North Pole Breakfast

They're BAAAACCCKKK!!!  Our elves have arrived...along with breakfast from the NORTH POLE!  What a healthy breakfast...cupcakes and Oreos...and hot chocolate too!  Jingle and Belle brought some treats for the littles.  Ayden received Christmas Snoopy socks and Allie found elf slippers in her mug. There were gingerbread stickers sheets to create.  All our Christmas books were wrapped up to enjoy this next month as we await the big guys arrival.

 

 

Both kiddos knew exactly who was responsible for this spread of holiday cheer.  There were so excited their elves were back to be our house guests!

 

 

 

 

   

Daisy Camp

5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for Animals!  Allie and her Daisy friends earned a journey this weekend at core camp at Hawthorn Hollow Girl Scout camp!  It  was COLD and RAINY...but oh so much fun!  Allie learned about all about animals.  The girls made projects, danced, did yoga, and participated in a couple animal service projects.  We make bird feeders and hung them up around camp...and we made cat toys for the animal shelter. 

The most memories were made in our cabin just hanging around with old friends and new.  Allie was happy to make to a new friends this weekend, Reagan. 

Farm Sprouts

From September through November, Ayden became a little scientist and explorer right around the corner from our house...at Tollgate Farms.  On Tuesday afternoons, Nana dropped Ayden off at the farm for some indoor and outdoor fun, rain or shine.  He planted, measured, played, harvested, read stories, cooked and took care of the animals...just to name a few.  He was a little apprehensive at first, but grew to LOVE Sprouts! 

Surprise 70th!

It took some real sneaky people for this event to take place...and the fact that we DID NOT tell Allie!  Nana knows EVERYTHING!  But, we did it!  We pulled it off!! Tonight we celebrated our Nana turning 70!  She may have been around the block a few times, but boy she doesn't look it. Nana is our caregiver, our gourmet chef, our savior whenever someone is sick...she is our ROCK.  We abuse her more than we should with the amount of time she babysits for us...so we had to give back with more than just the usual repetitive THANK YOU's. 

With the help of Auntie Ellen, we were able to get ahold of all of Nana's friends and family and invite them to surprise Nana with a little shindig.  Boy does she have a great group of friends.  Thank you to everyone who came to share our Nana and tell her how important she is to us.  We love you, Nana...more than you know.  Thank you for all you do for us.  We hope you enjoyed your special night celebrating YOU!

Halloween

When the first weekend of October comes around...The Hammerick's begin the transformation of our house from holiday to holiday.  A little treat for my little GOBLINS...Ayden loved the new spooky tree to hang Halloween ornaments on.

This year Allie had a hard time deciding what she wanted to be for Halloween...she was torn between Mal from Descendants, Hermione from Harry Potter or my Rainbow Brite costume my mom made me when I was in first grade.  She opted for Rainbow Brite since this was the absolute last year she would be able to fit into it...brings back memories.

Ayden's costume was chosen last summer.  He KNEW he wanted to be a garbage man!  Todd and I constructed his candy collector to roll around and put his candy in on Halloween night.

We had lots of opportunities to wear our costumes before the big night of trick-or-treating.  We went to the SPOOKTACULAR at our school...

...and Trunk-or-Treating at cheer...

...and to the preschool party at Ayden's school too!

Allie also had a FALL PARTY at school during the school day.  She played games, made crafts, and ate spooky treats.

Finally...to wrap up this spooky season was HALLOWEEN NIGHT!  We went Trick-or-Treating with our friends and made it further than ever this year!  Ayden collected his candy in his garbage can.  Luckily the weather wasn't too cold and DRY! 

Another successful Halloween!

Fall Family Photos

Thank you Jennifer McArthur for the AMAZING photos...you make us look SO GOOOOOD!

Swimming Graduation

After 5 years of swim lessons (off and on)...this girl GRADUATED from SWIM!!! Allie has been able to swim independently for about a year now.  On vacation and in friend's pools...we haven't had to worry about her.  She's a confident swimmer.  Allie is quite involved in many other activities...and hasn't been wanting to go anymore.  Todd made a deal with her...when she passed a level 7, she could quit if she wanted to.  She DID IT!

 

 

 

 

 

Ayden is well on his way too...he graduated a level 4!  This summer we witnessed him grab onto the side of the pool when he didn't have his floaties on and he traveled a little too deep.  He keeps asking when he can be done too, lol.