Oh, the joy of a season's first snow! Bennett and Ainsley were thrilled to see snow falling as we walked out the door on our way to school this morning!
Both girls enjoyed the flakes on their little cheeks and they also tried to eat a few!
Bennett is advancing from exteriors to interiors of homes. Here is the interior view of a dancer's home. She is getting ready to go to her dance lesson, I'm told. I personally enjoy the sun shining in through the window and the pet door featured in one of the doors. I also like how the picture on the wall is hung by a tack-like fixture. Fine illustration, Bennett!
On Sunday, what better to do than to stare out the window for a long period of time at a group of teenagers attempting to start and teeny, tiny motorcycle!? Bennett was quite intrigued by these happenings outside our home. As she watched she told me that the scenario playing out in the street was "as good as watching a t.v. show!" Funny thing is, the hooligans never did get that crazy little motorcycle to run! We did have a meaty talk about teenagers, their behaviors and such while we watched them yank and yank and yank the pull to start the motorcycle. Bennett told me that if she had two phrases to describe teenagers they would be "crazy" and "double crazy." Oh, the wisdom she as already achieved at her young age!
Finally, we spent Sunday evening as a family watching a PBS documentary on a pair of orphaned cheetahs. It was a very interesting show for both parents and children. Here the girls are lounging with me during the show. Not only did we learn some things about cheetahs, we learned some things about Bennett. She apparently LOVES African sunsets, and she will NEVER eat the back end of a gazelle, as a cheetah would. Interesting. I'm glad to learn that.
Here is a photo taken a couple of weeks ago. It captures the debut performance of a local band new to the music scene. To quote Bennett, these four "rocked the night off" in our living room while in the care of their fathers. (The mothers were off enjoying coffee, as well as the peace and quiet.) The dads did a good job of tolerating the "music." Fun times.
Ainsley loves babies. I cannot even describe to you how deeply she loves them. Given this, today was a dream come true for her. She got to hang out with a sweet, little baby friend of ours over lunch. She was so thrilled. He was indifferent. She didn't mind. She was living a dream!
Bright and early this morning, Bennett requested that I come quickly to her room. She wanted me to see something. This is what she wanted me to see...her real-looking, fake pets posed with her American Girl dolls and herself. She asked if I would please take her family's picture. Of course! 
We had our first geocaching experience early this week. It was great fun on a crisp, fall morning. We had some expert geocachers with us, so that made for an educational and successful time of treasure hunting. Above, Bennett had just spotted our first cache in some bushes.
Here, "The Expert" is helping Bennett open the cache so she can see the little log book inside.
You may not have known this, but taking four children geocaching often results in good times that do not involve geocaching whatsoever, such as pine cone collecting.
We enjoyed an Sunday afternoon hike at an awesome recreation area over the weekend. A variety of leaves, twigs, acorns and such were gathered, as well as numerous bottle caps for Bennett's beloved collection.
We had a great time being outdoors at home today. Bennett and Ainsley spent a great deal of time playing Bottle Cap Blast-Off with me. We made a lever out of a few shims Dad found in the garage. Then we launched members of Bennett's cherished bottle cap collection in the driveway. It was great fun! Here is Bennett with the lever...
Here are Bennett and Ainsley, attempting to catch some launched bottle caps. You can't see the caps because I am so good at launching them...they were quite high in the air.
After we finished with the bottle caps, the girls enjoyed their brush pile "fort-cage." They always enjoy a good brush pile. They'll be sad when Dad hauls it off to
