Halloween 2013

Halloween fell mid week this year, so we kept it simple and enjoyed a festive breakfast, an easy dinner with friends then a crazy hour of running around the neighborhood trick-or-treating.

thanks Nana for these super cute place settings

as if we needed more sugar...I saw these cute little dessert pudding cups on Pinterest and made them for the kids for after dinner.  

Snow White was ready to head off!

Harry Potter wanted to rush off too, but was willing to humor me with a few pictures

I was very thankful this year that both kids were happy to wear outfits that we already had...I think Carter might be Harry Potter for the next five years!  He has absolutely no desire to be anything else.  Kennedy simply wanted to be a princess...easy peasy!

Carter carved his very own jack-o-lantern this year and was quite proud of it!

Our crew, all dressed up and reading to go

Kennedy, Emery, Brevin and Carter

It was so fun having the Pikes join us for trick-or-treating

Kennedy never lasts quite as long out trick-or-treating but always enjoys being at home to hand out candy.  She was so cute and sweet watching out the window, waiting for kids.

all jammied up and ready to watch "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", our Halloween tradition.

Halloween Fun

Holidays are always a fun excuse to put together a little something for the kiddos.  

At the start of October, after putting out all of our Halloween decorations, I left these treat baskets for the kids when they got home.

Nothing too extravagant, just lots of little fun things.

The Little Mermaid came out, so that had to go into Kennedy's basket.  Arial is Kennedy's favorite princess and we had borrowed the movie a few times, but I knew she would love having a copy of her own.

a little treat, a fun shirt, a movie for Carter, new books

They were excited to dig in but nicely posed for a picture before they got started!

Sharing their excitement!

I love these smiles

And one morning we woke up and had been "boo-ed"!  The kids were thrilled and had a ton of fun trying to guess who possibly could have left the bucket of treats.  We enjoyed delicious pumpkin cookies, yummy treats and... 

mustaches!

The best part of getting boo-ed is getting to put together our own treat buckets and then going out into the night to secretly deliver them.  

We were super secret spies!

I was cracking up at their attempts to be stealth...they wouldn't make very good spies at this point.  Kennedy was laughing so loud!  I am shocked that we weren't spotted!

you couldn't contain their excitement!

Such a fun Halloween tradition!

Halloween ~ 2012

We lucked out and the rain stayed away for the two hours of trick-or-treating.  To say the kids were excited would be a huge understatement.  I should have tried to take pictures before dinner, because once they were finished eating, they were ready!

Carter didn't mind posing a bit, practicing his spells.

He was a great Harry Potter!

The Pikes joined us for dinner and then did a little trick-or-treating with us, as well.  It's always fun to include friends on special nights like these.

Harry and Cinderella

Kennedy and Emery

The whole gang setting off to collect their loot.  I went along for the first two blocks but then rushed back home to hand out candy.  The kids had a wonderful time!

Someone was very excited to get a big Snickers bar

We ended the night watching "It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and eating yummy treats...not bad for a Wednesday nigtht.

pumpkin fun

We attended our neighbor's annual Punk-o-Rama party the Sunday before Halloween.  Each year I'm amazed at the freakishly creative ideas that people come up with for their pumpkins.  In an attempt to spare Kyle from 2 hours in the garage, carving a non-prize worthy jack o' lantern, we painted our pumpkin white, added a few polka dots, a brightly covered wig and...voila - AFRO CIRCUS PUMPKIN!  That's it folks, that's the extent of my creativity.  Doubt we even got a vote.  Kids loved it, though. 

Carter was intent on carving his own pumpkin this year.  I was inclined to skip this tradition all together, because usually the kids won't touch the insides of the pumpkin and get bored after about five minutes.  Then Kyle and I are left cleaning and carving so that we have pumpkins to put on our front porch on Halloween.  Not this year.  Carter woke up early one morning and the first thing he asked to do was carve his pumpkin.  Kyle got him all set up in the garage and he went to work...

cleaning,

scooping,

preparing,

and finally cutting.

He was so proud!

Great job, Carter Man, your pumpkin is awesome!

Boo Bash ~ 2012

It's a tradition of ours to head into downtown Camas and attend the Boo Bash each year.  I thought I was going to get out of it (as fighting crowds and trying desperately not to loose a child isn't super fun for me :) due to rain, but as 3:00 approached, the rain stopped and the kids were pumped to don their costumes and get a few treats.

Besides struggling to find a parking space, we had a lot of fun.  Thankfully Carter and Kennedy don't love to stand in long lines, either, so we hit one side of the street, got our ice cream from DQ, visited the fire station and then called it a day.  A fun little tradition continues...

Cinderella and Harry Potter

my little wizard and petite princess

Our first stop on a side street - no crowds = no waiting.  

Perfect!

humoring me with a few pictures as we waited in line

At the fire station

such a cute little downtown street

Camas really reminds me of McMinnville, so I love going downtown for things like this.  The leaves were gorgeous and the street was so perfectly fall-ish.

Harry, boy wizard

(we'll dye his hair for Halloween!)

enjoying a few treats

the highlight of the Boo Bash - mini ice cream cones at Dairy Queen

a little bit of life

Life has a way of getting too busy at times...I know everyone can relate, this isn't anything new, but it is our crazy life, none the less.

I had a few random pictures on my camera this month, no real home for them to go, not worthy of their own post ~ just little bits of our life.  Here's my attempt at playing catch up (at least with this part of my life)

The kids still take baths together at night - mostly because it's easier and quicker this way.  But Kyle and I were talking and we think this phase of our life will be ending shortly. 

Bubbles always make bath time more fun!

Not the greatest piccture but just a way of documenting this change in our routine.

It's starting to look (and feel - brr!) a lot like fall around here.

Our first attempt at visiting the pumpkin patch lead to disappointment.  It wasn't open on Sundays yet, so we went with plan B, ice cream!  All of our spirits were lifted with a yummy treat from Baskin Robbins.

Kennedy missed picture day at school while we were in Disneyland.  I was pretty bummed about it, actually I still am...I'm just sad that she won't have a cute class picture to commemerate her last year at Circle of Friends.  Oh well.  Thankfully they have retakes, so we dressed up, curled hair and smiled pretty for picture day.

(Her pictures turned out beautifully!)

A real smile, not this fakey one that you see here.

My little helper

Someone really likes to bake with Mama in the kitchen

Making cornbread muffins

We provided a meal for friends who are greiving the loss of their father and Kennedy helped with all the preparations.

After church one Sunday the kids received their Halloween treat bags ~ I like to put together little gifts to help celebrate special holidays. 

Both were very interested in what the other received...new pajamas, princess shoes for dress up, a little Ninajo Lego set and a few Halloween themed treats.

festive pajamas are always warming received ~ it's the little things

Kennedy's sweet friend from school, Lyla, came over for a play date.  The girls had a wonderful time playing with dolls, dressing up and coloring.  Lyla's mom is so kind and fun, so I really enjoyed our play date too.

Cookies with friends

Instead of carving, Kennedy really wanted to paint her pumpkin this year.

A great activity for a cold afternoon.

She was very proud of herself and her colorful pumpkin

It was my day to bring snack for Kennedy's class, so I made some blueberry muffins and added some cute Halloween decorations.

Found this simple and festive idea on Pinterest ~ Kennedy said the kids loved them!

Trying very hard not to smile for me - typical.