Treat or Treasure?

Jack's preschool had a Trunk or Treat event on the morning of Halloween.  Mimi decided that she wanted to participate by decorating a trunk and handing out candy.  I signed her up and dressed up as part of the pirate crew. 

Our trunk was a hit with the kids and Jack made a quick change from Musketeer to Captain Hook to help hand out candy after he had made his rounds.

Emma was a pirate princess and Daddy made a guest appearance as well.  We surprised Jack by being dressed up as his pirate crew and we are pretty sure he loved it.

Jack and his pirate parents

Daddy Pirate

Mommy and her pirate princess

Pirate Mimi

It was bright and sunny that morning and very windy.  Our "Trunk or Treasure" sign ended up scattered over the parking lot.  In the end I am so happy Mimi was inspired to participate since it was so much fun!

Happy Halloween!

When the time came for the kids to decide what they were going to be for Halloween, there was very little hesitation.  Allison: cowgirl, Jack: musketeer.  Emma: ladybug because we have the costume and she fits in it. 
This is how the conversation went from there:
me: "Jack, a musketeer, are you sure?"
Jack:  "Yes, I need a sword and boots, a bib with a cross on it, but not a pointy cross, a rounded cross."
me: "How about being a pirate?"
Jack: "I want to be a musketeer."

So the time came for me to begin searching pinterest and google for musketeer costumes.  When I came up short and only found tutorials for making my own, I decided to jump in with both feet.  With the help of Mimi and a two hour trip to Joann Fabrics, we came out with a plan.  Armed with fabric, ribbon, and a no-sew plan with heavy dependence on my iron I began my adventure in costume making.  I made Jack's first since his vision was so detailed and had very little wiggle room.  The end product was this:

Musketeer Jack

The hat was at Party City and was the last hat of its kind.  It wasn't even marked with a price.  I was going to buy it no matter what, since it was the perfect hat!  Mimi found the red feather that Jack insisted upon.  Red feather, not any other color, only red.  I have to credit Mimi with the cape as well.  Jack loves "Puss In Boots" and he wears a black cape.  So to add the cherry on top of his Halloween sundae, Jack got a black cape. 

Allison wanted to be a cowgirl with freckles, three on each side.  I have to give my children credit, they know what they want.  All the cowgirl costumes on the retail market are a little to risque for my taste, so with some felt and tassle I went to work.  She wanted a horse that she could ride, but since that is probably violating our HOA bylaws she made do with carrying her stuffed FSU horse, Renegade.

Strike a pose! 

Emma was a little ladybug and she rode in style in the double stroller.  She held a candy bar in each hand for the duration of Trick or Treating.  It was only in the final moments that she discovered that there was something wonderfully tasty inside the wrapping. 

Little Ladybug

Trick or Treat!

Happy First Birthday Emma!

Emma, one year old!

Oh, my sweet baby Emma.  I suppose she is officially a toddler now and I will proceed to mourn the passing of the baby days.  Emma has received the memo that she is no longer a baby.  She took her first steps the week before her birthday and since that moment she has only gotten steadier and faster on her feet.
Her favorite songs are "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Dem Bones".  My little girl born so close to Halloween has a fascination and love for skeletons.  When she turns 16, goes Goth, and dyes her hair black I will have this time to reference to and realize that I saw it coming all along.  As long as she keeps her grades up, follows house rules and stays sweet I will let it slide.  It is in writing, please remind me when I freak out over it all.
Emma is my mischievous child, she cannot stand to see a full basket, drawer or hamper.  She empties them like it is her job. She scatters the contents quickly and efficiently.  I keep modeling the putting of objects back in, but she scampers away to complete her next emptying task.  In order to come into my home you must be adept at sidestepping plastic cookie cutters, bottle lids and measuring cups because she scatters them all over the kitchen floor. 

Birthday cupcake!

With this milestone birthday, Emma has decided that she will be sweet and affectionate.  She now leans in for kisses instead of strong arming you in the cheek when you pucker up in her direction.  She will lay her head down on my shoulder while I am rocking her.  I am soaking it up.  She has even let Daddy rock her to sleep twice since her birthday.  She may be manipulating us, but we are eating it with a spoon and I will take those sweet kisses and that heavy sweet head on my shoulder any time, any day.
She has this one bad habit that freezes me and makes me unable to function.  It is her scream/squeal that would shatter glass if we didn't have double paned storm windows.  It is deafening and I am concerned about her hearing with the frequency, tone and volume that she produces.  It does not matter if she is happy, sad, frustrated or mad, she screams no matter what.  When she has your attention you usually get a wide smile or clearer communication as to why she needs you.  We have been trained to respond, don't judge until you hear it.  You would do anything to avoid the sound too.  I am hopeful that her octave indicates a future as a soprano to rival Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston.  I can dream right, my ear drums have paid their dues. 

6 months old here, looking so innocent!

Emma is in the transition from baby to big girl.  She is independent minded, but still has the fluffy pudginess of babyhood.  She is signing up a storm and will even put two together in a "sentence".  She knows more, milk, please, diaper and eat.  Genius, I know.  She babbles constantly until she is quiet and disappears and we play the game of "Where's Emma?".  It is fun, you usually find her hightailing it into the closest bathroom to empty the toilet paper roll and if you are a few seconds behind her she has eaten a square and shredded another.  Paper is Emma's favorite food group, I have been fishing paper towels, wipes and toilet paper out of her cheeks for several months.  She gets one bite of paper to consume, see above mentioned "scream/squeal".  It is fiber. 

Sand...another favorite.

A timeline of Emma.  My heart hurts looking at how much she has grown.  Infancy is so fleeting.  Her sweet cheeks are my favorite and those marshmallow rolls are just delicious.  

Newborn

3 months

6 months

9 months

One year old!

Is it really December?

I turned around the other day and realized that we are now in the final month of 2012.  The weather is turning cold and Christmas is only a few short weeks away.  I need to complete my Christmas shopping and get the cards in the mail.  The kids are practicing for their holiday performances and our elf, "Peter Piperson" has been keeping a close eye on their behavior.
We have had a fun and eventful fall full of travel and adventures.  Jason and I went on an adult only vacation with our friends the Powells and returned relaxed and rejuvenated.

Next up were visits to the apple orchards and pumpkin patches as we took the opportunity to drive through the changing leaves of the North Georgia Mountains.

The tractor ride and apple picking at Mercier Orchards would have met my expectations of relaxed fall fun with the exception of the swarms of yellow jackets that were seeking the sweet apple juice of the fruit.  Not much could deter Emma from her first tastes of fresh apples though.

 Next up were our adventures to the pumpkin patch.  With our Halloween shirts donned we set off to achieve two goals.  1. To buy the biggest most beautiful pumpkin  2. To get pictures of my adorable pumpkins in the sea of orange.

Family picture at the patch

A year ago I sat on a pumpkin with my belly large and round and full of baby Emma.  It is amazing and humbling to think of all the difference a year can make!

Mimi and her pumpkins

On to another tractor ride!  We bumped through the sunflower fields and over a stream through the woods of Burt's Farm.  The kids loved it!

My sweet little man

Mimi and Allison