So behind!

Getting ready to put up Christmas decorations this weekend and still haven't posted any Halloween photos. So here you are.....

Wasn't in the mood to carve this year, so we painted our pumpkins instead. I'm such a good mom that I took a picture of my own pumpkin, and not of my kids'. (I'm an only child, remember. Sometimes I forget about other people.) And no, I had no idea there was a dried stream of liquid on my wall. I'm sure someone did that when we weren't looking.

These were the cat cookies we made for Xander's teachers (and for us, too).

Here are the trick-or-treaters

Jordis and her friend Megan

The kids are big enough now that we have this down to a science, so it was a quick night. And they're already talking about costumes for next year.

Happy Halloween

Halloween was a busy time for us this year! Jason had to work during our trick-or-treat, so we took the kids to my mom and step-dad's. Their night was different than ours so by going there Jason and my mom both got to see the kids in their costumes. They looked fabulous of course.

Batman was very good at using his cape...

...and the chicken was very lovable.

I'm a party helper for Xander's kindergarten class, so Friday I spent some time there getting to meet all of his classmates. Xander has a love-hate relationship with the bumblebee.

Jordis was a hit with the staff and students, although there was much debate among the children about whether she was a duck, chicken or rooster. She made herself right at home though and was a good girl for me while I did crafts with Xander's friends.

Those kids wore me out, but it was a fun morning.

On Halloween night I took the kids around our neighborhood for trick-or-treat. Along the way we ran into some of our neighbor friends. Megan, the Angel, is Jordis' friend, and Xander sits on the bus with Lauren, the pink toothbrush. Evan, the toothpaste, is Lauren's little brother.

Xander wouldn't ring any one's doorbell, so Jordis did all the work.

They had a great time!

Then we got tired. We were only four houses from home, but Jordis was emphatic in her demand that she take a rest before we got there.

After sorting and trading, we had some candy and called it a night.

I love fall!

I've been thinking for awhile that life is too short to live in the same place your whole life, but I can say that I absolutely love fall in Ohio. Not only do Jason and I both have birthdays, but it's definitely the prettiest time of year. These pictures don't even do it justice.

We can start getting out cozy sweatshirts

There are great nights to sit out on our deck with the firepit....and no mosquitoes

We have random days of Indian Summer

Love to get ready for Halloween

Enjoy our apple cider.....hot or cold

And, even though they're having a bad year, Ohio State football.

It doesn't get much better than this.

Trick or Treat

I know it's November now, but we took off for vacation on Halloween night so I haven't had a chance to post photos yet.

There aren't too many to speak of. Neither of the kids wanted to be photographed. The only reason I got them to stand together was by telling them they couldn't have any candy if they didn't stand still and say "cheese."


Jason usually has to work on Halloween so he was looking forward to walking around the neighborhood with the kids.


It went pretty quickly. Jordis took full adavantage of her daddy being there, and just couldn't seem to do all the walking this year.


Some of the candy bars were quite tasty on the ride to Florida.

Goodbye cyber friends

My computer is going to the shop today. It's had no sound for a few months now and has a few other minor issues, so I need to take it in before the warranty expires. I can't stand to be without it so I decided to wait and take it when we were going to be out of town. So, off it will go this afternoon, and hopefully it will be ready when we get back.

Xander had a fun first week of school. He still likes going, and today he was very proud to be taking Halloween gifts to his bus driver, teacher, and teacher's assistant.


Tomorrow night is trick or treat. I won't be able to post pictures, but I have one of the kids in their costumes from when we took them to the city's Halloween party Saturday night.


It's been a busy week. I'm off to do what every person does after some kind of success.....I'm going to Disney World!

My great bargain!

I need some black socks to make a Halloween project, so yesterday I thought I'd head over to the Goodwill store to see if they had any. I didn't want to spend much money on them since they are to be used outside, but I knew they'd also probably be new because I don't think they sell used socks. So Goodwill was the perfect place to look.

I did find a nice new pair of thick black socks for .59-cents, so that will do for now.

But I also found this....


It was only $2 so I snatched it up. The kids weren't deserving of a new toy yesterday so I left it in the garage. But they've been really good today, so I went outside with them earlier, hosed it down, and cleaned it up. Now they're sitting in it as they watch Miss Spider.

The real question is how long we'll have it before they decide to turn it into something more suitable for their needs, like a stool.