Trunked Treats

OK, I'm frantically trying to update my blog before Ryan's parents arrive tonight and we go to Disney World in a few days!!!!! I can't have lingering pictures and events to post about with all of that excitement about to happen!

So, here are some costume preview shots of the girls from last weekend. Our church has a Trunked Treats night where the adults have basically tailgate parties in the parking lot, and the kids get to go trick-or-treating at each car. We had a great time with our minichurch friends! We'll be away for Halloween, so the girls were super excited that they still got to go get candy!

Princess preparation :)

Sleeping Beauty and Minnie Mouse

....sugared up kids in the back of my van....

We had a pretty cool spot - with a fire, wienies, and marshmallows.

Postponed Field Trip

Our first attempt at this trip was rained out, so I was so glad we had a nice day for Lila's Pre-K Pumpkin Trip. We had fun, and here are the pictures to prove it:

Why did she sit with all of the boys for the lesson part of the trip? No idea. The girls were all at the other end of the row.

Paying close attention to the pumpkin farmer.

Trying to kiss the goat?
Group shot - she's in the center back.

Kate and Lila - victorious over the pumpkins!

She's still working on the self-portrait face...

Jack, Jack-O-Lantern

It's that time of year again, and this family loves a good pumpkin-carving night. We all got into the action - Lila loved to scoop and then "carve" the pieces we cut out of our pumpkins with the little tools. Emma was an amazingly talented carver this year - no assistance required! She worked on her masterpieces for hours! The TV never even got turned on at Grammy's yesterday (except for the guys watching sports, of course!) I don't know where Emma picked up this slightly obsessive, perfectionist, crafty gene! ;)

Doesn't that man look healthy?!

The sign on my mom's wall over our heads says it all...
Also, notice that Lila is apparently chewing some of her pumpkin!

The finished products! We can't take all of the credit - Grammy and Aunt Becca contributed too!

Update on Ryan

Ryan came home on Saturday night. I went in around 4:00 and shook things up a bit at the nurse's station. It went something like this:

Me: "What's going on with my husband? Yesterday the Dr. told us he may be coming home today - he hasn't seen a Dr. since yesterday afternoon! Can we please see a Dr. and find out what's going on?!"

(after 5 minutes, enter the Dr.)

Dr: "Well, his blood is clear - no infection. The leg looks better. We'll give you another dose of the antibiotic tonight and send you home tomorrow - how does that sound?"
Me: "We were hoping he'd come home today."
Dr: "OK - I can send you home on oral antibiotics today - is that OK?"

Um, I don't know - you're the doctor! Anyway, we made it home in time for the VT football game. It's so good to have him here. Thank you for your prayers and offers to help. We are so blessed. Please continue to pray that the infection will clear up and we don't have to go back to the drawing board with this.

No, This is a Bummer!

Ryan went to the doctor on Tuesday because his knee was swollen and sore. The doc said it was probably bursitis, but put him on an antibiotic just in case. The swelling got much worse Thursday. We noticed it when he changed into his pajamas to watch the Phillies game that night. I was concerned because he was supposed to leave for Phoenix early Friday morning and clearly, the antibiotics he was taking were not working. We called the doctor and our chiropractor friend, Bryan, came over to take a look. It was decided that we needed to go to the er.

So, after much waiting, and a Phillies win, they admitted him! with a "skin infection". -I know, sounds gross, but really it just looked like a Popeye shin and knee. They're not sure what was initially wrong with his knee last Tuesday, but that appears to be better. The doctors put him on IV antibiotics to knock out the infection, that's why he's still there. The infectious doctors are calling it "cellulitis", and we need to make sure that the infection clears up before it spreads anywhere else. The good news is he's not in any pain and he feels fine (no fever, etc). We're not sure when the medicine will work enough for him to come home - but this afternoon would sure be nice!

Some of you may remember 6 years ago, when my dad was so deathly ill in Jefferson Hospital. That whole episode that led to open heart surgery started with a swollen and infected finger (a skin infection!). So this hits close to home for us, and we're glad that they're taking this seriously and getting it figured out before it gets out of hand.

Anyway, please pray for Ryan - that the doctors would know what's wrong, that Ryan doesn't stress about work and the business trip he's missing, that God would heal him. God has a purpose in this hospital stay - we just don't know what it is yet. Oh, and you could pray for his wife and kids too. ;)

Here are some pics of the family fun we had in the hospital:

Someone couldn't get enough of her Daddy!

The best medicine....

Thank you, Bortons!

McDonald's for dinner makes everyone feel better!
Daddy's on a work call, of course - give the guy a break!

The girls were so good - puzzles, books and games, oh my!

Bummer!!!

Today was supposed to be Lila's school trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Ryan even took the day off to go with us. It was going to be a great day, except that this morning began apparently four upcoming days of cold windy rain! We thought it would hold out - it was barely sprinkling when we left home. This optimism only led to deeper sorrow 20 minutes later when we were told to report to school, they would try to reschedule our trip. Lila's lip came out and she was quite sad. :(

Here she is putting on a smile to go into her classroom.

So, she did get to show Daddy her classroom, which helped. When we picked her up, we took her to Produce Junction to pick out as many pumpkins inside as she wanted. And, for the icing on the cake of saving this sad day - we went to Riv for lunch. See, all was not lost!

Lots of cheap pumpkins! Just not as scenic as the field.

I love this girl!

Applesauce!

Yum! Nothing says fall like a homemade batch of applesauce! My lovely assistant and I made a batch today.

Soccer Saturday

Saturday mornings = soccer around here this fall. Almost all of Emma's games are at 9:00 (much better than last year's 3:30 time slot). Ryan coaches from the other sideline while Lila and I watch from our matching red camp chairs. She likes a grown up sized chair this season, since it has a cup holder for her early morning hot chocolate. Since Lila is much better at watching soccer games this fall, I was able to try taking some pictures with Ryan's cool new work camera. A photographer, I am not, however, a soccer player, Emma is!

First time playing goal (in the yellow pinny)

Number 2 shooting on goal

again.....

and again.....

Very handsome Assistant Coach! (Emma's sitting to his left)

Lila making new friends

We won 6-0 even with the coaches taking some of our players off the field. Nice job goalie and center forward! :)

New Skirts

Here they are, modeling the new skirts I made for them. Gramma sent us an awesome pattern and beautiful coordinating fabrics. Emma and Lila didn't feel like standing still for the pictures, however. That's OK, the skirts swirl very nicely!

(you can't see the skirt here, but look at that face!)