Overdue Update

Sorry for the lack of posts! We've battled illness and a lack of interesting photo opportunities lately. Here are a couple highlights from the past couple of weeks... Bennett and Dad got to celebrate Grandpa's birthday with a hike! Ainsley was sick and had to stay home. She was devastated, but has managed to pull through. Also on the hike were aunts, uncles and a cousin! Everyone had a great time!

Bennett, with Uncle B. and Aunt J.

Bennett loved hiking the cliffs! She even carved her name into the side of them, which was totally her kind of fun. It probably seemed very Man Vs. Wild-ish to her.

We had our annual Thanksgiving weekend getaway with Mom's family. We all had a great time, and the girls loved being with Baby Cousin S. so much. What could be more interesting that watching a diaper change!?!?

The girls paid a visit to Santa. Bennett said, "Oh, sure. I'll sit on his lap if it means I get candy!" All she ended up with was a lousy coloring book though. She was a good sport about it, anyway.

Bennett is proud to have aquired the skill of holding S. with no adult assistance. He seemed pleased, if but for a moment.

We did some ice skating again this year. It was Ainsley's first time, and she loved it, although it was a challenge for her. Bennett also loved it, until she had an asthma attack and coughed herself into a major puke show. It was nasty. She did manage to hold off the vomiting until she was off of the ice and into the grass, and once she used her inhaler she was good to go. Oh, the memories we will take with us!

Bennett's Bedroom - Photo of the Week

Many of you know that all sorts of things can been seen in Bennett's bedroom. She is constantly pretending and arranging interesting scenes, the most recent of which is ridiculous. No surprise. Here is the view from the top of Bennett's dresser this morning. We have a vintage, naked baby doll slow-motion punching a plush capuchin monkey, all while two little ponies act as though they've witnessed nothing. I'm not even kidding about this. Bennett herself told me the punch is specifically a slow-motion punch. Why? Why not, I guess. Strange, strange girl we have on our hands.

Halloween Weekend Getaway

We took a trip to visit Uncle B. and Aunt J. for some Halloween fun over the weekend! The men completed some home improvement projects while the ladies headed to an amazing pumpkin patch for the day! Above are two little ladies, posing for a picture at the pumpkin patch. The mums were beautiful!

Cousin M. took part in the festivities with Bennett and Ainsley. Here they are, just getting ready to start their day at the patch! It was chilly, but the sun came out and it ended up being a lovely day.

This pumpkin patch was something else! It featured an automated pumpkin-eating dragon.

Bennett and Ainsley got to do something they love...ride ponies. At first, Bennett declined the offer to pony ride because she said the ponies were too small. What?! She quickly changed her mind, and then proceded to choose the smallest pony to ride. What?!

Ainsley had a blast riding her pony, Jellybean!

The pumpkin patch also offered a Storybook Land. Bennett and Ainsley enjoyed seeing a display for Hansel and Gretal.

We got to take a little train ride together. Ainsley got to ride and visit with Nana!

We also stopped by the pirate area of the pumpkin patch. Ainsley tried out the stockade! What a cute prisoner.

Bennett enjoyed jumping "off the plank" and into some hay!

And finally, a group shot with Nana, Cousin M. Aunt J. and Aunt C. while waiting for launch time at the pumpkin cannon! It was a great day!

Trick-Or-Treat!

Last night Bennett and Ainsley got to do some trick-or-treating. Mother Mary and Cat had a great time! The girls wanted really simple costumes this year and I was more lazy than usual. This combination worked well! They still looked cute!

Bennett and Ainsley got to hang with Cousin S., Mr. Giraffe, for a bit. The poor boy doesn't know what to think of Mother Mary and Cat. Even when the girls are in normal, everyday dress, he isn't sure what to think about their company though. Bennett and Ainsley, however, love him to pieces!

Cousin M. did some trick-or-treating with them as well. She, like Bennett, was a cat...the preschool version. Once again, it appears my girls are thrilled and the little cousin is not so sure. I sense a theme developing. It's a good thing Cousins A. and L. weren't around. Bennett and Ainsley might have had an ill effect on them as well. We better work on our peer relations, Girls!

Nutcracker Wars

We had our cable disconnected last spring, which means that when you turn our television on you see nothing but fuzz. This has been one of the best decisions we've ever made, especially for our kids! They were creative before, but it's been fun to see how much time they spend pretending, reading, and creating instead of vegging out on the couch. Don't get me wrong, tv has it's purpose, and our girls still watch their fair share of videos. But, they spend most of their time doing better stuff. Stuff like... ....Nutcracker Wars!!! Bennett and I have been battling each other. I am the short general and she is the tall general. Our individual soldiers face off for one on one combat, but they usually strike up interesting conversations with one another and walk off the battlefield as buddies. Needless to say, most of our battles end in a tie or non-war, declared by Judge Abe Lincoln Nutcracker. This has been really fun, both for Bennett and me!

Nutcracker Wars take place in the very private room of Bennett. This is a typical doorway confrontation that is seen frequently at our house, war or not. Ainsley and Cousin M. were trying to smooth talk their way in for a peek at the battle, as if the look on Bennett's face, the "Do Not Disturb" doorknob pillow and the "Stay Out" sign weren't clear enough cues. They were not admitted access. But to Bennett's defense, there are many occasions when she is not allowed to play in Ainsley's room with Ainsley and Cousin M. It works both ways, and all parties seem to have accepted it. Two is company, three's a crowd.

Lax Parenting Pays Off

So, Grant and I recognize that we have become too soft in certain areas with child #2. The most noticeable is bedtime. Bennett was always forbidden to leave her bed at night unless it was an emergency. Rarely did she challenge this. With Ainsley it is quite a different story. She regularly gets out of bed, nearly always for a non-emergency, and we let it go. Why? Because she's so sweet and pleasant about it, and she's cute. We know we must remedy this. Anyway, last night, the non-emergency was that her nose was just too stuffy for her to fall asleep. She needed to stay up a little bit to... ...color her Cubbies mask! Right! I should have known that would remedy a stuffy nose. Grant, the softy that he is, went right along with it and the two of them colored away. Another vast contrast between Bennett and Ainsley. Bennett despised Cubbies. Ainsley adores Cubbies.

And, the finished product modeled by a wide awake Ainsley! I'm so glad we could promote a love for Cubbies by failing to be consistent with rules in our home. Way to go, Mom and Dad.

Finally!!!

The past couple of days have brought the kind of fall weather we've been waiting for! Ainsley and Cousin M. ventured out on a neighborhood walk with me today and we took in some of God's beauty! Two little cousins, posing in front of a beautiful tree...one of several we saw.

Another pose in front of a fiery red burning bush.

The girls collected several leaves for a craft projects. These happened to be bright green and yellow.

After our walk, we raked some leaves to create a nice pile for jumping!

The pile was also good for laying down to relax.

Newsflash...leaves are great for tossing as well! Who knew?!?!

"Snow" Way!!!!

We woke up to snow this morning. Seriously. Mom and Dad were not as thrilled as Bennett and Ainsley were, but it was fun to go out and enjoy it for a few minutes. First snowball fight of the season!

Hats, mittens and pajamas!

This is the first picture taken, girls fresh out of bed with jackets and sweatshirts only. They were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues. It didn't take long to realize we needed warmer outerwear.

Last year's mittens and boots with this year's new coat and hat!

'Tis the Season

Ainsley is in the Christmas spirit. It's October, come on! Shouldn't we all be? She has already begun requesting Christmas music, and she is frequently watching Christmas cartoons. Of course, she MUST be dressed as Mary while watching Christmas cartoons, and she MUST have a baby Jesus on her lap. Any guesses who she wants to be for Halloween this year?

A Little Pick-Me-Up

Well, things are kind of dreary and blah around here. Here are a few fun photos to warm your heart on a cold, wet Friday! Bennett recently had the opportunity to go over to play with some fun little neighbor boys. She was so pleased to hang out with them, and she especially enjoyed their "boy" costumes. She chose to wear a teeny tiny Scooby Doo suit. My neighbor said it is a size 18-24 months or something. Bennett obviously didn't mind!

Ainsley continues to blossom as an artist. Today she drew a girl scarecrow using a shape template and some free-hand. Nice job, Ainsley!!!!

Ainsley LOVES tools! Real tools, not plastic toy ones. She enjoys helping her dad with projects and she really likes to change the dead batteries in anything and everything. She does a fine job! Here she can be seen changing the batteries in her sister's camera. Cousin M. is watching and learning.