A Trip to the Zoo...

A little while ago we took a little morning stroll around the LA zoo with some of our friends from our awesome mom's group. It was a great day to just wander around (not too hot, not too cold and still sunny... like the weather's really any different around here during the winter) hanging out with friends, it was loads of fun.

The girls trying to get a better look at (be eaten by) the crocodiles

The really cool new gorillas

More of the new gorilla exhibit. Lizzie wasn't a big fan of all the mist.

The girls were all excited to see the whole family together... mama, daddy and baby.

All plastered to the glass looking for monkeys

An Afternoon Walk...

So lately we've been trying to go for walks in the afternoon if the girls are up from their nap around four, before it gets too dark outside (which is so stinking early now). Our neighborhood is perfect for walking around (I love it), with the trails and the park and even the streets in the neighborhood itself make for a fun afternoon adventure.

Heidi's First 5k...

Yesterday morning we all went and watched Heidi finish her very first 5k in the Santa Clarita Marathon. I still can't believe Ben and I were able to get up, get the girls ready, make some coffee and leave all by 7am in time to see Heidi run (we must really, really like Auntie Heidi)! Why do races always have to start so early in the morning?! Anyways, as you can see from the pictures it was cold and a little wet from the constant rain the day and night before, but at least it didn't rain during the actual race. Heidi's been training all summer long for this race and she was supposed to have Angel, who works with her, run by her side on Sunday, but he was up all night sick, tis the season I guess. I don't know if Heidi's going to participate in anymore races or not, I don't think she's decided yet, but clocking in at 331/2 minutes for a little over 3 miles is pretty darn good for a first time around. She makes the rest of us in this house seem extremely out of shape and more than a little lazy that's for sure! ;)

Oops... Forgot One...

Oops... I forgot one of the coolest pictures of all, this was the whole group of kids that night (minus a couple that were still getting costumes on and some more that came later) yup Heidi B.'s a big kid too!

Trick-or-Treat on Halloween Night...

On Halloween night Lizzie, Abby, and I got together with some friends from my mom's group for a dinner party and then we all went house to house trick-or-treating. Unfortunately Ben wasn't able to join us that night because he was at home in bed with the flu. He's still a little ticked off that he missed Lizzie's first year of actual walking around going door to door, going completely crazy because random people she did not know were handing her tons and tons of candy. He's also more than a little bummed he didn't get so say one finally goodbye to Heidi, Nathaniel and the rest of the family before moving to North Carolina the next morning. It's been a rather awful weekend for Ben, poor guy. But the girls and I had a lot of fun. The bumble bee (Abby) and the little ladybug (Lizzie) returned for another visit this week. I absolutely loved how both of the girls costumes turned out this year. I still can't believe I managed to make them both in time and have them turn out halfway decent. It took me forever to find Lizzie's little apron/skirt fabric... nobody has red with black polka dots anywhere. I finally found a cloth napkin at CostPlus World Market (of all places). :) Abby's was my favorite, with her little wings and chunky cheeks, but don't tell Lizzie that! Shannon's neighborhood was so awesome for walking around too. So many houses decked out with decorations, lots of kids running everywhere, lighted streets with an easy walk for the kids, and people just hanging out on their patio furniture passing out candy drinking wine. I was giving Shannon a hard time for not letting us in on the neighborhood secret. I think next year I'm going to have to bring my own glass and "trick-or-treat" with her!

Abby Bee hiding among all the kids.

The Lizzie and Neela tag team.

Patiently waiting for someone to answer the door.

These two were so cute that night walking down the street holding hands.

Look mom, more candy, spoken every time she left another house. Everyone thought she was hilarious. She was so extremely excited to the point random people were asking how much candy she had consumed that night... none I swear. That's just how she is!

I still can't believe she never fell asleep... she had way too much fun watching all the kids.

Lizzie was a little hesitant with some of the houses that were decorated. There was definitely a couple that completely freaked her out.

Bring up the rear of the group with Shannon's two princesses.

It was a fun night, thanks again Shannon for having us all over, wish Ben could have joined us though, but we brought back lots and lots of candy and Lizzie had a ton of stories to tell.

Family Trip to the Patch...

Last Sunday just our little family went to the pumpkin patch... I know we've been a lot this year, but this was Ben's first and only time of the season. We had to drag him away from his precious video games just to go do something fun outside together, but he survived and I think he even had fun too. He can be such a scrooge sometimes when it comes to holidays... I don't really know why either.

Lizzie's favorite non"scary" scarecrow. I think she liked it cause it was tiny and a kitty!

Walking through all the pumpkins... there were tons more on the other side too.

I want the little one in the middle!

She'll still eat anything... that girl's crazy!

Trick-or-Treat at Insomniac...

On Wednesday we went to Ben's work to go trick-or-treating and partake in the other Halloween festivities that Carrie and the HR department had put together for all of us that day. There defiantly was not as many people there as there was last year. Last years was on the actual holiday (which I don't think it really mattered), but it was later in the afternoon like 2pm or something so some of the bigger kids who are in school could come. Anyways, it was still fun and Lizzie always loves seeing daddy at work whether or not candy is involved, she could probably sit as his desk for hours if we let her. She can still tell you everything she saw on Ben's monitor... maybe we should get her to sign a confidentiality agreement! :)

Abby the little bumble bee.

Lizzie the ladybug decorating her pumpkin...
which I think is still in the car next to her seat... oops!

See mom, I was there too! :)

Wandering the hallways in search of desks filled with candy.

Good thing we're all done... I don't think her bag can hold anymore fun stuff!