Our Family- October 2011


STACEYALECK.COM	Amanda Rachel & Robin Beatrice Amanda was born on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 3:16 pm Robin was born on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 9:24 pm October 2011 We had a great month with lots of holidays, dress up, and playtime, culminating in a fabulous Halloween. Construction began on our long-awaited addition. We will be adding a garage to the house, as well as a room above it that will be Aleck's office. The room currently being used as his office will be converted into a guest room. Finally! For the first time in over 2 years, we will have a guest room. Book your reservations now! Amanda continues to do well in school and is getting more comfortable with the aftercare program at the Rec Center. The fact that her new Kindergarten friend Charlie is there is a big help. Amanda and Charlie had lots of fun play time this month, and our families got together for some of it, as well. Amanda also continued to go to Hebrew School and is really enjoying it. Robin continues to love preschool and is even more excited to see Gabby each day. She is learning a lot and really likes music and yoga. Her teacher says that she is very participatory and vocal during group discussions.







	Overheard this month: Amanda
	Amanda:	"Knock knock."
	Stacey:	"Who's there?"
	Amanda:	"Atch."
	Stacey:	"Atch who?"
	Amanda:	(Pause) "Ha ha! I made you say 'Achoo!'"




	Dress Up Time!


	The girls inherited an entire bin of dress up clothes from Samantha and Emma. To say they were excited is an understatement.







	Overheard this month: Robin
	Asking to be removed from her booster seat: "Strap me out!"



	HOOT! There it is!

	The mascot at Polk Elementary is Hoot the owl. Amanda's school shirt shows Hoot on the front and on the back, "There it is!"




	Click Here to see Robin singing the "ABCDEFGs" (16 seconds).



	Overheard this month: Amanda
	"They're going to the Arctic snowpole."



	A Colorful Education




	Overheard this month: Robin
	"I go to preschool. Amanda goes to Kindergarten school."







	Firehouse Visit



	The highlight of the open house was the obstacle course, where the kids had to crawl under the rope, carry a hose around the cones, and then they got to shoot water out of a real fire hose at a "burning" building.




	Click Here for a video of the girls in the obstacle course (58 seconds).







	Star Struck




	Overheard this month: Amanda
	Talking with Amanda about stray animals, trying to elicit dog or cat:
	What kind of animal might you see walking down our street? "Maybe a rhino?"



	Sukkot
	Sukkot is a harvest holiday involving a roofless structure (so you can see the stars) and typically, you are supposed to eat meals in the Sukkah.


	Robin's preschool had lunch in the Sukkah one day.



	And then we also had a Tot Shabbat in the Sukkah.



	Overheard this month: Amanda
	"Now’s the best time for homeless people because they have sukkahs to live in."




	Amanda made an "edible" Sukkah in Hebrew school (though, much to her dismay, we could not eat it, because the graham crackers were molded onto a tissue box).







	Simchat Torah and Consecration
	We celebrated both Simchat Torah and Amanda's Consecration on the same night at the temple.
	Simchat Torah is a celebration of the Torah when the Torah scroll is rolled back to the beginning. Everyone then dances with the Torahs.
	Consecration is a ceremony to mark the beginning of a child's Jewish education. All of the new Hebrew school students took part in the festivities. Amanda received some candy as well as her own mini Torah!





	Amanda got to dance with the Torah! ...And Robin got a flag.
	Click Here for a video of Robin dancing with Gabby and then by herself to the Klezmer music (37 seconds).


	Overheard this month: Robin
	Robin got a giant tube of bubbles called "Monster Bubbles" because of its size.
	Showing it to Aleck, she asked, "See my monster bubbles? Are you scared?"




	Healthy Kids Fun Run
	Amanda took part in this one mile race as part of the Marine Corps Marathon Weekend. Her main motivation for participation was that her friend Charlie was also doing it.

	It was an awful, cold, rainy day, but Amanda crossed the finish line (albeit in tears).





	And she got an awesome medal!


	Overheard this month: Amanda
	Examining a black and white cookie to determine how to split it evenly 4 ways
	"because nobody wants a piece without chocolate."



	Hats Off To You





	Pumpkins and Costumes and Candy, Oh My!










	Overheard this month: Amanda
	Aleck:	They’re calling for showers today.
	Amanda:	"No, I just took one last night!"







	Amanda and Charlie got dressed up for a Halloween Party at their afterschool program



	Trick or Treat!








	The Neighborhood Gang


	Overheard this month: Robin
	"I want to say 'trick or treat' again."
	Click Here for a video of Robin (1 second).





	Overheard this month: Amanda
	Did you have fun Trick or Treating, Amanda?
	"Yes. I had as much fun as if I was riding a horse all day long."






	See all of these pictures and more at our photo gallery

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