halloween 2013

laci, harper, mia

The weather was so nice this year, we had a very cooperative butterfly and a less-cooperative lady bug for pictures, we visited great grandma June, met up with cousins, and trick or treated a total of three houses. It was relatively painless, except for the short period of time Mia insisted I carry her (which isn't the easiest lately) and the last fifteen minutes where both girls needed to sit on my lap at the same time because they were cold and scared of the spooky masked costumes.

Laci had been watching Halloween cartoons all week, so she wanted to know if we were going to go to "every" house to get candy. We did not. After two houses, she decided she was cold, so we went back to the car to get a sweatshirt and we camped out at a friend's house for the rest of the evening. The result: I don't have a lifetime supply of candy to deal with. This is a good thing.

For years, even before we had children, we made a tradition of hanging out in Jake's mom's driveway handing out candy. And we've managed to continue that tradition, even last year when it was cold and rainy. We had pizza and a fire pit, and I was able to hold down a lawn chair for the rest of the evening. It was fun. And next year, we get to do it all again, but with an almost one year old added to the mix. Can't wait!!

evan, sydney, laci, mia

a sister and cousin outing

A few weeks ago, Kristina and I took the kids to the salmon ladder. Not a super exciting adventure, but it was fun. Laci and Mia ran around like crazies and Harper had fun watching them as usual. I think watching her cousins be crazy is her favorite thing to do. She's taking notes on how to join them in the near future. And already, Harper and Mia are best buddies. Oh, the trouble those two will get into.

The best part for me was to be able to do something fun with my sister. We are very close in age, but haven't always been at the same stages in our lives. There have been different points in our lives when we were very close and did everything together, even sharing the same group of friends in high school for a while. But there have been other times where we've been at completely different places in our lives and had few opportunities to do things together. 

We still aren't in exactly the same place...she works and I don't, so our times together are limited by schedules. But, with little Miss Harper getting bigger, I see that we will be spending much time together again. After all, we can't really keep these two apart.

Oh, and this is the best my kids can give me when I say, "Stand next to your sister and look at me, please." And yes, sometimes I make them match.