An Enclosed Barn at Last

Well, the barn is completely enclosed as of the weekend prior to Halloween.  I started this post a long time ago, but wanted to write detailed stories about our event filled trip, so I kept putting it off.  Now it's much over do, so it will be quick.

Andy headed up a day or two before the girls and I since work has been slow for him.  Thankfully we managed to get everything enclosed and weather tight for the winter months ahead.  We'll be back in the spring when we'll install the garage door and windows, plus side it.

Now the only place of entry is our side door, which is not visible from the road. 

I had to get back to Sturgis for our youth group and was running terribly late.  I decided to head out with just Mia and leave Andy and Olivia to close up.  After horrific traffic jams, Mia getting car sick all over (she did on the way up too), and then finding some hole in the wall gas station in the midde of no where so she could pee, only to drop my electric remote car keys in the gas station toilet, we finally made it home very late.  I felt filthy, exhausted, and ready for bed once I bathed of course.  No more barn postings until the spring!

Swim Season

To most people, as the cold sets in, it's time to close up the pools and lake houses and forget about swimming for the next 6 months.  Well, we are not most people.  When the cold weather comes our way, that just means swim season is upon us.  Olivia is officially on the Sturgis Stingrays Swim Team this year.  She's swam two meets so far, with her third one coming up this Saturday.  So far she is loving it.  I was afraid getting her started so young, she'd burn out.  She's in her third year of dance and doesn't mind it, but sometimes it's torture to get her to go.  I've never seen the passion or love for it like I do swimming.  She truly is in her element in the water and loves hanging out with the other swimmers.

Here's her attempt at diving off the starting block.  Yes, I was that mother that they had to make an announcement about after her event.  No flash photography at the start of each race.  Oops!
 

Attempting her freestyle.  Backstroke is her preffered stroke of choice, but her freestyle has come a long way in a short time.
 

Here's the scoreboard.  She was in lane 6, so 2nd place in this heat.  Not too shabby, especially since this year she has to swim against older swimmers.  She just turned seven and she swims against some students that are two years or grades ahead of her.
 

She's also inherited my love for all things art.  Aunt Jen got her a pottery wheel for her birthday and this was her first attempt.  Our aspiring artist at work.  We enjoy watching all of her talents unfold in front of us each day.

Swim season has started for Andy as well.  He's enjoying his 2nd year as the high school boys' swim coach.  It's early in the season so not too much drama yet.  His birthday was the day before Thanksgiving which I had off work, so the girls and I made a treat and took it in to his swim practice.  I had arranged with some of his swimmers to throw him in the pool in honor of his birthday.  I had my camera ready and everything.  They started to try, but with Andy's warnings not to, they chickened out.  They did convince Andy to get in the pool with them and go for a birthday swim.

Halloween Festivities!

Well, we are full steam into Fall.  Another Halloween has come and gone.  The chilly weather brought on by Hurricane Sandy, thankfully wasn't too bad for the actual event of trick-or-treating.

The night before Halloween the girls and I were busy making orange and black swirled cupcakes for Olivia to take into her class party.  We all had fun taking our turns.

Olivia hard at work mixing away.

Well, someone has to clean the beaters, so the girls offered up their services free of charge.  Aren't they the best?
 

Mia really got into her work as evident on her face.
 

This year a chicken and Mickey Mouse left our house with empty containers and came back with too much candy.  It's hard to tell here, but Mia's container is a KFC big bucket of chicken container.  She was so cute flapping her wings, but she told me, "Mom, it's just my arms, not wings!"  Olivia wasn't thrilled about being Mickey this year and tried getting me to let her be something else.  When the weather finally became a bit chilly and she had her warm Mickey costume on, she was quick to change her tune. 

Daddy walking his girls around the neighborhood. 

No balloon launch at the neighbor's house this year and chillier weather made for it not to be too overwhelming in our neighborhood.  Many adorable costumes parade up and down our streets, but of course my favorites were Mickey and my crazy chicken.
 

Back at home digging in to some of their treats, and helping mom pass out candy.  We hope everyone else had a safe and fun Halloween.