Halloween 2016

Glen has been a bit obsessed with Luigi this year so it was kind of a given that he would be Luigi come Halloween.  I managed to get his costume from thrift stores or find the items around the house.  I made the hat and we found some mustaches to make the costume wonderful.

 Grace wanted to be a princess. Then she wanted to be a fairy.  Then she wanted to be a fairy queen.  Well she was whatever she wanted to be :)

 The week before Halloween downtown had a celebration so we went and did trick or treating downtown.  We got to play at the local arcade, and we had fun at the local skeleton festival.

 There was also a trunk or treat at the skeleton festival where there were many games and this photo booth.

 Virginia is for Lovers!

 This was the only picture of the second trunk or treat that we went to on the Saturday before Halloween.  We had a great time going to many places to enjoy the Halloween celebrations.

more to come...

Soccer

 Grace decided this past summer that she wanted to learn how to play soccer.  So I put her in a summer soccer camp.

 After the soccer camp I asked one of the coaches what I should look into to see about continuing Grace into soccer.  He suggested that she join a invitation only, tryout based, center of excellence, elite travel soccer team.  It sounded like a bit much for a 6 year old. 

 However, after talking to the coach, I found out the other options and what she would be learning in this team.  So I signed her up for CoE (Center of Excellence).  She loved playing soccer and she learned so much.

 But the practices were one and a half hours a day, two times a week with games on Saturday.  So she only complained that it was a bit much. 

 From the first practice, she is so much better!  We will have to see if she continues with soccer, but I am glad that she has had this experience.

 Way to go #22!

If nothing else, you got to learn a lot, get a lot of exercise, and meet some new friends.

Renaissance fair

In September we had to do to Northern Virginia for a soccer game for Grace.  So while we were up there, Matt and I decided to take a short trip to the Maryland Renaissance fair. We all got to dress up.  Grace even was able to wear my metal bun holder that I had gotten at one of these fairs many, many years ago.

Of the many things that we got to do one of the coolest was that Grace and Matt got to ride on an elephant.

Glen was happy to watch the whole thing from the sidelines.

We were also able to eat very good food, hear good music, see lots of magic, and discover lots of pretty art type items.

After the elephant ride (which was a very long line, but worth the wait).  We went to see the king's joust.

Grace got to have a good seat on Matt's shoulders.  Glen got a good seat on my shoulders.  Matt and I could see nothing!  But the kids seemed to have a good time and enjoy the show.

Here is a picture of all of us dressed up.  I think it turned out very well.

Matt and I decided to stop by a theater and watch a play of Macbeth.  The kids loved it!  Who knew we would have some Shakespeare fans on our hands.

Matt wanted to go mining for some gems.  We then found a shop where you can go sluicing for gems.  Grace got so excited about it that she kind of took over.  The man at the shop was so kind to identify all of the rocks and even answer all of Grace's questions about the sluicing and all of the rocks.

It was a good day at the fair, but it was even better to drive to a friend's house to unwind and relax.

We went to Vitaly and Violetta's house to have supper and spend the night.  Here is Grace and Glen in one of their "wresting" matches of craziness before supper.

What a fun day!