A girl moved in to the ward with her family over the summer and she ended up in Afton's first grade class. They became great friends, but then Marie moved back to Texas in November. We had a few playdates before she left.
Afton had her class' stuffed animal for the weekend. Of course we forgot to take it anywhere, but I'm sure Felix didn't mind.
The entries from students before her included outings to soccer games, church, the grocery store, etc.
We took advantage of a beautiful Sunday afternoon and went walking along the river.
We had parent-teacher conferences. It's a lot trickier with kids in two schools! Both got glowing reviews. Here's one of Sam's assignments I found hanging up in the hallway.
After conferences, the kids and I drove over to Mom and Dad's to hang out since the kids didn't have school that day or the next (Election Day). Eli discovered the wonder of Rock Rainbow Bridge.
The weather was gorgeous so we decided to go to Skyline Drive. Mom waited in the car while the kids and I did a fairly quick hike to Dark Hollow Falls. Most of the trees had lost their leaves by that point, but it was a good length and fairly quick, although Eli did NOT want to be held which slowed us down a ton.
We went back to my parents' house for a while and then drove home just in time for dinner and then I was out the door to vote. I thought if I went late enough, the line wouldn't be very long, but I ended up waiting in pretty cold weather for about 45 minutes. Here was my view once I was in the door, which took about 30 minutes to get to!
Dan went earlier in the day and he also had to wait a long time. There was another polling place literally next door with NO line, but since it wasn't our assigned polling place, none of us could go there. Lame.
Sam found out his bus driver's favorite candy is Snickers, so each day after Halloween he brought her a snickers until his stash ran out.
The big kids' Christmas wish lists.
I got a Halloween funfetti cake mix on sale and promised the kids we would use it. There's always a good reason for cake!
Dan bought me a new pad for camping since I had such a terrible night's sleep when we went in October. The boys had to try it out.
I see this car all over the place and every time I think to myself, "Really??? Do you REALLY love Canada Geese?" Because I think you're the only one.
Our maples were rockin'.
Afton dressed up as a "baby nurse" for career day at school.
In these glasses, Eli bears a striking resemblance to this Robin Hood character.
We went to the temple and stopped at Great Falls State Park on the way home. It was super crowded that day (the weather was beautiful) so we didn't get to stay long since the line to get in took forever, but it was pretty to see.
Below Sam is waving at some kayakers. Or the people on the Maryland side... Not sure.
We weren't very good this year about remembering every night to add a leaf to the tree, but Afton wrote a ton in the last few days. Here's a smattering of hers and Sam's.
Afton: I love Sam and Eli, Mrs. Remme (her teacher), light, moves (movies), ulachrisity (electricity - she put that twice), family, time, blake (I thought that must be a boy from school but she meant "black" - her favorite color), love, lots of fun, BFFs (she wrote that when her friend Marie was here), (Marie wrote one that said BFFs, also. Tender.) numbers, ABCs, whit (white), love you, candy, mom and dad, ice cream, natr (nature), hog wortes (Hogwarts), har (hair), all of the leafs (leaves), everything, everyone.
Dan grew a beard while on his Mt. Rainier vacation and he kept it for a while.
I thought I smelled something burning in the kids' bathroom and realized it was the light. It has looked like this the whole time we've lived here with no problems, but we thought it was time to go ahead and replace that gross thing. Dan did a great job. The new one looks so much better!
And it's SO much brighter!
We're planning a major overhaul of the upstairs bathrooms at some future date.
Afton lost her third tooth in a row on the top.
And she also wore in her new Halloween costume on one of our Sunday walks.
Park time during Sam's piano lessons.
We took that family overnight outing in Shenandoah.
Soccer every Saturday and practice once a week. Sam scored two goals in the same game. (His only goals all season.) It was very exciting! It also happened to be one of the only times that both Dan and I were there at the same time. So great!
For the trunk or treat, both big kids were ninjas and Eli was an astronaut.
Pumpkin carving.
On Halloween, Afton decided that she'd rather wear her Ariel costume and wig. That wig is so outrageously out of control.
Afton dressed up. Surprise, surprise! (She also thinks her eyes are changing to green. We'll see what happens.)
A friend from church turned 40 so her husband planned a big 70's-themed shindig. Had to go looking for some clothes and found these perfect pants.
I had a good curly hair day and Dan challenged me to make my hair as big as possible.
Not bad.
Eli cracks us up.
I finally go around to purchasing all of Sam's scout gear. Despite his face in this picture, he LOVES scouts and looks forward to it every week. All I ever see them doing is wrestling each other, but whatever.
Eli continues his love of all shoes.
Playgroup.
The middle school where Sam has soccer practice has this great little patch of woods by the fields and Eli loves to play there. This particular day it had rained a ton that morning so I was trying desperately to keep Eli clean, but it didn't work.
We found this little ditched FILLED with worms.
So I tried to divert them by heading up to the track.
Afton: I show compassion when I pick someone up when they are hurt.
And here are a few pictures from the 70's dance. This is my friend Ali and she looked amazing.
Soccer games.
Pretty walks.
And apple picking at Carter Mountain with G&G Cheney on a Friday afternoon while Dan was hiking Mt. Rainier.
Sam started third grade at a different elementary school this year so that he could attend a center-based gifted program. He's in a class of 17 kids. His teacher is awesome and he loves it. I'm so glad! I was worried about having his switch schools (he only knew 3 other kids out of the 35 total), but he has adjusted nicely and is learning a lot. I think it's been nice for him to be with kids who are similar to him academically.
Afton is now a first grader. Her teacher is young and fun and Afton loves her. She only had one kid from her kindergarten class in her new class so she's had to make lots of new friends. Her best friend in her class, Marie, just moved away last week.
(Afton had lost one of her top front teeth recently so that's why it looks a little funny.)
