After Thanksgiving lunch with Andrea's family in KC, we headed to Wichita for Thanksgiving dinner with Frank's family.  It was a wonderful weekend of family!  We saw Carrie's new house (& puppy) and hung out with Lisa & Mike.  Frankie is a little clone of Andrew, loving the drums and really wanting to bring home a pet snake - we can't think of a better young man for him to emulate!  Uncle Mike lovingly took out almost all 75 snakes for Frankie to examine!

With Aunt Carrie's new puppy, Dingo

Aunt Carrie has a pond in her new backyard!

Frankie's idol!

Can I take this one home?

In My Hat - Read by Frankie!

Frankie knew all of his letters this summer and has learned to write them and what sound they make.  The next step, then, was either (A) Learn to read or (B) Apply to Harvard.  We opted for (A)!  Starting with everyone's favorite word family -at! 

It only took him about 10 minutes to get this book and you can tell how proud of himself he is in these videos!

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Cliffhanger 2012

Last year Frank and the boys cheered us on while we did the Cliffhanger 5k.  This year we all go in on the fun!

Frankie crossed the finish line twice because they cheered for him so much the first time!  Both "big kids" got t-shirts and finisher medals!  Lexi's ready to sign up for 2013!

Ready to race!

Costume change #3!

Five hours before trick-or-treating I found the $4 werewolf costume I'd bought for Frank during Walmart's post-Halloween sale last year.  Opps!  Then I dug out the mouse costume I wore when I was 13.  Yes, I'm no taller at 33 than I was at 13!

So, here was costume change #3!

Werewolf, mouse, et al

On Halloween night we let our kids eat as much candy as they want and then the candy mysteriously disappears over the next few days until it's gone.  Henry totally didn't believe I was serious and questioned before each piece!  Of course, all those choices and he still only ate M & M's!

Papa got a kick out of Henry's disbelief

On the 12th day of Halloween . . .

On November 2 we were tired of Halloween.  Our costumes were in a sticky, wadded up mess on the laundry room floor.  We were candied out.  But . . . that's the day that was chosen for Henry's preschool Halloween party (um, why?).

So, we suited him up and did it one more time!

Working hard on a paper plate ghost

His two best buddies - ready to fight villains!

Look at my cookie spider!