Thomas the Tank Engine and the Fire Dog

We picked up the kids from Weecare Daycare Center where they both had Halloween parties earlier. There is a parade in town for the little trick or treaters where the local businesses give out candy. They actually close down the main drag for an hour so the kiddos can go safely from store to store. We met Grandma and Grandpa downtown and they walked with us. It was pretty busy, so we didn't stand in line for much candy. It was fun just walking around and seeing all of the costumes! Mitch would "choo choo" up to the people and they would put his candy in his little smoke stack in front!

After the parade we met Grandma and Grandpa at our house where they brought us dinner from the "Chicken Nugget Store"--even though we only got cheeseburgers by mistake!!! We survived, nothing a few Reese's Peanutbutter Cups couldn't solve! Mitch really got into the trick or treating spirit around our neighborhood--everyone was so great! We are about the only kids they expected to see and they had special bags made for both kids at every house!

We stopped by the Dombeck's house to see their set up--talk about a family's favorite holiday!!! They had smoke machines and mechanical frankensteins and his bride and all kinds of lights and spooky stuff!

Then it was on to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the last stop! Happy Halloween!

Halloween Prep

We worked with Mitchell a little bit this year. Instead of trying to get him into a costume the night of Halloween when everything is crazy anyway, we started preparing him early! He loved his Thomas the Tank Engine costume, but then he thought he wanted to be a Fire Dog. We let him try it on, but it was a little too tight as it was ordered to fit Maria! Then he thought he might want to be Elmo again this year. He had the whole thing on, he took about five steps towards the bathroom to look in the mirror and he said, "Take it Off!" Too constricting, I guess! His little train outfit was the best! He wore it a little bit every day leading up to Halloween!

Brother Chris Visits!

Brother Chris came down for the weekend of the Housewarming on Hagen in October. They all play so well together! Chris even got some chores done while he was here...nice! We look forward to seeing him again over Thanksgiving weekend and for his Christmas concert at Orchestra Hall on December 6th!

Dad's New Toy!

Arctic Cat, I think! Vroom! Let's hope we get some snow so Chuck can ride it!

Choo Choo Bob's

Mitchell & Thomas--you can just imagine Thomas saying, "Choo Choo!"
Natalie & Maria hanging tight!

Cousins Thomas, Dan, Natalie
Peter, Thomas, Natalie, and Mitchell

Happy Birthday to Thomas and Natalie Hoffman!

They turned four years old on October 15th, 2007!


We enjoyed an afternoon at Choo Choo Bob's in St.Paul with Thomas and Natalie, Peter and his mom, Cousin Dan Neshiem, Aunt Barb, Aunt Lisa & Uncle Steve, and Grandma Pudge. We were busy playing trains, eating pizza and birthday cake and watching the electric trains go clickity clack clickity clack!

Mitchell got a haircut! I asked him if he wanted to go to "Barber Bob's", which is now run by Barber Buzz, and he said, "No, I want to go to Grandma's haircut store!" So we stopped in at Family Salon and Mitch got a haircut while Grandma had her hair done in the next chair over!

First it was Natalie's pants, now it's Mom's tights--I'm a little worried about this boy! He wore the same Thomas the tank engine shirt 3 days in a row last week. Hey, whatever works to get me to work on time! A teacher, Anne, from my school also brings her girls, Lily and Cora, to Weecare Daycare, and she caught me the other morning feeding Mitch and Maria Pringles on the way to drop them off! She said I was an awesome mom--and told half the teachers at CFHS my trick! If they only knew...

And last, but not least, another still life by Mitch--new Thomas the Tank Engine shoes his dad picked out for him. This was a photo taken by Mitchell.

September Recapped

Grandpa turned 66 on September 1, 2007 and he's still swingin'!
Maria, Kirsten, Uncle Brent, and Mitchell hanging out and eating at Dad's final retirement party on Septmeber 8, 2007. We were enjoying a lovely picnic dinner grilled up by none other than Chuck Hoffman, Grill Master.
Dad and all his "Druggie" buddies! Lots of Pharmacists around that day!
Maria is finally getting some hair in the back! She loves her pony tails! She's always smiling, and she has such fun teasing her brother!
Nice Ponies!