Happy Halloween!

We wish you the spookiest of Halloweens!

We started the celebration early with a visit to the pumpkin patch last weekend. Doug, our resident master-carver, carved two pumpkins this year: one spooky, one happy. :-) We went to a Trunk-or-Treat at our church last weekend, as well.

Contemplating pumpkin choices (or ready for a nap...)


Cinderella goes trunk-or-treating....

I had never been to a Trunk-or-Treat before, but was definitely impressed! I think the people who decorate their trunks must have more fun than the trunk-or-treaters... One guy decorated his trunk by hanging a sheet painted with the Egyptian pyramid landscape. He had a vertical slit cut down the middle of the sheet. He was dressed as the sphinx, and stuck his head out of the slit when trick-or-treaters came up. Each trick-or-treater had to answer a question or a riddle before receiving their candy. I thought it was pretty clever. Another couple were Romans dressed in togas. Their trunk was held up by columns. Another person we know dressed-up as Cruella DeVille. Her dog was one of her 101 dalmatians... :-)

At the Trunk-or-Treat

Our neighbors Tony and Elaine met us there with their little "dinosaur" Olivia. Everyone seemed to have a fun time. Ava was pretty shy about going up to people to "trunk or treat". To her credit, it was VERY loud and crazy during the festivities. I'm sure she'll have more fun tonight going up to houses to trick-or-treat.

Today I sent Ava and Liam off to day care with two plates of pumpkin cookies that I made. Ava took her "Cinder-lella" costume and her hair was done like Cinderella. (I curled her pony-tail and put flowers in her hair). She really seems to enjoy looking just like Cinderella. One little boy (Aidan) in her classroom crouched down, looked in Ava's face, smiled and gingerly said "Ava, your hair...", and wanted to touch her curled ponytail. It was too cute.

It's funny to watch Ava call these other kids by name. Today before school, she asked if Will (another student) would be there. I assured her he would be. She seemed happy in knowing that. The other day Ava said "Bye, Will" when we were leaving. He ran over and gave her a hug as she was walking out the door. Ava hugged him back. So sweet!!!

Liam took his jack-o-lantern costume this morning. The teachers in his class were glad we brought the costume; two other kids were pumpkins in his class. The teachers commented that they would have a "pumpkin patch" later in the day, with all of the little pumpkins! He really seems to enjoy his class and the social time with other little ones. :-)

There will be a "Harvest Celebration" today at Ava and Liam's school from 3-4:30 p.m. We'll be sure to go and celebrate all that is Fall today with them. We hope you have a spook-tacular day today, and enjoy all Fall has to offer.

Peace, love and candy corn,
Shelly, Doug, Cinderella and the Great Pumpkin

Ava and Daddy with their choices

Liam basks in the glow






Doug found a nice one

And yet he sleeps... :)

Ava loved this crazy snake-looking gourd

The snake charmer

"Way down yonder in the pumpkin patch"

Smooches from Daddy

FOR TRICK OR TREATING

Ava and her buddy, Mekhi Hoffman. (Ava is 9 months younger than Mekhi).

















Ava and Mekhi

Ava and Mekhi



Picking pumpkins