Avery came home from school one afternoon last week with some news: “AJ asked me to marry him.” She told her little classmate “maybe,” she went on to report – and when I asked why, she said, “I thought it was a good choice.” After a few days, she told him that she had finalized her decision and told AJ “yes.”

Fast forward to this morning at drop-off, when Avery spotted AJ on the playground and ran up to him in excitement. The two then walked into class together, with AJ’s arm around her, and I heard him whisper to her, “I told my mom.”

There’s just one word to describe this situation: Adorbs.

-M

A few words from the girls as they sat and waited for the first trick-or-treaters on Friday.

-M

Given how many Halloween-related activities we typically do each year, the actual day is sometimes anti-climatic. Not this year, though: The girls had tons of fun trick-or-treating with their friend Sophie and even more fun giving out candy at home. And the best part: For the first time in three years, Zoe wasn’t sick for the holiday!

-M

One of our favorite days is finally here!

-M

I had a rough morning yesterday morning, and I was grumpy and grumbling about something as the girls and I got into the car to head to school. “Mommy,” Avery said in a stern voice, “God does not want you to act like that.”

There’s nothing worse than being reminded of your bad behavior by a 5-year-old – but on the bright side, I’m glad that lessons from school are sinking in!

-M

Avery’s latest little creation…

-M

I love this time of year, with all the various fall and Halloween activities. Today we went trick-or-treating at Boo at the Zoo (look at how much the girls have changed since our first time there, five years ago!), and a few days ago we hit up yet another pumpkin patch. (Zoe is showing off her black-and-orange fingernails, done in honor of both Halloween and the Giants, in the last pic).

-M

Another Saturday, another soccer game. Here Avery is with one of her best buddies/teammates.

-M

Computer programming is part of the curriculum in second grade, and Zoe’s class recently started using an iPad app to learn introductory skills. Zoe also takes an after-class programming class involving the app, called Scratch, and she loves it! Perhaps a career in coding is in her future – ?

-M

The girls worked on some Halloween crafts after school one day. From the other room I heard the following exchange.

A: “Oh, yours is so good!”
Z: “Thanks. I really like your creativity.”

Nice to hear them support one another!

-M

This is the kind of thing that might horrify Zoe when she’s older, but it’s too good not to share. (Oh, and I swear she’s not on the Libby’s payroll.)

-M

The girls have had a lot of days off school this month - which has meant more time for us to take little trips and do fun stuff at home. One of our recent projects? This Halloween-themed gingerbread house.

-M

Before trick-or-treating with the Peanuts gang last weekend, the girls played around in a just-for-Halloween-time foam pit at the park. I wasn’t that excited about them going in (guess which parent first said it was okay?) but they had so much fun that it well-worth the wet and soapy clothes.

-M

Another October must-do: early trick-or-treating at Great America. The girls got all dressed up for a trip there last Saturday.

-M

Last year, when my parents were visiting, the three of us took Avery to a pumpkin patch not far from our house. (There are two good ones in the city, and they both happen to be very close to us.) Avery had fun, but I remember thinking she would have more fun – especially in the hay tunnel, since it’s too big for adults – with her sister. So when the girls had a day off school on Friday, I know where I had to take them!

-M