Our Four Jack-o-lanterns

The boys love to carve pumpkins.  But no one likes to gut the pumpkins.  So Gus and I always have our work cut out for us.  Henry wanted a scary face on his pumpkin.  John picked a stenciled face from the book.  And Peter wanted a happy pumpkin.  Frances was not interested in any part of it, so I carved her a bunny pumpkin.  We ended the night with our traditional viewing of the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  The kids couldn't wait for the sun to go down so they could see their jack-o-lanterns lit up on our balcony. 

Henry's Chess Project

A victory dance is in order after you complete a school assignment to create a homemade chess board. Henry came up with the idea all on his own to design a Makris Family themed board - “Mama, no one else will use the same idea because no one else has enough people in their family for all the chess pieces.”

The Pumpkin Patch

We drove to our favorite pumpkin patch in the country for our annual pumpkin picking adventure. Everyone picked something different this year. Henry got the biggest pumpkin. John opted for a white pumpkin. Peter wanted one with a tall stem. And Frances, well, she carried around several pumpkins and gourds until we made her choose just one. It was the prettiest Fall day outside for a hayride. And some of us got up and close with some farm animals. Some of us (Henry and John) still do not like the smell of farm animals, so they stayed far away.

10 years

Happy 10th anniversary to us! We celebrated in New York City, where we shared our first home. Back then we lived in a 450 square foot apartment. Now, while our home is being renovated, we live in a 1300 square foot apartment with our 4 kids. For those counting, that is a decrease in square footage per person. I think the real estate agents call that “cozy.” Good thing I like being cozy with you, Gus.

Frances Anne's 2nd Birthday

Things I learned after Frances Anne's 2nd Birthday: she is not impressed with balloon decor or fancy doughnut displays early in the morning, she is terrified of lit candles, her mood drastically changes once she eats a doughnut, she goes to OK Cafe for the social scene, she appreciates how late I had to stay up frosting that darn bunny cake but she still hates cake, and she is not interested in sharing any of her new toys with her three curious brothers (pink toys are new around here).

Frances Anne is 2 years old!

Likes: Rubbing my nose with Frannie the Bunny's ears and sucking my two right fingers at the same time, playing dress up, dancing to the Trolls soundtrack or Lady Gaga, reading Curious George, Funny Bunny, or Disney Princess books, wearing any and all accessories (especially if they are pink), going to the park, the library, Target, and the nail salon, eating applesauce, cheese, pasta, beans, rice, berries, crackers, and anything that is chocolate, chatting non-stop (I get it from my Mama), snuggling and being sung to before bed, playing ABC flashcards, wrestling with my brothers (and asking for my shirt off too since they take theirs off), watching Finding Nemo, Trolls, or Lighting McQueen, and coloring (both on paper and the walls).

Dislikes: Being put in time-out (I destroy my bedroom and my closet while serving my time), eating vegetables or meat (I am tied with John for the pickiest eater in our family. I don't even like Chick-fil-a!), losing Frannie the Bunny, not getting to pick out my own shoes (I like to wear rain boots when it's sunny), and being told "no".

Growth: I weigh 30 lbs., and I am 36 inches tall. This puts me in the 90th percentile for weight, and the 98th percentile for height. I am catching up to Peter, so when we are out together, sometimes strangers think we are twins!

Princess Francie

Frances Anne loves to play dress-up. But the only costumes we had were superheroes, Star Wars guys, ninjas, and astronauts. Thanks to a friend's hand-me-down, our girl has her first princess dress. And now she refuses to take it off!