Our Spooky Finished Work.
Ava got the little pumpkin on a field trip her class took to Old Mcdonald's Farm. She really wanted to carve it, but it was as hard as a rock.However, paul managed to carve out her crayon traced face.
Here is our silly pumpkin.
Last Monday, we went back to the library to see Toby the Albino Wallaby. He was just hopping freely around the room. He is actually very cute. In this picture he looks like a huge rat. This was the only picture I got before my batteries died. We also saw an African Crested Porcipine. You can kind of see it in the cage. He did not wander freedly around the room thankfully. His quills are a lot thicker and harder than the porcipines around here. I would not want to get jabbed with one, and unlike the porcipines around here, the African Crested Porcipines don't just shoot their quills at a predator- they throw their whole body at you. Ouch! The kids loved seeing the animals and at one point Brendan started walking (wobbling) right across the room toward the porcipine cage. It was very cute.
Ava.
Brendan- excited to get going. 
We got to see a pretty sunset.
Last Sunday we went to Russell's football game. Here is Brendan with Grandma. He doesn't look to happy at the moment. He probaly wants to go play with all the big kids on the playground.
He found a bag of Cheetos to snack on while watching the football game. Is this is a typical guy on a Sunday afternoon or what?
We celebrated Brendan's birthday yesterday. We had a houseful, with our family and Paul's family and neighborhood friends. I know- the cake is pretty pathetic. My goal was to make an Elmo face, but I could not find any tubes of black frosting. I also realized that I am not very good at writing with frosting. All in all, Brendan enjoyed the cake, and he seemed to enjoy every minute of his party. (Exept for in the sixth photo posted below.)
Brendan devoured his cake.
That was then. (One year ago)
This is now! 
Ava got a surprise when she got out of the car and saw a hopscotch game just waiting for her. The Collins were at Grandma's house the day before and had left their beautiful artwork on the driveway.
Thanks for the great visit Grandma and Grandpa and thanks for the delicious lunch! We had fun looking at pictures and hearing stories about your pet crows Amos and Andy and looking at your meteor rock!
On Tues. we had a nice visit with Grandma and Grandpa H. Ava got a ride in Grandpa's red wagon.
There they go!
We got to see a train up close. Brendan wasn't afraid of the loud whistle.
Here is Ava at the crick. Ava kept asking to go to the crick and Grandma said joking, "She lives by all the nice water (the lake and the river) and she wants to go to mud creek!) She got to throw in some sticks and I told her that when we were younger and the water was low, we used to walk under the road in the tunnells. (You can see them behind her.) She thought that was neat.
Here is Ava in the Soybean field.
One day, Brendan was holding my phone up to his ear and saying "Hi DaDa" over and over again. I thought it was so cute, and I tried to get a picture, but each time a snapped a shot, he had the phone in his mouth. I eventually had to take the phone away from him, before he ruined it with drool, which led to him screaming in protest. I definately think that the phone is his favorite toy!
"Mom, that flash is bright!"
Brendan James is taking his first steps!
Just in time for his first birthday in one week!
His party is on Oct, 18 in the afternoon for any family who can make it. For those who can't, I will post many pictures of the occasion!
Last night before bed after our walk, we raked up a pile of leaves just for the purpose of jumping in it. 
We needed a bath just to get all the crinkly leafs out of our hair.
Brendan loves bath time!
