Trick O' Treating

This year we all agreed to be a spider family. I was pleased with this choice, since the costumes would be super simple to make! The rule is that we have to he a "theme" of some sort AND we ALL have to agree on the costume we choose so that NO ONE is unhappy on the funfilled night!

Items needed:

Long sleeve black shirts

Long black pants

Black hats

Self Sticking black and white felt

Black socks (12 pairs)

Batting

Black thread

As you can see we were an awesome looking spider family! They were so proud to tell everyone and anyone what they were for Halloween! I am glad such a simple costume made them so happy and proud!

HALLOWEEEEEEEN...

Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday! Christmas being a very close runner up! This year we didn't put as many decorations out but instead used many "homemade" items! Check out our "craftiness"

Halloween Craft...

No holiday is ever complete without doing at least 1 holiday themed craft with the kids! This year I ordered these fun Halloween masks along with silly face stickers to put on pumpkins! Crafts NEVER get old for any of my kids!!

He Stands...

The time is inching closer and closer to the day when Garrison stops crawling and actually walks. Today he decided it was time to be a bit braver and stand without holding onto anything! I was able to snap a picture before he grabbed the ottoman!

Halloween Party Anyone...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE school parties HOWEVER, I always seem to try and do a little too much! I think my LOVE for the holiday clouds my brain into realizing exactly all that one should do in one day without over doing it! This year I had not 1, not 2, but 3 parties to attend! First up Ava and Garrison's party with the MOMS Club. For this I decided to bring the infamous Graveyard Crunch as our item to share! Super easy and super yummy! I prepared this item the night before and luckily I did because ALL day, time seemed to be something I didn't have much of!

After Ava's party, we headed back home where I had to rush and finish Liliana's ghost cupcakes before heading off to school! Frosting cupcakes doesn't take too too long thankfully but putting 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes was a bit time consuming! I finished with no time to spare! I loaded up all 30 cupcakes, 60 goody bags, and a homemade craft for Dillon's class in the van and off I went! I first headed to Liliana's class where I shared the "ghostly" treat then it was time to head to Dillon's party! Liliana's class wasn't really a "party" since she is now an "older child" in the 3rd grade, but it was ok. I would see her in about an hour for the "book parade" and she was content with that!

I quickly made my way over to the kindergarten classroom and finished setting up before the class came in from recess. The teacher wanted to surprise the kids with a fully decorated classroom! Their faces were priceless! I LOVE this age! They are so cute and the things that they say are just too funny! The teacher had each parent volunteer "man" a center. I was put at the craft center. After all, it was only fitting I be in charge of the craft center since I created the craft. It was a simple and cute craft where the kids made a ghost out of paper plates, streamers, googly eyes, pompoms, and fun shaped mouths! I was told by one child I was the "coolest mom" while another child told me "I was nice but that they didn't like making ghosts"! Like I said, kids at this age say the funniest of things and are sometimes just brutally honest!

When centers were done, it was time for the children to head outside where parents lined the field in anticipation of the annual "book parade". In order to justify celebrating Halloween, our school came up with the book parade. Every child at our school was allowed to dress up for the parade HOWEVER the character they chose had to be from a favored book! Once all the children were lined up outside, the sound system began playing the theme song from the movie Ghostbusters! They began to march around the field, some dancing and some looking a little confused! Dillon and Liliana had a blast. I just wish I had remembered my camera to document such a fun filled day! There's always next year!

Air Museum...

I don't have much to type about this day seeing that it was "Daddy Dillon Day", but I wanted to share the pictures! Marc and Uncle Jeff took Dillon down to Tucson to the Pima Air Museum for the day. Dillon was so excited to go to the "airplane museum" but was just as excited that none of his siblings would be tagging along for the fun! Needless to say, he had a very fun day and brought home a tasty treat for the girls... Freeze Dried Ice Cream Sandwiches. "What the astronauts eat mommy!"

Apple Annie's

Oh how we miss living back east this time of year. The trees changing, the apple picking, and best of all... the awesome pumpkin patches. Luckily I found a place comparable to the fun-ness that back east always had to offer... only catch...its 3 hours away!! YIKES!

This week the kids were out of school on fall break and Marc was able to take a few days off of work! With the extra time off, we decided to make the trip and to our surprise mom and dad tagged along!

Our destination, Apple Annie's Orchard and Pumpkin Patch!

Both are owned and operated by the same family but 6 miles apart. First we headed to the Orchard. The kids picked us 26 lbs of apples. Next up was making their own piece of rope. All they had to do was twist a steering wheel which turned the 2 pieces of rope together! Its funny how simple things like this amaze and entertain them! While they made their ropes, Mom and I snuck off to the bakery! YUMMY! Fresh baked pies, apple bread, and fudge were amongst the items I purchased! The fudge options were ridiculous! I ended buying 6 huge honking pieces. Flavors included Orange Cream, Oreo, Snickers, Pumpkin Pecan, M&M, and Mint Choc Chip! After the kids finished their ropes, we headed to the Pumpkin Patch.

We quickly hopped in line for the hay ride to the pumpkin fields. Marc and Dad stayed behind with the baby due to allergy issues, while the older 3 kids, Mom, and myself headed out to pick a pumpkin! The kids enjoyed the hayride to the fields BUT did NOT like the heavy winds that kept kicking up all the Arizona dust! There was one good thing that came of all the wind and dust... quick decisions for which pumpkin each child wanted! I grabbed a pair of branch cutters and cut each pumpkins stem. The kids were warned ahead of time that they could pick their own pumpkin out BUT had to be able to carry it back to the hayride! They did an awesome job picking out their pumpkins and were very proud to hold their own on the ride back! After pumpking picking it was time to tackle the 6 mile corn maze. The maze had several different "levels" to enter. The kids chose the easy maze and navigated through it rather quickly! A family that had been lost for over 30 minutes ended up following them out! Kudos to Liliana who knew the answer to the final question which would lead them out of the maze..."Which celebrity known around the world for his music, died this year?" Options Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Mozart, or Elivis Presley

I know, I know not the most difficult of questions but remember this was the "easy" maze!

Although the kids were tired at this point, we chugged on. Next up... vegetable picking! To my surprise Dillon was the only child interested in picking vegetables! He followed Marc, Mom, and myself over to the fields. Mom went right for the okra plants and Dillon, for some reason, followed! Marc and I first picked a few peppers, at which point Liliana decided she wanted to pick a few before heading back with Papa to sit and watch??!! After picking peppers, Dillon ran and caught up with Mom. It was very interesting to see Dillon picking okra with his grandma! She was in heaven, that he wanted to stay with her and pick her favorite vegetable! He was very sweet... he would first ask if it was a good healthy one to pick, once given the ok, he would pick it and alternate giving them to me and to Mom!

Soon it was time to pay for our vegetables and head home. We had a long 3 hour drive ahead of us!

I must admit I was a little hesitant to make such a long drive just to pick apples and vegetables but the kids had a blast and it was for sure the "fall experience" I want them to always remember as opposed to what we have locally!

Tunnel Time...

The kids thought it would be funny to see if Garrison would go through the pop up tunnel! They did NOT think he would. I, on the other hand, thought he would... better yet I KNEW he would! What child doesn't like a pop up tunnel.

ParkDay...

October is a great month to play at the local parks. Today we road our bikes and visited with some old friends. I managed to snap a few pictures.

Donut Making With Daddy...

Marc and I were out shopping one afternoon and came across a Batter Drop Donut Maker. Our children are OBSESSED with donuts. If we let them, they would eat donuts 3 times a day every day! We knew this item was a MUST for future morning meals!
A couple days later, Marc began his vacation as did the children for fall break. It was the perfect time to whip up some homemade batter and try out our new kitchen toy.
Marc, Ava, and Dillon filled the kitchen island with every ingredient needed and went to work. They LOVE helping in the kitchen, but this time was extra special... they were making DONUTS.

Whiteout...

Tonight was the Welcome Back Whiteout event for the Arizona Coyotes. Those challenged in the field of sports, the Arizona Coyotes is our local NHL hockey team. Hockey games are so much fun to attend as a family. The seats are always great and the kids LOVE to cheer for the Coyotes. Hence its name, Welcome Back Whiteout, all in attendance were to wear as much white as possible! Marc went all out. He sprayed the girls' hair all white and painted their faces! I wouldn't let him paint my face but I did let him spray my hair. Too bad my hair didn't look as white as it should have. When looking in the mirror, it made me feel like I was looking at myself 40 years from now with a full head of gray! Marc, by far, was the most white out of any of us!! He painted his entire face white and had people staring at him the whole hour ride to the ice rink. Upon arrival, we received our free whiteout t-shirts and white pom poms! The kids shook those suckers the whole game! It was definitely another fun family night at the Coyotes game!