Waldo, Knight B and the sweetest giraffe you'll ever meet!

Our time out trick or treating was a success! Great time walking around as a family and interacting with the neighbors God has placed us near. And more candy than any three kids should have in their possession :) The kids got to walk around a bit with two kids that live four houses down that they have been getting to know and play with! So thankful for developing friendships with neighbors - something I had prayed for as we moved to PA and as we moved into this neighborhood!

Happy Halloween AND Happy Reformation Day

As we sat down to school this morning (much to my boys dismay since today IS a holiday, a double holiday at that!) Owen remarked that this is the day kids have been waiting for all year. They are so excited about it - costumes, candy, 95 theses. 

Our hope is to seek to enjoy the fun parts of the Halloween traditions - costumes of Waldo, a knight and a giraffe (a very sweet little giraffe), enjoying an evening out and about in our neighborhood with our neighbors, treats and shared memories - while avoiding and teaching our kids of the many dangers involved in the holiday as well. Not simply "no you may not dress up as a..." but a more full and more Biblical description. 

We are also making some parchment paper (dipping crumpled paper in coffee) and writing the 5 Solas on them. These are five distinctions of the reformation - sola scriptura (by scripture alone), sola fide (by faith alone), sola gratia (by grace alone), soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone) and solo Christo (through Christ alone).  How thankful I am that Martin Luther and others stood up for what God has spoken to us about in His Word about the nature of our salvation - that it is not earned by us but given to us by Christ. What great things to celebrate today !

Pictures to follow later tonight...

Almost 3...

This is what it's like to live with someone who is going to be 3 in two months. It requires much mercy and love and patience and a smile. Oh my!