Halloween Fun

It was a busy week beginning with a fun visit from Papa Carlson and Bevie. They brought us a delicious dinner and dessert, yummmmm!!! The kids loved spending time with them. Unfortunately, Sloane was recovering from hand, foot, & mouth virus (yuck) so she wasn't the best company! My mom came to town on Monday to watch Sloane so I didn't have to miss more work. I love having retired parents!!! Sloane was happy and healthy by Thursday so we were able to go ahead with our Halloween plans.

After a hectic Halloween day at school, I came home to prepare for our 3rd annual neighborhood Halloween party and to dress my little cowboy and cowgirl. All the families came to our house for pizza and pictures followed by a group trick-or-treating walk. This was the first year that the children really understood trick-or-treating. It was so adorable to watch a half dozen little ones run up the sidewalks and yell "TRICK-OR-TREAT" then politely hold out their pumpkins. Sloane was a doll keeping up with the older children. She was determined NOT to be picked up and to carry her OWN pumpkin even when it was nearly dragging her down from the weight of all the candy! Upon returning to our home, Russell chose Scooby snacks from his pumpkin and Sloane chose a mini sucker. We have now hid the candy in hopes they have forgotten about it while Aron and I are secretly sneaking our favorites :-) Aron's mom also came into town for the festivities so the kids are enjoying lots of love and hugs from Grammy Carlson and I am enjoying having another pair of hands to help out!!!

Our little cowgirl!

Practicing "TRICK-OR-TREAT!"

Watch out! There is a new sheriff in town!

Pizza, pizza, pizza!!!

Heading home with my 20 pound pumpkin!!!

Pumpkin Carving!

Tonight we pulled up our sleeves and dug into two perfect pumpkins hoping to create the BEST jack-o-lanterns on Altadena Avenue!!! Russell was a wonderful boss...he told us exactly what to do, but wanted NO part of sticking his hands into the guts and pulling out the seeds. Sloane on the other hand, was practically head over heels inside the pumpkin!!! Both kids were tuckered out by the time we finished digging out the seeds so Aron and I had to finish up the carving ourselves. This went from family fun night, to complete COMPETITION of who could carve the better pumpkin! So check out the pics below and decide for yourself who has the better jack-o-lantern. But...just so you all know...I had to finish Aron's for him because he gave up after almost slaughtering the eyes :-) HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!!!

Aron's jack-o-lantern

Kirsten's jack-o-lantern

Sloane loved every minute of the slimy stuff!

Russell was the best foreman!

BOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween at Greenfield Village

We just returned from a fun night at Greenfield Village with our neighborhood clan! During the month of October Greenfield Village has Halloween nights. The entire path is lit with jack-o-lanterns. Along the way you meet several characters (spooky and not) who pass out treats to the children. Russell and Sloane opted not to wear their costumes. I was okay with that decision since the evening was a bit chilly. They both enjoyed taking in all the action and seeing the unique costumes. Russell's favorites were the pirates. He could not take his eyes off the pirate ship and treasure. After we passed he immediately started to pretend he was a pirate, "argh"! We were all a little spooked going through the covered bridge in the dark with only spooky lights and sounds around us. Russell held tight to my hand and once we were through it, he announced, "I was scared." Thankfully the fun out weighed the scary parts!!! By the time we left, all the kids had pumpkins filled with candy, apples, chips, pretzels, and a vampire teddy bear beanie baby! Luckily my kids do not know what candy is (YET) and were thrilled with receiving an apple!!! However, they dove into the potato chips first :-) Fall has really brought joy to our family this year!

What a FUN night!!!

I'm not too sure about these spooky people!

Yummy, more chips please!

Just a few of the jack-o-lanterns we saw.

Weekend in Grand Rapids

This post is a little late...our hard drive crashed last week so we have been out of a computer for a week. I did not realize how much we depended on this little piece of technology! It is good to have it back. Unfortunately we had to get a whole new hard drive and lost EVERYTHING on the old (pictures, work plans, music, etc...) Oh, well! Thus is life.

Anyway...last weekend we spent a glorious two days back in our old area of Grand Rapids!!! The kids spent the weekend with my parents and grandparents at my grandma and grandpa's beautiful home and property in Middleville. Russell fed the rooster, caught frogs, and rode Great Papa's golf cart. Sloane enjoyed following her brother around and playing with cousin Katie. Aron and I went back to GVSU to celebrate Homecoming with our college friends. It was wonderful to see the old gang!!! I was also fortunate enough to run into some old co-workers. I loved catching up with everyone. Aron and I love GR and always look forward to our annual Homecoming trip!!!

Here are some cute pics of the kids enjoying time with their great grandparents!!!

Sloane looking for frogs in the pond with Great Gramma.

Russell telling me about the deer he saw while riding with Great Papa through the woods.

Fall is here! We love it!!!

We had another wonderful weekend at home. On Friday, we enjoyed Family Fun Night in downtown Royal Oak. The streets were packed with families enjoying the hometown festivities! The kids loved people watching, eating popcorn, and hanging onto their Mickey Mouse balloons. On Saturday, we lounged around the house in our pj's most of the morning and then headed out in the afternoon in search of the perfect mums to plant in our backyard. After finding the BEST mums in town we brought them home to plant. Russell was completely hands on helping to plant while Sloane was the inspector, smelling and touching every flower bud. Today we spent the afternoon at Westview Orchards with our neighborhood gang. This was our third year going as a group. It is fun watching the neighborhood kids grow and change. We had fun playing in the pumpkin patch, eating donuts, drinking cider, and watching the farm animals and tractors pass by. It was a beautiful autumn day...sunny and 65 degrees. FALL IS HERE! WE LOVE IT!!!

Relaxing Weekend at Home

The past week was a busy one! On Tuesday, I took the kids to a soccer game played by some of my past and present students. Russell was in Heaven watching the "big" kids play soccer. Thankfully I remembered to throw his soccer ball in the car at the last minute because he was happily kicking his ball around trying to imitate the players on the field. Russell didn't realize that these players weren't quite the pro-athletes he thought they were and didn't even notice when one of them kicked the ball into the wrong net:-) Sloane enjoyed people watching and befriending the spectators dogs. My students were thrilled to have me there and excited to see my children. I always enjoy seeing the students outside of school and visiting with their parents. On Wednesday, I was called out of work by daycare because Sloane was running a 103 temperature. I didn't panic, but dashed out of school to pick her up and make a quick phone call to the pediatrician. The nurse assured me not to worry, but to monitor her condition and call back if the symptoms got worse. Sloane remained at home the rest of the week while Aron and I took turns staying home with her. She broke the fever Friday and has been back to her normal perky self. After a very busy work week, we decided to lay low this weekend and enjoy some much needed family time. We spent most of Saturday morning in our pajamas building a fort in the family room. We used the sofa cushions, dining chairs, sheets, pillows, and many clothes pins to create a fort for all four of us (plus Mac) to fit in. Russell insisted we all stay there to rest and brought us blankies and stuffed animals to cuddle with. What can I say...I love those kids!!!

Hanging out with Dad in the family fort!

That was hard work building this fort. Time for a break!

Goodness, Mom! That flash is bright under here!

Petting Farm

We just got back from a fun weekend visiting my parents in Gladwin. While the men of the family had their annual day trip bird hunting, my mom and I took the kids to the petting farm. We had a BLAST!!! Upon arrival, the kids were given a bucket filled with animal feed, a bottle of milk, and a chore list. We had to follow a path around the farm and stop to complete certain chores including bottle feeding the baby lambs and goats, milking the cow, feeding the llamas, sheep, ducks, chickens, and bunnies, and collecting an egg from the chicken coop. We were also able to jump in the hay loft, ride ponies, and go on a wagon ride pulled by horses. Sloane absolutely LOVED feeding the animals!!! She is definitely our animal lover and I would not be surprised if in the future she brings home stray animals!!! Russell's favorite part was swinging on a rope in the hay loft and jumping around on the piles of hay. They both enjoyed riding the ponies. It was a terrific way to celebrate the last weekend of summer!!!