Luigi, Mario & Ellyana Butterfly Since in my lifetime I have ran the full-range of feelings & actions toward this holiday...I heard a radio program on Friday about "Redeeming Halloween"...and I guess that is what most accurately describes our feelings & actions toward it in the past few years.
Step #1 pray for weeks prior to the time
Step #2 be a "Room Mom" planning the parties for both boys' classrooms
Step #3 be at school all day to see what the boys are seeing to talk about it later (our school may be one of the last schools still doing all out celebrations for the holiday, I won't be sad if some of it disappears)
Zach & Ellyana got to enjoy BJ's party, Ellyana got treated to a babysitter during Zach's party so she could get a nap
This is my favorite picture of the weekend, 4 little Mario's in Zach's class of 15 kidsStep #4 take the kids to a local church for their HUGE very well-done All Saints Party...to be the fun party in very good taste that the kids always look forward to every year
Zach got to see his dear preschool friend, who happened to be Princess Peach (its who the boys wanted Ellyana to be since they were Super Mario Bros...
Grandma found the beautiful Butterfly that looks just like Ellyana)
Step #5 invite our closest neighbors for a fajita dinner prior to Trick or Treat, the kids looked so forward to helping & getting ready for them to come (we've been wanting to have them in for a long time...just seemed like a good day to do it)
Step #6 enjoy our neighborhood for the evening...the young kids on the street with their parents, and lots of elderly people in their homes that love to see the kids, their costumes & how they have grown...I can't tell you how many people said they were "waiting" for us to get there...some with little "gifts" prepared for the kids & way too much candy...it is really a "neighborhood night"
The neighbor's 100 lb. pumpkin was the biggest the neighborhood had seen
too much "loot"Step #7 enjoy some candy & try to get your kids to go to sleep ;)
Ellyana grabbed the boys' costumes & crawled into BJ's bed.. no, she wasn't about to go to sleep
So everything ended well, I'm sure we could have done more to Redeem the weekend and you probably have tons of better ideas, but this seemed exhausting enough. Next year, I told Brian it may just be easier to take a "mini-vacation" and skip the whole thing. We'll see,
but hopefully we were able to bring a blessing to those around us & make some fun family memories in the process.
Ellyana's Butterfly headband
Our 3 little, very precious pumpkins
Happy Redeemed Halloween!!!!!
I do have to admit the "Maize & Blue" is growing on me...maybe it is just because the kids look so cute in it , and its just as cute as can be to hear Ellyana say "Go Meechigon"!
Zach started PM Kindergarten, he is ABSOLUTELY loving it! He's as happy as can be, he's only got 16 kids in his class...11 boys...the weekend was too long...he couldn't wait to get back to school on Monday!
Ellyana LOVES to talk on the phone, "Gam-ma?" She talks & listens for a little bit & then starts pushing all the buttons.
Street hockey with soccer shin guards, ski goggles & a mower & doll car?
Ellyana was happy to get to be in the "haircut chair" on the night of the guys' haircuts...it was a sad day for me to snip out a couple of "knots"...all the website advice, multiple hair products, and the satin pillowcase did not prevent them...we'll keep trying!
At our local "Victorian Festival" (a very scaled down version of the Pumpkin Festival with lots of people wandering around in long dresses & wide hats & guys in knickers)...BJ did awesome again at free throws...even beating out his dad
& sharing the "loot" after the parade
OK, this was last year to this year at the orchard...boy, have times changed! Lots more excitement with Sister Bear running around!
Hay bales to jump with Daddy
And speaking of Daddy, is that him or a Superhero...side-walking/ side crawling to push the Princess on a trike through a tire!?! It was amazing to watch!
Cousins learning the joys of Jarlings.
Getting to be with girlfriends (we missed you Jode!)
Both girls have been home 1 year, seem so similar & are suriving just fine in their families of brothers! 
Brian told a few of the older girls at our friends event that Ellyana doesn't have any sisters, so they could show her "girl" stuff...she made her "debut" in this beautiful princess dress...she does love to wear around her plastic high heels my sister gave her & bang things with her "wand"...but I don't think she has been in a full princess dress before!
And this week has been a wonderful week of doing whatever...the beach, the pool, bowling, bike riding, playing outside...
soaking in the last few days of summer, it feels too soon to be over. I'm sure I would be still saying that in 6 months...I love having my kids home & not being on a tight schedule...with both boys headed to school in the fall...I'm very sentimental...we had "meet the teacher" night last night...it is peaceful & good & we are so thankful for how God has done abundantly more than we can ask or imagine...to HIM we give all the glory & we trust HIM for this next school year!
The restaurant is beautiful, it was fun to be back with the sights, smell & food of Ethiopia.
Zach thought the HOT cloths that they gave us at the table (before & after we ate) were awesome!
Ellyana trying her first tastes of Ethiopian food (she was mostly on the bottle & just ate bland food when we were there). She was suspicious at first, but then seemed to really like it. At the end she got some spicy lentils, it was hilarious to watch...she ate them then drank A LOT of water, then ate some more, drank a lot & then a little bit later ate some more...it was so cute...she really did seem to enjoy the place! She danced a little to music & seemed to take in all the sights!
Back home she got an Amharic Children's Bible Story book that she liked looking at (Amharic is the language spoken in Ethiopia)
And mostly we spent the evening...humbly grateFULL for the blessing of the precious daughter God has entrusted to us, and totally are amazed at the JOY that she brings to our home & wherever she goes! Ellyana, you are SUCH a blessing to our family! We all love you so very, very much!
