Currently

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Chloe ::

:: has been asking about the Pumpkin Farm since her birthday and is glad it's finally October.

:: disappears out the back door, barefooted, and plays cars in the dirt and mud with Evan till it gets dark, then comes running in with frozen (filthy) toes.... and hands.... and clothes.....

:: ate squash recently and for the first time ever declared it the most delicious thing on her plate.

:: has changed her favorite color again.  She first loved red, then darker blue, now green.  What next I wonder?

:: has a magenta fuzzy blanket that is her 'mud pit' for pretend off-roading with Evan's cars.

:: wears her favorite fall shirt (the black one with fluorescent butterflies on it) for days in a row and her I Love Dad pajamas to bed each night.

:: looks so vibrant and alive in this set of photos:

 :: has some crazy breakage going on with her hair... but I don't care and neither does she.  She is five after all.

 :: is loving Elmer the patchwork elephant books and A House for Hermit Crab -- these are her favorites and have been on repeat for weeks.

:: gets mad easily, declares "I don't LIKE you anyMORE!" and stomps out of the room at least once a day.

:: gives kisses by the dozens. in a row. over and over and over. We love them.

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Evan ::

:: builds something with Legos nearly every day. Today he made a crocodile, yesterday a race car, the day before it was robots....

:: has a thing for estimating weights, measurements and time, for example...
       "My rock crawler weighs easily fourteen pounds."
       "That cliff is about 4 meters high, I'd say."
       "The gear was about 1/2 an inch high and 1/4 inch thick."

:: is usually way off on his measurements which makes us smile as he tries.

:: talks frequently in a British accent and pretends to be C3PO when we go out.  He has waddled through Lowe's, the Co-Op and the playground talking in his accent and refusing to bend his arms or legs.  A method actor for sure.

:: is listening as Todd and I read him chapter books every day, all through the day.  Right now we have Little House on the Prairie and Star Wars Episode I going.  He just finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and is about to start Prince Caspian. 

:: ate potatoes recently and for the first time ever did not complain about not liking them.

:: sleeps in his undies for bed and refuses to wear pajamas until he gets "so cold he can't take it anymore!"

:: looks so much like my sister Brook (and also her daughter Kylie) in these photos:

:: has wild unkempt hair that often looks frizzy.... but I don't care and neither does he, even when he gets called a girl.  This was his idea after all, and we support it. 

:: says the word 'butt' and bursts into cackling laughter about a million times a day. And all the mom's with boys know this phase....