Fall Fun

We have had so much fun with the kids and their costumes this year.  Claire (with a little help from her mommy) picked out their monkey costumes.  Cale’s costume is a monkey with a banana, and Claire’s is a monkey ballerina.  They are just too cute!

Our first costumed event was the Fall Festival at Church on the Move on Saturday.  We went with Aunt Shannon, Analise (a/k/a Mulan) and Allie (a/k/a Minnie Mouse).

Me and my baby monkey

What a great festival – blue grass music, the smell of kettle corn, crisp cool air, cute kids, lots of candy, shrills of laughter.  It was fantastic!

Climbing on the inflatables

Playing games

Roasting marshmallows

My sleepy monkeys

We had a great time!

Next up was Malloween at Woodland Hills Mall on Tuesday with MiMi and PopPop.

Trick-or-treating

Claire saw this poster in the Sephora window and fell in love with these lips with lipstick.  She really wanted me to take her picture.

My monkeys “monkeying” around

Then on Wednesday night, we went to the carnival at the nursing home where GiGi lives.  Many of the residents who live there gave out candy, so we were able to trick-or-treat too.  Last year there were over 300 kids who attended the carnival at Glennwood.  I haven’t heard the number of attendees at this year’s carnival, but it was packed!  They had lots of games to play – everything from the toilet paper toss to a cake walk to wheel of fortune to a bean bag toss.  They had a haunted house.  And they gave out tons of candy and prizes, raffled a girl’s bicycle and a boy’s bicycle, gave away cotton candy and hot dogs, etc.  Claire loved it!  She came home with a bucket full of toys and candy.

Trick-or-Treating

Cale kept taking his candy out of his bucket and tried to be sneaky, hiding it under his hoodie, while attempting to taste it.

Cale hung out with GiGi while Claire played games at the carnival.

Claire standing in line to play a game (I was holding her very full and very heavy bucket.)  I never got a picture of her playing games, but she was great at them.

A great time was had by all!  Thanks, GiGi, for inviting us to join you.  You threw a great party!

Happy Fall, Ya’ll!  We’re loving it!

Happy Fall, Ya’ll

I love fall, and I love my kids!  What could possibly be better than fall pictures of my adorable kids?  In my opinion – NOTHING!  Enjoy!

I love this series of pictures.

a little lick…

 

Life is good!

An Afternoon With The Jernigans

My grandma’s baby sister, Aunt Vi, came to visit last week.  We had a party at the nursing home where Gram lives.  We had lunch and cake and then gathered around the piano and sang. 

The Jernigans love to sing.  If there’s a piano or keyboard or guitar or anything we can use to make music, we sing when we get together.  I have grown up loving the sing-alongs.  This was the first opportunity my kids have had to enjoy such a treat!  They loved it!

Here are a few pics and videos from the afternoon.

PopPop, MiMi, Claire, Uncle Roy, GiGi, Aunt Vi, Uncle Duie

Two of my most favorite people – Claire and Uncle Roy

Aunt Vi and me

Sisters – My Gram and Aunt Vi

Uncle Duie and PopPop

Claire started off watching Aunt Vi play the piano…

Then she started singing…

Then she started playing the piano with Aunt Vi.  Claire had the best time!

Uncle Duie (GiGi’s brother), Uncle Roy (GiGi’s brother-in-law) and PopPop (GiGi’s son) – Their mouths are open because they’re singing.

We attracted quite the crowd – most of whom knew all of the words to the old hymns.

I had the opportunity to hear and record my grandmother singing.  I haven’t heard her sing in so long.  I love that beautiful soprano voice!  It’s so sweet and so comforting!  I will treasure this video forever.

More singing – I love this!!

I used to the be the little girl who snuggled up in Uncle Roy’s strong, loving arms.  I am so very glad that my little girl is getting to know her Uncle Roy and that she is his “Dandy Girl” too!

And my son is the newest “Hot Dog” in the bunch.  Here’s a pic of his getting some love from Aunt Vi.

My dad also played.  Such a talented family we have!  I hope my kids will learn to play.

After the sing-along, my kids loved “playing” the piano and hanging out with GiGi.

What a perfectly wonderful day!  I am so glad that we live close to GiGi, and that we were here to spend time with Uncle Duie, Uncle Roy and Aunt Vi.  What precious days these are!  I love my wonderful family!  How very blessed I am!