On Clara's actual birthday....

(October 23rd)

... we made our annual trip to the American Girl Store. This year we did brunch again. However, this year, it was just the girls.... Clara, both grandmas and me (the boys were at the Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game).

One of Clara's favorite things about eating at the American Girl Cafe is the little box of conversation starters....


We always have a good time with those.

This was her first year to not get a new doll. She didn't want one... I'm a little sad thinking that our AG days are waning. She did get some accessories though, so they're not completely over yet.

She had wanted some new clothes for her birthday, so my mom told her that she could go shopping and pick some out from her. It didn't go well.... she just wasn't finding anything that she liked. Then we mentioned the Ugg store and her eyes lit up! So... we were off to the Ugg store. She found the "perfect pair of boots"... tall, black sweater boots... she even wore them home.

Here she is wearing them to walk Mango when we got home from shopping...
That evening we had her birthday with the grandparents. She decided to not have a cake but homemade pumpkin cheesecake bars instead. I didn't take any photos... I'm not quite sure why. Oh well... at least a got a few of the day my girl turned 9!!

the mango pup....

She is SUCH a good pup! She has a couple "little dog" issues, but they may be just things we need to figure out given she's a rescue. We're getting her out and about a lot to meet lots of different people and dogs (as per the vet's instructions). She's doing really well. The more comfortable she gets with us, the more personality we see. She still likes being a lap dog... but she loves to play as well. She's a hoarder who likes to steal socks, my shoes and Clara's Uggs. She doesn't chew them.... she just likes to steal them and add them to her "collection". It's hilarious to see this little 4.5 pound thing carrying one of Clara's boots off through the house! She got a clean bill of health at the vet! And the vet estimated her age closer to 1 1/2 instead of 2 like the shelter had thought!

trick-or-treat!

So, after Clara's birthday party a few of her friends came over to our house so we could all go trick-or-treating together.

We put in a Halloween movie and had some pizza before heading out. The plan was to watch the whole movie.... but the kids were too amped up so as soon as they were fed, we were off.

It took several attempts to ever get a group shot.

Here's Clara's friend posing with Alex...
But then she decided to see what the hold-up was with everyone else, so now we just have Alex....
Okay.... we found Clara and another one of her friends....
... but we're still missing one.

So, in the meantime, I attempted some shots of my two.

Clara was having quite a time with the stray hairs from her wig....
Then they got the giggles...
And now, finally in character....
.... Pugsley and Wednesday Addams.

And now we have everyone!
(You've got to love that Clara "has" to be in character for all of the photos)

Even Mango went trick-or-treating with us...
... she had on her lady bug dress but the antennae just weren't going to happen.

And one last shot.... the kids in action...
After a couple hours of trick-or-treating and having their candy bags filled to overflowing.... we went back to our house for more pizza, the rest of the movie and candy trading!! They really had a great time!

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!

the monster bash....

Clara has fallen in love with sewing after the camp she was in this summer. She decided then that she wanted to have a sewing party for her birthday. However, we weren't sure where we would have it or what they would sew. This fall she started taking sewing classes with friends at the local Joann Fabric store. We saw that they did parties as well, so we asked. In the list of different parties they could do, the education coordinator mentioned Ugly Dolls. Clara jumped on that one... she loves Ugly Dolls!! We decided to push the party back a week after her birthday so it could be on Halloween and we would have a "Monster Bash"!!

Here is her invitation...
(made with the Monstrocity Bundle by Dani Mogstad @SweetShoppeDesigns.com)

When we were at Joann's one day for class we saw these bright colored bags and thought they would be perfect goodie bags (with a little modification of course) :-)

I printed out buttons from the Monstrocity kit on sticker paper. I intended to punch them out with my large circle punch but I couldn't find it... so we improvised by using my Mickey Mouse head punch and cutting off the ears. They were a little lumpy, but it was all okay.

Clara had fun drawing the different mouths on with a Sharpie....

Inside the bags....
... I filled bags with jelly beans and used the treat toppers which were also part of the Monstrocity Bundle. We also included sewing supplies like embroidery floss, buttons and a spool of ribbon.

Once the kids started to arrive, it was time to learn the basics of sewing on a machine...


Then they were paired up to start sewing...

Alex is very intense with his sewing....
Clara and her friend playing with their dolls (making them dance to the Halloween music mix we had going on my ipod)...

Alex stitching his Ugly Doll closed....
Some of the girls stuffing their dolls....




And now decorating....


Alex and "Drop Dead Fred"...

While some decorated their dolls...

Those that were done with their dolls, moved on to decorating cookies and cupcakes...


I love how creative the kids got with their dolls....
Then it was time for "Happy Birthday" and time for Clara to make a wish...

And open presents...
and read her friends' beautiful handmade cards...

The sock monkey hat!!!!

Reading more cards...

The kids with their Ugly Dolls.....
Clara had a great time and I think her friends did too!! After the party, a few of her friends went back to our house so we could go trick-or-treating together..... those photos coming soon!!!

just one...

My friend, Monica, and her daughter were in visiting from Texas for the weekend. Saturday Monica and I had a "photography playdate". We started our day at the Eye and the Cardinal. Above is the "eye" portion. That thing totally fascinates me and totally creeps me out... all at the same time. :-)

I took a ton of photos so there will be more later as I work my way through them!

Meet Mango!

This is Clara's new pup! She's a 2 year old Long Haired Chihauhua that we adopted from the Anti-Cruelty Society.
She is the sweetest dog ever!! She loves to be a lap dog, loves her crate, loves going on walks (she walked Clara to school this morning).... we still have some adjustment issues but we've had her less than 24 hours so I'm sure everything will work out with time and training. Clara is absolutely in LOVE with her!

please take me home!

Seriously.... could you have left that face?

Clara has wanted a dog/puppy for two years now. She has extensively researched dog breeds, read training books and watched dog training shows. We toyed with the idea of getting her a dog off and on... but ultimately we told her that when she saved the money, she could get one. Well... she finally had enough money. She had decided a while ago that she wanted a shelter dog. I think originally she was motivated by cost... but then she really became adamant that she wanted to give a dog, who had had a rough life, a home. She regularly checks the shelter websites for potential dogs for her. Tuesday night she found two that she liked at a local shelter. The front runner was a Cairn terrier mix named Lola with Mango, a long haired chihuahua, a close second. We decided to act fast. The next day, when the shelter opened, Jeff, Alex and I went to see the dogs (Clara was in school). Jeff met Lola first and although she is an adorable dog, she is very high energy.... needing lots of exercise and training. Across from her was Mango. She is a sweet laid back dog, who yearns to be a lap dog. Clara is a high energy girl.... however, between school and dance right now, her time at home is very laid back. We decided Mango was the perfect pup for Clara and started the paperwork.

Well... she's ours and Clara is so excited to meet Mango today (she had to stay overnight so they could spay her)! Clara so amazes me. Her time at home last night was spent reading training books, watching the "your new dog" video we got at the shelter and setting up the supplies we picked up at the pet store. She has talked endlessly about her training plans and has her preferred training methods already figured out. She definitely is not taking this whole thing lightly... she is very serious about the responsibility of having her own dog.