Happy Hallloween

Pumpkin Carving and Halloween Adventures

Getting the carving underway for our big pumpkins.

Layla wanted Cinderella, of course! 

Jason is working on a very detailed pumpkin....can you tell what it is? 

Skeleton jammies for school today.

 

Heading out in the rain for trick or treating.

Layla had no fear or hesitation about trick or treating this year. 

 

Yay!  The rain stopped and there were a few blue patches of sky.

 

Jason's Chicago Bears Jack-o-Lantern

Layla's Cinderella Jack-o-Lantern

So, the rain was kind of lousy but we had a good time and met another family down the street that have a boy Layla's age.  We don't know any other kids that will be in her kindergarten class next year so it will be nice if we can get to know them! I was kind of bummed that we didn't get a single trick-or-treater to our house!  We went next door and they said we were the first they had since they moved in 3 years ago.  We have a lot of candy to eat.......

Halloweentime

It's occurred to me, just this year, that Halloween is no longer a holiday.  It is a full blown season filled with parties, park district events, church socials and more.  While not being a big participant in Halloween over the years I do really love fall.  As a child I remember loving summer, mostly I think because of the lake and swimming and skiing and, of course, no school.  I don't know if it's global warming or I am getting more sensitive, but I really don't enjoy the heat of summer the way I used to, spending full days reading magazines and baking on the beach. 

Now, it's definitely fall.  When I smell that fall smell it has the strongest memories tied to it.  A lot of them are of soccer, understandably since we spend a lot of time outdoors, and  I have always loved the crunching leaves and crisp air that accompanies fall in the Midwest.  Some of those memories are carving pumpkins and the anticipation that came with picking a costume and going out trick or treating.  I especially remember the year my parents didn't want me to go trick or treating (I was 13 and too old) and it ended up snowing 22 inches.   Some of my favorite memories of the fall are spending time in the Hamline press box with my family, it's the only time I remember drinking apple cider as a kid and the smell of cider brings me back there in a minute.

So, as Halloween has become a season, I prefer to think of it as the glorification of Fall, with some costumes thrown in for those who like to get theatrical once in a while.  Here are a few fall things we did this weekend:

Friday was the annual Halloween costume parade at school. 

Here is our Tiger cub!

Layla wanted to be Cinderella again! 

Our Annual trip to Didier Farms:

part farm (animals), part pumpkins/vegetable market, part carnival

Layla tried some new rides, like the kid-sized tilt-a whirl. 

She went down the big slide all by herself. 

We didn't miss the old favorites: rides in trucks and cars. 

 Her new passion: sand art!

I wish we could take this cute baby home with us! 

Obligatory shot of cute kids in a pumpkin patch!

(Or pumpkin shopping field, as it were)

Jado tornado is attempting to climb over the huge pumpkins. 

 

The big pumpkins we are going to carve tonight!

Growth spurts

Is it possible Layla grew nearly an inch and a half in 6 weeks?  Maybe she was slouching on 9/12? A little?  Her pants do seem really short all of a sudden. 

One Year Stats

Our little babe is not such a peanut anymore!

Height = 30.5" (71%)
Weight = 24 pounds, 8 ounces (88%)
Head Circ. = 47.5 cm (86%)

All is going well, we have our appointment with the allergist in a couple of weeks to learn more about his peanut allergy and probably get some additional testing done.

Birthday Cards

We got a lot of fun birthday cards for Jayden, some sweet and some funny and one that even made me cry.  This was one of my favorites, prepared by his teachers at school.  Although he is in the throes of separation anxiety and hates for mom to be out of arm's reach, he loves his main teacher, Katie, and usually reaches for her hug at morning drop off.  His teachers obviously went to a fair amount of trouble to make the card and include fingerprints of all his friends.  

Jayden turns 1!

Our sweet baby boy is one year old today!  He is such an amazingly loving and bright little boy.  I feel so thankful and so blessed to have him in our lives and for this celebration with our family this weekend.

Jayden loves the slide!

Grandma's Girl

New hats! And "Why is my sister holding me so tightly?"

A little snuggle time with Papa

One!!!!!!

Let me out of my high chair.  Wait!  What is that glowing light? 

Cake, you say?  It's delicious, why haven't I had this before? 

Yum!  Just wait until I get it in my ears. 

 I'm ready for my birthday party.  Baseballs everywhere!

Vigilance

Keep an eye on that baby!  (Or he will eat sand at the playground)

California Firefighters

Jan's name was added to the California Firefighter's Memorial at the state capitol in Sacramento over the weekend: 

California Fire Foundation - Emotional Sacramento Tribute Honors Fallen California Firefighters

A Family of Artists

Sometimes, when you are a parent, you have to do basic things like fill the dishwasher, go to the bathroom and wash your hair.  When you have a fast crawler that likes to play in toilets, trash cans and with any electrical cord he can find you must figure out how to contain him.

Introducing, our next artist.  Crayons are non-toxic so I figured, why not?  He is probably going to eat them, but he might also color a bit while I load the dishwasher without him taking the dirty dishes back out and licking them.

Okay, on the left is the start (I did the brown squiggle, but you would probably guess that).  He also found these crayons useful as noisemakers.   On the right is beautiful artwork, and yellow crayon all over his tongue.  I know, I know, my kids are gifted. 

The artist's mentor. 

Other things we do while Dad is away: let Jayden feed himself yogurt.  That's just funny. 

Oh my gourd-ness!

There is no place better to spend a fall day then at the Chicago Botanic Garden.  It's one of our favorite places to play.  This weekend they have the annual bulb festival which includes general fun activities for all: straw maze, piles of gourds and so on.  

Leslie and I ventured into the huge event room where the gourd festival was held, but we were wholly unprepared.  They had hundreds of kinds of flowers.  Maybe next year we will buy something and join the many others in line.

Layla and Adelynn at the big pile of gourds.

 Jayden wanted to climb the pile, definitely not allowed. 

He just wants to bang on the pumpkin all day.

 

 Layla at the pyramids of flowers.

Straw is new and fun!

 

 Four kids, looking the same general direction for a photo = miracle.