October

I do not have Abby in preschool right now (I am planning on enrolling her in January) and I am really enjoying having her home. I thought it would be difficult but it hasn't been. Her and Sammy are good pals. Everyday I try and do some kind of craft with the girls. I have become obsessed with books about crafts for kids. We go to the library once a week so I pick a lot of them up there or I scour the internet for ideas. I have also been teaching her about various things like the earth for example and had a few lessons on seeds and apple trees tying it into a craft making seed collages or apple paintings. Again, I have really enjoyed my time with her and Sammy lately. Abby will be in full-time Kindergarten next year (and that really means full-time because here they go all day, not half days) and so I figure it is nice to enjoy her while she is still around.

We have also joined two different moms & tots groups. One is the Naperville Newcomers and Neighbors Club and the other is a moms group of young moms with young kids in Naperville. We have met so many people this way and already have quite a group of friends that I feel we can call on anytime to do a babysitting swap or just get together. We have something to go to every single day (literally) if we want to. There are playgroups, recipe exchange parties, morning pajamas parties, children's book clubs, craft playgroups, singing groups, exercise/babysitting swap groups, meet at the local farm/children's museum groups, lunch groups and more! There are also Ladies Nights Out which have been fun to meet at restaurants with the women or someone's house for a food party etc. We have a Body Shop night coming up as well as foot care night and we met at the Melting Pot this past week for dinner. It is a lot of fun. I have felt so much more freedom since we have moved to Chicago because I can actually go out at night now. In London, I was chained to the house (unless I wanted to pay a fortune for a babysitter) due to Charles' late work hours. I have a friend here who I have been going out with once a week. We have just gone to dinner or shopping or to a movie. However, I think we are going to start evening yoga classes together now. There are so many evening classes offered here that I am excited to take. It is just so nice to have some time away from the girls. It is also nice because babysitting is so much cheaper here so Charles and I can also go out more easily. It is certainly a bonus to moving back to the states even though I still miss our weekend jaunts to Spain or Greece terribly..... Here are a few pictures of the crafts we have made and things we have been up to.

Our balloon and grocery bag ghost

Halloween Orange

Abby got a new My Little Pony bike and she loves to ride it.

I love living in a cul-de-sac!

Halloween sugar cookies with overdose on the sprinkles...

Painting our paper maiche pumpkin (it took almost a week to dry - I think I will go a little lighter on the glue next time...)

The finished result!

Our Tinker Bell and Ladybug. They both wanted wings so this is what we came up with....

Killing time waiting for the Halloween Birthday party to start. Our master bedroom bathroom has become a stage for any and all performances as well as a jungle gym...

This is "Sammy Witch." We traced the girls' bodies and made Sammy into a witch for Halloween.

Abby did not want her picture to "dress up." She just wanted a nice skirt and a pumpkin.

On Saturday, we went trick-or-treating at Safety Town (a little miniature town with tiny buildings, roads and a railroad).

The girls have already collected way too much candy after three Halloween parties and trick-or-treating and it isn't even Halloween yet! I have to really limit the candy especially after Sammy threw up in the middle of the night on Friday. The first thing she said to Charles when he walked into her room after she threw up was "it was an accident Daddy, I didn't mean to."

Can I just say, that I am still really blown away by how big Halloween is in the States. It is out of control if you ask me. I can't get over the Halloween lights that everyone has now and the enormous amounts of decorations. It was not like that in England at all. It is strange to be a part of again....