All the Other Fun

All these fun things didn't fit with any other post, so here they are together.

We were invited to eat popcorn and hot chocolate, while we watched a movie outdoors.  It was very fun, if a little cold.

Gracea and Juliet dressing to match Blaire and Molly while the nightgowns still fit. = )

Alice found all sorts of decorations over the summer and wanted to do some decorating this fall.    It was fun to find some seasonal surprises everywhere. = )

Sometimes I eat all the food groups for lunch, not super often, but it sure is pretty!

Kennedy got to come over on a short Wednesday one time, and the girls loved having her!

Not long after that, we got to hang out with Zoey at Pizza Hut.

I was watching a show, in Spanish, that is called High Seas in English, and this image was too perfect.  I had to pause it and take a very skewed picture of it, so that I could remember it forever.

Grace and Juliet were working on their face painting skills, on one another.

I added this to the "reasons we can't have a pet" folder in my mind.  I would be so tempted to spend soooooo much money on adorable, unnecessary things.

I scored almost 10lbs of sirloin ground beef for really cheap, since it was marked for clearance.  I came home and cooked up most of it for future meals, but made a meat loaf and meat pie that day.

The meat pie came out so pretty!  Sadly, I didn't even eat any fresh, but did eat plenty as leftovers. = )

My mom treated the kids to Arby's snack shakes.  $1 a piece, which might crack up all you distant future readers of 2122! ; )

Grace picked out a clearance chocolate 'haunted' house kit.  Think gingerbread kit, but Halloween themed.  It refused to stand out, so she used yellow ribbon to declare it a disaster.

Starbucks and Biggby both did away with their Eggnog lattes for the season (and they are my favorite!!)  So, when I spied the lineup of Eggnog that Kroger has, I was excited.  I've been spoiled all season now. = )

It was 75F, in November, in Michigan.  When the kids wanted to do a water balloon fight, I told them to go for it.  I wasn't personally going anywhere near it, but they seemed to have fun.

Despite having a Panera near two areas that I frequent, neither of them are convenient.  So, when I get a craving for their sausage, kale, and bean soup, I make my own.

It tastes so, so good, but makes a ton, so I share with my mom and then freeze it in small portions so that I can have it for lunches. = )

Grace drew a family of penguins. 

The twins dressed up a balloon, for some reason. 

A happy milk lid was occasion for a picture, apparently.

A new Christmas started advertising months ago and finally was available to watch!

Right before Thanksgiving break, the big girls had a snow day, Grace had been sent home school on Thursday, ill, and then threw up at home, Juliet lasted less than an hour into Friday before her teacher called me to come grab her.  So, on the Friday before Thanksgiving break, I pulled a perfectly healthy William and we started our weekend early.  The big girls still had school Monday and Tuesday, so it wasn't quite break for them yet, but we spent the day relaxing at home.

One Sunday, Emily agreed to play my Sherlock game with me.  She didn't finish the round, but it was nice to play with her for a bit.  Luckily, I can play it as a single player game too. = )

For years and years, Grace and Juliet have wanted a play kitchen (we had one when they were very small, but got rid of it to make room for all the double baby things we needed.)  I am so excited to present a folding kitchen to them this Christmas!!

Grace loves seeing her friend Zoey and made a countdown chain until she saw her!  Sadly, this event had to be cancelled, because she and Juliet were slow to recover.

Emily also felt poorly at some point, though not during the Thanksgiving break, at least as far as I can remember.

My mom had me put together some hanging towels for my Grandma, when I was taking a picture of them, I had a cute little photo bomber.

Blaire and Llama each got a stocking this year, to match Molly's.

Speaking of llama, his leg broke this year.  He still sings and tries to dance, but the best we could do for him was to give him a cast. = (

I bought some corn flakes to make cookies one night, and on the box was a chicken tenders recipe.  I also saw a cute little picture of banana and strawberry skewers cross my newsfeed, so that made for a very lazy, easy, well-received dinner. 

While we were at the mall with Juliet, I came across a stash of Pusheen goodies.  Alice wanted a "Pusheen Box" as her big gift this year.  So, now when I see it I stop and look.  They had an adorable container of mini marshmallows called "meowshmallows," but it was $5!!  I asked my mom to keep any of her spice containers that might empty in the near future, but when I stumbled upon this tupperware container at the thrift store for 75 cents, I thought, that would be perfect to make one for Alice!  I actually like it better than the instore version.

Emily has been a bit harder this year than usual, so for her I'm customizing a hat that I bought online with her team and a sewn in pocket.  I've got the pocket made, but I'm still feeling a bit apprehensive about cutting into the hat to install it, especially since I've already finished the embroidery.

For our MOPS meeting next time, we are doing a gift exchange.  They asked us to bring 3 (of the same item) that we consider a favorite thing, that costs under $5.  I immediately thought of my cord wraps.  I seriously use them for everything!  As I pulled the materials out of their storage places, I had a wave of self-doubt, do I really love these or am I just being cheap?  As I began to cut the pieces out, I thought to myself: I love this fabric (it was from the stash that Christin sent me from Germany many years ago) I think I'll make one for myself too. lol.  Well, I no longer feel guilty or cheap. I may still include some candy or treat to make it look a little more appealing.  They came out so cute though!

 later days

Renaissance Festival

Going to the Ren Faire is one of our favorite fall family activities.  Up here it starts in August and runs through September, and is approximately the same temperature as the one near Houston in October & November. 

This year was the first year that we had to pay admission for all 5 of our little ones, since the twins turned 5 in April!  My friend Cass scored some discount tickets for me and Billy at Costco, that included a turkey leg!

Emily wanted to bring Skippyjon, so I told her she had to wear the backpack all day.  She agreed, but since the backpack we found was Spiderman, William actually did most of the carrying.

Listening to the dragon egg story.

A tree in the background had been carved into a very tall wooden statue, and William was trying to put his arm around it.

The first time, Billy didn't quite hit the bell.  But, when he went back the second time, he hit it twice! I didn't get it very far up at all, but each of the kids wanted to try too.  Grace also participated, but the worker running the stand stepped in to help her, and it was not a flattering picture of her or Grace.  None of the rest of us hit the bell. = (

 
Posing with their festival goodies.

How William would run things:

The final thing we did at the faire was watch the pie eating contest.  Emily was chosen, and we cheered her on!

They were all declared winners (because they were all pretty messy) but Emily was wearing the most whipped cream at the end. = )

She received a coupon for an ice cream and a train museum.  We gave the train ticket away, because it is unlikely that we would make the drive for that before the coupon expired.  She did enjoy the ice cream though.  = )

This was Emily's favorite picture of Skippyjon from the day.

The lemonade had some flavored bubbles in it.  Emily fished one out.

Grace's face painting.

Alice found a dragon and unleashed her 'inner dragon.' = )

We had a nice time.  I'm sure next year will be even more fun, now that everyone knows what it is they want to do.

later days