Its been a busy few months.  I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving this week.  Christmas is hot on the heels of Thanksgiving and then 2012 comes rushing in.

What have we been up to?  Mainly school for the kids and then their afterschool acitivities.  Arran started TaeKwonDo in the summer and he has already tested for his first full belt so he is now a yellow belt.  He is eagerly waiting for the end of November when he should be able to test for his next belt.

Arran receiving his yellow belt

 Iona continues with her gymnastics on a weekly basis but she also enjoys being on the stage.  She performs with a troupe called Playful People Productions and they have completed a performance of Aladdin in October.  Iona was Iago "Superstar sidekick and Prince of Parrots".

Iago or Iona - which one is it?

We should have some more pictures from the play to show you in a few weeks.

At the end of September, we headed to Florida for an intense 9 days.  The majority of the time was non stop working, but we did get out to The Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party one evening. 

Iona the Sorceress

Getting dizzy on the mad hatter's teacups ride

Not often that you get to see all seven dwarfs together!

We also got to take a sneak preview at the new Legoland Florida.  I wondered if Arran would be bored because there are no big roller coasters, but he seemed to have fun here too.

Welcome to Legoland

Where's my armour?

R2D2 in Lego!

Little Miss Knight

Take your photo with a giant Lego man

Learning to drive!

I had earmarked our last Florida day to go to Universal Islands of Adventure (provided we had finished all the todo items in our vacation homes).  We had not been since they added the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We did get finished, but it was not the best day to go to the park - a tropical storm had rolled in and it was pouring with rain.  We made the best of it and the good part was that the lines were not very long.  The bad part - we were soaked through to the bones by the time we left the park. 

Grey skies - too authentic!

Harry Potter London in not so sunny Florida!

Arran enjoying Butterbeer

Look at this face - complete with Butterbeer mustache!

The kids school has a Halloween Parade every year.  Here is Iona in her costume.  (Arran chose not to participate in dressing up or the parade this year)

Iona's Class

Our resident Sorceress

This year we expanded our house decorations.

Iona handing out candy.

Arran with Jeeves, the animatronic butler

Our new Halloween candy jar - stick your hand in the brain to get your candy!

Can you spot Neil in this photo?

Mid October, Arran started his afterschool program at the Children's Discovery Museum in downtown San Jose.  He goes once a week and has a multimedia project to complete.  Currently they are working with Photoshop and manipulating photographs.  He really enjoys it there.  Even more so this year as 2 of his Indigo friends are also attending.

Well, I think that is it for all of our goings on.  Now it is just getting ready for Thanksgiving and then its time to start getting ready for Christmas.  Its really nice when all the lights go up on the homes - brings some brightness to the dark nights!