Missing Anna

We have been missing Anna quite a bit lately.  And by "missing" I mean that she will be hanging out in the room with us one minute and then you would turn around and she would be gone.  It might be after eating breakfast in the mornings or once she's done with her snack after school or anytime she has a few free minutes.  Want to know where she is?  Here:

I snuck in and took these the other day when I had asked her to go upstairs and get ready for gymnastics.  She is IN LOVE WITH the Little House on the Prairie series.  (Yes, she's reading chapter books in kindergarten. I just hope she continues with stuff like this--I worry about content at her age!) Right now she is reading them for the FOURTH time.  I guess there are much worse things she could want to spend her free time doing.  Our little reader!

Jack-O-Lantern Fun

Cuteness Overload

I found this adorable jacket at a consignment sale probably a year ago and Will dressed him in it for church this past Sunday.  When he came downstairs in it saying, "Mommy, I am handsome!" it was about the cutest thing I have ever seen!  He finally let me get some photos of him wearing it.  When I shared this one on Facebook, Uncle Greg wrote that he would "Back Jack" for mayor.  Ha!  He looks like such a little man!

Go Tar Heels!

We were loving the cool weather for the UNC vs Boston College game! And UNC finally won!!

She was determined to wear the shirt that
Aunt E gave her...even if it was a little big!

Life is rough--chillin' on the corn hole boards with a donut!

Daddy is so proud! Go Tar Heels!

Best Tackler!

At Anna's end of season soccer party, she was awarded "Best Tackler" by her coaches, Coach Julie and Coach Will (aka Daddy).  She loved playing defense and stopping the ball when it ventured toward her team's goal. Toward the end of the season, she got a little more confident on offense and scored two goals!!

For the past few seasons, after the "trophy presentation" and pizza party, we all head to the soccer fields for a parents vs kids game.  This year, since Jack was old enough to hold his own on the kids team, I played on the parents side.  It was fun because all the parents had played soccer before and so we had a good time playing keep away.  When we got in the car to go home, Anna said, "Mommy, I didn't know you could do that!"

A New Swingset!

We finally have mostly grass in our backyard instead of the orange clay pit that it's been since we moved in almost a year ago.  We decided it was time for a swingset!  

It's amazing that in 6+ hours that this...

...can turn into this!

They love it!

Of course it started to rain right before the guys finished installing it.  I couldn't tell the kids no, so we all put on our rain boots and jackets and played on it for the first time in the rain!  I wish I had photos!!

Anna's favorite part is the monkey bars and she has been back and forth a hundred times already, building up that arm strength.  Jack loves the climbing wall and rope and the "noculars" under the tent.

We have logged quite a few hours on it already and it's quite a hit among the neighborhood kids.  Anna was in her element one afternoon when she had three neighborhood kids playing with her and then two more joined in before it was all over.  I see lots of fun times ahead!!

Our Annual Pumpkin Patch Trip

For the past several years, we have made the trip to the pumpkin patch with a preschool class.  I was a little disappointed because neither Anna nor Jack's class went this year.  Oh, well!  We just had to make a trip ourselves!

We have a photo of Anna by this sign every
October of her life.  This makes #7!!

No one wanted to smile...

A meltdown over who gets to pull the wagon.

Busy boy!

I'll just get my own!

She picked out her pumpkins in a jiffy!

This is the "Don't take one more picture
of me!" face.;)

Pretty girl, HUGE pumpkin!

I got it!