Jim let me pick which show to see, as the certificate for our date this month only read “Theater,” and date TBD. There were several options but I had been thinking about seeing Wicked. Then our friends Christian and Elisa suggested we go see it together, so it became a double date.

We went to John Howie Steak for happy hour and filled up on some pretty yummy appetizers and salads before heading to the Paramount. Everyone takes a picture of the outside of the theater, so I thought I should too…

Ready to go in

We had great seats – the first row on the first mezzanine – and the show was amazing: great costumes, amazing set, and fabulous singing. The two witches were very well acted.

Jim was hungry after the three-hour show and so we stopped at Dick’s on the way home for burgers and shakes. It was a wonderful night!

We started Halloween festivities with a party at a friend’s house Sunday night. The kids went in costume and got goodie bags, and we had a great time. (I guess it actually started the week before, when my supervisor at work sent home goodie bags… but it didn’t feel official yet.)

Then on Tuesday JT had his Masquerade Parade at preschool. He got to wear his costume and Jim and Haley went to visit and watch.

On Wednesday, we went to our church’s Harvest Party. I think it’s ridiculous to dress up in costumes, get candy, and throw a party on October 31st and call it a Harvest Party. Don’t fool yourselves, people, it’s a Halloween Party at church. Anyway.

Our church’s event was at a skating rink! They rented the whole thing out and had skating for free, plus lots of stations like fishing for prizes and balloon animals. The pastors all walked around with bags of candy handing out all sorts of yummy treats, plus necklaces and glow stick bracelets and Blo-Pops. My kids got quite a bit for their little tummies. My mom ended up coming with us, and some friends of ours met us there too. Jim even stopped by during a break from work and gave out stickers. We had a great time!

JT got lots of compliments on his fighter pilot outfit, and Haley was the cutest butterfly I have ever seen. Halloween is one of my least favorite nights of the year, and I’m glad it’s over. 🙂

Well, it happened: JT’s first ever field trip. We went to Thomasson Farm in Enumclaw and had a blessing of good weather even though the forecast called for rain showers. First everyone took a hay ride and got to pick out a pumpkin to take home.
 

Then the fun continued with all sorts of adventures at the farm…

Riding in the pig barrels behind the tractor

We found a caterpillar!

Milking a pretend cow

Haley found a slide

Of course, Asher was there with his class too!

Haley found a bigger slide – this picture is the story of our two children!

Abby came with Asher just like Haley came with JT

Cowgirl up!

Roping cattle

We went to the park with friends this week to enjoy the last sunny day in the forecast. We ate lunch and then the big kids rode bikes around the loop while the littler kids enjoyed the swings and play structures. They climbed the rocks, jumped off the rocks, and had an amazing time. The fresh air and hard playing must have paid off, because all six children took naps later that afternoon!

Haley just got a gift in the mail from her Great Aunt Julie. She waited patiently until after lunch to put it on… OH. MY. You can’t see the matching sparkly barrette in her hair, but it’s there. Haley can conquer the world in this outfit. And by the way, she told Grandma Keene that her “best friend Aunt Julie” sent it to her. 🙂

If you didn’t know, Cubbies is the first level in the AWANA program that a lot of churches use for elementary-aged children. Ours is on Wednesday nights, the same time as my Bible study, so that works out great. JT got to start this year. He has a vest and a book, and he loves it!

He has already memorized several Bible verses and two new songs. We work on the verses every day. He is also teaching Haley the songs and verses, so she will be well prepared when she gets to go in two years. Here they are singing “The B-I-B-L-E.”

I wanted to post JT’s verses in the house and I thought of my friend Stephanie’s chalkboards. So I had a little craft and made a chalkboard for our wall. I love it!

I also got craft about a month ago and made art boards based on Stephanie’s idea as well. (I should visit her more often…) They are great for pinning up the kids’ art work and they look great on my wall!

If you didn’t already notice, my husband really loves me. Usually our monthly date nights are something that we both enjoy. October’s date night was sushi and shopping. (Ahem.) Jim doesn’t enjoy sushi, and following me around a mall isn’t high on his list of ways to spend a weeknight. But that’s what we did.

We started with sushi, and fortunately Jim was able to get some orange chicken, fried rice, and dumplings so he could avoid the raw fish. I ate lots of raw fish, drank lots of tea, and had fun trying new things.

 

We just love having tickets to Seattle Children’s Theater’s productions. This year’s first one was The Cat in the Hat. JT and I went on our date and had a great time. It was a marvelous show.

Walking to the show

On the way home, JT fell asleep in the car. That is very unusual for him nowadays. I think it was because that week he had spent the night at a friend’s house, attended three days of preschool, attended one night of Cubbies, and his little body had enough. He slept through coming in the house, Grandpa and Grandma Keene leaving, and me cleaning up downstairs before I took him up to bed.

The other day JT said he would like to ride his bike on the trail while I ran. So we loaded up the stroller and the bike and got ready for a short run. JT had a goal to make it to a certain point on the trail… 1.5 miles out.

Two miles in, he was tired. Very, very tired. I said, “You’ve got to use the strong muscles God gave you, JT!” And he said, “I don’t have much muscles left, Mom.” But he kept going. And then there were tears. I finally had to pull out the big guns and quote my mother. “You can cry and pedal back, or you can just pedal back.” He said, “I will just pedal back,” and made it the last mile back to the car, with some smiles before we ended. I was so proud of him!

When we got back to the car, Haley said she was pretty tired from the long ride in the stroller. Ha!

Last night Jim and I went to a wedding for some friends of his from work. It was a lovely ceremony at a huge old church in Seattle, followed by a sunset dinner on the water at the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland. We had fun getting dressed up. My friend Elisa let me borrow a lovely Banana Republic dress of hers to wear. A fun evening! Congratulations, Greg and Ashley!