Halloween!

We didn't have much of a Halloween, but we didn't want to miss it. The kids only got to trick-or-treat for about 1/2 hour before we had to leave for the airport. But they got a few goodies to take on the trip, and they looked so cute!

Maggie was Annie, Sophie was a Spanish dancer (in honor of Papa & Maki serving in Spain) and Sam being undecided wore his Tae Kwon Do uniform.

Papa & Maki sent Sophie the comb, fan, flower, and earrings from Spain! They were the perfect touch for her costume.Maggie just loves the movie "Annie" and we think she makes a cute little orphan.

Thanksgiving Reader's Theater

I will get to the New York trip, but for now....

Sophie's class had a Thanksgiving Reader's Theater in her classroom. The kids read fun little stories in groups. They all did a great job and Sophie was awesome!

Sophie with the Mayflower pictures. Hers is second one up from the bottom.

Bits and Bytes from the Bay....

Okay, we are getting back on track....we had such a fun time escaping from the smoke and heading up north!

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Friday we went with Brookie, Cambria, and Maya to Half Moon Bay to the Lemos Farm pumpkin patch.

Our friends, the Posners also escaped up north and we got to see them there too! It's always fun to see people you know from home in a different place.

Maya looking cute in a wheelbarrow.

Feeding the ponies.

Posin' cuties

Ellie and Maggie on the hayride.

Stick 'em up!

Little Punkin!

We then went to the patch and each of us picked out a pumpkin. Sam got a good one. It was such a fun day, hanging out with cousins is the best!

On Saturday we had our Daddy all day! We drove down to the little town of Felton near Santa Cruz. We went to the Roaring Camp Railroad where you ride an old steam train in the Redwoods.

We had taken Sam here once when he was obsessed with Thomas trains. He was about 3 and Sophie was 5 months. We loved it then and it was still a great time now.

Trains coming!!

He couldn't scare a fly:).

It was unanimous - mom's going to jail!

Sophie's favorite thing was feeding the ducks. We could not pull her away, she just loves to be with nature.Later we drove to Santa Cruz, went to the Boardwalk, saw sea lions on the pier and had dinner at a fun pizza place downtown. It was a great day.

Update

We are heading out of town! The air quality got worse and worse as the day progressed and is now filled with ashes. We got a call from the school district and they have closed down the schools due to the yucky air. So we are piling in the car in the morning and heading to San Fran! We can't wait to be with Chris and to breathe! Whew! Just say prayers that our house will be here when we get back:).

An Eerie Sight

This is what our sky looked liked this morning looking out over Aliso. The sun is red and the sky is a murky brown. I went outside last night and it was a little spooky too. Black skies and then at least three huge blazing fires burning in the near distance to the south and the east. I felt surrounded by it. We have been a little worried because if a fire hit our neighborhood it would be gone so quick! It's been hard to think about with Chris not being here what I would grab and where to go.

The kids are not allowed to go outside for recess or lunch and we're all going a little stir crazy.
But it looks like for now they are starting to get a handle on things. Our prayers are with everyone with losses.

Sam's a Poet (and we didn't know it)

They had a Reflections contest at the kid's school and Sam's teacher wanted everyone to participate. He wasn't sure what to do because he's not an artist, photographer or choreographer. So I told him to write a poem. The theme was "I can make a difference".... This is what he came up with:

Pollution

By: Sam Roberts

Pollution, Pollution, it’s dumped in our ocean

Pollution, Pollution, it’s released in our air

Pollution, Pollution, it kills all the fish

Pollution, Pollution, nobody cares

I can make a difference by not polluting so much.

I thought it was so sweet and who knew we had an environmentalist on our hands!

Sophie is a Charger!

Sophie is back on the soccer field this year and doing really well! So far their team is undefeated.

The girls chose a cool name for themselves- The Chargers. So when we got to see the team banner we were expecting to see a tough girl kicking the ball hard or something.
You know you live in the O.C. when this is what it means to be a Charger:

Yes, she's holding a charge card and a Macy's bag.