Mason Light Parade

Daddy took Elyzabeth and Lolee to the Mason City Lights parade the day after Thanksgiving. (Hayes didn't have a nap that day, and he was out cold before the festivities even started.)

There is this huge mailbox for kids to climb up to and put their letters to Santa in.

The highlight of the night for the girls was the live Nativity that was put on by a local church. Lolee was very distraught that it was a baby doll, and not a real baby, though. Since then she has been asking constantly if baby Jesus was a real baby. The things that go on in a child's mind!

This huge Sant Claus decorates the courthouse lawn. The girls thought it was pretty cool.

Thanksgiving

Elyzabeth made a turkey hat at school. It was too sad for the younger ones to not have one, so she made matching turkey hats for Lolee and Hayes.

Yeah, so we forgot to take pictures to start with, but as you can see, we enjoyed our Thanksgiving Feast.

Our first attempt at the famous Lund corn patties. Kara, they were not as good as yours, but they were better than nothing:)

We cooked our very own turkey for the first time. Can we just say, those oven bags are awesome. It cooked to perfection, and we have enjoyed it every meal since Thursday afternoon.

Lolee's Preschool

Three other gals and I do a weekly preschool with our kids. We rotate houses each week. These pictures were at our house. We did the letter "F" for frog, fruit and fingers. The kids each made a frog they could play catch with.

Here's Lolee with her frog.

Aunt Tricia's Visit

Tricia showed up to surprise me for my birthday, and spent a few days with us. We had a wonderful time with her. Aside from a lot of time laying low at home and hanging out, we did venture out to the kids science museum in Lansing. We had a grand time.



Hayes really like aunt Tricia. He also liked pulling her hair while riding on her shoulders.

Aunt Tricia's Visit

There was a big bubble section where everyone enjoyed the play.


Hayes enjoyed the car track in the under 4 area.



Tricia sponsored the entertainment at the coin whirlpool, or whatever it's called.

Aunt Tricia played games with the kids every time they asked. Their favorites were Operation and Candyland. What a good sport.

Trunk or Treat

Our Beautiful Ballerina, Elyzabeth.

Lolee started the eveing dressed as the dragon below, but ended up as the orphaned Cinderella in rags and tatters by the time we actually got to the party.

Pirate Hayes

Our motley crew!

Katee, Emily and Kara came to Visit!!

We loved have Kara, Emily and Katee come visit us! We enjoyed showing them around town, getting some death-by-chocolate ice cream, and dragging them along to our trunk-or-treat. They were such good sports! We were very sad when they had to leave.

Autumn leaves at the Ingham County Courthouse. This is where all events, large or small, take place in Mason.

This is but one pile of leaves in our yard. We have several trees that have yet to lose their leaves. It's a good thing we like to play in the leaves.

This is our neighbors yard. I just thought the lighting and colors were so pretty.

Playing in the Leaves

Our nice neighbors raked their leaves into a big pile at the bottom of the slide on their swingset for the kids to play in. We have great neighbors!

Cute Hayes Shots

Hayes has this thing with climbing into things--like the warming drawer under the oven. It makes me feel like the witch in Hansel and Gretel. He also likes baskets, though they tip over much more easily.

In this one he's booking it for the road and he knows he's trying to get away with something he shouldn't be doing.

Baking Halloween Sugar Cookies

Dad, this one is for you!

Hayes loves to help.

How did he get two of those?!

Everyone has to be in on the latest project, in this case, making sugar cookies for Lolee's preschool class. Of course we did some for us, too.

Hayes

I think every mother of a little boy has exact copies of these next two pictures. There just is not a lot cuter than a little man in overalls with a lawnmower.

These photoes were snapped in one of the rare moments that Hayes wasn't headed for the street hauling his mower, mostly behind.

Given his tendencies to head for the road, we had to take drastic measures and put him behind bars. Such a moving plea for help!

Mason City Fire Department Open House

Everyone in the city got to ride on the top of a fire truck, if they were willing to stand in line for long enough. (Suckers!) Upon finding out that all 25 fire-fighters are volunteers, David thinks maybe he would like to try it. I'm not so sure now is the time of life for him to do that; since we have a few other things going on right now.

Elyzabeth had fire safety week at school and has been a fire fighter all week. She was the one that convinced us we had to go the fire station. It was well worth the trip just for the pictures:)

Too Many Distractions

Despite our original and primary intent of purchasing pumpkins, there were so many other things to do at Rawson's Pumpkin Patch. We got a little carried away.

Yes, Hayes is sitting on a chicken.