Happy Halloween!

Halloween was so much fun this year.  If you had told me last year--when I was walking around 9 months pregnant--that I would be chasing two kids around this year, I would have found it hard to believe.  But Evie was running around with Charlie this year, having the best time.  She tried her best to keep up with him on the trick or treating, even though she had no idea what we were doing.  Charlie totally got it this year and once he realized that candy was involved, he took his mission very seriously.  He wanted to hit up every house with lights on and was determined to say “Trick or Treat” and “Happy Halloween” at every one.  God forbid we miss a house, because he would insist that we go back and visit it.  We stayed close to home this year and I was glad.  It was so fun seeing our neighbors out and about on such a pretty evening.  Charlie and I stayed up late handing out candy and that was fun as well.  Charlie was determined to put at least one piece of candy in everyone’s bag on his own, and a few people got chased down because they hadn't gotten a piece of candy directly from him.  It was so funny watching him carefully pick each person's candy, telling them, "this is a good one!"

We started the day off with some pumpkin carving.  I was so glad we did this, as the kids were SO proud of their Jack o' Lantern.

 Evie wasn't quite as interested in the actual carving as Charlie was, but she was thrilled with the extra chunks of pumpkin.  Apparently I need to add more pumpkin to her diet!

 I was so glad to have an expert carver (my Mom) with us this year.  Made it go much faster, which I think is the most important part of pumpkin carving with a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old. :)

 Showing off their Jack o' Lantern...

 ...and their latest favorite activity: fighting over food!

 The finished product!

 Here's my little fireman, all dressed up for his evening.  Charlie was so proud of his costume, but took it very seriously.  He cried when he thought we weren't going to let him wear his jacket (silly us, thinking he needed a shirt under it :), and got very upset about his lack of fireman boots.  I think I'm going to have to step up my costume game next year!

 Here's the fireman with Evie, his "dalmatian dog."

 She hates the hat, but isn't it adorable?

 I just loved seeing that little tail wagging around the neighborhood. :)

 Daddy made it home just in time for trick or treating.  Yay!

 We encountered a real fire when we started out on our trick or treating...

 ...Charlie looked very nervous around the fire.  I think he thought we thought he was a real fireman and would make him put it out.  I think he was regretting the "real" look of his costume at this point. :)

 The little dalmatian enjoyed herself too!

What a fun, happy evening.  There is nothing more fun than experiencing holidays through kids' eyes.  Brings back so many good memories!

Trunk or Treating

To get the kids ready for Halloween (and as an insurance policy in case things went wrong on Wednesday night and we didn't make it out trick or treating :), we went "trunk or treating" at a neighborhood church on the Sunday evening before Halloween.  We had a great time, but it drove Charlie crazy that we were referring to the even as "trunk or treating."  He must have corrected us 50 times and told us that "it's called TRICK or treating."  He must have thought we were such idiots. :)

The fireman and his dalmatian puppy, getting ready to head to the trunks.  Sweet Grandma Ahh was in town to help with all the festivities.

 It didn't take the dalmatian long to realize that she was wearing her hat.  Can't pull one over on this girl. :)

 Much better!

 Evie got one lollipop and was happy.  Charlie, on the other hand, was determined to hit up any person who looked like they might have some sweets they wanted to unload.

 Charlie was a little unsure about some of the people in costume, but his desire for candy outweighed any momentary shyness and he managed to muster up a little "trick or treat" at every car. :)

 The pirates took all of his courage, but a desire for candy (and curiosity) helped him push through.

 Fishing for candy.

 Nothing like a bounce house to cap off a fun night of trunk or treating.  I think this will become an annual tradition--we loved it!

Playgroup Halloween Party

Our playgroup had a Halloween party recently and it was crazy and wild, but very fun.  The kids ran around like madmen the whole time (except when they were filling up with sugar), but had such a good time.  They were DIRTY--covered in cupcake, cookies, water, and mud. But isn't that the sign of a good party? :)

Here are some of the little guests chowing down.  Charlie is in the bottom right (in the fireman costume).  I can't tell you how much he loves this costume.  But he wants to be in all the pieces, all the time.  He gets very agitated if he doesn't have his hat on or if I try to convince him to leave his jacket off in hot weather.  And he was a little disappointed not to have real fireman boots.  But other than that, thrilled. :)

My cupcakes!

 I think this is most of the big kids.  Our playgroup is growing by leaps and bounds right now.  All the big kids now have a baby sibling (or two), and as those babies are starting to get bigger and more mobile, we are starting to feel like a crowd!

 A few more of them below.  Note Ford, the other fireman to the left of Charlie.  Charlie was relieved to have some help in the fire department in case of emergency, but concerned that Ford wouldn't wear his hat (he asked me several times to make Ford wear his hat, but I politely declined :).

 Despite appearances, Charlie and Bella were having fun, I promise.

 When people start losing their pants, you know it's time to wrap up the party...

Birthday Partying

We have been to a LOT of birthday parties recently, and that makes my kids so happy.  They love a party--the fun friends, fun activities, and especially the cupcakes, make them so happy.  I don't usually have enough hands to get pictures at birthday parties, but with Evie's newfound mobility/independence, I am finding that I have a bit more free time. :)

I love this pic of Charlie and Bo.  Charlie didn't want to remove his signature cap for the birthday hat, so decided to combine them.  Gotta love his style. :)

 Evie has been cracking me up at our parties lately.  She does not know that she's a baby--she totally thinks she's one of the "big" kids.  She was running around Pump it Up like she owned the place.  Very frustrated that I wouldn't send her down the big slide, but otherwise, pleased as could be to be there.  At one point, I turned around and saw her waiting patiently in line for hand sanitizer.  When did she get so big??? :)

 Looks just like his Papa--and proud of it! :)

More Pumpkin Patch Pictures

I had to get some pumpkin patch photos at the famous Arboretum pumpkin patch, so Ann and I loaded up the kids for a picnic and headed over there.  The Chihuly exhibit there has made parking a disaster, but we were determined, so we parked at the lake and headed to the pumpkins.  Charlie was fairly cooperative, but much more interested in running around in the pumpkin houses and hay maze, so I had to work quickly to get him in pictures.

 So angelic, right?  You'd never guess how very terribly TWO he is right now. :)

 Crazy girl was sweet enough to let me get a few good photos of her.  But she made me work for them! :)

 Evie is at such a sweet, happy stage right now.  Just makes me want to freeze time, because I know those twos are coming... :)

 Colin was the best little model.  He is such a cutie, and I LOVE his eyes!