Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday Danielle and I made some Halloween cupcakes while Tyler was at school. She fizzled out after licking the beaters, but I hung in there. (They're supposed to be mummies.)







Tyler had a Halloween parade and party at school today. The kids were all so excited to show off their costumes. Here are some pictures from school:

Here are some pictures from trick-or-treat tonight. Tyler decided at the last minute that he didn't want any black face paint on. Danielle trick-or-treated for awhile and then stayed to help me pass out candy. We had fun sitting together. The boys hit up the rest of the neighborhood and finally came home with WAAAAAYYYY too much candy!! It was a good day.

Boo at the Zoo

Tonight we went to the zoo's trick-or-treat night with Grandma & Grandpa C & Uncle Ron. We missed it last year because we were on vacation, but otherwise we've been to this every year since Tyler could walk. The kids really enjoyed looking at everyone else's costumes this year.

Danielle was Sleeping Beauty.

Tyler was a skeleton. I made his costume, and it actually turned out pretty good. It really glows in the dark, so he loves it! (He's trying to look scary in the pictures.)

The kids didn't get much candy (not a bad thing) but we had a lot of fun.

Carving Pumpkins

We carved our pumpkins this afternoon.

Tyler still refuses to touch the guts much.

Danielle still enjoys it.

This year Tyler carved a lot of his (all but the eyes).

Ron carved Danielle's but he carved exactly what she drew.

I think they all turned out great.

Cafeteria Conversations

I volunteered in the lunchroom at Tyler's school again today. It's always entertaining.

Today I heard a 2nd grader declare he was going to marry Diego when he grows up. I heard a girl in Tyler's class invite him over for a sleep over (score!). A boy in Tyler's class told me he likes Danielle (all the while grinning from ear to ear). But my favorite conversation was one I overheard between two third grade boys:

"So, what exactly is a dingleberry?"

Homework & Ghosts

Now, doesn't this just do your heart good? I often wonder how long it will be until he throws a fit about doing homework. Right now he's just so proud of what he accomplishes. He really seems to enjoy the work and the praise. (Of course, I also wonder how long it will be until his homework is suddenly too difficult for me!)














Totally unrelated, we made ghosts today. We were going to put them outside, but the weather has been yucky. They look really cute in the hallway for now. Maybe we'll put them along the sidewalk on Halloween. These were super easy but the kids really enjoyed making them. (I was too lazy to cover up the exposed bulbs but it looks cute anyway.)

Writing on the Wall

There is a song I love by Mark Harris called Writing on the Wall. This is the first part of the song:

I came home from work

She was waiting at the door

Had that bad day look in her eye

Then I heard the sound of little feet across the hardwood floor

And I knelt down with my arms open wide

When I asked her what had happened

She pointed to our son

And said why don't you show your daddy

What you've done

And I could see the writing on the wall

The evidence of little hands

Picasso with a purple crayon

I tried to act upset but I was smiling through it all

I could see the writing on the wall

I think being at home all day with the kids makes me a little less tolerant of the every day childish things our children do simply because they are children. Last night at dinner Danielle did something for the umpteenth time that I found annoying. But when I looked up to see Ron smiling, I was suddenly reminded that she will be 4 for such a short time, and these minor annoyances are really little treasures that will all too soon be forgotten.

Click here to listen to the song

The Pumpkin Farm, Past & Present

Today we went to the pumpkin farm. Other than last year (because we were on vacation) we have gone to this farm every year since Tyler could walk. Ron and I were a bit disappointed this year: the prices were higher, you couldn't really pet the animals, and because of the drought, you got to pick your pumpkin from piles of "imported" pumpkins rather than the pumpkin patch. Regardless, the kids enjoyed themselves on the same things they loved the last time we came: the hay tunnel, sunflower maze, hay slides, & wagon ride. We really did have a nice time. It was a beautiful sunny day, we ended up with nice big pumpkins (which we will carve closer to Halloween), and we had fun together as a family. You can't do much better than that.



Here are some pictures from our previous trips to the farm and from today.



2002

2003

2004

2005