The Halloween Crazies

I knew getting pictures on Halloween was going to be a challenge.  They were SO excited.  And SO ready to go.  But I wasn't quite prepared for the case of the sillies that they had.  Or how hard it would be to get a picture of the three of them looking at the camera.

They definitely "got" Halloween this year.   They decided that I would take them trick or treating while Greg stayed home to hand out candy.  For the first few houses, we were trailing behind another group, so the girls didn't have to do any of the knocking or doorbell ringing.  Once we were on our own, it took a few houses for them to get warmed up to having to knock or ring.  (A house with a big dog didn't help.)  But then, they were all over it.  

They didn't quite have the whole "Trick or treat," "Thank you" routine down.  They pretty much just rang the doorbell and said "Happy Halloween!" which is better than nothing.

They weren't too keen on being out in the dark, so eventually, they started asking to go home.  We got home a little before 8, and there were still a few trick or treaters around.  They actually gave up inventorying their loot to peer out the windows for trick or treaters and fight over who got to hand out candy.  I was surprised by how much they enjoyed handing out candy.

And, when we called it quits and turned out the lights, the look on Becca's face when the realization hit her was priceless:  holding our bowl of leftover candy, she said, "Do we get to eat this candy?"

Pumpkin Art

I had some thin wood pumpkins from ACMoore that I bought for the girls to paint. 

Apparently, though, I forget how quickly we paint.

So I supplemented with some little wood pumpkins leftover from one of my projects.

They blew threw those, too, and still weren't ready to be done painting.

So I pulled out some paper ones.  This went fine, until Emma started using her fingers.

My first reaction was to yell "Noooooooooo..."  (And I'm sure I did.)  But I'm trying not to impose my OCD tendencies on them.  And I'm trying to say "yes" instead of "no" as long as no one is going to get hurt.  So I let them go to town.  Plus, at that point, it was less effort than trying to keep a separate paintbrush in each color of paint.

The results:

Boo in the Zoo

At some point, months ago, I started talking to the girls about Halloween costumes.  To give them some ideas, I mentioned a witch, a flower, or a rainbow.  And that it exactly what they latched onto.  My rainbow idea came from the rainbow costume on here, which is one of the cutest things I've seen.  But it looked like it would require sewing, and interfacing, and still wouldn't come out quite like I hoped.  So, based on some suggestions from Greg and a friend at work, I made this one out of foam core board, tissue paper, and glue.  Lots of glue.  It made its debut at Boo in the Zoo.

 
Julie is just a ham.

Julie continues to ham it up, and about takes Becca down in the process.

Emma said that she wanted to be a witch.  Then, I bought three owl costumes.  And she still wanted to be a witch (I still had no witch costume).  And then she started saying, "I want to be an owl.  But a witch is better."  So, the three owl costumes continue to hang upstairs, with tags still on.  I'm hoping I can at least get one wear out of them next year.  It took me a while to not find an, um, "cheap" witch costume, but I think this one was ok.  Emma has since declared that this costume was "itchy," so she doesn't want to wear it next year.  Becca has decided she wants to be a witch next year, but she doesn't want to wear Emma's costume.  She wants her own witch costume.

Love them.  So, so much.

Despite all of mom's photos, we did eventually make it into the zoo.

And look, my eyes are open in a flash photo!

So much loot she had to throw it over her shoulder to carry it.

The "Farm" Experience

I love fall, I do.  But it's really become commercialized.  Am I crazy here?  It seems like everyone wants to sell you a "farm experience."  And now that I have kids, I feel like I have to buy in.  But I also feel like I'm burning out on it.  The apple orchard that Greg and I have been going to forever?  I want nothing to do with it on a fall weekend anymore.  I'm in search of a real, authentic fall experience.  Maybe next year we need to go up to the mountains or something.

Anyhow, I'm rambling.  We had our moms of multiples fall party at a farm that I had never been to before.  To its credit, it was much less crowded that some of the other "farm experiences."  But we were kind of "herded" through the farm.  It was a "one way in, one way out" sort of thing.

Greg and Becca on the hayride.

Walking through the "corn maze" (path cut out through a field of weeds).

There was a bat "cave" with fake bats, and an inflatable thing that the Emma and Julie were too scared to go in.  Then we got to the planks through the "alligator field."  They liked this much better.  Even after Becca tried one set of stumps and did a face plant and cut open her forehead.

It was a little windy.

There were some animals, and then we arrived at the pumpkin "patch."  I love that my kids were racing around trying to find the smallest pumpkins.  At least that way, when we end up having to carry them, they aren't too heavy.

Becca trying to see what she looked like.

Emma, underwhelmed.

The final attraction was the giant mulch pile, with some tires and slides thrown on top.  Greg and I both thought it looked like a liability nightmare, but I'm sure we must have signed away our rights to sue somewhere along there.

Don't get me wrong, we had fun.  But now, a month later, I look back on it rather cynically.

The Power of Guilt

These?  These would be Halloween lights.

Yes, really.

The girls helped me put out the "inside" decorations, but Becca was truly upset that we didn't have any outside decorations.  

She would constantly comment on all the other houses we would go by that were "ready for Halloween."

Clearly, I was letting her down.  

So, not too long before Halloween, when they were 60% off, I got some lights, and let her help me put them up.

They made her so happy.  Even if she called them "Christmas" lights the entire time they were up.

It's no giant inflatable spider.

But we need somewhere to go next year, right?

Outside

The weather has been gorgeous lately.  Have I mentioned that I love October?  On top of that, Greg's parents were with us for the last week, and they've had the girls outside running around for most of the week.  Even on the days early last week when it was cold and overcast, the girls wanted to be outside.  It's so hard to come home from work and have them ask, "can we go outside?" and only be able to think about all of the things I have to do inside before I can go to bed.  It makes me resent cooking dinner even more.  I mean, I want a healthy meal on the table, and I want us to eat dinner together.  But more and more, it seems like the girls aren't even hungry for dinner, or don't want what we're having.  And then it's like we're cooking for the two of us.  Anyhow, rant over.  Just something I am really struggling with right now.

Fall is coming.

The pulled out the water table that we have converted into a rice table.  That means rice goes everywhere.  We try to clean up as much of as it we can.  Emma's insisted on sweeping up her own mess.

Unfortunately, she doesn't quite have down the technique for pouring it back in the bucket, so half of it ends up on the ground again.

Luckily, Papa moved in to help.  Because, um, I thought it was funny and kept taking pictures.

I can't help it.  I love the glare and sunspots.  The is the former water table, and the remains of a bag of rice from Costco.

We had to move the seats up a couple of notches on their balance bikes.  I can't believe they're getting so big!

 
Becca at the rice table.  Safety first.

They also like to play with their $1 butterfly nets from Christmas Tree Shop.  I got these when we visited my parents last summer.  We just got a Christmas Tree Shop here a few months ago.  I took the girls there once, and when they asked where we were going, I told them "the junk store."  So, now, that's what they call it.  :)  They tell Greg, "We went to the junk store!"

Emma collecting leaves

 Grandma helping Julie catch some leaves while Emma does something with a broom.  Which reminds me that Emma is saying that she wants to be a witch for Halloween.  Actually, a "big bad witch that's going to eat up Becca fairy."