Pre-Halloween Festivities

Halloween week is always a festive time at Camp Clark. LTD have had so much fun partaking in lots of different activities including Harvest Day at school, a school friend's birthday party, a Halloween party at Lifetime Fitness, dress-up day at gymnastics, a slumber party at the Erickson's and carving pumpkins with mom and dad today to prepare for the big night tomorrow, HALLOWEEN!!! Sugar Police (aka Dave) is beside himself because of all the candy that has been brought home this last week and it's not even Halloween yet. Good thing we will be donating a good portion of our candy to Operation Christmas Child.

This year, Lindsey decided to be a Pumpkin Princess, Taylor is Minnie Mouse and Dylan is a Knight in Shining Armor (he likes to rescue princesses). Although at gymnastics this week Dylan and Taylor chose their old standby outfits, DUCKS, since they are easier to tumble in and Lindsey chose to be a kitty cat instead.

Here are just a few photos from our week of festivities. We plan to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood tomorrow night which is always loads of fun. Let's hope the weather is like it is today! We will make sure to post a few photos from the big night.

Gymnastics Dress-Up Day

Lindsey getting face painted at Lifetime

Taylor wants her arm painted
Minnie on the arm

Dylan wants a dragon on his forehead

Knight in Shining Armor

Kitty Cat at Gymnastics

Quack!

Ready to tumble

Taylor having a blast

A train of goofy characters

Woooo Hoooo!

Who says ducks can't flip?

He made his own flag for Nov 2nd

Dad, Dylan & Lindsey's Masterpieces

Taylor & Mom's (2 little ones are for cousins Sarah & Jordan)

The glowing family of pumpkins

Hillbilly Teeth

Dave and I couldn't resist having a little fun at the expense of our children and are positive someday they will laugh about it too. Teeth are falling out left and right at Camp Clark so we just had to document the madness and sweet, toothless smiles in the video below. Dylan said this weekend, "I think I'm gonna leave a dollar under my pillow for the Tooth Fairy cuz she's working so hard." Definitely a thoughtful little fella!

Full of Surprises

Life has gotten so much busier (how is that possible?) now that I have gone back to work FT. Dave has stepped into the "Mr. Mom" role quite nicely and it has made me appreciate each and every extra moment I get to share with my family.

There are so many fun surprises lately. When I returned from a 4-day business trip last week, LTD each made me a book filled with colored drawings and love notes. In fact, most days when I get home from work, there is a surprise waiting for me, in addition to loads of kisses and hugs. Just tonight as I was driving up into our driveway, they had set up a lemonade stand with signs they each made and a big balloon on a stick to capture the attention of drivers and walkers passing by. It was an absolute HOOT! When we closed up shop, they had made a $4 profit which they proudly divided between their Operation Christmas Child stash and their Christmas Gifts stash. Quite an accomplishment considering they charged $.25/glass and were selling for a little over an hour or so.

To top it off, they are constantly talking and singing in Spanish (thanks to their school). They are counting past 10 and teaching Dave and I new words/phrases/songs they learn. It's quite comical considering we know very little Spanish; does Dos Equis count? Pretty soon they will be conversing fluently in Spanish and Dave and I will be wondering what in the world they are saying? I guess it's time we work on our bilingual skills.

Adios Amigos! It's time for my nighttime Ciesta. Que dios lo bendiga (God bless you)!

A Glorious Fall

Last weekend before Mama Bear took off for an extended business trip, Camp Clark got the chance to spend the entire weekend outdoors. Our Minnesota fall this year has been absolutely incredible with lots of sunshine and brilliant colors! On Sunday, we headed out to the U of M Arboretum for a family photo shoot with a sweet and talented photographer, Annie Torrini. It was a perfect day to be savoring the beauty of fall and we had a grand ol' time. In fact, it got downright HOT that day! Dave even had to take off his shirt (after the formal photo shoot) but thank goodness he had his "muscle shirt" on underneath :)

Dave took some photos as well that day when Annie was done with her shoot. We have seen just a glimpse of her photos on her blog and are excited to see the rest on disk. But for now, here are some moments that Dave captured on our camera:

Camp Clark Conversations

This is SO overdue! How better to summarize conversations "from the mouths of babes" than to exhibit their own photos as well. LTD were given an old digital camera of ours (thank goodness for digital!) and they have an absolute blast taking photos from their miniature perspective. I love their innocence and how they capture things they feel are pretty special AND funny (like each other). Take a look......and listen to their conversations:

Lindsey with her children (photo by Taylor)

At the coffee shop drive-up, a man with long hair was at the window. Lindsey asked "mom, is that a boy or a girl?" I quietly told her it was a boy when he stepped away only to have her say "well, I think he needs a haircut!"

As Taylor and Dylan are busy making a mess in the music room, Lindsey stomps in with her hands on her hips and says, "what in the world is going on here? Clean up your mess!"

"These sceetos (mosquitos) are eatin' me ALIVE!"

"Taylor, that is not ceptable (acceptable)!"

"Good night, Taylor, sleep tight honey. God loves you and so do I."

"Alot of people make mistakes.............even me sometimes."

"Whatever you do, don't pull my finger." (Dave's teaching 'em well)

"Watch this (as she tumbles for us). Did you see that double cartwheel flip I just did?"

As we hold a puppy at the pet shop, "OH, she's a-DOR-able! Mom, let's call dad and tell him we're buying a puppy today."

"Dylan, do to others the way you want done to you!" (her version of the Golden Rule)

Stopped in Walgreen's to pick up school supplies. Right next to the folders we needed were Pillow Pets, only 3 left, ON SALE. Ironically, they were the Unicorn, Ladybug & Bumblebee which just happened to be on LTD's wish list. Lindsey looked at me with an astonished look on her face and said, "don't you see, this is God's work!"

S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E!!! (photo by Dylan)

"I love the color pink on me, it's GOR-geous!"

"Let's go check out the rumbling (rummage) sale!"

"I can feel my heart beeping!"

As they are playing with their dolls "We're having a honey party." I tell her they have the greatest parties. "yah, we know that."

"Hey Dylan, your hair is funky today. Looks like you got WILD last night."

"Dylan, you just enrupted (interrupted) me!"

I ask her to turn around so I can see her butt (meaning her pants). She turns around and DOWN the pants went, all the way down to her knees!

"Know why I don't have a snot nose? Cuz all my boogers are blocking it up."

"Mom, can you believe my children are STILL sleeping? I better go wake 'em up.........HONEYS!!! WAKE UP!!! (at the top of her lungs)

"I skinned it alive!" (as she eats the cheese off her pizza)

Dave told her that her hands are starting to get blisters (from the monkey bars). She corrects him and says "No, that's just a DEAD blister from Speech Class."

Giving his best smile (photo by Lindsey)

"Mom, don't worry. God is watching over us." as they bike SOLO for the first time around the park loop across the street from our house.

"Mom, you don't need to speed up to a red light ya know!" (oh, ok backseat driver)

Dad says "Just look at that brand new fire station.......our tax dollars hard at work!" Dylan responds matter-of-factly "yah, that's government for ya!"

Dad asks him, "what do you want for Christmas?" Without hesitating Dylan says, "a gun and bow & arrow that can kill a buck!"

"Look, you can tell I'm eating my protein..............I got hair on my chest! I'm gonna be a man someday!"

"Dad, I wanna buy you a riding lawn mower that reads your mind so you don't hurt your back."

"Taylor is a woman driver bike rider!"

"Know what? Sometimes we can toot louder than thunder."

The doorbell rings at our house and Dylan shouts out "if it's the government, I know karate!"

At the doctor's office, he notices the needle dispenser bin and says "mom, if they come in with one of those, I'm gonna run out of here SO fast, you're never gonna catch me!"

"Guys, I have 4 money now!!!" (4 quarters)

"Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!" (as he spanks the golf ball 50 yards)

He asks the girls "feel under my armpit" and they retaliate and say "NO!". He pauses and asks again "It's slimey under there.....are you sure you don't want to feel under my armpit?"

More photos by babes