do a host of new things, and are crazy over each other. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Goodbye

fair car, goodbye... and that's the end of an era, folks!