Gymnastics

At the start of our homeschool year I didn't want to have extracurricular activities during the day because I wasn't sure how everything was going to play out. It has been going well, especially since we cut back a lot and I decided LittleL.G. needed an activity outside of the library playgroup (which she doesn't really care for) and I knew she would love gymnastics.

Even though MiniM.E. has dance Monday evenings and ice skating Saturday, there is a homeschool gymnastics class right before the two year old class and after a week of observing, MiniM.E. really wanted to try it out, so both girls now do gymnastics Thursdays.

I am amazed at what MiniM.E. is doing in her gymnastics class.

And LittleL.G. could not be more adorable doing the tiny obstacle course.

Squeezing in Some Outside Time

With the time change came much less sleep (hello, 4am) and a need to get outside in the afternoon before it gets dark.

Since the weather was nice today, we decided to go to a playground after nap before heading to work to pick up Daddy, whose car is in the shop.

It was so nice to be outside. And hopefully it will help get the kids back on schedule so I can sleep until at least 5...

A Fun Fall Weekend in NH

We took a quick trip to NH over the weekend to see Gram and Grumpy and take part in some fall-y NH fun.

Saturday we drove to the Anheuser Busch Brewery in Merrimack because it was Clydesdale Day. We were able to get our photo taken with a Clydesdale and we even got to pet it! There were a few others to see in the stable and many were running about in a field. They are huge!

Since we were there, we figured we would also take a brewery tour. Daddy was probably the most excited about the tour, but both the girls seemed to have a good time as well.

Sunday we had big plans to visit Pat's Peak for their annual Oktoberfest celebration but the girls had been looking forward to the fun things at Gram and Grumpy's house, like the zip line and the trampoline and the big pile of leaves Grumpy made and they would have been disappointed not to get to play outside at all, so we decided to have a relaxing Sunday instead.

Halloween: Take 2

Today was Saratoga's Fall Festival.  MiniM.E. looks forward to the fall festival almost as much as trick-or-treating solely because of pumpkin rolling down Caroline Street.  All through the rest of the year, whenever we walk past Caroline Street MiniM.E. reminds me that this is where we do pumpkin rolling.

2013

2014

2015

The cold weather stuck around for today and we started our morning by walking around downtown in a downpour, but that didn't sour the girls' moods. There were lots of stores handing out candy and, of course, we were some of the first lined up for pumpkin rolling.

One more day of Halloween Festivities left.  Let's hope the weather holds out!!

Making a Snowman and Carving a Pumpkin on the Same Day!

When we woke up this morning I expected most of the snow to be gone because it was supposed to have rained most of the night, but all the snow was still there.  MiniM.E. hurried through school so that we could go out and play before all the snow melted.

Much to the girls' delight, since it was so warm, the snow was sticky enough to be snowman snow. Last winter every time it snowed all MiniM.E. wanted to do was make a snowman, but the snow was always too cold and dry.

The girls made this awesome snowman with a little help from mom to roll and carry the heavy balls.

This evening we had a pumpkin carving extravaganza in the kitchen.  Both the girls drew the faces on their pumpkins.  I had to cut out LittleL.G.'s for her.  MiniM.E. tried her hand at the knife, but she always wants the BIG pumpkins with the thick flesh and it was even hard for ME to carve out her design.

I am in LOVE with these pumpkins. So cute. And very scary!

Snow!?!?!

If I thought it was cold last weekend trick-or-treating or Tuesday at Ellms', I guess I didn't realize what was coming our direction today...

This is what MiniM.E. ate for dessert at lunchtime:

And by the time LittleL.G. woke up from her nap and saw snow on the ground, we had to go out and play right away.

The girls had a blast out in the snow and couldn't have been more excited that it was still snowing when they went to bed. I'm not sure I'm ready for snow... 

A Chilly Ellms' Trip

Today we were invited to a playgroup field trip to Ellms'. Since I've only been once with the girls this year and since field trips are much cheaper than paying the daily admission, we decided to go, even though it looked like it might be a bit cold and windy.

A bit cold and windy might have been an understatement.  It was FREEZING.  Still, the girls are tough and braved it for a few hours of MooMoo ChooChoo, zip lining, rollercoasters and a hayride to the pumpkin patch.  I think I was the biggest wuss and didn't even want to take my hands out of my pockets to take photos.  Even though we were cold, we made it to the cider and donuts.  By that time, though, everyone's fingers were numb and lips were purple and even though we didn't get to do everything, it was time to go home.

See you next year, Ellms'.