jack gets a dog

Today Quinny and I headed over to Fry's Marketplace in Gilbert to watch a public ceremony where Jack received an assistance dog from Canine Assistants.  Fry's and Milk-Bone are providing the funds for the dog.  He won't actually get his dog for awhile, but there was a spokesdog there as well as a woman who has had the dog helping her for many years.  Jack is Paul (Robert's brother) and Erin's boy.  In addition to having autism, Jack has had seizures since he was a baby.  These dogs are incredible and Jack's dog is going to be such a benefit to him and his family.  I am so excited for Jack and co.  Quinny was pretty excited as well.  She got to pet the dog that was there and asked if she could get a dog.  Then she wanted to go to Jack's house.  

If you look closely, you can see the dog on the ground next to the woman in the wheelchair.  The dog has on a pink ribbon.  It was a beautiful yellow lab and was really making me want a dog to take home.  

candy soup

Moving to Arizona has had its challenges.

One being, how much Halloween candy to we buy for trick-or-treaters?

In years past we have had to go out to buy extra candy.

It was as if our entire community came alive with Halloween.

From EXACTLY 6pm to 8pm, our doorbell never quit ringing.

In fact, most of the time we just sat outside to dole out the goods.

So this year I bought a lot of candy, not as much as when we lived in Ohio, but a lot.

I had no idea how many kids would come by.

We had two trick-or-treaters.

I guess the trick was on me.

As a result of my gross miscalculation, we have had tons of candy around the house.

Way too much.

Quinny quit eating it and just started playing with it.

camera happy

Robyn has been working on a cooking project this week, so we have had the camera in the kitchen.

After we took a couple of pictures of the food, Robyn got her hands on the camera.

 Thanks, Robyn.  You caught me at my best!

 Then she turned the camera on herself.

robyn in the kitchen

 Butternut Squash Soup

Aunt Phyl's rolls

Frosted Chocolate Cookies

Divine.

children's museum of phoenix

Quinn and I spent the morning with Shelle and Allison at the children's museum.  Quinny said the best part of the museum was the treehouse.  It is an enormous play structure with all sorts of artistic elements.  She loved the gigantic bathtub with wings.

 Q and Allison made us some pizza and mac & cheese.

 My phone doesn't take action shots, so most of the pictures turned out blurry.  Their eyes look crazy in this one.  Quinny and Allison were quite content with Quinny being the power for the cycle rickshaw.  They went through the play car wash many times.

 Getting these two girls to be still for a picture was impossible.

This is the building where the museum is located.  The building itself was one of my favorite things about our outing.

Monroe Building

The three-story brick building, designed by Los Angeles architect Norman Marsh, was the grandest elementary school in town when it was built in 1913. It served thousands of elementary school students before being closed by the School District in 1972 due to declining downtown population. Later, the building was remodeled for use as a recruiting center for the Department of Defense, before closing altogether.

Now, as the home of the Children's Museum of Phoenix, this restored architectural masterwork is alive again with the sounds of laughter, learning, and play.

spooky halloween

Robyn (cowgirl) - Haley - Quinn - Allison - Mimi

 twisted Little Red Riding Hood

 batty princess - Tinkerbell - butterfly

walk now for autism speaks - arizona 2011

 Haley's school, Gateway Academy, participated in the Walk Now for Autism 2011.  Shelle and Allison joined us on the walk.  Aside from Mimi falling twice and having a bloody nose, we all had a great time.  Maybe next year Haley will join us!

friday - zoo day

Despite the way Quinn looks in the picture, she had a great time at the zoo.  She had a minor meltdown on the train ride when we saw the camels.  She was ready to jump off and take a ride on one.  When I told her she was already on a ride and had to stay put, she proceeded to start chanting, "I want to ride the camel."  She produced a couple of real tears to go with the whining.  She never did get her camel ride, but she did have a blast playing in the treehouse with Allison.  They have a new exit at the zoo.  You have to pass through the gift shop to get out.  As you can see from the picture, it worked on me.  I'm a sucker.

playing at the park

 Mimi and Quinny have reached an age where they like to play together.

I don't think there is anything better than to hear your kids giggling and playing together.

It makes me smile.

Pizza Face

I keep finding faces in my food.  

Is it trying to tell me something?

The only thing this pizza was saying was,

"Eat me.  I'm delicious."

I did.

It was.