Pumpkin Fest

This past weekend we had one of our favorite families come visit us, the Sochockis. This is their second visit here so when their three kids came to our house, I could tell they felt comfortable and ready to play. The girls screamed with delight to see each other and the boys jumped around with joy.

 It was fun to watch them all play together.

Aiden and Matthew relaxing

Ella, Amanda and Laney quickly made it a tickle fest.

On Friday night, we had the Pumpkinfest at Terrace Park Elementary.

This is a yearly festival that has gone on since I was a kid (so like, um, forever).

This year was slightly different due to the construction of the new school so part of the activities were outside. Luckily the weather cooperated.

We did the cake walk first and we definitely had our plan carved out. I had been telling Ella about the cake walk and how fun it is because you can win a big, huge cake. Since there were 6 kids in our group and 15 numbers, our odds were pretty good at winning. Low and behold, Ella, the most excited about the cake walk, won the cake. There were about 70 cakes to choose from (no joke!) and she chose this one. She wanted a much bigger but one but given my lack of self control relating to sweets, I asked her to get a smaller one. She liked this pumpkin, and it was tasty!

Yay to cake!

After the cake walk, we headed inside for the games.

It is always a mad house in here but luckily we made it out of their quickly with our plethora of pringles chips, candy, suckers, erasers, whistles, etc.

Ella S throwing the ball. She won!

Laney always calls Ella S, Ella Sochocki, not just Ella.

It was a riot to hear the girls in the middle of the night chit chatting and Laney saying, Ella Sochocki wants to go home. Ella ended up falling right to sleep after this chit chatting and not needing to head to the hotel her parents were at :)

Of course the girls wanted their hair painted!

Look at Aiden...too cute!

Funny story: So we walked by the prizes you could win at this game and there were these annoying whistles.  I said, under my breathe, I am glad we don't have one of those. I should have known there were little ears around. Laney then said, "Mom, I am going to win one of those." In order to win, you had to get 4 of the 6 bean bags in the pumpkin's mouth. 

Little stinker Laney got 5 of the 6 in so an annoying whistle came home with us.

Thanks for coming, Sochocki family!

Can't wait to see you over Christmas break :)

Another attempt at a family picture and no worries, before you ask, Matthew did not hurt his forehead. Although a bad Nelly impersonation, he loves to wear bandaids!

Thanks for coming!!!

Romney who?

So earlier this week a friend of mine told me to be on the lookout for Romney. I said, what is this Romney that you speak of? Ok, yes I know who Mitt Romney is, but in the context of Romney being in our one stop light town, I was confused.

After going to the gym, I had to run something over to a friend's house. Ella and Laney were at school so it was just Matthew and myself. I immediately saw all of the health care signs, all of the cameras and so much security; I realized that Mitt Romney was in town. My friend's comment finally hit me! Blonde much?

So I turned down the sidestreet and found myself a parking spot. Everybody was dressed for work in their suits and ties and there was me, hair a mess from the gym, in my workout gear. I owned it though baby! I figured I represented the true American.

Right as we got there, Mitt was headed inside. Yes, we are on a first named basis. But before he ran in, I saw my friend Susie with her arm around him getting her picture taken. I asked myself, "What did Susie do to know him so well?" I later found out that her mom owns the building he was speaking at so she got first dibs at a picture.

Since I had Matthew with me and I figured every presidential hopeful likes to have his picture taken with a kid, Susie thought that I should stand by the door when Gov. Romney would come out from after his giving his speech. I hung around the door (looking amazing I might add) and when he came down the steps, he saw Matthew and said, "Let's get a picture."

Matthew and I were waiting for the Gov to come back outside. 

Notice how everybody else is dressed? No worries though, I was decked out in AdvoCare gear :)

Matthew kept throwing these bouncy balls around and they would land in the bushes you see in the front of the picture. The camera men were so nice to jump in and get them for me a few times. Of course I figured there was no need for them to do that...I already looked like I needed a shower!

My friend Susie is right next to Gov Romney.

They are now pals.

Oh the serious security.

Our high crime of TP baby!

So here is the picture.

Gov Romney came out of the building and there we were.

Matthew was not so sure about the cameras infront of us but I figured I would work my angle.

That's it folks....straight to the white house we go!

Time with Grandpa Mike

J was able to catch these really cute pictures of Grandpa Mike and Matthew at one of Laney's soccer games. Even Ella snuck in a few cute ones too :)

Kings Island

Last weekend we went to Kings Island with my best friend from high school, Karen, and her family. The Pirks live one exit down from Kings Island and have had passes for a few years. Their location is great! Although I wasn't sure if we should get passes or not, Karen encouraged me to and I am so glad she did. Although our passes aren't until 2012, when you buy it now, it includes one fall visit. We were there for over 4 hours and only made it through about 1/2 of the kids area--we didn't even make it to the "real" Kings Island. I can't wait to be able to go here more often as I haven't been in years! I am still quite a wimp when it comes to roller coasters but our kids love any kind of ride (which makes me laugh). Ella loved going on the beastie!!! She definitely gets that adventure from J!

But what did they want to do first?

Get their aggression out at bumper cars!

Look how happy Laney is to get her sister.

Then the girls and Hayden wanted to go on the airplanes.
While we were in line, Ella was excited to "drive" it but as we got near the front, she started to get a little nervous. Will I fall out? Will the plane fall down?
Once it was her turn, she ran to the plane and was ready to go :)

Laney loved sitting in the back and luckily there were no fits over who sat where.

Matthew chose the train next and Laney was happy to ride with us.
I thought it was funny there was a sign that said if you have back or neck problems, you shouldn't ride this. But after riding it, I can see why it says this.
Each ride should come with a free visit to the chiropractor. Very jerky!

As we were riding the train, Ella, Hayden and Brennan wanted to ride the lady bug ride.
You sit in small cars and it takes you around in a big circle. But as you go around the corner, it whips you around. The kids loved it! I just saw more chiropractor visits :)

I just love this picture.
Ella: check out those veins on her neck. Could she be any happier?
Hayden: The more cautious of the Pirk kids looks like he is ready to get off
Brennan: The more adventurous one looks like he is enamored by Ella. Too cute!

This weekend was part of the Halloween fest.
Kids could wear their costumes (we opted not to as I would like to say it was because we left right after church but basically because we hadn't finished ours yet).


There was a really cute haunted house (like the one in the Indy Children's Museum where it's not scary and you just get toys). The kids loved the teeth.

But Laney liked herself without the teeth better.

What Halloween party is complete without a bubble pit. Ella was the only kid in our group who loved this and she just kept running in and out. Bubble after bubble.

Next to the bubble maker was a dance floor where Matthew and I shook our grove thing.
He is becoming such a funny little man.

While waiting for the big train ride, I attempted to get a picture of the kids.
This is what I got.

And then the posing started.

Karen, Scott, baby Clay,  Hayden, Brennen and Karen's niece, Anna

All Aboard!

It was such a beautiful day for Halloween at KI.

I can't wait for many more visits to KI and

also to see what else there is other than the kids' area :)

Let's play soccer!

Before we moved to Terrace Park, my dad saw there were sign ups for TPRC soccer. Both girls were so excited to play soccer so we jumped on that. Laney was in the instructional 4s where they practiced once a week and had one game on Saturday mornings.

Ella was in the U8s where there are 2 practices a week and usually 2 games a weekend. The 1 game weekends were a breeze.

 

Laney and coach Tom getting ready for the game

 Laney's first breakaway, and she was off to score a goal. Yay!

 Coach Corey having a heart to heart :)

He later told me he complimented her on her fancy footwork.

 She scored at least one goal a game but never fear, every game except the last two involved tears usually half the time. There was even a game when I was out there running with her so she wouldn't cry. But by the last two games, she was having a blast!

 Now why didn't Ella see Laney score that goal? 

Oh, she was on a huge dirt pile on the baseball field.

She is the one way on top :)

And what was Matthew doing while Laney scored?

Eating...shocker, right?

I love this picture.
Although she is nowhere near the ball,
she has a huge smile on her face as she skips around the field :)

 Go, Laney, Go

 

Goal!

Laney and the part of her team that wasn't crying :)

Who knows what the score really was but it was a great season!

Through the many tears, the tackles, the cries, the yells, the laughter, the fun,

it was a GREAT first season of soccer for our little Laney!

 Then we were off to Ella's game.

Laney is definitely more of the aggressor and one who wants to score where as Ella just likes to run around. Whenever she touches the ball, we all get excited but usually there is more running around in circles then actually kicking the ball.

 But here is a great one of her going after it

 She runs, runs, runs and then when she gets to the ball she stops and looks around.

It is so cute but also so frustrating!

Lots of running. I wonder how many calories she burns?

Ella and her soccer team.

What a great first season of soccer, Ella!