Jocelyn's camera

Mom & Dad got Jocelyn a camera for her birthday, and she loves it.  When we were up at Ella's cabin this summer her cousins had one, and Jocey thought that was pretty neat.  She's actually taken a few good ones, but most of them are of the couch or the floor or who knows what.  Here's the good ones:

 

 Angie & Nicole at her birthday party.  She made all the girls sit on the couch so she could take our pictures.

 She wanted to take it on our bike ride last week, and the camera seems to work much better outside - the pictures are much clearer.  (I took this one)

 She likes playing around with all the fun backgrounds

 Ellie wouldn't sit still long enough for a picture



Birthday Party

Since we were all over in the Cities already for the wedding, we decided to have Jocelyn's party at Mom & Dad's house.  It worked out great - more room at their house and no one had to travel.  Another big thank you to them - they did a lot of work for it and I was so thankful for that!

 

We made the frosting for her cake before we left - she loves to help me in the kitchen, so she was right there the whole time!

 Keeping busy with the food dye after she got bored

 She had a princess party - she loves princesses and anything fancy!  I was going to do a Barbie dress cake, but she saw the Ariel cake pan and decided that's what she wanted.

 With the wedding the day before, I didn't have time to do the cake.  So Mom did it!  It turned out so cute and Jocelyn loved it.  Thanks Mom!

 The cousins - the boys were not in the mood to smile

 Wow - that is a big puzzle!

 Painting her new piggy bank

 Modeling the skirt/pants from Katie & Jonathan

 Katie & Jonathan also sent her face paints - she loves anything to do with art, and she loves to adorn herself, so face painting is right up her alley! 

 The artist and her masterpieces!

 And a random picture - Calvin went hunting last weekend and Jocey and I stayed home - had a girl's night out and went to see Peter Pan at the Children's Theatre.  Fun!



Wedding

On Jocelyn's birthday we had a wedding to go to over in the Cities - one of Calvin's cousins.  Good thing she's too little to care about spending her birthday at a wedding!  But she had fun getting all dressed up and was super excited to dance.  We had a nice time visiting and catching up with family.

 

The whole gang minus Cory.  Calvin was too tall standing on the log...next pose!

 

The reception was up in Excelsior, and it was a beautiful day - I think close to 70 degrees! 

 

Hen showing off his skills

So proud!

All the sisters

Jocelyn is 4!

Jocelyn had her birthday a few weeks ago, and now she's 4!  I can't believe it, and I apparently don't want to - I keep saying she's 3...only to be reminded that she is, in fact, 4 now.  4 just seems like such a big age - definitely more like a preschooler.  She's started going downstairs at day care, with the 4 year olds, and then the school age kids come after school.  That's been a very difficult transition, but I think she's starting to like it.  We'll see on Tuesday!  She continues to amaze me with all the things she knows, remembers, and learns every day.  She's still a very sensitive girl and has been quite a momma's girl lately.  I took the dog for a walk yesterday by myself, and she was so sad I didn't bring her with.  While I was gone, she wrote "I miss you" on her white board.  Sad!  Of course I don't mind too much, as I know this phase will pass too quickly.  But it is nice to have a few minutes to myself every once in a while too. :)  She's truly a joy to be around and I really enjoy the time we get to spend together.  Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

 

Halloween

I feel like October flew by - we had the whole entire month with nothing planned out of town!  And many weekends we had nothing planned.  It was glorious.  But it still did go by fast - it's amazing how little I can get done in 4 days off.  I think we put up the Halloween decorations about a week before Halloween!  And we carved pumpkins at a friend's house, so didn't get a lot of pictures, and Kailee didn't even carve hers.  Oh well - next year.

 

 Jocelyn had a hard time deciding what she was going to be this year.  At first she wanted to be a kitty, then a kitty and a monkey, and I wanted her to wear a Cinderella costume that Kailee wore when she was 3.  Luckily she had 2 parties at day care, plus trick or treating, so she got to wear 3 different costumes!

 

This was party #1 - she was going to be a monkey, but decided at the last minute she didn't want to be that.  So we pulled a cheerleader outfit out of her dress up bin, and she was a cheerleader!

 Party #2 - a kitty

 This is what happens when you leave the face paints laying around....

 And finally, trick or treating.  Anita and I took her out right at 5:00 and hit about 5 houses on our block.  Then she was getting a bit chilly (okay - mostly I was getting chilly) so we headed home to pass out candy.

 With her friend/neighbor Riley

 Back in the warm house!  She loves to pass out candy, and was very content to stay inside and do that.  I'm so glad - we have enough candy to last the rest of the year as it is!

 Both in their masks