Arkansas

We spent Thanksgiving in Arkansas and it was glorious!  The weather was perfect, sunny and lots of family fun, we are so blessed and thankful.

Grammy and Veronica during our Cawein family hike on Petit Jean. 

Cave on Petit Jean; we spent a lot of time in this cave exploring and looking for Bear tracks...

David and Maddie in the cave. 

A rare photo of the happy couple, David and Tina

Maddie and Doc enjoying the view on Petit Jean.

8 of the 10 Cawein Cousins.  It sure is fun when this crew gets together!

The Pfeifers atop Petit Jean.

It is hard to see, but if you look closely in the windows, you will see Maddie, Mary Ella and Maramarie still enjoying Petit Jean.

Faye rock climbing on Petit Jean. 

Faye, Doc, ME, V, Maddie and Maramaire "working" in Grammy's office.  We also ALL visited Grammy between classes, gave her students (future teachers) something to look forward to:)

Enjoying Professor Grammy's office

David, Faye, Kiki and Big Jack

Faye and Kiki on the swings

Faye has perfected the monkey bars.  She makes it look easy.  Have you tried them lately, they are not easy. 

Maddie, always finds the swings. 

Just a swingin'  This park is in the school across from my parents house, the house I grew up in. I played on this playground for years and it is fun to see my kids play in it, too.  There is no photo, but David and I played teatherball and I still got it, I killed him! 

Philip, Stephen, Maddie, Tina, David, Lawson, Faye and Big Daddy (taking the pic) at the firepit.  

Big Daddy x2

6 of the 7 cousins just hanging out on the tracks...when in the south.  The kids placed some coins on the tracks and if a train ever comes the kids will learn what happens to them:)

Faye and Stephen just cruisin' 

Car races, Maddie is in the pink car and Faye is in the jeep. 

Big Daddy and Faye feeding the horses. 

Cousins all cleaned up, adorable! 

Maddie in the Pink car, she LOVED it.  

Maddie riding Gorgeous 

Faye riding Gorgeous

The girls cruisin' in the pink convertible

Maddie reading "This Little Piggy Went to Prada" to Big Daddy. 

And that is how we do it in Arkansas

Halloween

This year we went trick or treating with a prickly cactus and a wicked witch, it was awesome!  I am still not sure where Faye came up with the cactus idea, but it was super creative and made me feel like a Mom, I made my first Halloween costume.  David and I were festive, too. David was a cowboy and I was a pirate.  The girls loved it and got into the spirit by telling ghost stories and making a haunted house, so fun.

Heading to a Halloween party via Maddie's broom

So there was a cactus and a witch riding a broom to a party...

Dolphin Encounter

We love the Aquarium and the dolphins are one of our favorites.  The kids play area is next to the windows to the underwater dolphin tank.  And what is really cool about that is the kids play area has lots of aquarium stuffies the kids can play with and "doctor." Well, Helen, one of the dolphins loves the stuffies and as you can see below will hang out by the window if you put a stuffy in the window.  The other dolphin, Hannah (Helen's Mom) is not as intrigued.

Maddie and Helen

Faye and Helen

Two cutest dolphins, ever!!!

The Beach in Fall

We enjoyed a warm and sunny day at the beach in Vancouver in early Fall.  I love the beach for so many reasons.  One of which is that the girls get to free play, really just play.  Logs become diving boards and airplanes and balance beams and obstacles for chase. Sand becomes cupcakes, castles and hiding spots for toys...for forever.  All while the sun is shining on us.  

Chefs

Faye and Maddie LOVE, LOVE to help out in the kitchen.  It is great, most of the time.  In the photos below Faye made salad dressing and threw in the salad ingredients and Maddie made almond butter and jelly challah sandwiches, both delish!  They are pouring their own milk into their cereal bowls now, too.

Having a Ball in Fall...

We are having a fabulous Fall.  The weather has been unusually dry and warm, loving it! We have been busy with the new school year starting and the many holidays in September (I don't think we have had a full week of school, yet!). Faye and Maddie are at the same wonderful school now.  We are so happy with their school and the school community.  We feel to so blessed.  We are all making new friends, stronger friendships, having lots of playdates, dinners, brunches, hikes, workouts, etc.  

Just a swinging at the park.  They can both get themselves in the swing and can both pump their legs, they are quite proud of themselves! And they have lots of swing tricks.  And I love their imagination at the park, the playground becomes a castle, a house, a stage, etc.  

This is Maddie, riding her pedal bike, no training wheels!! At the beginning of September she learned to ride a bike and just like her sister, it took her 2 days.  The first day was challenging for all, we just wanted her to focus and she was checking out what people were wearing, "I like her shirt, mommy..." and telling stories, the girl can gab! Then on day two it all clicked and she did it!  So proud of her! 

More of Maddie riding, go Maddie! 

This was from Faye's birthday party, it is one of my faves, my gorgeous girls. 

My Martha Stewart moment...Faye got a pretty cool cookbook for  her birthday.  We have used several recipes, all tasty and fun for kids to follow along.  The first thing she wanted to make was of course the Cupcake Farm.  We did a pretty good job and the cupcakes were delish!  

The girls started skating lessons (when in rome...) and are enjoying it and making huge improvements.  They are both skating on the ice without assistance, learned to fall correctly (very important) and can get back up on their own.  It has been fun to watch their progress. 

We like to visit "The Muffin Shop" occasionally on the weekend for their
yummy pastries and coffee.  I caught this moment...Cinderella and Tinkerbelle chatting over breakfast.