One of the things I have found is that living in Florida makes me really want the Christmas decorations up early. It's not cold, it's not snowy, but when the house is covered in lights and garlands and smelling of cinnamon it still feels like the holidays. So now the day after Thanksgiving is decorating day. We don't do Black Friday shopping, instead we go out and get a tree. Here are a few pictures. My mom is here right now so I am sure there will be more Christmas fun pictures coming soon.
I have been having some mom-guilt lately. I seem to have tons more pictures of Avery right now. Granted this is mostly because of two reasons. #1 I spend considerable more time with Avery since Harrison is in school all day and #2 Harrison smiles when I ask him to and Avery does not so I will have 1 of Harrison and 50 of Avery. So here are a few from the park last Friday. This park happens to be right by his school so it is easy to stop by for a while.
(That isn't sweat, he ran through the showers.) 
There was a night launch on Friday. I didn't have the ambition (Will tries to convince me every time though) to drive down at night with the kids, but this is the view from our backyard. The way it lights up the sky is pretty amazing. My night photography skills aren't great, especially while standing on a chair with two kids running around. That would be the moon on the left and the shuttle on the right.
As is normal for us, "take one" didn't go well. Last year after many attempts to get a picture of them together(and smiling) I gave up and did a collage. I was hoping this year would be easier....you would think after a hundred pictures there would be a cute one of them together....but one looked down, Harrison will only smile when not with Avery, then Avery wouldn't smile at all, then one runs away, then Avery growls, then Harrison wanted to be the Statue of Liberty (and refused to wear anything but bright green Crocs) etc etc etc.... so here are some of the shots that I thought were cute despite it all....
Avery's friend Cora came over for the day and they had lots of girlie fun. They made magic wands, they tried on many many princess dresses, added some tattoos, then made a castle/fort. While they were playing I had a very startling realization. They are old enough and independent enough to play on their own. They don't fight with each other and didn't really need my help with their games. Who would have thought adding an extra girl would make such a relaxing morning.
Avery was very excited to wear her new boots today. Her last pair of brown boots were worn through the winter and well into shorts weather. It was very traumatic to let them go. So these are the new ones, I am sure you will see them often.
Harrison's school put on a nice program today filled with songs and speeches, even a little dancing. The gym is my own personal nightmare for taking pictures, and we were way in the back which did not help. This is him as they exited the stage. I cannot believe how grown up he is getting.
Last night Harrison's school had a Fall Festival. There were games and prizes and bounce houses. I was lucky enough to get work in the awesome beanbag toss tent. I completely forgot to take my camera out of the car so the pre-festival pictures will have to do. I ended up with a couple cute ones despite the fact that Avery prefers to growl or make pirate faces when I ask her to smile.
It was a beautiful day yesterday and Avery got to spend some time at the park with friends.
Harrison got up very early on Tuesday to go with Will to cast his vote. Everyone clapped for him as a "first time voter" and he wore his "I Voted" sticker to school to show all his friends. He also registered to vote at school and had a great time participating in their mock election. He can't wait until the next election because the 5th graders get to be the poll workers. I am very happy with how much he has learned this week.
Yes, I made it. Sewing really isn't my thing, it tends to make me grumpy. But Avery has always been hard to find sizes for so we are trying something new. This is the first!
And many, many format changes I am starting to figure out how this works.
I take a lot of pictures of my kids. Hundreds and hundreds to be more honest. I think this will be the best way to share them but it is going to take me a while to get into the process.
We had a great Halloween. Harrison the super secret spy and Supergirl Avery had tons of fun and scored a ton of candy.
I haven't even come close to understanding what I am doing or why I am attempting it but this is post one....
