Happy Halloween - M Edition

My Halloween started with a trip to the pumpkin patch.  Look at all those orange bundles of joy.  Since my beautiful momma is on the PTO we knew better than to purchase these!  We went to Smith's instead.

Those Smith's pumpkins smell great!  We hung this in our van as an air freshener for about fifteen minutes before it became overpowering and started dripping seeds.

My school had a parade.  Unbelievably my dad showed up.  I was so happy I screamed when I saw him...

After trick or treating, I stayed up with my dad and brother and passed out candy we had collected to some of the later kids.  We watched the big full moon rise above our mountains.  We brought out SM to see it and she pointed and said "moon...cheese!"  Here our the finished pumpkins, and with that our Halloween adventures are finished too!

Happy Halloween - JC Version

When given the choice between a hamburger, Benjamin Franklin, and an angry bird, I chose to be a hamburger.  Sadly, too many other people had the same idea and my costume sold out.  Angry bird it was.

Unlike my sister, SM, I thoroughly enjoyed pumpkin carving.  Here I am prior to carving...

And here I am with my hand in the thick of it...

My costume was popular with everyone who saw it.  Look at how I stand out in the crowd...

For those worried that this costume is a one year thing due to my massive growth potential I present exhibit A - my future size in the same costume!

Halloween - SM Version

Good day!

Well what does it look like I'm doing?  I'm getting ready for trick or treating!  I had trouble choosing a costume.  This one was too big...

So I went with the flower.  Before we got outside, though, I got to watch pumpkin carving. 

What can I say?  It lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.  Trick or treating is more my style.  Here I am trooping along.  I covered about two miles on foot before calling it a night.  Remember, my legs are really short!

Look at the pay-off!  No carved pumpkin - just CANDY!

Ah-haha...sorry, I'm still laughing about my riches.  By the way, if you ask me for some candy, I will make this face and say "what candy...?"

Happy Halloween!

Where the Wild Things Are

(JC speaking) Once in a while, my dad takes us on long walks to the middle of no where.  This time he stopped at the end of a road in the Barranca Mesa area (note guardrail) and we started our walk.

At first there was a nice trail.  I guess a few people had headed this way...

Soon the trail faded and we went into the wild.

Whoa!  All of  a sudden I had to go.  My dad gave me some pointers.  SM is a disinterested observer.  Bonus!  The tree turned green with my watering!

Finally we reached the end of the Mesa.  I am uncomfortable with heights, cliffs, and spumoni ice cream.  My big sis, M, realized this and helped me feel safer.

We started on our way back.  SM was very patient and here's why...CRACKERS!

My beautiful momma photographed this experience.  Thanks!

Daisies are Fall Flowers?

M joined a Daisy troop.  Here she is at her first bridging ceremony.

She is having a great time learning about her world every week.  Why do they call it a bridging ceremony?  Now you know...

She also got to march in the homecoming parade uptown.  She passed out candy to everyone except JC - she gave him a hug instead.

We love suckers!  Thanks for being a Daisy, big sister M.

Look out Below. It's Fall Foods!

Oh!  My beautiful momma is a kitchen extraordinaire.  I hear Kitchen-Aid is coming out with a new edition named after her.  We live in the LOE where donuts are not easily obtainable.  Therefore, the county sponsors a donut contest every year.  My beautiful momma entered for the first time.  Here are pictures of her pumpkin donuts.

Here are pictures of her apple cider donuts.  Her apple cider donuts took seventh place in the 'beginner' category.  The winner used green chile (of course!).

We also collected ~ 10% of the apples off of our tree and ended up with this many.

Here is her stove during the apple-vaganza.

And here is JC's closet.  We also have jars in every cupboard/closet we own.  If you like apple sauce, than our house is your Gimle (gratuitous Pops-centric reference).

We are nuts for fall foods!

  

We couldn't afford a trip to Europe...

...so we had our kids play soccer instead.  Here is M at her first practice.

She also had a few games.  Her team was the Fireballs - so, of course, they were the color white. 

Here is M attempting a throw-in.

What does SM do during all of this?  Ride the slides!

JC also played soccer this year.  This blog post is so late, he had his last game of the season tonight.  He scored a few goals and stole a few hearts.  Look at that hair!

Another victory for the White Lightning (hey at least their team name made sense).