Let the fun begin!

Lexi was invited to a "big girl" halloween party over the weekend. She was so excited that she got to go all by herself! She looked forward to it all week and then when we dropped her off on Friday night, I'm not sure who was more nervous -her or Adam and me! There were lots of bigger kids (ages 3-10) there and that intimidated us a little. Adam and I hoped so much she'd have fun and "fit in". (The things you worry about as a parent!) We took Aubrey on a date while she was at her party and we were so anxious to pick her up the whole time. I think she did have a lot of fun. Punch and cupcakes -who could go wrong with that. She was dressed, as you can see, as a fairy/butterfly. When her daddy saw her all dawled up he officially decided that would be the last time she wears make-up in her life. He's already dreading the day she grows up and leaves him. Poor dads! Even though we grow up and move away, I hope my daddy knows I will always love him and never forget the way it made me feel when he told me I looked beautiful. Lexi loves it the most when she hears that from her dad and he even told her she looked gorgeous the other night. Boy did that make her smile!

Lexi's school field trip

Lexi's preschool took a trip to the pumpkin patch last week. Aubrey and I got to join them and we all had a great time picking out pumpkins, walking through the corn field and going for a hay ride. This week is the beginning of my three weeks of teaching her class (it's a joy school) and we will kick it off with a bang as I throw her class a halloween party. Wish me luck!

A very welcome guest

Hooray for pest control! After we saw our sixth and seventh black widow, we decided it was time to call for help. The pest control man came yesterday and I got a great nights sleep. :) I know feel a reclaimed sense of peace being out in the yard, on the front porch, and even getting into and out of my car in the garage. (Now lets just hope it works!)

Our return from Phoenix

Well, we are back home after an absolutely marvelous vacation in Arizona. We felt like we were home, back in our element, and we loved every minute of it. We got to see so many good friends and enjoy lots of time with family. What a treat that week was! Three new baby girls were welcomed into the homes of our friends and family in Arizona just the week before we arrived...and we got to see them all. Congrats to Rachel, Cory and Emory on the arrival of baby Tessa...to Jane and Andy on baby Emmie...and Nate and Lauren on new puppy Sarah. Aubrey was quite taken by the new puppy, so much so that it hid under the table from her most the night we came to visit. :) Thank you to all we came to see. It was so fun to visit with you all! A very big thanks to my parents for letting us tag along!

...and then there was the trip home! My sincerest apologies to those on the plane who were hit with handfuls of flying marshmallows, unwrapped packages of crackers and even full water bottles. Traveling with a three year old with bowel problems and a fear of airplane restrooms (which we visited at least four times anyway) and a 19 month old tantrum, is an adventure to say the least. Many thanks again to the sweet woman and her husband who helped me off the plane once we landed back in Fresno. By the time these sweet people got to me to ask if they could help me, the thirty solid minutes of screaming took it's toll on me and I cracked and cried on this sweet woman's shoulder while she hugged me and told me not to worry. She graciously claimed that her grand daughter does the same thing. I think it may have been a ploy to make me feel better, but it worked. Were we ever glad to see Adam waiting for us at the airport! I think he appreciated feeling so needed at that moment as he had a lonely week at home. He was so great to wrap us all in a big hug and pick up some hot cocoa on the way home to help us relax. So I guess things come at a cost sometimes but I still say this trip was worth it all. We'll just need a little recovery before we attempt another one. :)

Aubrey worked her charm on "Bacca" to get out of going to bed. This is something she often tries with her daddy at home too.

Both the girls were pretty exhausted by the end of our trip.
(I don't think I've ever seen Aubrey's thumb in her mouth before)

Farewell Arizona!

The not-so-itsy -bitsy spider has Alyssa losing sleep. :( I was so scared of certain scary things in Arizona, which I only saw once and I moved away relieved only to discover a new fear here of black widow spiders. The problem here is that I actually see them...at my house! Is five since August a lot?! YIKES! There were two, that I saw, in my garage last night and I went out to attack them so I could sleep and since they both got away, I did not sleep. Help me!

Excited for our return to the valley of the sun....

The A.Wahl girls are heading back to Phoenix to visit the many friends and family we left behind. While I have enjoyed some fall weather here in Fresno, Lexi will be thrilled I am sure to not have me say to her everyday "are you sure you want to wear that? You are going to be cold." In spite of cool temps here, she thinks she belongs in dresses or shorts with flip-flops (and you know, she really does but that's beside the point). We will get to spend a week in Arizona but sadly will leave Adam behind slaving away at work. Hopefully the firm Monopoly party next weekend will cheer him up. :) To all our fellow Phoenicians.... we'll see you soon!!!

Mom and Dad... to your "forever love." Happy Anniversary! (10/06/77)

MARIPOSA GROVE @ Yosemite Natl Park

Our family took a day trip back up to Yosemite over the weekend, this time to see the giant sequoia trees. They are something to see! They are amongst the tallest and longest living things on the earth. They can grow beyond 300 feet high and live more than 3000 years. There greatest cause of death is actually, toppling over. They don't burn and they don't rot or get diseased. Interesting stuff. We would highly recommend a visit there. For your future reference, you might want to know before you tell your kids or friends otherwise, the tree you used to be able to "drive" your car through has toppled over (quite a few years ago actually). Lexi was disappointed about it but really enjoyed the hour long tram/bus tour ride, which by the way is a must unless you are up to hiking a few miles.

Our family standing IN a tree

"I can not see the forest for the TREE!"

These trees were so awesome! There is really no way to capture their magnificence in pictures.

The Faithful Couple

The Faithful Couple is a pair of giant sequoias that began growing very close to each other and eventually merged at their bases. (The base looks like one tree but if you look towards the top, it is in fact two.) Kind of romantic if you ask me and a great example of an ideal relationship. :)

This is how Aubrey spent most of the tour, laying on the floor of the "tram/bus". Crazy kid!