Halloween Wrap-Up

Anyone else exhausted? Halloween kicked my butt this year! 

The Halloween festivities started Wednesday when the girls had a friend over for a witch-hat decorating party. It was tons of fun and the girls really made some cute hats!!

Might just have to do this every year!

After our hat-making guest headed home, we carved our second round of pumpkins. Grace wanted a "scary" pumpkin and Charlotte wanted a "silly" pumpkin. After I cleaned the pumpkins, I let the girls go at it with a crayon to 'design' their jack-o-lantern. They are both too young to design a pumpkin BUT they felt like they were part of the design process. Very important. On a sketch piece of paper, we worked through the details and then I did my best to make their visions come to life!

Behold...our (only photographed) jack-o-lanterns of 2013!

Grace = scary

Charlotte = silly

It was so fun turning off the lights and watching them glow!

Not sure what they liked more, the glowing pumpkins or the glowing candles!

I soon found them huddled under the coffee table talking to each other in the candlelight.

I was able to get a few cute ones of Grace in nothing but candle light and thought what a great Christmas card this would make...but Charlotte wanted nothing to do with sweet, candle-lit poses.

The next day, Halloween, Grace had a party at school! I volunteered to be a parent helper in her classroom and my MIL graciously agreed to watch Charlotte for me. On the way to school, Grace and I stopped to pick up CHOCOLATE RING DONUTS that we had specially ordered the week prior so that we could make some Pinterest inspired treats for her classroom.

They were supposed to look a little like this...

{source}

Well, the donut makers forgot TO MAKE the donuts and Grace was heart broken! I made the mistake of telling her what the treat was we were bringing before hand - the girl loves a chocolate covered donut - and when it was a no go? Tears, tears and more tears!

Luckily, they had exactly the number of bar donuts which didn't totally stop the tears but once we dressed them up...

 and said our thank you words...

everything was ok.

Ok meaning she. ate. single. bite!

I have to say she was one sweet bat-girl!

Then it was off to trick-or-treat.

Not gonna lie. This was a little rough. Both girl were tired upon arrival.

But they trooped on - walking the entire way - through our downtown event 

(held during daylight hours! BOOM!!)

and while they LOVED LOVED LOVED the idea of getting candy 

and singing Trick - or - Treat, Smell my Feet along the way...

they were soon READY to head home.

We were on our way home when we spotted one last spot...it had a loooong line, so we knew it had to be good, right?

And it was!

A good one to end on!

Happy Halloween {2013}!

Some of you might be on my mailing list...but if you aren't...

From my animals to yours...Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Grace's pre-k class took a trip to the pumpkin patch and Charlotte and I got to tag along.

(Mind you this was after a trip to the doctor's office for Charlotte's 3 year check up and flu shots so to say our tanks were low is an understatement).

Last year when Grace's class went to the pumpkin patch, I made them each a Halloween skirt and matching top. This year, because of the driving and running around we are doing, my creative time is severely limited. I was only able to muster up little t-shirts this year. With all the rain and cold weather we've been having, I figured this was the best option. Why ruin a good outfit or good fabric at the pumpkin patch, right?

It was a bit chilly in the shade but the kids got to learn all about apples and farm life. 

Charlotte got upset because she wasn't picked to go up and count apples with the teacher. Mind you, this is Grace's class and Grace's teacher. That doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be in the mix of everything.

The kids got to visit the petting zoo, go on a hayride and pick out a pumpkin. 

Charlotte picked this first pumpkin she saw but Grace took her time and found the perfect pumpkin. 

After the pumpkin patch, everybody got a fresh, homemade doughnut and some time to burn off the sugar high on the playground. 

Both girls eventually erupted into tears because of this and that, clearly it had been a looong day but a trip to the pumpkin patch is always fun and totally worth it!

We'll be going back in a week or so - as a family - to pick out some big pumpkins for carving and for decorating. They have the best pumpkins!

I really do love this time of the year! I wish I had more time to REALLY enjoy it...I just find myself hopping from one thing to the next and waking up far too early and going to bed far too late. 

I'm tired (all the time) but it's the kind of tired that is worth it!

Ready or Not, Here Comes Halloween

No Halloween decorations up as of yet, but we do have our Halloween countdown up and running!

Do you do anything special to kick off Halloween?

Trick or Treating

The businesses downtown "closed" for a few hours to host some good old fashioned trick or treating fun - during daylight hours! 

Can I get a hallelujah?!?!

(I have a decade or more of cold, dark, rainy nights of trick or treating ahead so why rush into this trick or treating thing too fast right? I'm all about a warm, dry and quick start to this new tradition!)

This was a FIRST for both girls and they were pretty excited about the fact that just by saying three magic words - Trick or Treat - someone just hands you candy?

Let's go!

However, once we were parked and they could see the other monsters, cheerleaders and princesses running all around, they were a little apprehensive. 

Grace quickly got the drill.

March into business. Say trick or treat. Allow stranger to place candy in pumpkin basket. Say thank you. And off to the next spot.

Charlotte was a bit more apprehensive.

Especially in some of the businesses who were REALLY in the spirit with spooky music, flashing lights and scary costumes.

Grace was quick to reassure her.

Melted my heart.

  And soon, they were both running ahead.

Short and sweet...but not short on the sweets!

 When I asked Grace if she had fun, she summed it up pretty well.

It was a little bit scary and a little bit fun!

Can't wait for next year!

Happy Halloween!

Here is the card we sent to family and friends this year!

Kinda hard to see because I scanned it - in a hurry!

Hope it was a sweet day!

Pumpkin Party {2012}

Today was Grace's pumpkin party at school!

I got to be the parent volunteer today which was fun - because I got to help plan the pumpkin party - but I also got to observe Grace in her school setting for the first time!

She was very quiet. She listened and did everything the teacher said.

I did notice that a lot of the other kids were "friends" because their parents were friends.

So it broke my heart a little to see Grace sitting by herself while the other kids were horsing around and playing. I can't help but see myself in her. 

Grace got to be the flag holder for the flag salute and she even introduced me to her class. 

After several educational activities - writing, coloring, cutting, etc - it was finally time to party!

The moms brought SO much food!

Pudding that looked like Frankenstein, gummy worms in Oreo crumbs that looked like dirt, popcorn balls, just to name a few. I am not kidding. There was SO much food!! So much of it was really cute or really clever or really realistic looking. Unfortunately, most got thrown away. 

Some of the kids were scared of some of the items but most got to town eating their special pumpkin party snacks without hesitation.

Grace didn't eat anything. To say she is picky...well that is an understatement!

Overall, the pumpkin party was a success!

Grace and her classmates. I still need to learn LOTS of names!!