Trick or Treat

It's that time of year every parent dreads, when the sugar monster rears it's ugly head and haunts for seven to ten days. (though it feels like years) And trick or treat night has arrived. I must say that I seemed to have gone a bit on the obscure end of costumes this year. For my party, I was Sookie Stackhouse from TrueBlood. (Three people recognized me) For Trick or Treating I was Hit Girl. (Only one person recognized the costume but was so thrilled that he made me take a picture with his daughter...pretty much made my night) Brian teased the boys that the Army was looking for soldiers going AWOL and they might be picked up by an Army tank. Connor and Colin didn't really buy it but appreciated the thrill of the possibility. Kaya on the other hand acted more like the Princess and the Pea instead of Sleeping Beauty because she couldn't keep up with her boys in her costume. The whining was not a part of the princess act I enjoyed. Oh well....candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next few days and I may turn into Millificent and put all the little ones to sleep for 100 years. Let's see who wins this contest: the candy or the parents. If I were a betting person, I would put my money on the sugar!

Joint Halloween Party

The night the ghost and goblins come to battle against the vampires and zombies....Colin and Connor's Halloween Party! So it has been a year since Colin's party and Connor and Colin decided to band together and plan a joint Halloween/Birthday party. The funny part is of course that Kaya's birthday is the only one actually in October but.....the boys love Halloween!

I must say that those that came, stayed and really made a night of it. The usual suspects arrived in full Halloween attire except for my lovely husband who was supposed to be Eric to my Sookie Stackhouse but never quite made the move to put on the fangs therefore making him just a man in a black t-shirt and jeans. Luckily for me, Matt is always there to ridicule Brian into doing something and the result is the picture above. It was quite imaginative. So my favorite costume? It had to be the visitor from OuterSpace...completely created by herself and all for under $20.00. It was really awesome and now makes her in the top 2 two years running.

Another fun costume was Donna and Jim who came as Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take pictures until the end of the night because of the kids activities so by the time I got around to it, the Big Bad Wolf was ready to hit the hills and howl at the moon.

But my favorite part of the evening, (aside from Colin introducing me to his girlfriend Amber...AAGHH!!! that had to be scaries moment for me and Ambers Dad) was the haunted walk around the house. Which the kids won handily. The dads were completely shown up by the arrogance of their kids and lack of good old parental fear. After the mocking by the hands of the all the kids, the dads got together and plotted their plan for next years haunting. If they will actually follow through, I think it's going to be Kids 1 Dads 1. The gloves are off and the masks are on! I can't wait to hear the screams!!

Apple Picking with Thomas

Every year Sue and I get together at least once so that Connor and Thomas can catch up from their Puddle Duck Days. This year Sue called me and asked if I wanted to take the kids apple picking up in Amesbury. Yes, I had a deck to seal and plenty of house work to finish so of course I jumped at the chance! It is so funny to me how it seems that Connor and Thomas go right back to being best friends as though they haven't spent any time apart. This may seem a bit odd to say but his early childhood friends truly seem to be like brothers to him and the love they have for each other is almost tangible. There is no awkward moments but instant hugs and laughter. Instead of people always writing about how day care kids are shorted, I wish they could spend some time with Connor and Thomas because it gave them a friend for life. And off the soap box I go! Along with apple picking (really apple eating!), we went through the corn maze which quickly was followed by a mud slide (it must have rained the day before and the ground was not speed run ready) and ended with a hayride and apple cider. It was simply one of those perfect fall days that New England is so famous for.

And Colin in Kindergarten????

No fair! No fair! No fair! Who told Colin he could grow up???? Now he is off to his first day of school and I think my heart is breaking. Of course this means that he couldn't be more excited. Just look at the grin on his little face and the skip in his walk-he's finally with Connor. He's waving good-bye like he's done it a thousand times. And when he got home? He couldn't wait to tell me how many friends he made and how many girls wanted to be his friend. Where Connor can't stand girls, Colin is all about the ladies. At least Noah lives far away. I can just imagine what the two of them would get up to. Colin would distract them with his Barker smile while Noah would paralize them with his legendary leg rub. (For those who don't know, Noah is Colin's cousin who also seems a bit of a "leg man" and only four). Sigh. This mom thing is really not that easy on the old heart!

Kaya Turns Four

It actually does seem just like yesterday when Kaya was just my baby girl and now she's turning four. (I'm a poet and didn't know it!!!) Yes that is a princess cake you see...she is still convinced she is Sleeping Beauty. And why not? Kaya has completely become dog crazed. Grannie Roberts sent her the Fur Real pet that you can direct with a remote control. Kaya was beside herself and I spent the rest of the day watching her "train" her puppy. It was beyond cute and convinced me that this family needs a dog. After much research we settled on the Havanese breed and by "we", I mean the kids and me. Brian must still be convinced. But after only a few days of Princess Kaya using her Father/Daughter relationship to her advantage, Brian has agreed to get a puppy in the Spring. Maybe I can get Kaya to get me a new house in Utah????