Sofia's School Fall Festival

Sofia's school's Fall Festival started at 1:15, and I arrived a little early to help set up with some of the other moms. It was such fun to just hang out in Sofia's class and watch the teachers and kids interact. I've been a little suspect of Sofia's Spanish and although she didn't speak much in front of me (aside from "Gracias" and "Mas, por favor") she clearly understand all that was being asked of her, which was great to watch. The Festival included a few games in the main school room, then a pumpkin craft and a cookie to decorate (and eat). After, the kids lined up and the entire school "trick-or-treated" throughout each of the rooms. It was so cute to see all the costumes and hear them all chant "dulces, dulces" (sweets, sweets) while they waited. It was a good dry run for Sunday night too!

Getting ready to play a pumpkin game


A class photo


Decorating her pumpkin


Frosting her pumpkin sugar cookie


Yum!


Trick-or-Treating!

Our Little Cowgirl

Today Sofia got to wear her cowgirl outfit for the first time! Her school held their Fall Festival in the afternoon so all the students were able to wear their costumes to class. CK's former boss gave Sofia the cowgirl outfit (it's actually a cowboy outfit) as a joke at our going away party in DC and I realized that it finally fits her! Frankly we were a little hesitant to ask her what she wanted to be for Halloween and assume she'd want to be Thomas Train, a frog or possibly Hello Kitty. However, we don't really know since we sort of just told her that she was going to be a cowgirl. Of course, she had no idea why or what this whole "Halloween" thing was, but she soon figured it all out! I guess she doesn't remember last year's trick-or-treating efforts. She woke up a little late, so I got her into her costume as quickly as possible and took a few pictures of her before heading off to school (a few minutes late, as usual).

Our little cowgirl!


A close-up!


Yeehaaaaa!

Making Sugar Cookies

I agreed to supply undecorated sugar cookies and vanilla frosting for Sofia's school's Fall Festival, and Sofia was more than eager to help out! When the dough was ready to be rolled out, Sofia used her rolling pin (and a LOT of flour) to prepare her dough for the pumpkin cookie cutters we have. I showed her how to add a sprinkle of flour to the counter, add a little to the top of the dough and roll it out so it doesn't stick to everything. As I cut and baked pumpkin cookies, Sofia was perfectly content to roll, add flour and re-roll her little ball of dough. All the while talking away, as usual. It worked out well, although we had a little more flour on the flour, step stool and counter than usual, but that was easy enough to clean up. We did enjoy splitting one finished pumpkin cookie for our hard work.

Sofia and her little rolling pin. She's wearing an apron Mimi made for her and I wore a matching one that was made for me.


Rolling out the dough


Adding flour....


...and more flour!


Using a cookie cutter - I think she only used it this one time.


A little flour goes a long way!


Having fun!

Painting pumpkins (and girls)

Sofia needed to "decorate" a pumpkin for school so her class would have a "pumpkin patch." So I bought a kit at the grocery store that included a few mini pumpkins and paints. Of course, I forgot about the project until the morning it was due (although I doubt they would be to hard on her, given that isn't that kind of school). I set her up to decorate before we headed out and luckily put one of my old shirts over her school clothes. I figured she should be creative and not have instruction on what to do with eyes, nose, etc. Needless to say, it turned into a multi-colored mini pumpkin....

A few nights later, we gave her another to paint after dinner and it turned into Sofia painting herself. I realized later that the paint wasn't a kid-friendly one that washes off in the laundry....ooops.

Getting started with her pumpkin for school


Mixing her colors


Sofia and her facial


At least she's having fun

Pumpkin Patch 2010

On Sunday October 17th we visited Hall's Pumpkin Patch in Grapevine after afternoon naps (Sofia nearly always takes one on Sunday even though the rest of the week are hit or miss). Sofia had a great time running around and especially enjoyed playing on the play structure, jumping on the hay bale maze, and playing inside the hay bale house. I had flashbacks to the year before when she needed help playing on the play structure, had no interest in the hay bale maze and really loved the kid's tractors. Unfortunately, we missed the hay ride out to feed the cows (they sold the last ticket just as we got in line). It was a fun visit and we have a beautiful pumpkin out of it!

Posing with the pumpkins


With Mommy in the wagon. There are available wagons to pull pumpkins (and girls).


Sofia cozy in the wagon


Jumping from hay bale to hay bale. She did this forever!


Happy girl!


With Papa and our pumpkin


Posing on the tractor. Sofia also tried riding on the kid-size tractors but they were too hard to pedal in the dirt.


With Papa


With Mommy


Sofia inside the hay bale house. Sofia would make CK a "latte" and then ask for him to pay for it. Maybe a few too many visits to the drive through Starbucks with Mommy??


Pulling her pumpkin to the register....

Mia and Leelu

While our neighbors were visiting Italy for ten days, we watched two of their dogs (they also have a young Boxer who was off at obedience school). Mia and Leelu are Shih Tzus who love to just hang out and be cute. They were such easy and fun dogs and I started to have the "we need a dog" feelings. Mia liked to follow me around the house or sit right next to me on the couch, while Leelu was content to sleep on the floor most of the day. Sofia loved taking them for walks and the first few days that was all she talked about. We were walking them twice a day at first, but the fun wore off pretty quickly. Sofia would have one leash and I'd have the other and we made a good dog walking team. Otherwise, Sofia wasn't so sure about them. At times she wanted to play with them as if they were toys and didn't want them in her room. Otherwise, she pretty much ignored them. So, maybe in a few more years when my fair weathered dog walker is really ready for a dog we'll consider getting one....

Mia (left) and Leelu (right)


Sofia walking Mia in our neighborhood. She also brought books with her on each walk - just in case, I guess....


Walking over to look at the cows.

Florida

On Thursday October 7th, Sofia and I flew from Washington DC to Gainesville, Florida to spend the weekend with Sofia's Grandma and Grandpa (CK arrived the next morning). Sofia's Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Jay came for the weekend with Chandler and Jillian, so we had a fun visit with everyone. CK and I attended the Florida-LSU football game on Saturday night and Sofia had a great time playing with Chandler and watching Jillian. She really loves babies (ever since Jillian was born really) and wants to watch and hold them. Every evening Sofia and her Grandpa would take a Gator ride around the farm and he even let her drive, although I think she preferred his driving! CK tried to take her on a solo Cub flight, but just before take off she changed her mind and wanted out (luckily she decided then and not a few minutes later). Her other big favorite during this visit was playing in the sand area near their patio. She loved to dig around with the tractors and would soon be coated with dirty sand (it isn't like the playground type). I think she still has some Florida sand in her hair now!

Very excited for her first Gator ride of the weekend.


Sofia and her Grandpa


Shadow of the Cub out near Orange Lake


The view as CK flew me around....very peaceful


Our crazy driver!


Playing in the sand


Look at that face!!


Snuggling with Jillian. Sofia loved being around Jillian.


The girls


CK with Chandler and Sofia out for a Gator trip


Jay giving "Pony rides" (at least that's what we call them). They both had fun riding and falling off.


Heading home on Columbus Day


Helping Papa fly


What CK calls our "Family Portrait" I'm finishing my book while Sofia helps CK fly - a perfect arrangement. She also took a long nap in my lap prior to going up front, so she was in a great mood.

Gator Game

On Saturday afternoon, we left the farm with CK's friends and headed to watch the Gator's play LSU. We happened to be offered tickets to a box and decided to sit there to enjoy the game (CK's friend had tickets for us, but we wouldn't be sitting together). It was quite an experience and a very comfortable way to watch the game, although you could only barely hear the roar of the crowd, which must have been overwhelming in the stands. It was a fun experience, aside from the fact that LSU won.

Go Gators


Our view from the box


The teams warming up. We were there about 30 minutes before the game started, so we were able to watch both teams practice and the crowd stream into the stands


The Gator band


The football player's entrance onto the field


Having fun.....I think CK's lack of a smile may reflect the score.


The next day.


Trying to get Grandma, Grandpa and three kids all together, smiling and looking at the camera was pretty much impossible! I don't know how professional photographers do it!