Favorite Kids Halloween/Fall Books

So I managed to hold Abby off the Halloween and Fall books until September 30th--she's wanted me to get them out since they first started putting the costumes out in the stores!

Here are our 3 favorites:

1. Two Little Witches: A Halloween Counting Story by Harriet Ziefert
"If one little witch meets one little witch, that makes....two little witches going trick-or-treating."
Really cute illustrations and great math examples make this a great book! Yes, it does include witches, but they are kids dressed up (there's also a clown, princess, bunny, and astronaut to name a few). Even in the end of the book, where they see a monster and run away, the picture is such that Abby could tell it was a person dressed up.

2. P is for Pumpkin, God's Harvest Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
A cute ABC book. A is for Apple, B is for Barn, C is for Corn, etc. Cute pictures and rhyming words make this a book Abby asks for over and over.

3. Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
This book is held together by tape because I read it so many times when I was teaching. It was a favorite with every class. It does include your typical Halloween characters (witch, vampire, ghost, etc) but the illustrations aren't particularly scary. The witch grows a huge pumpkin and wants to make pumpkin pie, but she can't get it off the vine. Several come and try to help her, but the pumpkin is only removed when they all work together. The text is very predictable, so kids can join in the reading once they have heard the story one time.

Peanut Festival

An Emporia tradition.

Mr. Peanut leads the parade.

Abby and Gaga watch the parade.

Abby with her crown.

Andrew loves the parade AND the snacks.

Ronald McDonald

Aunt Julie, Billy, and Abby

Aunt Julie, Abby, Billy, and Grammy

We didn't forget it was Hokie GameDay!

More on Selah's Deliver Me

I'm just listening to that cd (well, the downloaded version) over and over. The song that is really blessing me now is Unredeemed. Hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfGbcjCVDOs

But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
it will NOT be unredeemed

Powerful words.

Top Ten on My Ipod

1. You Deliver Me by Selah
2. Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp
3. Awesome God by Cedarmont Kids (Abby's pick)
4. Come Thou Fount by David Crowder Band
5. I Surrender All by Selah
6. Amazing Love by Michael W. Smith and Melinda Doolittle (remember her?)
7. Glory to His Name by Selah
8. Be Thou My Vision by Travis Cottrell
9. Believe by Brooks and Dunn (I can't believe they are splitting up!)
10. Bring the Rain by MercyMe

Yes, I've been listening to just Christian music lately. I don't have to worry about an occasional bad word or a song about beer like I do when I listen to country. Abby is at the point where she can hear a song once and remember it and sing it all the time. I really don't want my 5 year old singing "Beer for my Horses" (even though I like it!)

Can you tell I just downloaded the new Selah CD Deliver Me? It is AWESOME.

Nanny's 80th Birthday

Three of Rick and I's five living grandparents turned 80 in 2009!

Steph, Andrew, Mom, Nanny, Abby, Uncle David, GaGa

Nanny and Abby blowing out the candles.

The picture Abby made for Nanny

The original family

More pics at www.stephwhittington.shutterfly.com

Remembering Angie...

on what would have been her 30th birthday. Judging by the comments on my facebook status, she is remembered and missed by many.

Angela Christine Harris

September 18, 1979--December 25, 1994

School Days

Abby had a wonderful first day of kindergarten!

I just realized that today marks the one year anniversary of this blog. Things can sure change in a year! When I wrote the first post, Andrew was in the height of his fussiness and Abby was starting preschool!