Having Halloween on a Saturday this year was SPOOKTACULAR! We were able to have the morning as a family to prepare for our Halloween party and for trick-or-treating.  This year, while I made my annual Halloween chili, Justin set up our movie theater popcorn machine in the garage, complete with a strobe light and the sounds of Halloween. It's our first baby step to his dream of having a haunted garage for all the neighbors to enjoy.
After the kids napped, we got all dolled up in our costumes-- this year's theme: PETER PAN!
I made Justin's costume this year (all for under $5!!). He wore a green shirt from Good Will with a Peter Pan hat that I made out of felt.  I found my Wendy costume on Amazon, which will double as pj's (to Justin's dismay, haha), Ty's Capt. Hook outfit (really, Jack Sparrow, but hey, a pirate is a pirate, right?)  was a hand-me-down from an old student, and I found Elena's Tinkerbell costume on eBay for $9!! Talk about costumes on a budget, and I think they turned out cute!

Wendy Darling, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell

HOOK!

TINK!

My sister, brother-in-law, and niece all came over to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood, as well as my parents, and some friends.  We had an awesome time eating, drinking, and being spooky!
Ty had the best time trick-or-treating with all his friends and cousin this year.  It's amazing what a difference a year makes! This year he was running from house to house adding candy to his bucket! It was so cute to see how proud he was of himself after each house!

the gang

Capt. Hook meets Batman!

Elena took great notes on how it's done this year...I know she won't miss a beat next year!

Once we got home, the kids enjoyed a dance party and popcorn in the garage and then Ty requested his favorite Halloween movie---Curious George and the Boo Fest.  It rounded out the perfect night of candy, costumes, and family fun!
Now we need to teach him about self control and candy.. hehe!

storytime and boo bash

Our community has so many awesome things this time of year for kids to do.  Since I have started my life as a SAHM, I've started learning all about the ways to keep my kids busy and excited for the day!
On Thursday we typically go to storytime at our local library.  This week they had a Halloween themed story time and some trick-or-treating.  I was excited to take Ty so we could practice his trick-or-treating skills! He had a blast practicing as he gathered his goodies in his pumpkin bucket!

my two boos.

the whole gang! 

Friday night, the parks and rec put on a Boo Bash for the community.  I really had no clue what to expect, but it was another opportunity for my kids to wear their costumes and our family to do something festive together.
When I was younger we had an Octoberfest at my church.  There were carnival games, crafts, haunted halls, and all things October.  Boo Bash took me back to my childhood. It was awesome to watch Ty experience it.  His little hand nervously squeezed my finger tightly as we did some trunk or treating.  As we moved from trunk to trunk, his grip loosened up and by the time we got into the gym with the games, he was in full party mode!

trick or treat!

we practiced saying "thank you"

bean bag toss! 

we found his flagship!

Ty got his first tat.

LOVED IT.

Mommy, Daddy, Tinkerbell, and Capt. Hook

Boo Bash was a success and kicked off the weekend of tricks, treats, jack-o-lanterns, and excitement for all four of us!

"Oh, Great Pumpkin, where are you?"

This week marks Ty's third Halloween and Elena's first! We have done gobs of Fall activities leading up to the big day.  I am SO excited that it falls on a Saturday this year.
We've been busy gathering our pumpkins from the local pumpkin patches for the past two weekends.  In fact, Ty's favorite phrase is "Pumpkin patch on Saturday!" Not sure he has a clue what he's talking about, but he gets a big ole grin on his face when he says it, so I'll take it.
Since Ty's first Halloween, we've gone to the pumpkin patch with our good friends, who have a little girl Ty's age (his future wife, ha!)
This year they had a blast running through hay mazes, riding on tire horses, and choosing the perfect pumpkins to cut straight off the vine. Elena stayed busy watching their every move, waiting for her turn to join them next year....

pumping water for duck races

my sweet hubby doing IT ALL

It is so hard to believe that last year when we visited this farm I was pregnant with Miss E and we just found out she was a girl. Time is just speeding passed us.

Last Saturday, we did our second pumpkin patch run at Hill Ridge Farm.  We've also done this for a few years now.  Every year gets better and better as our kids get older.  

This year Ty had two buddies to run with, his god sister, Grace, and cousin, Callan.  I'm not sure if the girls and I had more fun watching them or their daddies playing around the farm! After a few hours of jumping off haystacks, making corn angels, sliding down on a potato sack, and choosing a pumpkin, these kids were WORN OUT!

i adore this picture!

at this point Ty was OVER IT ALL.

these two pumpkins :)

We got a lot of practice deciding which pumpkins were "gross and broken" and which were worth taking home!

After a big morning out I got to have my fun with a pumpkin and glass of red... (yes, I am that mom that makes her babies get in pumpkins...sorry, not sorry)

i just think this is too cute.. 

i love a good side-by-side of my babies.  somewhere between this...

...i got this. i will take it!

We have started the countdown now.  We've got some fun things planned between now and Saturday. Life is so much fun with two sweet kiddos who love this season as much as their mama. 

a baptism, a cousin visit, and your 1st halloween

Dear Ty,
We did so much this week and it has flown by! On Sunday, your bestie Abbie was baptized.  You were such a good boy when we went to their church.  All the ladies just loved you!  Abbie was so cute when she was baptized, she cried the whole time, but it was PERFECT!  I'm so glad we were able to be there to celebrate with them!

the beautiful Curtis family

Daddy, Ty, Mr.David, and Abbie

On Monday, we went to the hospital to see your cousin Mason and Aunt Jen.  Mason looks so great! It won't be long before you are able to meet him.  We are raelly hoping that you boys will be able to be together on Thanksgiving this year.  You will love each other!

Mason Francis 

Thursday was your very first Halloween!  Daddy and I have been so excited for Halloween this year because we knew we would get to dress you up and show you off in the neighborhood.  You were a banana, Daddy was grapes, and I was the Chiquita Banana Lady.  It seems like just over night you outgrew the costume, so you did not like it so much.  When it was time to go outside and trick or treat, you ended up being a fireman (which was a much more comfortable option.)  The neighborhood came alive on Thursday with huge groups of kids! This is one of the reasons we love our neighborhood! We even ran out of candy.  I can only imagine how excited you will be next year!  I'm sure you will just run all over the place getting your candy.  I hope that you still remember manners amidst all the excitement.  I just love when the trick-or-treaters say thank you!

my favorite banana

Ty and Abbie

our 1st Halloween

hanging with the neighbors

Chiquita lady and her banana

After a week like ours, I bet you are exhausted!  We have a big Saturday ahead though... hayrides and pig races!  I'll tell you about that later!
I love you, babaloo!
Love,
Mommy