Jeep Ride

We were hoping to get up in the mountains for a Jeep ride to see all of the beautiful fall leaves, but we waited too long this year.  We went in October which is nice and pretty but most of the leaves had fallen.  It was still nice to be out in nature and the girls love any chance to explore a mountain.  I let them bring their giant stuffed animals with them on the ride.  Shelby brought her hippo, Dream.

 Kadence brought her giraffe, Mint.

 I love watching them explore.  It freaks me out to let Kadence walk on any uneven ground or to climb to any extent, especially after her fall.  I realize at the same time that she is truly happy doing those things and she has just as much risk as she does walking on an even sidewalk because she is just a clumsy girl.  I'd rather risk something happening and let her do what she loves than restrict her to a couch until she's a teenager. 

Halloween!

Halloween this year was a bit different than most years in the sense that both girls needed to be ready by 8am and they didn't both have a hat to wear which meant I needed to work hard.  Shelby also wanted makeup so that added another element to the morning, but she didn't want mascara so it went pretty quick.  Kadence was a cranky pirate with a hook... 

 Shelby was a sassy pop star!

 I love that they love each other!  I also love that Kadence closed the hug by putting her hook on her wrist.

I tried to prepare them for me to take a picture of them during their parade.  Before I dropped them off at school I told them to stop, smile and let me get a picture.  Shelby had all sorts of concerns.  She thought she should warn the person behind her so she didn't get bumped, she didn't want to get in trouble for not walking nicely and she was worried she wouldn't see me.  I told her to stop stressing then and I'd just get a blurry picture....which I did!

Kadence followed the rule though!  I think this is the first non blurry Halloween parade picture of her.

 After school we went trick or treating to Maceys and Jamba Juice with Chloe and Naomi.  The girls had a blast and were excited they already had stuff in their bags BEFORE it was dark.  We then picked up our Pizza Hut order and rushed to meet David in a gas station parking lot so we could try to make it to the Ogden trunk or treat.  Every year (except last year) we have gone to David's parents ward trunk or treat.  It's fun because not only do we get to see grandma and grandpa, but we get to see Barb, Brian, Janis, Judy, Eileen and a lot of the cousins!  (That's what happens when so many Joys are in one ward)  Grandpa wasn't able to make it this year, but we were able to bring him pictures of the girls in their costumes so he wasn't left out.  

After the trunk or treat we went to show our costumes to Grandma Neal.  We sat and visited for a while with her and got to look at some of her wedding pictures.  She also told us that the reason she is so picky now is because she hated her cake topper and didn't say anything and it's bothered her ever since.  It's always nice to listen and learn from her.  I'm so glad my girls are patient and enjoy time listening to their great grandma.  We went door to door to a few houses in her neighborhood, went to visit with the Leatherows from our old neighborhood and then made the drive home.

We had a lot of fun, the girls got more than enough treats and they had a blast sorting them when we got home.

Crazy Hair Day

So Red Ribbon Week is this week and it has been a little stressful.  In the past I only have to do one girl in the morning and one girl by lunch time.  It's hard getting them both ready and to school by 8 especially because none of us are really morning people.  The pictures don't do their hair justice, but both girls liked their hair and were excited to go to school. 

 Right after school I had to get homework done, feed them and change them into Halloween costumes for their dance party.  Every day of dance (which is Mon-Thurs) I've had to get them in costumes and it has added a whole new level of stress.  We've managed so far though which is great news!  Here is Shelby on her second day wearing her cave girl costume to dance.

 I couldn't make Kadence's hair work after crazy hair day so we had to add a shower to our struggle.  She was really good while getting her hair done and wasn't pokey about it all which was really nice.

 She seriously loves being a pirate and loves talking like a pirate.  It makes me laugh.

It's a good thing I love these girls because sometimes making sure they are taken care of and participating at dance and school is super difficult.  We manage to pull it together in the end and I love seeing how excited they get.  

Parent Teacher Conference

To start the girls UEA break, we had parent teacher conferences.  I had also gone that morning and bought tickets to go see "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"  We had a coupon for a free kid pack meal so we were able to get the girls both their own.  It was a great movie and the girls were so excited to see it.  They both kept saying that is was a good movie because "it teaches you that you have to have bad days to see your good days."  It was really cute.

 We made a deal with the girls a long time ago that if they have a good report at PTC's that we would buy them a book from the book fair.  Well, their school didn't have a book fair which was shocking.  We had rushed David up to school afterwards, then picked him up and went to Hastings quick before heading to our movie.  Kadence picked "My Pants Are Haunted" and Shelby picked "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells P.S So Does May" It worked out better because they were more age appropriate books and cost less money.  Win Win!

 Now onto the details.  Kadence is doing very well.  She's below benchmark in two areas, but she's only 1 point away from benchmark.  Pair that with the fact that they are based on memory and her teacher isn't concerned at all.  She said she expects her to be below because of her struggle to remember.  The only way we can try to improve it would be to keep doing what we are doing and have her tell us what she has read.

 She is still behind in her addition and subtraction facts but she is improving.  Since this test she actually improved a little already.  Mrs. Andrew is working with her and we are working with her at home.  I think she struggles more with being timed than the actual math.  

 Kadence is a very accurate reader which is great!

 She was rated a 4 on everything dealing with classroom behavior and Mrs Andrew said she is very well behaved.  She also said she sits kids who struggle to pay attention next to Kadence because Kadence helps them to focus.  

 Shelby is also doing very well and was rated 4 on everything dealing with behavior.  She can already read all of her sight words which is the goal by the end of the year. She's performing well above the benchmark level in every category and they retested her after the initial test and her scores increased.  That's what comes with reading every day I guess.  

 Shelby is past all of her end of year goals so we need to just make sure she keeps working hard.

 This is an example of one of Shelby's writings.  It made me laugh because she wrote "Name" before her name.  

Both girls are so super smart, well behaved and kind to others.  I'm so proud of them and I love seeing that they are doing well.  

Pumpkin Walk

We have loved going to Logans Pumpkin Walk every year with the girls and this year was no different.  We invited David's brothers and Jeffy was the only one who was available to come with us.  Connie was able to come too which was fabulous! The girls loved having them both with us.  I made some chili and got pumpkin bread bowls.  The girls hated the chili but loved the pumpkins.  

We pared pretty far away and decided to just walk.  

 We've only gone during the day before and it's definitely more busy at night.  There was a line but it moved pretty quickly.

 Kadence was so excited there was a Jack Sparrow in the tree while we were waiting.

 Sword in the stone

 Shelby wanted a picture of this display because it had the Cat in the Hat and the "Caterpillar book"

 You can't see it super well but Jeffy is Michael, Shelby is Peter and Kadence is Wendy

 They had super hero pumpkins.  The heads were pumpkin and the rest were just comstumes 

 There was a tribute to Robin Williams that was really well done and super sweet.

 The girls only got to take one picture in the cut out area (because it was busy) and Kadence chose Snow White

 Shelby chose Harry Potter

We had a lot of fun and I was so glad that Grandma Joy and Jeffy could come with us.