Halloween Festivities

We have made it through Halloween and have more candy than we know what to do with! Because Halloween was on Sunday this year, we decided to try and fit in as many opportunities as we could for the kids to get to dressed-up in their costumes and go trick-or-treating. By the time Halloween did come around we had fit in a special Halloween story time at the library, Halloween day at preschool for Ella and Owen, trick-or-treat at a local county fundraiser, a Ward trunk-or-treat and trick-or-treating at the local supermarket. We were officially over Halloween by Saturday night and the kids did not mind at all that we did not go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood on Sunday evening.

Below are some pictures of the kids in their costumes. Ella had to be Cinderella because in the version of Cinderella we have been reading this year Cinderella's real name is "Ella", but her friends call her Cinderella because of all the cinders she gets on her clothes from cleaning for her stepmother and stepsisters. Chris has been making up stories for the kids at bedtime over the past few months. In those stories Owen is either a Green or Silver Knight and so I made a costume for him that is the reversible so that he could choose to be either. So far the green Knight has been the more popular choice. Owen also decided to be Batman on a couple of occasions. Sam was an "army guy" and Elliott the cutest clown I've seen (not that I'm biased!) - costumes I picked up on sale after Halloween last year!

Ella and Owen's First Day of School

Ella and Owen started preschool yesterday. Sam started school a month ago and so they have anxiously been waiting for their turn. They are in the same class and this year it includes another five children from church (out of a class of 15!) and so they already know about half the class.

Ella was quick to take her younger brother under her wing and show him where to go and what to do. She gets to be one of the big kids in the class this year. The first day went really well. I was a bit worried that it would be too much for Owen, but with the first day over, we're off to a good start.

Sam's First Week at School

Sam started Kindergarten this week. Preschool for Sam and Ella finished at the end of April and so it has been a long summer! Sam has been so excited and practically skipped his way to school. What I wasn't prepared for was that I got a bit teary walking him to school on the first day thinking about how I wouldn't see him all day. Kindergarten here in Georgia is from 8:30am - 3:30pm, 5 days a week.

I asked Sam how school went the first day. He said he loved recess and hated rest time! We are now at the end of the first week and he doesn't even want me to take him to his classroom, just drop him off at the front of the school. I certainly hope his love of school continues for the many years ahead!

It has been quiet at home this week. Sam is my chatterbox and constantly wants to know what we are doing next. Ella and Owen have had a wonderful week playing pirates and fairy princesses together and are quite upset when they have to break away from playtime to go pick-up Sam or run an errand. I'm grateful they get on so well. Ella and Owen will start preschool 4 mornings a week next month. It's certainly going to strange just having Elliott at home in the mornings. Having just one at home is something I never had because I worked up until Ella was born and so since been a stay-at- home-mum I've always had two.

The part I've not enjoyed this week is picking Sam up from school. It has been almost 100oF / 37oC every afternoon. Although the school is a close 5 minute walk away, by the time we've walked up the hill we're all sweating like crazy, red faced and have to come home for an icypole/ popsicle!