Happy 7th Birthday Jake!

How did this sweet little baby...

 Become this BIG guy!

Happy 7th Birthday to our sweet, handsome, funny love of a boy! 

Twinsies!

For Jake's party he wanted to do Rock Climbing at Main Event and he only wanted to invite boys. Main Event + 17 boys + inept staff + 1 barfing kid + 2 temporarily missing kids (they wandered into mini golf) = a super happy 7 year old birthday boy and 2 exhausted parents in need of a drink! But all we cared about is that Jake had fun and he did!

Ready to get the party started!

Ready to climb!

Bunch of silly boys!

Pizza and specially requested donuts instead of cake!

The celebrations for Jake's birthday continued with a special afternoon with Daddy on his birthday and dinner that night out as well as an outing with Bubba the next day. 

Jake was quick to point out that it was just his birthday...it worked for about a week following but he kept trying. In addition to being persistent...he is the sweetest, most loving, funny, smart, handsome and kind 7 year around and we love him so much!  

Oh my, October!

October has started perfectly for the last three years with Allie's birthday on October 1st. We love this sweet girl so much! She is such a joy and completes our family perfectly.

These children are growing like weeds, good thing for online shopping! New pajamas for everyone!

It's crazy that all the toys that we played with in the 80's are back. Jake mugs it up with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!

Allie had about a zillion days off for the fall Jewish holidays but I love seeing her learning Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simcha Torah. 

Love this one. Just hanging out with my girl, Penny!

The next weekend we headed for Dallas for the weekend. There was necessary Jake and Allie time for Brenna and Pipi after Michael left the week before for a year in Israel and a little get away for me and Alex without the kiddos. 

We did get to spend Friday night up in Dallas with the Vivier's and had the exciting task of helping Josh get suited up for Homecoming and a fun dinner out. 

Gorgeous God-mommy and God-daughter!

At Macy's while getting Josh was shopping I got the "I gotta go" look and we headed off. I couldn't resist this picture. Deep in the middle of telling me a story. She is just too cute!

Early Saturday morning Alex & I headed to the airport and took a quick flight to Arkansas, yes, I said Arkansas. The Georgia Bulldogs were in Little Rock to play the University of Arkansas. Luckily, we didn't have to worry if the littles were having fun as they were clearly having a blast without us. 

DIVA!

Just having a little chat over coffee (hot chocolate) with her Pipi!

Josh & his homecoming date and his littlest fans!

Watching the Homecoming photo shoot!

Jake and Allie even got to visit the party bus. Apparently when they were ready to go Brenna told Allie it was time to go and that it was just for big kids now. Allie's reply probably while stamping her foot "but I am a big kid!" 

Meanwhile, in Arkansas! After a quick flight we met our friends Jason and Leigh Anne Mann and headed out to do a little tailgating! It was super fun being back in the stands and of course it helps that Georgia won! We finished the night off with a great dinner and a great time was had by all!

School picture time! Who is this big, handsome guy?

And our soccer star! 

Just a preview of Allie's school pictures. A very well-meaning teacher did her hair so we'll see how the final pictures are. I'm sure she loved every second of it! 

Jake and I headed over to the Hill Fall Carnival while Allie slept. We met up with Dash the Dillo and had a great afternoon!

I loved that Jake dumped me to go run around with his friends! He did come back to me looking just a little too sweet in order to crack a confetti egg on my head! 

The next day our Sunday family activity was decorating pumpkins! This may be the last year I get away with not having to actually carve a pumpkin. 

At school Jake's class decorated pumpkins as well. They went all out! Jake and his pumpkin are both seated at the top left. 

We had a great Halloween. Bubba came by to see our little ladybug and Pikachu and for some pictures before we headed out. We joined Jake's friend Miles and his family in their neighborhood. Trick-or-Treating with wine does make it better! 

Early in the month, after a long struggle with ALS, our Aunt Judy passed away. Judy was diagnosed with ALS in May of 2012 but was showing signs of the disease as early as the Fall of 2011 when she came to Austin for Allie's naming and Thanksgiving. Judy didn't have grandchildren so Jake and Allie were very special to her and were "shared" with her by my mom. 

Above snuggling with days old baby Jake and below participating in the bris ceremony.

The Sacks women at Allie's naming ceremony.

Judy was an outstanding Jewish educator and dedicated herself to it. She has shared some of her fun holiday materials with us and every year Jake looks forward to the Passover plague finger puppets! Jake and I talked a lot about Judy when she died and about how much she would love that he was going to Hebrew school and was learning about the holidays and about being Jewish. He seemed to like that very much. 

An avid collector Judy had collections of stamps, books and most noticeably (because they were everywhere) owls. When I was in Chicago for the funeral and shiva I picked out a few special owl's for Jake and Allie. Jake's owl is special because it is Hedwig from the Harry Potter books, a series that Judy loved, and the books that Jake and I are reading every night before bed. 

Although we're sad that she is gone, we're happy that she has been released from the prison that ALS turned her body into. She will be missed.