It's a Monkey, Pumpkin Kind of World!

As usual, things have not been quiet around the Estochen house the last several weeks! The pictures on here are an attempt at reverse order - but who knows how they'll turn out!

The girls are in LOVE with Cy right now - they play with him, give him kisses, give him hugs, and say "Nice Puppy" when they pet him! Right now, everything is "nice", and gets a pet just like the puppy - it's scary when that's my hair they are doing it to!!





At the Parents' Weekend ISU game, the girls played with Cameron (our friends' son). The neighboring RV dumped out some ice - and all 3 explored!



Neela also enjoyed feeding Kylie mac & cheese - notice their cute sweatshirts from Bonnie & Hambone!

After the Nebraska game, we drove to Sioux City - OK, we didn't wait for the drubbing to end, we left after the 3rd quarter. We hung out while Daddy golfed with Great-Papa, Uncle Chuck and Uncle John -- Papa had to go on a business trip, so he missed the golfing - but we got to see him!

Neela & Papa draw on the Magna Doodle

Kylie tries on Uncle Chuckie's sunglasses
Kylie can now say "Chuckie" as clear as can be! When we got to Grandma & Papa's, she stood at the top of the stairs saying "Chuck, Chuck, Chuck" and pointing down. Uncle Chuck is usually down there - but was not when we got there! She cried when he left to go golf!! I think she has a favorite Uncle!

The girls colored pumpkins with markers to help Grandma decorate for Halloween - both Great-Grandmas were also there!


We showed off our Steelers' outfits, and our Willie Parker styling...

We took a picture with Papa Estochen while we waited for his ride...


OK - so this is an old picture, but it's funny! The girls have a new obsession when it comes to my bedroom :-)

Last Friday, we went to the Como Zoo Boo with Aunt Angie, Reardon and his parents. Reardon was a lion, and we were monkeys!

We loved the giant pumpkin!
And the big turtle was really neat! (Wouldn't it be great if Mommy didn't blink??)


Kylie almost got eaten by a lion - yummy Monkey!

Our family picture - Kylie wanted NOTHING to do with the gorilla, and Neela (in Mom's arms) just wanted to check it out a little before getting closer.

Inside Thomas the Train

Aunt Angie is working as the project manager on the Como Zoo Polar Bear exhibit - how appropriate to have her face inside the bear!

We wanted to make Grandma & Papa G proud, so here's us with our second favorite college team (Go Gophers!!).

Neela's close relative...

This last weekend, Mom and Dad finally spent their first weekend away from the girls! We went to a football game in Ames with Aunt Angie, and got a hotel room!!! WHOA!! The girls survived, and they carved pumpkins with Grandma & Papa G. They also went to Mills Fleet Farm, Aunt Carol's, and Burger King - they just couldn't sit home and miss Mom & Dad! Mom was probably the worst of them all!!

We continue to amaze Mom & Dad - on the way home from the Zoo, Kylie was singing "Twinkle, twinkle" - and Neela was saying "Meow, meow, meow" to a song on the children's CD. Neither one of us has slept through a night in the last two weeks - except for when Grandma & Papa were here, and when we were at the other Grandma's house... We like to give Mom & Dad a challenge! Mom's praying we sleep tonight - Daddy's in Tower, Minnesota (look at a map - it's WAY up NORTH!)... If necessary, Aunt Angie is the back-up plan for the midnight shift!

Love to all! Happy Haunting!!

Pumpkin Patch & Fire Prevention Week!

We've had so much fun the last few weekends, it took us a while to tell you all about it! October 5 & 6, we traveled to Ames to watch the ISU/Kansas football game. We had so much fun staying at the Simodynes house, playing with Becky and Jeff in the RV (while Mom & Dad went to the game!), and meeting (again) our friend, Cameron! We don't have pictures yet (Mom's camera was in the car), but we'll send them when we get them!

Last weekend (October 11 & 12), we were quite busy! On Saturday, we went to the Little Gym - then hung out at the Fire Station for Fire Prevention Week! Daddy has some cool firefighter friends who showed us all the "Big Truck" and helped us "Beep, Beep, Beep" the horns!

A tree outside the fire station door... don't you love Minnesota in the fall?

We tried on Daddy's boots - when we were 6 weeks old, you couldn't see us inside his boots!

We sat in Daddy's locker - and tried on his helmet! It was a little big, but we know we'll grow into it. For now, we'll have to wear the "Little Cheif" hat they gave us!

Papa G. likes to call us on his cell phone - and we like to talk with him! ANYTHING that resembles a phone or a radio gets used to talk to Papa - just ask us! We tried to call him from the fire trucks, but it didn't work too well!

Kylie enjoyed driving the "Big Truck" - she wanted the door shut, and Daddy couldn't have been prouder! She also got the horn to honk when she "kissed the steering wheel" with her entire face!

Kylie said "Where'd he go?" when she was playing with Daddy...

Daddy's Little Girl - and Future Woodbury Firefighter - Neela :-)

On Sunday, we went to the Apple Junction Pumpkin Patch! We had fun playing with the pumpkins, apples, and at the petting zoo. Kylie walked up to the chickens and said, "Cluck, cluck, cluck". We both could not understand why the goats like to climb so high - Neela kept saying "Up, up, up!" Kylie finally managed to let the calf lick her hand, but she announced "Moo!" to anyone who would listen! Our Great Aunt Carol and Grandma G. made the bibs for us - they saw them at a craft fair for $48 each, and knew they could do it much cheaper! We got so many compliments! Thank you both!! Enjoy the pictures!

We've learned a few other new things in the last few weeks, too!
Mom tries to keep track of everything we do, but we just move too fast sometimes! Lately, we love to tell you "Thank You" every time we hand something to you -- even if you did not want it from us! We are also doing quite well singing our ABC's with Leap in the car, and counting to 1-2-3-4-5-6 -- with a "wheeeee" sounding emphasis on the number 3! This week, our favorite thing has been identifying body parts - we like to sit on your lap and point to hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, belly, elbow, arm... and we really enjoy singing "Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes" - but you have to go a bit slow for us!!

We have been playing with sidewalk chalk - and eating it - but we have not gotten any pictures! It's rained about an hour after we finish every time! We also love PIZZA! We say "pizza, pizza" - almost like the guy from Little Ceasar's! We love to build towers with our legos - Kylie said "Tower - Down - Again!" earlier this week (and she did knock it down and build it over!). Kylie also enjoys telling Cy how to behave - Mom said "No Barking" once, and Kylie just says "No Bark" any time Cy makes a peep (poor dog!). Neela loves to walk around saying "Cy, Cy, Cy" and to give him lots of love (he doesn't always appreciate it!). We also are working on names - Mom is going to make us "family flash cards" when she has a few minutes, so we'll be ready for all the holidays! We love to talk on our webcam - Kylie loves to look for Chuck (we've improved from Cuck to Chuck!) - and imitate Papa on the screen!

Here's a funny picture of how long our hair is getting (when the curls are straightened)!

Have a good week! We love you all!