Unless you somehow missed it, Halloween was on Monday. This group of mine always has fun dressing up and doing fall things. The only disadvantage this year is that Kevin has been working a big work project that keeps him gone Mon-Thurs (and occasionally Friday) right now. That means most of our Halloween/Fall festivities ended up being pushed into a long weekend this year. Not the way we prefer to do it…but that’s just how the chips landed this year.
Thursday kicked it all off when I took the kids down to Tubbs Berry Farm after school. The kids enjoy the big slides, duck races, and the corn cannon (both hit targets this year). The Hay Bale maze is fun and there is always something new to see, do, or learn. For example: Did you know the average Honey Bee only lives six weeks and produces about 1/4tsp of honey during it’s lifespan?
I think the kid’s favorite element this year was the giant jump pad. This thing was huge, and we got there at a time when it was also devoid of other kids….My kangaroos went wild.
Saturday, after helping out at the Church’s fall cleanup and roaming the canal bed catching Crawdads we headed into town to the CSI Corn Maze. It wasn’t too many years back when we couldn’t make it through this thing without carrying people. Now we have to worry about them getting too far ahead and turning a corner on us. Not too many more years and they won’t have to stay with Mom and Dad the whole time….that has some potential 
For now however I’ll enjoy the time as a family….besides these kids still come in handy when you get yourself truly turned around. “Okay sweetie, can you see the exit tent?”
Once we got done with the Corn Maze there was really only one thing left to do before Halloween itself…pumpkins!
This is another area where I’m always impressed by how far the kids have come. Jack doesn’t require any assistance anymore (except for some muscle to pull off the lid) and had some creative ideas up his sleeves (he turned his pumpkin on its side to use the nose as part of the face). Emilie still wanted help cleaning out her pumpkin. She also needed some carving help. She drew on the face (and hands, because all pumpkins have hands) and did a little carving (like one eye), but then, it seems, she suffered a career ending hand cramp and Mom had to step in and carve the rest under Emilie’s careful guidance and commentary. They turned out pretty good if you ask me.
Left to right: Kevin’s – Traditional Face (originally slated to be a trio of ghosts but the template allegedly ‘slipped’ so he went with option B), Mine – Butch the Cougar, Emilie – Hands! (I think it looks like ‘The Scream’ a bit). Jack – Stem-nose Pumpkin.
Then came Monday – Halloween Day – All Hallows Eve – Reformation Day and lots of parties. I attended three myself (Jack’s, Emilie’s, and Kevin’s Work)…how about you?
KINDERGARTEN PARTY
SECOND GRADE PARTY
Once the partying wrapped we had just enough time to go home and breath a bit for hitting the candy train to Tirck-or-Treat town. This year we did group costumes. Kevin/Jack went as Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Snowman (Jerry Reid) from Smoky & The Bandit. Emilie and I went as Rapunzel and Mother Gothel from Disney’s Tangled. Both kid’s costumes turned out great! Jack got an extra handful of candy at one house because the homeowner was a trucker and said it was the best costume he’d seen all night…right down to the dog (Fred) strapped on back as his dog rides with him when he’s on the road. Jack was also stopped for a photo on the sidewalk by a parent who worked at a truck repair shop. Emilie wasn’t left out either, In fact her Rapunzel braid inspired a fellow mom to whip one up quick for her daughter who was also going as Rapunzel (Imitation is flattery people). In all we had a great time, are loaded down with Enough candy to easily make that Gain-10-lbs-by-New-Year goal, and have two kids already scheming up costumes for next year.
Oh….and those Crawdads I mentioned earlier…..
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