Trick -or-treating

 We chanced it this year and just left the candy outside our door as we took the kids on their candy hunt.  I was nice enough to leave a note that said:

Take 1 and live.

Take 2 and die.

 Our dancing skeleton turned out a lot creepier tonight then at our trunk-or-treat.  Just look at Braley.  SO scary.

 Ansen and his pirate costume were so cute.  His "Aarg Matey" was dead on.

 This girl may be getting too big for trick or treating.  Kahau was not super into it and that's was fine but she collected monkeys and went as Jane Goodall.

 (I think this is funny.  You may not but humor me.)

Rammy is a major scaredy cat and so Jason told me to get his muzzle on while we were out so he wouldn't bark at everyone.  For his costume he is (drum-roll please) 'Ram'ibal Lector.  Cause of the muzzle?  I've never seen the movie but I have seen the commercials.

 The boys and the girls.

 Along the way we picked up the neighbor kids and everyone had fun trick-or-treating.

Happy Halloween!

$1.49

 Any pumpkin, any size only a buck forty-nine.

 You know I went big.  Like 20 pumpkins big.  Yes, I know.  Overkill.  Who cares though?  $1.49!

 

 These babies (there are more than one) are fun too and cost about $1.49 to make as well.  Important reminder: Make sure the pattern goes black beans, candy corn, black beans, candy corn, black beans.  If you don't you will have lots of little hands after the candy corn....maybe some big hands too.

What's the best $1.49 you've spent in October?

Pumpkins!!!

 I think I was feeling a little Halloween scrooge-ish this year.  All of our decorations are in storage and so the house stayed pretty plain.  The thought of craving pumpkins just grossed me out so it wasn't until today (yes, Halloween) that the kids got to carve.  I discovered an upside.  No mushy pumpkins.  It usually takes us all night to carve.  Today-1 hour.  It was a Halloween miracle and I feel like the kids got the perfect pumpkin faces for their jack-o-lanterns.  For this year procrastination was a good thing.

Spray paint became by best friend this October.  With a little painters tape and spray paint you can have lots of fun.

My spider pumpkin-no carving necessary, whoop whoop!

Hall-o-weeners

 Oh the kids thought these were so funny and Grandpa Widing did too.

 We had mummies for dindin tonight.  They were not healthy at all and but the kids did eat and there was other food involved that is actually mentioned in the food pyramid.

Happy Halloween!

Snowtober update

 ***Update***

Still no power.  Trees are down everywhere.  Gas is hard to find and the flooding has begun.  School is out for the entire week and according to my sister "if life without power weren't so boring, this would be great!"

Snowtober

 Oh no Massachusetts!
As if a long cold winter (Jan, Feb, March and April),  a few tornado's (May and June), microburt's (July), a hurricane(July), some flooding (everywhere in between) and all other New England weather catastrophes haven't been enough this year NOW they get snow in October.  Not just a little snow...A lot.  The parents are without power and have been since yesterday, the sister and her husband are without power and have roof damage and, well, the state seems pretty much shut down. 

School has been called off for tomorrow and possibly longer.  Who wants to even try and concentrate in freezing temperatures?  It's Halloween tomorrow and I doubt anyone will brave the outdoors for some measly candy. Poor trick or treater's.

This just isn't the New England I grew up in.  It's really quite odd and I honestly wonder why we aren't getting strange weather on this side of the country as well.  Power should be back on in 4-7 days.  Let's pray it's sooner.

Family room: take 15

 Doors were yesterdays project and I kinda helped. 
 Kinda.

 Jason had one last door to install and yesterday was the day.  It was the perfect weather for it.  It was beautiful outside so I did my best to soak in the fall sunshine.

 This door is on the side of the garage and today after church Ansen came in the house and said to Jason, "Hey Dad did you know that there is a door that we haven't been using?" I think he thought he had never noticed the door before. What a funny kid.

 The new french doors got handles and locks as well.  Such a productive day.

Until next time.

Trunk-or treat

 ~Our Samurai~

 ~Our dancing skeleton~

 ~Our pirate~

 This year I made a deal with the kids.  If they chose costumes out of the dress up box and we didn't have to buy anything Jason and I would take them to a holiday movie. Thank my lucky stars, they agreed and they each looked great for our ward's trunk-or-treat.

Love my kids!

Happy Halloween!

Braley's week

 I got a text Monday afternoon from a friend.  It said: Mr V. has resigned.  Right then I knew there were going to be tears as soon as Braley walked in the door.  I met her in the driveway and already her bottom lip was quivering.  Mr V. was Braley's teacher.  She really liked him and having him resign 2 months into the school year was not in her plans.

We talked about how this would affect her and about what she would like her new teacher to be like.  I tried to find all the positives but to be honest it was a little sad for me too.  Her sub this week was wonderful and even gave Brays a:

 And she got a 93% on her math test!

On Thursday 3 interviewing teachers came into the 4th grade to meet the students and teach a subject.  One taught spelling, one math and another reading.  After the students meet all the teachers the Principal spoke with the class and they were able to voice their opinions on which teacher they felt would be best for the classroom.  After they talked they class put their heads on their desk and the secretly voted for who they would like to be their new 4th grade teacher.  Braley was on pins and needles with anticipation to see who would fill the spot.

Friday afternoon Ms. H.T., the Principal, announced the new teacher by bringing her into the class.  Her name is Miss Pikes and she is exactly who Braley voted for.  (relief!)  When Braley told me after school she was ginning from ear to ear.  Thus far Brays has 3 reasons she loves Miss Pikes.

1.  She is younger than me.  (should I be hurt?)

2. She is a greatttttt spelling teacher.

and to quote Braley

3. "Because mom, she has style!"

Good luck Miss Pikes and welcome to 4th grade!