2 to Grow With : Little House on the Prairie

This week was a blessing to me and I hope to my family as well. Although work was crazy I did not travel other than one day to Knoxville, which allowed me to have some extra flexibility. I was able to attend Gracie’s chapel performance, have lunch with Maggie (first time as she is now in the oldest class), have lunch with Gracie, and trick or treat downtown with Maggie’s class (a tradition which started when Gracie started at Children’s Enrichment Center and we go to Jimmy’s office with their class). It was such a special week!

Sisters and forever friends!

Maggie giggles!

Sliding down the hill at "Big Maggie's" birthday party! This captures Gracie's personality so well, she was cautious as first and by the end was begging to do more!

Maggie's personality is full of adventure! The more risk the better....we are in trouble I think!

Lilly, Gracie, Emma, and Birthday Girl Maggie

Bug Project was ready to be turned in!

Yes...complete with thanks to all our family that helped us catch all these insects! Gracie got a 100% and was the first student to turn it in!

A few pics from my lunch dates this week:

We enjoyed so much activity and time with family and friends. We hosted a chili dinner before trick or treating. We had so much fun with friends from church, neighbors, and family eating and watching our kids grow up before our eyes! This year the girls and complete say in their costumes (within reason) since last year I completely decided Raggedy Anne. We absolutely love their choice. Since we are all into Little House (we are now almost through season 5) they each wanted to be one of the girls. Gracie was Mary and Maggie was Carrie. They had so much fun.

Carrie and Mary

Ready to go!

We had to snag a quick family picture!

Even Gyjsh and KK were able to be here for the fun!

Grammy and Papa enjoyed the action too!

Gracie as Mary

Maggie as Carrie

KK with the "M" (aka: Ellie!)

The best attempt at a group picture!

Maggie running off to get candy! (yes, she wore her flip flops but it was a very nice evening)

Maggie and Gracie,

Halloween and trick or treating has very mixed convictions with Christians. While you each know we do not do “scary” and know that there are people who use this for evil, we take this time to welcome friends into our home, to eat and visit and allow this time to connect with neighbors that we do not see often. Personally our conviction is that we have a greater opportunity to share with them our lives if we interact with them on any occasion possible rather than hiding in our house with our lights off. Lord, may every interaction we have at any time provide opportunities to develop greater relationships and share your love as individuals and as a family.

Friday was Grandparent Day at CCS which is a full morning that Gracie, Gjysh and KK, and Grammy and Papa all look forward to. They picked Maggie up after the performance and after she did trick or treating downtown. They all enjoyed lunch (of course at Panera) and then sliding down the hill like we did the weekend before.