H-A-double L-O-W-double E-N spells Halloween!

I hear you, people. I didn't know anyone was that interested in our life, but I have actually gotten emails wondering what is up with the blog! Well, I'm glad to say that I have been busy working on my photography and design business and things are going well! You can see some of what I've been working on at http://www.amydeboer.com/ and my design blog has a few recent shoots on it at http://www.amydeboer.blogspot.com/ (there's also a link from the webpage).

Anyway...I've been totally loving doing my photo stuff. I've met so many cute babies! It makes me realize how big Joel and Grace are getting. Joel is loving preschool. He comes home every Thursday with a backpack full of projects and worksheets. He has me look at everything before we can even pull out of the parking lot. He is also having his first fundraiser, so anyone who is in dire need of some gourmet popcorn...feel free to give me a call! :)
Gracie and I are enjoying a little girls-only bonding time while Joel is in school, although she cries every single time I drop him off. I have to explain EVERY time that he's just going to school and he'll be back. She loves her big brother! Today, while Joel was at preschool, I took Gracie outside for some fall pics. For most of the time, she refused to look at the camera...but I did sneak a couple in there while pretending to play peek-a-boo.

Since my last post, we've been busy...We went to Chicago to visit my Gram ("GiGi" as the kids call her) and to watch our good friend, Curt M., run the Chicago Marathon. He did a great job. While we were there, we hit Shedd Aquarium at which (contrary to the picture) this kids had lots of fun. We celebrated our eighth anniversary as well as our niece, Alyssa's, eighth birthday. I'll always remember being on our honeymoon searching for internet access so we could see pictures of her the day she was born!

We found out earlier this month that our brother and sister-in-law will be going to pick up their two new sons from Ethiopia in the next few months! Andnet and Dagim will be welcome additions to the DeBoer clan, and Joel will be thrilled to have some more boys in the family! We're looking forward to Halloween, but all the real chatter around here is about Chranksgiving in Colorado. (That is the Christmas/Thanksgiving holiday for my side of the family). Joel tells me at least once a day how much fun we are going to have when we get there...especially when he gets the Batcave which he is SURE Nonie & Pop Pop bought for him because he really, really wants it more than anything. I told him that he might not get the Batcave because we don't get everything we ask for, but he reassured me, "Just wait, Mom. You'll see. It's gonna be there!" Gotta love the confidence!

Hopefully, I'll post soon with some Halloween costume pics of the kids. Until then, we hope everyone is healthy, happy and enjoying the beautifull fall!

JOEL-ISMS:

Okay...my favorite recent quote from Joel was when he was going downstairs to play with his train table. I was making dinner and told him he could go down by himself. First, he needed to know if there were any monsters, spiders, skeletons or anything scary down there. I told him NO. Then he said, "That's right mom. God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us power and love and a remote control." I love that he knows a bible verse...but I love it more that he thinks God gave us a remote control!

He is constantly cracking me up by answering questions with "Of course I will! Absolutely!" and telling me that what he really wants to be when he grows up is a dad, a doctor and a baseball player. Of course...those three change all the time, but it's always more than one thing.