Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween weekend! Starting with a day off school on Friday, the kids went trick-or-treating at dad's office, then our church hosted a Reformation Faire with games and candy for the kids Saturday night (the picture below is Elizabeth helping Christopher fish for candy). Then, Sunday, one of our new neighbors hosted a lunch party and invited us as well a several neighbors and we really enjoyed getting to know a few of our neighbors! John took the kids out tonight for some trick-or-treating to top off the weekend and Elizabeth and Christopher rang the doorbell after being gone only about 15 or 20 min saying "we have enough candy - we're done". Well, probaby true, but not expected - especially from my candy-holic daughter! Everyone's going to bed tired, but happy tonight!

My indian girls and my firefighter!

Long time, no see?

What have we been up to the last 2 months? Well, we moved, had 3 birthdays, an anniversary, and, oh, did I say we moved? Well, here's some pictures of our activities as well as one of the new house, which, by the way, we LOVE!!!

We moved the last week of September (there are still some boxes around, but we are getting settled) and then dove into the craziness that usually defines our Octobers.

Elizabeth had her birthday party with the girls from the Kindergarten class (and a couple of siblings) at Bounce U and had a GREAT time!!!

She actually shared her party with a girl in her class who's birthday is just a couple of days before hers and is also named Elizabeth!

Then we celebrated with family mine, Johns, and Elizabeth's birthdays!

Fun at the local pumpkin patch...

it was a very bright, sunny day! and trick-or-treating at Grandpa Bauer's retirement home.

Carving pumpkins is HARD work!

the finished products!!

A New Year..

It's been a great summer!!! Very busy, very fun, very hot - not alot of pictures taken except for our vacation. School has started here (last week) and for the first time, everyone is enrolled! Katherine started 3rd grade, Elizabeth started Kindergarten, and Christopher started 3-year old preschool and everyone LOVED thier first week! Here are some pictures from their first days. Excuse me for them being so out of order.

Christopher on his first day of preschool! He was excited to have his CARS backpack :)

All three on Christopher's first day, Thursday.

This is Elizabeth's Kindergarten class with their teacher, Mrs. Smith.

Christopher getting down to the business of playing!

Christopher took a turn at feeding the class pet... Janie.

Christopher RUNNING to class!

Katherine...ready to start 3rd grade!

My 3rd grader and Kindergartner :)

A proud Elizabeth on her first day of Kindergarten.

Everyone is adjusting to the routine, including me, and looking forward to a GREAT year!!!

Isle of Palms, SC

We are vacationing in Isle of Palms, SC (just outside Charleston) and LOVING IT!!! Here's some pictures from our tour of Fort Sumter - very interesting history. I can't recount it for you here, you'll just have to trust me. :)

the beautiful downtown Charleston - very interesting that they've kept it so old...no high-rises in this town!!

We are staying on the beach and the kids are having a blast. It's our first "beach" vacation, so I wasn't completely sure how they would do, but they have warmed up to it nicely (although Christopher still does not like to walk in "the white sand" - he likes "the brown sand", though. They could (and have) played for hours and it's been very relaxing.

Missouri Botanical Gardens

Last weekend we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens on a cloudy, but mild, day and just enjoyed being outside. Not much was blooming, but the kids enjoyed running and feeding the coi fish in the Japanese Garden. We also poked our heads into the Orchid Show and got some great pictures of the beautiful flowers! Julie's mom and dad came with us and we had a great time!