Last week we raked up the "worlds biggest pile of leaves". The kids in true
Tasmanian devil form were very quick to "redistribute" them around the yard!
Kinda forgot to post
Halloween pictures. So, for those of you who don't have a little girl, Halloween is really just an excuse to get another princess costume. So, for the 3rd year in a row, Ava went as a pretty princess. Eli is a dragon. He insisted trick-or-treating in dragon speak.
RRRRRAAWWWRRR he would growl at each door, startling old ladies and scaring small children. Darling aren't they?
So....on Saturday we had a joint birthday party for my birthday kiddos...Because I only have to have one birthday party a year, I try to make it good! The kids are enthralled by snakes right now and begged for a snake-themed birthday party. I combed websites, newspapers, and picked my friends' brains to come up with ideas....
Ok, so the yellow python that may or may not have slight facial
deformities was not my plan A...not really my plan B either. But, through a combination of unfortunate events, this is what we ended up with. Thankfully my kids aren't too harsh of critics!
Anything with candles and frosting is okay in their book! Whew...praying Ava doesn't ask for a Hannah Montana cake next year....
So, I found the MOST AMAZING entertainment for my group of 3-7 year
olds. This guy brought 7 snakes, a baby alligator, a funny bird, rabbit, albino skunk, sticky frog, and lizard for the kids to play with. And I do mean play with! Yes that is my daughter
convincing my step-mom to hold a little snake...and she did!
I just adored the little
crocodile (or maybe alligator?) that would let you hold him on his back like a baby!
Ava, Aunt Ellen, and one of the snakes!
Daddy helps Eli keep his hands on a bull python. That was Eli's favorite animal!
Grammy sits behind Ava to learn about some of the snakes.
Karyn and I not to freak out when one kid drops the big black rat snake on my garage floor. It was amazing how good all of the animals were with the kids. No one got bitten, but the bird did leave a nasty gift on my garage floor...
This guy was hysterical. If he thought he was being left out, he would hop up and down on his perch yelling HELLO HELLO PRETTY BIRD PRETTY BIRD!
So creepy!
I wanted to steal this little guy...so cute!
All of the kids with
their eyes on the snakes!
Ava's favorite animal turned out to be the bunny...but Eli loved the ball python! Don't get any ideas little man!
Sweet Ava with her favorite snake. Happy Birthday Babies! I can't believe how old you are...seems like just the other day we were having our "one is fun" parties...sniff....sniff....
One of the benefits of living in the country. Gorgeous sunsets just about every night.
Ava - ever the expert climber - has a resting place in this tree. It is so perfect for her that she can practially take naps up there. But on this particular night she seemed content to enjoy the sunset as well.
We have had an Indian Summer this week. And so we had a last fire outside. Marshmellows eaten and yet the sugared up kids managed to stay relatively calm. Except all the stick throwing. Oh well ...
Here is the picture of their art area before the paint was flung. I would be lying if I said I was completely confident that it would work without a hitch. And yet it did. Yeah :)
This is Eli's masterpiece. He calls it his rocket. As he finished it, he declared (and I quote) "Oh this is SO AWESOME!" On the abstract art market I'm sure it would fetch a large prize. And as for the rocket ... I see it Little Man. Oh yes, I see it.
And here is Ava's masterpiece. It has everything she thinks is important. A T-Rex, flowers and a sunrise, and love. Well done sweetie.
Note the detail on the T-rex. Monet would be proud.
