Birthdays part 1

Yes, I've been behind on the blog. Life gets so busy. January rolled around and we suddenly found ourselves with a three year old! She's sassy, sweet, stubborn, opinionated, independent, lovely, and three! Here are a few pictures of birthday celebrations at school and with family and friends from January. Tomorrow we celebrate Maggie's 8th birthday. Where does the time go?

The Elf

When Maggie was about 3 years old, we caved in to the pressures of elf culture and got an "Elf on the Shelf." We read the book and Maggie named her elf, "Boots" (in honor of Dora's best friend, Boots, the monkey.) We've been very pleased at the fact that our elf is low maintenance. While other friends' elves are trashing their homes and terrorizing toys, ours has been wonderful. He has never caused ANY trouble. You can't touch him b/c he would lose his magic, and he simply hides in a new spot each day. But then when Maggie learned to write, she decided to start writing him letters. And Boots actually wrote back, and then our little Elf was not so low maintenance.

And then this year, Boots returned and did this:

Boots got married on his break AND they adopted two elf girls! They are in training so you can actually play with them and they are learning to share. So the girls will need to teach them about that. And, there is just no telling what kinds of shenanigans these elves might get into, since they are young and in training. Thankfully, so far, it's been very calm. 

Maggie (and Lucie agreed) named them Mitsy and Ivy. Maggie is enamored with these elves, and Lucie is meh. The morning Maggie discovered the extended "family," she ran into Lucie's room to show her, and Lucie's response: "Maggie, I'm sleeping right now." And then later, "Maggie, did Daddy buy those at the store?" 

The reality is that it all goes by way too fast. These girls are growing and one day the magical delight will fade. So far now, we welcome Boots and his family and all the Elf drama (or not) this season may bring.

When They Won't Look at the Camera

I take pictures anyway. Maggie was convinced she saw a shark (in the lake).

 Maggie holding Lucie who is now afraid that there is a shark in the lake.

Playing in the Park

This fall has been crazy with activities almost every night and every week-end. The first week-end of November, we discovered that we had a free Saturday. So we packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed a beautiful fall day outside at a park and by the lake. I grabbed my camera at the last minute, and I'm so glad that I did! The girls actually smiled for the camera until we got to the lake, and then they refused to look at the camera.

Halloween

For several weeks, Lucie decided that she wanted to dress up as a water slide. And then she changed her mind to Yo Gabba, Gabba's DJ. Lance. And then she changed her mind to Spider Man. And then...you get the picture. We settled for 2nd choice. Maggie was a 20s flapper girl. The girls enjoyed  a Halloween Parade at their school and then later that night trick or treating.

Pumpkin Farm

Lucie and I (her mom) went to the pumpkin farm with Lucie's class. It was (what I imagine Peppa the Pig's Parents would say, off camera of course,) bloody cold. It was colder than cold and Lucie did not want to wear her gloves until the very end of the trip. Despite the cold, she had a great time racing the horsey stick, petting and looking at the animals, playing hoop the pumpkin, sliding, swinging, and going on a hay ride. We were supposed to have a picnic lunch, but we ditched that and ate it in the heated car instead.