Halloween 2011

Let me first rewind a bit to yesterday.

Spencer and I cleaned the pumpkins and Michael carved them.

Spencer was not a fan of scooping the strings and seeds with his hands.

Check out that face.

He did much better with a spoon.

Michael did a great job with the carving.  I am just terrible at pumpkin photography.  If you can't tell, there is an owl on the big pumpkin.

OK.  Here we are tonight.

Spencer was ready to go with his Thomas costume and Thomas bucket.

He gave the bucket a kiss for good luck.

Our candy passer outer while we were out trick or treating was my brother Nick.

Then we hit the roads.

Spencer ran from house to house to house.  He was really jazzed up.  Some people asked us how much candy he had had already.  We told them none, that this was just his baseline.  They laughed.

He lasted a lot longer this year compared to last year.  We were gone for about 90 minutes.  People just loved him.  One lady gave him 3 big handfuls of candy and even after he said thank you and started walking about she was handing him more pieces....."Here honey, take some M &M's.  Oh, and here, take this Kit Kat too". 

What can I say?  He is incredibly adorable.

This is the final haul.

I tried to get a good picture of the owl pumpkin flickering in the candlelight.  I failed. 

2007

Pumpkin Baby

2008

Scooby Doo 

2009

Super Man 

2010

Mickey Mouse 

2011

Thomas the Tank Engine 

A successful Saturday

Today was a big day.  We didn't do any one thing that was so BIG.  Rather it was a bunch of little things that added up to a big day.

First, a stop at the pumpkin patch.

Spencer kept asking me to take his picture with the little pumpkins.

We'll be carving these babies tomorrow.

Second, a stop at Hobby Lobby.

I have wanted this sign for the kitchen since June, when I first saw it.  A miracle of miracles happened today- #1)  It was actually available; and at the same time #2) It was on sale.  With very few exceptions I refuse to buy anything at Hobby Lobby unless it is at least 50% off.

I think it looks très chic.

Third, we popped in to Costco.  In addition to some of the best Saturday samples we've had in a long time, we got treats for the kids on Monday.

And a little treat for ourselves.  Can you read what is says?  Chocolate Walnut Artisan Loaf.  I wish we had bought two.

Finally, a stop at Home Depot for a surprise for this little lady.

Our entire backyard is concrete and rocks.  I feel bad that Ginger doesn't even have a little patch of grass to nap on.  We do have 4 circular cut-outs in the concrete.  We decided to buy some grass sod to put in the "planters".  Ginger, even laying on her side, fits within the circumference of the circle and already lays on the dirt a lot.

Spencer saw me taking pictures so he ran to get his newly found camera so he could do the same (we had lost this camera for a long time and just found it last night).

I took a picture of him taking a picture of me.

The whole project cost us $15. The sod doesn't look so wonderful right now, but hopefully it will green up in a few days.

We're debating going out for dinner tonight.  Our budget is still recovering from the Disneyland trip and me not having a paycheck for the week I was off for fall break.  Dinner will blow our whole budget.

I could really go for this right about now:

Could we just pretend that Elliott is demanding it?

8:15 pm update:

We went to a nearby diner that we like.  My ribeye (hidden under all the mushrooms and onions) was overcooked, but it was still tasty.  I even splurged in a major way and got a diet coke.  That's my 3rd soda of this pregnancy.  That's 2 more than I had with Spencer.

It's been a good day.

Another year, more awesome costumes

Amy and Shireen co-hosted their annual Halloween Party over the weekend.  Michael and I were reminiscing about all the different years we have gone. In 2006 we went but didn't wear costumes.  In 2007 we were home with a colicky newborn.  I don't even remember being aware that the party happened.  In 2008 we went as a maid and a butler.  We stayed maybe an hour.  In 2009 we took Spencer and we were the family in pajamas.  That was a pretty lame year.  In 2010 we were Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck and Goofy.

And here we are in 2011.  Sir Topham Hatt, Thomas the Train and a Railroad Crossing Sign.

My costume even had a back.

We're already brainstorming what we can go as when we are a family of 4 next year.

John was a severed head on a table and Maryellen was a ceiling fan (look closely at her shirt).

Shireen was Princess Leia from The Empire Strikes Back and Desmond was an Ewok.

Amy was Queen Amidala and Josh was Luke Skywalker (never mind the fact that Amidala was Luke's mother and died in childbirth and this picture is not even possible). 

Oh, and BIG NEWS.  Amy is really expecting a baby boy in March.  I doubt they will name him Luke.

Joseph was Han Solo

Jacob was Yoda, Nasreen was R2-D2 and that kid (whose name I do not know) was Anakin Skywalker.

Joni was an octopus, Oriana was the rainbow fish and Blaine was a modest starfish wearing shorts.

Maryellen, Lauren (who was a Geisha) and I re-created our picture from last year.

There were tasty desserts.

I made candy corn fudge,

and caramel apple whoopie pies.

Shireen made another fabulous cake.

Children enjoyed playing games,

and bobbing for apples,

and decorating cookies.

Amy needed to hide from her husband and son and my costume was useful.

And Loki, the dog, took a break on John's table.

It was another fabulous party.

There is a direct correlation between the number of children we all have and the time the party ends.  In 2006 I believe we left around 1.  This year we were almost the last people to leave and it was 9:30.

By next year the party will somehow end before it begins.  I'm sure it will still be a fun time even with that time bending feat.