October Happenings

This month Patrick and I celebrated our 8th anniversary.  After we put the kids to bed, we celebrated by enjoying a takeout dinner...even pulled out our fine china.  We celebrated Adeline's 5th birthday, and Patrick traveled to Myanmar for 10 days on a mission trip.

                           
While Patrick was in Myanmar, we enjoyed one morning bowling with our good friends.  This was the kids' first time bowling!  A fun time was had by all!

This is the playground at a local elementary school....possibly where Adeline will attend as a kindergartner...we will see.

On Adeline's actual birth-day, Patrick was in Myanmar.  Thankful to modern technology...we were able to Skype with him.

Isn't this great?!  All of the children at the orphanage sang Adeline happy birthday!

Grandmas & grandpas, aunties & uncles, as well as friends mailed gifts for Addie's birthday - she is having a blast opening them and thinking of many people who love her and are thinking of her.

birthday breakfast...heart shaped waffles (one of her favorites) on the special red plate

Why not throw on the princess crown?  You only turn 5 once!

At preschool, each child is named "Star of the Week" during the week of their birthday.  Adeline was thrilled to be able to bring the snack for the class.  Charlie, Clara & I were glad to be able to be a part of this.

Grandpa came over to celebrate too!

Happy Halloween from Tinkerbell Adeline, Tiger Charlie & Chicken Clara!  Without Patrick, there was no one to entertain Clara and get her to look at the camera.  This was the best I could get!  

They loved waiting for the trick or treaters!  Clara liked digging through the treat basket and gnawing on the candy wrapper!

Adeline's Birthday Party

October is always exciting in the Walker home and can't come soon enough every year.  Adeline's birthday falls in October, and each day of the month, there is patient waiting by our girl for her birthday.

We had Adeline's birthday party with her friends almost 2 weeks early because Patrick would be on a mission trip to Myanmar on her birthday weekend.  There was no opposition from the birthday girl to have her birthday party early.  She turns 5 this month....it's a milestone and deserves lots of celebrating!

Adeline has always loved books and in the past several months, she's had a love for the story "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse."  It is a great little story.  It was one my favorites to read to my class when I was a first and second grade teacher.   When I had lunch with a teacher friend I used to work with at the end of the summer, she told me "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" would be one of the plays at Hopkins Center For the Arts this fall.  Just perfect, I thought....

Adeline invited 7 friends (including her cousin Evalyn) to see the play together, and it was a wonderful afternoon.  Charlie stayed and participated in all of the girlie activities, while my aunt Mary & uncle John babysat Clara at their home just a few minutes from the party venue....so thankful for them!

I have a love/stress relationship with planning Adeline's party.  I love how fun all the details can be, but I easily stress out over those details (that I find very important) too because I want it to be "just right."   Patrick is a good sport and helps out in every aspect of the party planning, as you will see in the photos below.  We are so glad you had such a great time at your party, Addie!  xoxo 

yay for fun invitations!

making tissue paper pompoms (at 10pm) - candidate for daddy of the year???

All the decor that we brought over to the party - one downside to having a "not at home" party is we have to transport lots of stuff, including a big cake, in the car...very carefully!

goody bags for friends

Cake made perfectly (always by Queen of Cakes)...the purse and cowboy boots follow with the theme of the play

lunchtime!

sweet friends  (Charlie snuck into this picture!)

We continued the celebration when we came home.  Adeline opened her gifts from us (even though it wasn't her bday yet.  We knew Patrick would be in Myanmar on her birthday, and we were already in the birthday mood after the party.)

Oh yes, we have entered the world of American Girl dolls!

Meet Ruthie

September low-down

We found ourselves at Addie's soccer games on most Saturday mornings.  She had great coaches, and she learned a lot!  We felt it was good for her to play on a team sport, unlike gymnastics or skating which she has been a part of...

Charlie watching the airplanes that flew over the soccer field.

grandma & grandpa from Chicago came for a visit...

Just a little morning reading on the staircase (maybe he was trying to have some quiet, alone time from his sisters!)

Let's try this position...

almost 10 months old

love this oatmeal, mommy!

"I do not like this, Adeline," says little brother Charlie

I will look through every book right now...

Adeline was named the girl gymnastics star of the month in the young kids (gym kids) program...very special!

grandpa & Clara