Sunday Oct. 28th

On Sunday we had a family day. Brian did have a session in the morning but after lunch we Treasure Hunting at the Nature Center close to our house.Brendan picked out his Treasure Hunting outfit himself & Madelyn is the only one we know of who can get so dirty walking on a paved path. (Her knees)Both the kiddies were right on top of where the container was hidden but couldn't find it. (It is under the smaller log)Brendan traded a old fishing bobber for a small transformer.On the way home Brendan and I (Maddie was sleeping in the car) picked out our pumpkins at a small stand on one of the local roads. It was almost snack time and we hadn't been out to our cider mill this year, so we took a drive out there and had fresh doughnuts and cider & also bought a gallon of cider to bring home.
Once we got home Maddie needed another snack.While Brendan and I got started on his gingerbread haunted house. First we had problems getting the pieces to stay together then once we had the house together we started to ice the top the our bag busted so we just covered the roof with icing. Well the house couldn't take the weight I guess and started to shift and not thinking we grab the roof. Brian walking in on us holding the roof up hoping that it will stick. No such luck. But Brendan did have fun for the hour that we did spend working on it (he was almost done with the side fence as he called it). Brian was more than willing to help us in tasting the house thought. Maddie had a bit too.
So after dinner it was time to start carving the pumpkins. Brendan helped a little but only with a scraper, he didn't want to touch it. And Madelyn wouldn't help at all, she pointed at it for a couple of minutes and then they both left us to go and play with toys.We have a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle & Cinderella.

Getting Ready for Halloween

With Halloween just hours away now I will fill you in on what the Andrews' Family did this past weekend. I will post Friday & Saturday now and Sunday later.

Friday the Berkley Junior Women's Club (my girls club as Brian calls it) held our Halloween Spooktacular at the Community Center. The kids of course went and had a blast. They got to wear their costumes and play some neat games and win some prizes and of course candy.
Here are the kids photos:
Brendan playing a game-trying to throw the ball into the tin cups. Madelyn trying as well-bowling Maddie style (going and knocking the pins down herself-the ball is just a fashion extra)Here is the best view I got all night of her costume. (It's Michigan and it is cold, next year she is going to be something that is more like a snow suit than a short skirt.)Here is Brendan as his power ranger.
Here is Brendan's & my Halloween creation (this is what he calls his crafts, creations). I got the idea on-line and Brendan was a big help in telling me what to do. I had to do most of the work since it involved a craft knife & sharp scissors but that didn't stop him, he did the hole punching like a pro.
Of course on Saturday we were getting ready for a party at a friend of Brian's house and Maddie wanted to try Brendan's costume on too. How cute is that?Here is Brendan getting ready to go on the haunted trail.

Kids Photos

I have finally have the kids photos on-line.
We have Brendan's 5 year, Madelyn's 18 month & both of their Halloween costumes.
On-Line Here

Here is a sample of their pictures.

Halloween Goodies

The Halloween Goodies are coming already.
The kids got a package from Grandma & Papa Tatz with halloween goodies inside, Brendan got a shirt (which he had to wear to school the next day), Maddie got some PJ's (which she yelled at me b/c I didn't put them on her right away), some M&M's (both the kids love those & the parents too) & a gingerbread haunted house kit. We were planning to build the haunted house on Sunday but Brendan was sickly so we are waiting till he is better.
Here is Brendan's shirt:Madelyn in her pj's:The kids being cute:Maddie eating breakfast Saturday morning (this was her 3rd breakfast):

On Saturday Grandma & Papa Andrews came down for dinner & to go see the Haunted House down the street. We were going to also go to Brendan's soccer game but Saturday he woke up with a bad cough so he didn't play soccer this weekend or go to school today (Monday-22nd).
Anyway, they brought the kids Halloween bags with them.
Both the kids got some candy, Brendan got some fruit snacks & Maddie got some cookie snack packs. The kids also got a toy as well.Brendan was really excited to get a Starwars Lego set.Madelyn got a Littlest Pet Shop Toy as well.

Brendans First Field Trip

Brendan had his first field trip this past Tuesday. His class went to a apple orchard/cider mill with all the other Kindergarten classes. It was so much fun. Since I was pick to be one of the chaperone's Madelyn went to Papa & Grandma Andrews house of a couple of days.
My group of kids had Brendan, his soccer buddy Laura & another girl, piece of cake.
Here are the photos:
Brendan next to the bus. His first bus ride.Brendan & Lauren on the hay ride to apple orchard & pumpkins.Brendan picking apples.Showing off his bag of apples.Showing off his pumpkin.Brendan & Lauren watching the bunnies at the petting farm.
The only hard part was I also got to pick a bag of apples & a pumpkin, so trying to get them to carry their stuff was hard & carrying 4 pumpkins and 4 bags of apples even harder. Luckily we were able to put them on the bus when the chaperone's went to get lunch.

Fire Prevention Open House

Okay I thought I had posted these so sorry for the delay. Brendan field trip will go up tomorrow.
On Saturday October 13th my women's club put on the Fire Prevention Open House with Berkley's public safety officers (they are both police & fire fighters).
This year we had a lot of fun cool things planed for the kids. We also had a chili cook off for the adults.
Here is Madelyn playing in the small moon bounce.We had two jaws of life demonstrations (my girl friend Denise was the victim in the car both times) once in the morning and again after lunch time.The kids were able to play with the fire hose. Brendan is an old pro at this.The other demonstration was a kitchen fire. We lit a pan on the stove on fire and showed everyone the proper way to use a fire extinguisher.The kids got to play around & in the fire truck and an ambulance.Finally Berkley just recently got a new fire truck that shoot a foam instead of water. With the houses being close together here they can shoot the house next to the fire and the foam will protect the house without the water damage that the water hose would do. Pretty cool stuff.

Soccer

Sorry I have been MIA, we are super busy right now with our photo business (Brian is actually out taking pictures right now & on top of that I am still not feeling well).
The kids have been busy lately. Brendan has soccer practice every thursday and games at least one day out of the weekend. These are photos from his game last saturday (Oct. 7th) when the weather was warm (this week they played another red team so his team didn't wear their red shirts plus it was chilly out)

Brendan is quite the soccer star. In almost all of my photos you see the back of him and he is in front of the crowd of kids with the ball. This past game (Oct 13) he scored 7 goals himself and helped 3 goal get scored by his team mates. He Coach even says what a outstanding job Brendan can do for just being 5. I guess it helps that this is his 4th season playing.
Here are the photos:Here is his little victory jump he does everytime he gets a goal.And of course Madelyn was there being her normal cute/goofy self.

Going to the Zoo

We got our membership to the zoo started up again since Madelyn is so into animals.
On Friday I took the kids out after Brendan got out of school. The weather was great-low 80's and we had lunch while we were there too.
Madelyn had so much fun with all the new and different animals and her favorite animal the squirrel's were there too and she pointed those out every time she saw one.
Here are the photos-(there are quite a few)
The otter's sleeping in the shade.Madelyn pointing out an animal.The tufted Deer.A black bear - he was a rescue bear, he used to be a model for a beer company before he got too big and then was sold to a private party who had him in a small cage for a number of years before he was rescued. The zoo got him from the organization that rescued him.The sleeping hippo.The kids checking out the zebra's.Madelyn looking at the kangaroo's, I was nervous she would go under the fence to join them.Brendan being a Prairie Dog.Brendan pushing Madelyn.Madelyn had so much fun she passed out.I had to wake Madelyn up after she napped for an hour so she could play on the playground too.Brendan all red in the face after over an hour of playing at the playground - good thing we brought two 24 oz water bottles (we even had to refill one of them!)Finally the kids walking up the parking ramp to get to the car. Madelyn does this with her hands when she wants to do things her self.