My goodness! Where did the fall go?!

 Once again, I find myself playing catch up.  This fall was a whirlwind, and I know this post doesn't do it justice, but here goes...
School started in August.  It is tough for me to wrap my brain around the fact that I have a third grader.  And a first grader and a preschooler.  Am I a grownup or what?  (At least June still thinks I am a teenager!)

 Alli made an amazing home for her American Girl Doll.  We used a bookshelf that is turned on its side.  Cuteness.

 

Andy's Grandma Norma passes away in September.  We were blessed to be able to see her in July and August when she was still feeling well.  She was a lovely, cheerful woman and she will be missed.

 

I tried to get an early start on our Christmas card.  I took the kids out to the park for pictures on several occasions.  Usually, I ended up with something like this...

  

Or this...

I thought I would be all prepared for Halloween, so I asked the kids well in advance what they wanted to be.  June said she wanted to be a pumpkin.  So I got the costume.  I was going to be Miss Piggy.  About an hour before the Halloween party at the church, June decides she would make a better Miss Piggy... and she did.

I had to scramble for a costume.  I went as Dorothy.  My shoes were shiny, not sparkly, which was a bummer.  And there were two other cuter (and much smaller) Dorothies.

 

On Halloween night, this is how they dressed for trick-or-treating (plus rain coats)...

  

So glad I bought a pumpkin costume.

And suddenly, it was Thanksgiving...

 We had a low-stress Thanksgiving.  Ruby made the centerpiece (a turkey made out of a paper bag).  Andy's sister Betsy and her family came.  We made steaks, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, two game hens, and salad for lunch.  The little hens were so cute.  We weren't going to make turkey, and Alli felt strongly that we needed turkey.  This was the compromise.  Alli was delighted... after all, they were the perfect size for an American Girl doll Thanksgiving.  We had pie and cheesecake for dinner.

And now December is upon us.  There is a new park by our house.  It is great because there are sticks there.  We have been to the park several times.  The girls are working on a project with sticks...

Every time we drive past the park, the girls check to see if their fort is still up.  It is.
Lastly, you should see this girl climb.  Unbelievable.

Oh wait, one more thing...

We got a puppy.  More on Pepper soon!