trick or treat

Sadly, family fun friday: Halloween edition didn't turn out quite like I had planned. We went out to find a big pumpkin large enough for carving and let me tell you, there were no pumpkins to be found. Coby, our little artist, was the only one who was really looking forward to it and he was devastated. We looked and looked and finally decided to just carve our little pumpkins. The ones that Coby just knew that I was going to make pumpkin pie out of! That killed me. Who does he think I am? Martha Stewart I am not. That's why I have a fully stocked pantry of canned pumpkin (please don't tell Coby, he's the only one who gives me enough credit to believe that I really could turn his pumpkin into pumpkin pie ;)).

Darren gave a go of it at first, but we quickly found out that our first little pumpkin was rotten. Oohhh, it was staaaanky! I think it went bad because Coby refused to let it live outdoors where it is cooler. He likes to keep his pumpkin in his room as a decoration. Coby has always liked decorating his room for the holidays! According to GramPat (my MIL), Darren liked to do that when he was growing up too. I think it's really cute.



Now it was my turn. Coby was sad that his didn't work out, but Cale was happy to let us carve his pumpkin. I am SO not artistic. I think I'll let Coby do the carving next year. He never asked to do it (he only wanted to draw the face) and I don't know why I didn't think to let him do the carving. I guess I just forget that he's old enough now. (Look at how sad he looked...he so wanted to make a BIG ole Jack-o-lanturn. Unfortunately it was just not meant to be this year. Next year I will plan ahead and be prepared!)

Don't judge...I meant it when I said that I am NOT artistic.

Ahhh, but he loved the finished product. He still refuses to put it outside and he carries it all over the house with him. It is gonna have to go soon I'm sure and he is going to have a hard time letting go.

SCARY!

This pic was taken before we went over to Uncle Clint and Aunt Michele's house for dinner. It's become a tradition that every halloween we go over there before taking the boys trick or treating. We have dinner and the boys are spoiled absolutely rotten with goodies from Uncle Clint, Aunt Michele, GramPat and Papa Grumpy. Each of the boys always get really cool halloweenish flash lights, neon necklaces, boatloads of candy, and other fun toys. By the time we leave there, we really don't need to go trick or treating at all, but of course we do!

Cale (errr, I mean Robin...he told me when I called him by by name to just call me Robin!) and Uncle Clint enjoyed dinner together at the little table

I'm glad Cale decided to eat because he told me that his candy would just be his dinner. He asked me all day long when it would be dark for happy halloween! He's been ready for this day all month long.

Connor (Obi one kenobi) and Coby (Darth Vader) dined with Aunt Michele

Braden (in the background) spent the evening in the rocker with Grandma Grace while Cale enjoyed Braden's fun rocking horse (it had a head and tail that moved, plus made trotting sounds...so cute!)

We headed home to go trick or treating in our neighborhood for the first time ever (we usually go to Nina and Poppy's for trick or treating, but Poppy went to the OU game and Nina was sick)

I could have died when I overheard Cale telling one of the neighbors that he already had a red sucker as the man was giving him a red sucker. He really wanted a blue one, he told the man. But he decided he'd just go ahead and take both the red and blue one. Someone seriously needs to teach this kid some manners!

We met up with cousin Madison who came to our neighborhood for trick or treating. She was the cutest little ladybug I've ever seen.

checking out their loot (look at Connor's eyes, he was so excited to get Warheads)

Cale wanted to keep his separate in his own room (he's either really smart or really stingy)

We had a fun day!

Hope you did too.

happy harvest

Cale came home from preschool with this little pumpkin the other day. He was supposed to go to pick out his own pumpkin with his class, but the weather just didn't want to cooperate as it was always really cold or raining on the days they had planned to go. So, his teachers went and got the pumpkins for the kiddos to take home. They attached a Pumpkin Prayer to it (see below) that I hadn't heard before. I love what it says.


Cale also brought home a wooden pumpkin that he made (with lots of help from Miss Karen and Miss Terry, I'm sure!). It is so cute and Cale is very proud of it.


Oh, how I love this little pumpkin...I just wish he'd stop growing up so fast on me!


Cale is having a harvest festival at school today, so I made up some goody bags for him to give his friends. I'm sure he will come home wired today. They are having pizzas, candy, cookies, etc. What a fun day for Calebug.


Connor and Coby are out of school today. Darren and I had been planning on taking them to see Astro Boy while Cale is at school. Then we found out that our theater is playing the Michael Jackson movie in all of their theaters all day long. Seriously. That really messed up our plans....so we went and had a yummy lunch instead and are getting ready to go pick up some pumpkins that are large enough for carving. It's family fun Friday Halloween edition this week. Lots of (kid friendly) Halloween flicks and pumpkin carving will be happening at our house tonight. Yum, I can't wait to enjoy some roasted pumpkin seeds. I can taste them already!

Connor had his very first Orchestra concert on Monday night. It was called a "Hauntcert" and the kids could wear their Halloween costumes if they so desired. Connor did not. He was afraid that he'd be the only one wearing one, but come to find out he wound up being one of the only one's not wearing one. I think he wished he'd have worn one. Lesson learned!

This was our view of Connor. Poor little guy, he couldn't be seen over the stand! :(

Here are Connor and Cameron after the Hauntcert. Cameron makes such a cute old man!

like daddy

Why the picture of the coffee cup? Well, my mom gave it to me the other day and I love it. Plus, the I am tired part fully explains why I haven't blogged for the past few weeks. We have been busier than usual lately and to be honest, it has just worn me out. I'm not as young as I used to be! The thirties are killing me.

I have been looking forward to this weekend since last Monday. I am a homebody and the past few weeks have kept me away from home much more than I would have liked so it was nice to be able to spend the entire day at home today. I spent the day doing some much needed cleaning and catching up around the house while the boys spent the afternoon in the back yard. It was absolutely beautiful out (70 degrees!) and the boys had a blast playing on the swings, fort and playing baseball. Days this nice are few and far between now (we've had SO much rain lately) so I'm glad they were able to enjoy their Saturday outdoors.

I have some pics of Coby to share from last night...

Connor and I were watching a show in the bedroom when Coby came in wearing his police shirt and a makeshift police belt (it was actually a tool belt that came with a Bob the Builder set years ago) that held his gun and baton. He said, "I'm just like daddy!" This is not unusual, he is always dressing up and many times likes to dress like a policeman (both Coby and Cale have shirts made out of the fabric from Papa's (Darren's dad) old police uniforms and the badges from Darren's old worn out shirts.) It wasn't until Coby came into the room a few minutes later that I realized that Coby was truly trying to emulate daddy. I thought it was so sweet....

Darren is on the tactical (S.W.A.T) team and wears a camo type uniform three times a month for tact team training and also on tactical call outs. I think it is so cute that Coby wants to be just like his daddy (although I pray that he will not be a policeman when he grows up). Darren was at work last night when Coby was dressing up like him, but he was so flattered when I told him that he had a mini-me!

Then this morning I when I woke up, I found Cale in the kitchen wearing this little get up...

I knew that Coby had put it on Cale because only one button had been buttoned and it was off by one (that is Coby's signature-he doesn't want to put in the effort to button more than one and he has no idea that he is always off one button hole ;)). Is there anything cuter than a cop wearing a footed pair of pajamas? I think not.

I sure do feel safe living in this house with three cops here to protect me.

pumpkin patch

Tuesday morning found me at the pumpkin patch for the first grade field trip. It was cold, wet and muddy. I go on field trips to the pumpkin patch every year (sometime two and three times) and this was possibly the coldest (and certainly the muddiest) it's been while we were there. I am not cut out for farm life! The first graders didn't mind a little (or a lot) of mud and cold though! And I did enjoy it too...especially since Coby was having so much fun. Just wish it wasn't quite so chilly that day!

Warning...you are about to see a million pictures of Coby Lane at the pumpkin patch (he's the only one of my boys who actually doesn't mind mommy following him around with a camera...for now!).

hanging out with a classmate at the entrance

heading into the stall where the bunnies are kept

this pic was taken while Coby was telling a little boy that the bunnies were not stupid after a little boy said they were! How dare anyone say such!! Way to stand up for the bunnies Coby!

this pony was so sweet

you would've thunk (is that a word?) that the goats were never fed...they ate and ate and ate, then they even grabbed Coby's cup and started eating it too!

scrubby dubby (I just loved the outdoor sinks...brilliant idea!)

time for a pony ride

Playing in the sand (for a moment in time he seemed younger than his years)

the hayride took us to the corn maze

the corn maze then led us to yet another maze (have I ever mentioned that I am directionally challenged...one maze would've been plenty ;))

the last maze took us to this huge slide...they loved this

and lastly Coby picked out his perfect pumpkin

Coby got recognized as a sensational citizen during round up on Friday. Way to go Coby!!!

And this is totally unrelated to this post, but we have a new addition to the family...

Meet Norman

Someone surprised me with him today. The boys and I LOVE him. He is all decked out in OU gear. He looks so cute sitting on our front porch. What a fun gift. THANK YOU!

happy fall

I woke up feeling great today!!! This is the first Saturday in I'm not sure how long that everyone was well...no signs of the flu or strep...oh, happy day!!!! We went to the zoo this afernoon and enjoyed some beautiful fall weather. We couldn't have asked for a better day at the zoo (I didn't take my camera, so no pics...I just wanted to enjoy being with Darren and the boys without the hassle of a camera). Boy did we have fun!

I do have pics from yesterday though...

Friday began with Darren, Cale and I going to school with Connor and Coby to watch Connor's class showcase. They did a rap about rounding numbers. It was so funny to see Connor rapping...he was totally into it, but I know that he felt totally out of his element. It was great and so fun to watch.Here are Darren and Cale heading to the car after. Notice they are wearing jackets...ahhh, I love this cool weather. We took Cale to the Runway Cafe for breakfast and got to watch five airplanes take off. Cale had a blast and Darren and I enjoyed the time we had with Cale one on one!


When we got home, I decided to go to Home Depot to get some mums and pansies. This is my favorite time of the year for planting flowers...my yard filled with fall colors and decor just makes me feel so happy! Actually, I just love everything about fall, but I can't imagine that there are too many people that don't feel the same way!

When I went to Home Depot I first put my pansies in the cart and then went to look at the mums. I went to Home Depot with plans to buy just a few flowers this year. My plan was to buy 3 mums which is just enough for my three pots. I was looking and being and indecisive, which is something I do very well (ask Darren!). Anyway, a guy came up to me and said you just can't decide can you? He told me that he'd give me two for one and he'd let the cashier know. I think I looked at him like he was nuts since he wasn't wearing anything indicative of being a worker there. He then told me that he was the sales rep and that was all I needed to hear. My cart was quickly filled with 10 beautiful mums! I got $70 worth of mums for $35. These things never happen to me.

Below is part of the finished product. Not pictured are the purple pansies (which are ringed around our tree in the front yard), the other flower bed in which I planted pansies, or the other pots which I filled with rest of the yellow mums (they are by the garage doors).

(It would look so much better if we didn't have those tumble weedy things all over our yard, flower beds and porch...ugh!)

I thought I'd throw in a few pics of the inside too although I don't have much decor....

And here are two of many things I love about fall...

I love. love. love. fall. scented. candles.

I love seasonal coffees...this is the limited edition pumpkin spice (I've gotta go back to Bed, Bath and Beyond this week to stock up.) It is heavenly and it reminds me with every cup that fall is really here!

Hope you're enjoying fall as much as I am!!!