Yes, I let them

Emma and her friend Ashley played in the mud and dirt for about an hour during Brooke's soccer practice. I was at war with myself about it, but finally decided on letting them. They were FILTHY, but I mean how often do they get to just PLAY like that?

7th Annual Apple Hill Trip

First stop: Abel's Acres,

where we bought some delicious caramel apples. 

Then we made our way to High Hill Ranch to enjoy the pond.

Emma runs down this hill and climbs a tree every time!

We also fed the fish and watched them jump!

I like the kid in the background above-- classic!

We got yummy donuts, per tradition. 

We Made Coasters!

I found this idea of making coasters on Pinterest! We are going to give them to Emma's teachers for Christmas. I am so proud of myself to be accomplishing Christmas stuff already! I'm also having the girls make one each so they can put their cup on it in the morning and have that be their cup for whole day. Less dishes to do! 

I also put cork on the bottom (from a roll of cork at Michael's that I cut into squares) and I sprayed the paper with spray that makes it water resistant (after using Mod Podge, as well). 

Super Kid!

Brooke got to be Super Kid at school! That means she wore the cape bearing that name and had the privilege of bringing home Sharka, the class stuffed animal! 

I had a lovely afternoon/ evening today. Carli had an appointment for a 3D ultrasound of her baby boy (due in 2 months on November 20th!) She invited us to come. Mom and dad picked the girls and I up after school got out and we drove to Lodi to meet Carli and Travis. Let me just say, they didn't have these fancy 3D ultrasounds back in my day-- just regular ones. Lucky young whipper snappers!

We also saw his cute room they painted blue. Then we went out to Applebees for dinner. We skipped both girls' soccer practices and didn't do a stitch of their homework. I felt blissful and free. On the way home, my parents, the girls, and I channel surfed the radio and dad had us try to guess every band/ artist that came on, like he always does. (He knows like every artist ever! I had success with Greenday, the Beach Boys, Aerosmith, Collin Raye, Huey Lewis and the News, and Adele-- but that one didn't count because she's been played on the radio 24/7 for a year.) I missed ones like Foreigner, Jason Aldean, Seals and Crofts, Rod Stewart (duh!) and even the Beatles!-- what a disgrace to humanity!

We also talked about the moon and how it appears like a crescent because the earth is casting a shadow over most of it. The girls were fascinated that the earth moves around the sun, not the opposite, and that some people are on the bottom of the world and gravity keeps us all from floating into space. Then we went to Cold Stone and I came home and watched my new favorite show, Downton Abbey. Afternoons and evenings like this make me long to have Summer back, but at the same time, I can't wait for November 20th to get here faster! I can't wait to see this cutie that will join our family!

Labor Day Temple Trip

 We went to the Temple! It was splendid. 

Thanks Grandma Kari for babysitting! 

Brooke's 6th Birthday Party!

Brooke wanted to have her party at Trick's Gymnastics! She's been to a couple parties there before and she just knew it was the place for her!

There was fun music and lots of running and jumping!

Daddy had a good time, too!

This 3-person swing was probably the favorite!

I made cupcakes and Alan came up with the idea of letting the kids decorate their own! I swear, he's a better mom than I am!

Brooke got lots of presies! Emma bought her this ball and the pink dog with her own money!

Daddy got her the bean bag. 

Afterwards, we went home and watched family videos of when Brooke was born. It was wonderful.
Then we went out to BJ's with Grandma and Grandpa. Brooke pretended the pager was her cell phone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKIE COOKIE!!!