Happy Halloween!

Sadie's "happy" pumpkin on the left, Sam's "scary" one on the right

 Ready to go! (I'll spare you the details of the last-minute search for Sam's costume.....the only one left was a size 10-12 Husky....I feel I did quite a good job on the modification!)

 Off trick-or-treating with the neighbors

 Back home to hand out candy

Boo!

Supertwins!

Sam got a pair of Batman pajamas *with a cape* for Christmas last year, which Sadie has been coveting ever since. I had searched all the stores around here for a similar pair so she would stop trying to steal her brother's, but I did not have any luck.

Then this weekend when we were in Cedar Falls I happened upon some Superman ones on the sale rack at Von Maur. I got Sadie a pair, but then later returned (upon Sam's request) for another set so they could match. He quickly declared the two of them "The Supertwins."  They both wore them on the ride home Saturday afternoon/evening and have them on at every opportunity now. Sadie spilled chocolate milk on hers last night and was in tears that they were too wet to get to wear to bed that night.

Happy Sadie Day 2011!

Three years ago today, we had the joy of meeting Sadie. So, today we celebrate Happy Sadie Day!

 We celebrated with dinner out at "the peanut place" (TX Roadhouse - Sadie's choice) followed by some ice cream at home.

 Then we watched the "China movie" of the day we met Sadie and opened up her present, a new doll we bought while we were in China.

Here are pictures from years past.

This is 2010.

This is 2009.

And this is my favorite picture from the day we met in 2008.

The Pumpkin Farm

Another annual tradition is visiting a pumpkin farm near our house. 

(Although, apparently the only year I actually put it up on the blog was 2008.) 

Maybe I'll get inspired later and come back and add in pictures from 2009 and 2010.....

Apple picking 2011

We had our annual apple picking outing with our adoption playgroup a couple weeks ago. 

(Sam wouldn't get in the picture....perhaps too many girls?)

"I can't decide which one is better!"

See pictures from last year here.

Fall fun

Despite the fact that not too many years ago the subdivision we live in was a cornfield, the trees are getting big enough to produce enough leaves for at least one decent-sized pile to jump in.

Sand toys....in the bathtub....of course

I bought the kids these new "poofs" for washing themselves in the tub.

 And what do I find them using to soap up?

Some kind of trowl-type thing from the sandbox.

Super Kicks

Two Wheels!

Motivated by the neighbors boys, the second of whom mastered training-wheel-less riding on Friday, Sam and I spent some time Saturday afternoon taking off his training wheels and learning to ride on two wheels. All it took was about 5 or 6 runs up and down the sidewalk a block or so with me holding on, and he was good to go! From 4 wheels to 2 wheels in about 15 minutes - much faster than I feared it might take!

(Of course we had to take Sadie's training wheels off as well - and she didn't do too badly herself. She might make it before fall is over too!)

Here are a couple videos. You'll have to turn your head sideways - I forgot to tell Joe to hold the camera horizontally when filming and I don't know how to rotate the videos once they are on my computer.