Red stripe

Charlotte passed her first Karate test and earned a red stripe:

 
We've been festive and busy since our last post.  Katie visited on Christmas Eve (perhaps Louise's favourite gift):












On Christmas Day, we opened a bounty of Christmas treasure,

then headed for the airport.

















We all loved Tucson - the scenery, the grandparents, the games, and meeting Aunt Julia (one of Mary's two daughters).  

Images from Tucson:

After we returned home, we enjoyed a trip to the da Vinci Science Center in Allentown...

Snow...

...and dress-up:

It's beginning to feel a lot like...breadsticks?!?!

Claire and Daddy enjoyed a spa experience this morning.  Louise told them, "Now you know how the breadsticks feel when we butter them!"












 Last weekend, we met Santa at the YMCA and did a Christmas craft.  Strangely, Santa had a different accent, look, and personality than he did in England.



















Charlotte took her first Karate test this weekend.  She did well, but she froze on the final question (video below).

 

Louise's basketball team has showed spirit and spunk as they played to another second-place finish this weekend:

In other news, Louise is getting into the Christmas spirit through fashion...

...and a trip (with Mummy) to the Nutcracker.






And this gingerbread house, on display at the Evergreen Elementary Winter Fest, won Daddy's heart:

Basket-boo

We had our annual ritual of silliness in front of a professional photographer today.  Louise chose "coordinating" outfits for everyone:

Earlier, we were very excited about Halloween.  First, there was a "trunk or treat" event at the girls' school:




 









Next, there was a Kindergarten Parade:



 








Finally, the main event, featuring the pumpkins we'd carved with friends the previous weekend:

In other news...Charlotte scored a basket against one of the Harlem Wizards during a school assembly.  She was the only child to do so, and she won a ticket to their exhibition game on 22 November.

Also, Louise remains increasingly committed to cat ownership and looks at adoptable cats whenever possible:














As a minor sidenote, we added a new baby to the family:

Punkin pickin'

Autumn is here in all its glory - pumpkin patches, fall fashion, and baking.  Charlotte, Claire, and Mummy picked their first pumpkins today.  C&C will pick more whilst on a field trip next Friday.

Charlotte & Claire have begun Girl Scouts (Daisy Scouts).  They will receive their uniforms next month.  Louise has started art class, which she enjoys.  School continues to go well.  Mummy and Daddy are looking forward to parent-teacher conferences at the beginning of November.