Raking and Playing in Leaves!

Evan and Griffin having fun while "helping"

All ready with his armor

Can you see Joe's head hidden in the pile?

There are many, many things I miss about living in the Mid Atlantic during fall-the leaves changing color, jumping in leaf piles, cooler temperatures, college football games that aren't all focused on Florida and Starbuck's pumpkin spiced lattes to name a few, but raking leaves is not one of them! Thankfully at almost 3, raking leaves was something Evan was so excited about! Peggy's yard was full of them as she has so many trees. Joe decided to use a blower to corral most of them, but then had to rake them onto some tarps and carry them way back into her property. Evan was more than happy to help and was just adorable! After all the raking, the jumping in the leaves was the greatest prize!

Family Day at the Cummings

Laura, Chris, Johnny, Evan, Joe, me, Bryan, Jack, Glenn, Caroline, Jessica, Kellie, Kathleen, Janet, Patrick & Jenny

Patrick, Evan, Jack, Jenny, Kathleen, Jessica and Caroline

Where i was having a big of a panic attack, I mean, he's still just 2! But it all worked out just fine.

Wheee, mom relax, this is fun!

While we were in Maryland, we got to see my dad's side of the family-all the aunts, cousins and second cousins. We see them only about once a year, but you would never know it by the way the kids just loved being with one another. And boy have they all grown! All of the kids were so great together and Patrick and Jack (the big boys) were wonderful with Evan. I cannot believe I let them push him this high on the swing, but he was loving it. That's the best swing I've ever seen!

Welcome Audrey Elizabeth Neville

Practicing for his big brother role

The proud big cousins!

Audrey #2 arrived on November 9, 2009! We got to meet her on November 15 and what a doll she is! Thankfully we got to see her a few more times before we left. Look at all that hair! Evan and Griffin loved their position as "big cousins" and had a great time holding her.

Happy Early Thanksgiving

Drumming on his Drum

Wise Owl

We are about to travel to Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York over the next two weeks. We cannot wait for our trip! I am so excited to see everyone, celebrate 2 weddings, a 90th birthday, welcome the newest member of our family (Audrey Elizabeth Neville born Nov. 9) and Thanksgiving! The last few weeks Evan and his classmates have been making different Native American things to help celebrate Thanksgiving-a drum, a hat and a necklace. They will use them in their Thanksgiving feast next week. Since we won't be here, his teacher sent it all home today. His teachers all gave the kids Native American Names. I really think that they put some thought into them, b/c all of his friends names are so cute and really fitting. Evan's Native American name is Wise Owl. He donned all his garb for me today and took some great pictures.

He also made this thanksgiving craft today with his foot print. I knew Evan had big feet, but this picture proves it! Those feet are huge (size 10 1/2)!! Just love this craft though b/c I know we don't have a foot print of his other then the day he was born, almost 3 years ago!



I know I'll be bad about posting while on the road, so HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING ALL!! May we all remember how truly blessed we are!

Happy 3rd Birthday Kaila!

The Birthday Girl, Kaila, checking out her butterfly face

Looking like a pro!

This past weekend, Evan's friend Kaila had her 3rd birthday party. It was a cowgirl/boy themed party and they went all out with 1 horse, 2 ponies, face painters, balloon animals, cowboy hats for all and lots of food and activities. All the kids had such a wonderful time. Evan's favorite part was the face painter. The lady who did it, did a wonderful job and she was so quick. Evan looked through a giant book she had and chose Spiderman. He loved the way he looked and kept it on most of the day!!

Evan was so excited to ride on a pony. However, the first pony he was on started having a coughing fit a few seconds into his ride. As you can imagine, he freaked out a bit and he got off that one fast. Thankfully, he was really brave and got on another one and had a blast.

Loving the pony rides!

Hi Mom!

Evan and his buddy Yasmine

Spiderman with his pirate balloon man

Couldn't get enough of these pictures

Kaila seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself and she looked adorable all dressed up as a cowgirl

Happy Birthday to Kaila!

Happy Halloween

We had quite the busy Halloween and Halloween Eve. I hosted a play date with a few of Evan's friends on Friday morning. Saturday morning we went to downtown Windermere for a Halloween party and then that evening off to another party and trick or treating. It was all a lot of fun and great to see the kids all dressed up. They did amazing, especially with the temperature reaching almost 90 both days. I was really curious to see what Evan would do when it was time to dress up since he told me that he wanted to be everything under the sun BUT Captain Hook for Halloween. But both days, when I told him it was time to dress up and actually gave him 3 options (Cowboy's football player, Peter Pan and Captain), he told me that this year he was going to be Captain Hook. I think Evan gained a few pounds in the last few months b/c that costume barely fit him, but he looked adorable, as did all of his friends!

Ellie the adorable pumpkin

Woody, Buzz & Captain Hook-quite the Disney theme!

We did a "trick or treat" throughout the downstairs of my house, where the kids went door to door and practiced. Here they are checking out their loot, round 1.

At the Halloween party in Windermere around 10am-Yasmine, Evan & Kaila

Around 5pm, we went to a friend's neighborhood party. The kids had a great time running around, but it was crazy hot. The boys ended up stripping down to other clothes because they were soaked and their faces were bright red. With most of his costume off, Evan looked like either Aladdin or MC Hammer. Wish I had thought to bring some gold chains!

After the party and getting the kids back into their costumes, we were off to Trick or Treat!

A super unflattering picture that I only include to show how giant my belly is. I think it was this big at Halloween 3 years ago. Only difference, I was about 3 months FURTHER along in my pregnancy. What a girl does to your body!!

We went to this one street that really gets into the Halloween spirit. The decorations were amazing.

a skeleton inside a mirror saying "let me out, let me out"

These people had 5 bowls to pick from plus juice boxes, they were so nice. They had some creepy decorations too-those are rats along the carpet and a giant centipede to the right.

Unfortunately I did not get a picture of the highlight of Evan's evening-Grass Guy. This boy about 9, dressed up like grass and was laying on the grass of this house. When we came up, yes you guessed it, he jumped up. The other kids could have cared less. Evan was terrified for a minute and then just mesmerized. When grass guy saw that Evan was scared, he took off his mask to show him that he was just a kid like Evan. Evan will NOT stop talking about him and how he wants to be him for Halloween next year and how we must add him to our prayer list. Don't worry, we prayed for him twice tonight. Whoever you are grass guy, you are in our prayers!!


And finally the loot! Evan had the best time trick or treating. After we left our friends, we went to see Shannon and Audrey (Charlie was working) and did a few houses by them. Then it was off to our house where we stopped by a few neighbors. Evan LOVED it and kept running after each house was done to the next one yelling MORE CANDY!! At that point I was over the picture taking, so sadly no pics.

He was so well behaved too. He asked to eat his candy like some of his friends while we were out, but I told him no, it would make his belly hurt. It worked, he never asked again. Here he is with his candy, after parental inspection. Looks like that's enough candy to last him a year at the rate I allow him to eat candy!

Happy Halloween everyone! It was another great one for the Nevilles. We hope it was for you as well!

Pumpkin Carving/Painting

Charlie and I had these high hopes to get Evan and Maxwell together to carve pumpkins. Little did we know that they would have NO interest in it at all. Notice, no pics of the boys near these pumpkins. They were having way too much fun chasing each other around.



I must have had an idea that they wouldn't be into it because I brought along paints with me in case they wanted to paint the pumpkins instead. That was a hit! They had a great time doing that while Charlie & I carved. I cleaned out two pumpkins and carved one. I was pretty impressed by the one I did carve. I cheated, I used a template, but I thought it turned out pretty great for the 1st pumpkin I have carved in about 15 years.

Here is Evan with his finished product.

The spider pumpkin is the one I carved. Not too hard to figure that out since it's the only carved one :).