Happy Halloween!

For many reasons, we opted not to participate in the many extra Halloween activities on base...just trick-or-treating. Emma had a storybook parade and party at school that I got to help with. I helped with the cookie decorating table...which is perfect because we usually decorate Halloween cookies, but again, we didn’t this year. So I was glad she got to and that I got to enjoy it. They also made slime, pumpkin books, and mummy candle jars. 

After school we came home and talked to Daddy, and made jack-o-lantern naan bread pizza and watched cooking shows. Then we went out for trick-or-treating. After about 45 minutes she asked me to hold her basket, which I declined. 😏 Not long after she decided she was tired, and wanted to go home. (I think she just wanted to eat the Cheetos she got.) She seemed content with her bucket, and knew she was getting tired....pretty good decision making for a little girl. Anyway, she ate her Cheetos and shared candy with me and Papa Mike, and went to bed. A very nice, simple Halloween.

Emma’s teacher was Ms. Frizzle

We loved Clifford’s hammerhead shark costume that his mom made.

They carried their boos that went with their costumes and played music.

Decorating cookies!

Surgar rush! She gave them a long recess afterwards.

Emma’s class.

Mummy candle

She decorated it with stickers she got in the mail.

Making her jack-o-lantern pizza.

Headed out for trick-or-treating!

She was pretty much done at this point, wanted to go through her candy and talk to her friend, Ava. I told her she couldn’t eat any until we got home. 

Fun afternoon

After Emma came home from school today, she and I went for a bike ride. We took Delilah back to her house, and stopped at chapel to go potty...and FaceTime with Daddy. Seriously, we are studying patience this week. And I have discovered that riding bikes with a 5 year old works out my patience more than my body. 😏 

After we got home she helped Papa Mike clean our lawnmower that had been sitting partially covered outside since we moved here. We have never used it here. He pulled it out to clean it earlier today and one of the landscaping guys  saw him and asked if he could buy it. We didn’t even know if it worked, but I sold it and he said he would pick it up tomorrow. So after putting a little gas in it...it started! I was shocked. I still am. It says “guaranteed to start,” and it sure did! 

And after that...we went into town for a couple of errands....and stopped by BWW for dinner to watch the Chiefs. It didn’t dawn on me how long that would take, so it ended up being a late night. I suppose we will need naps before trick-or-treating tomorrow. 

She parked her bike a chapel. 

The only way we got home is by me telling her, “you’re beating me!”

Helping Papa Mike.

She had a whole story about only having pillows, blankets and toys in her truck. She was in Texas driving to Louisiana...which had places to eat and something else, I can’t remember. She has a good imagination.

She wanted to try. She kept wanting me to start it, even though she had to close her ears because it was loud. 

Last Beale Meal Blitz

Today was my last Beale Meal Blitz...it is something the Protestant community does once a quarter. We pack lasagna, salads, rolls, cookies, etc. and deliver the meals to those on base who work on Sundays. It is a lot of work. And well...we are still working out the kinks. This was my last one, at least in charge of it. It’s a big relief to have it done. Emma and I delivered meals to the fire station...which made her miss Daddy and be sad until we called him two hours later. Lately everything is making her miss him...she saw a lizard and she missed him, etc. A year is a long time when you are 5...or 32. But we called him and chatted, we are so thankful for technology!!! 

Hairnet buddies! Emma was dying to wear a hairnet. 

Busy...but hopefully not for long

This week was busy! They all seem to be like that. I am learning that I need to say no more often. There are so many things to do here! Wednesday we decided not to go to Awana, but we did walk to Ms. Holly’s house after school and stop by the FD thing at the park to play. We got home around 5:30, and Emma was so tired she didn’t even want to eat dinner. She slept 12.5 hours that night...and seemed to have a very good day the next day. Which is when I realized we just need to be home more and get more rest. Sleep is good, and I think we just need to stop doing so much while we adjust to school...which has proved to be more difficult than I thought. I turned in my resignation at work and I will be done at the end of November. That will give me more time, less to do and more flexibility in our schedule. I’m looking forward to it. 

Emma told me she wasn’t afraid of Sparky any more, that she touched his glove at school....

But apparently we aren’t quite there yet. I even had Riley help her, but I think she was already tired.

She got good sleep that night!

It was spirit week at school, and this day was Superhero day. 

(I didn’t realize her eyes were closed, but this is the only one I got.)We made pumpkin cinnamon rolls today. A LOT of work, I did not think that I would ever want to make them again...but they were really good. Maybe just for special occasions.

She loves having Papa Mike around to play!

I thought they were going to look weird, but they didn’t. And they were yummy!

Papa Mike fixed my bike, so Emma and I went for a bike ride. I don’t think I’ve ridden since we have been here, so this was the first time Emma got to see me ride.  I think it was good for her, and she even went down hill! We were gone for a while and were very tired when we got back. 

 

We stopped by school and to see Delilah.

Fall

We are glad fall is here! Although it was 85 here today. So it kind feels like summer with leaves on the ground. But it’s better than freezing! The kids at school enjoyed playing in the leaves that have fallen from the trees...until they put a sign up saying not to play in them. (Seriously who puts a pile of leaves right outside kindergarten and just leaves it there to torture the kids?) But they had fun while it lasted.

Birthday fun

Today was my birthday. I didn’t take a lot of pictures, but I have a few. Papa Mike drove me to my eye appointment, took me out for lunch and then to Maurice’s for shopping. Then we can home and went back out to Olive Garden for dinner...with a Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. YUM. We also Skyped with Daddy and all our Grandmas and Grandpas. It was a good day. I especially liked not having to drive, and after a nap on the drive and a full belly, Emma seemed like her normal self. (Not crazy tired and melting down) She even listened at bedtime (mostly), which is a present in and of itself lately. A very good day.

My birthday surprise from Emma: a salad of grapes, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Girl was excited to celebrate my birthday! She led everyone in singing and kept making me cards and getting me ‘presents’ of things I already had. 

What is left of my pumpkin pecan cheesecake. Bottom layer pecan pie, top layer pumpkin cheesecake...otherwise known as heaven.

Picture taken by Grandma Connie on Skype, at the request of Emma. Happy birthday headband was given to me by a friend.