Halloween 2010

The kids could not wait to get out and go Trick or Treating.  We had some tears beforehand when neighbors were spotted taking their kids on a hay ride down the street.  Apparently we weren't on the invite list, which was hard for the kids.  There were also last minute costume changes.

Owen didn't even get out of the front yard before he was taking the pumpkin head off because he couldn't see.

Chloe was supposed to be a ghost, but switched to her witch costume from last year because she said her arms couldn't come out from under the sheet to hold her pumpkin candy collector.

Panting Pony came along for the Halloween walk between houses and loved all the attention he got from all the kids AND the grown ups.

I loved watching the constant running.  Such determination and focus to get from one house to the next as quickly as possible.

Love the jeans and the light-up, sequined tennis shoes on my girl.  The shoes totally made the costume as her feet looked like running strobe lights after it got dark.

During the Trick or Treating process, the some of the parents rode in the hay ride trailer being pulled behind Shannon's tractor.

 

The Woodstock Police drove through the neighborhood and handed out candy to the kids.  Thought that was pretty cool.  They talked about safety as the kids walked up to the police car.

The kids acted sad when we told them it was time to head home, but I think they were okay with it.  They both got a TON of candy and had to look at all of it spread out on the table when we got home.

Haggling and negotiating and trading ensued.  As did the Parent Tax.  Hooray for the Parent Tax!

Pumpkin Carving

Papa Ford drove up earlier and went to Owen's soccer game with us.  Once we got back home, we pulled out the pumpkins and drew faces on them.  

Both kids helped scoop out the guts and seeds.

Chloe had to be on top of the kitchen table to help.

Owen was determined to not get slimed by the pumpkin guts and was more careful in his endeavors to clean out the innards.

Once the pumpkins were scooped out, the kids supervised as Papa and I carved the faces that they drew.

Owen Gets His Exercise!

This boy is constantly running throughout the entire soccer game.

Much of the time, he is controlling the soccer ball and keeping it away from the opposing team.

He has no fear when it comes to bumping up against his opponents to get the ball away.

I love how his whole body is leaning backwards as he kicks.  Such balance!

The referees are always so young in these games.  It's nice to see them show concern for the players when they wipe out.

Wipe outs don't keep our boy down...he's back up and in the game in a heartbeat!

Meanwhile, his sister has no interest in the game and is content to roll around in the grass on the sidelines.  Notice the shorts?  Those aren't actually shorts, but pants that go down to the ankles.  Bean was a little warm during this game.

Go Owen!  Get that ball!

Owen got to play goalie for a portion of the game.  He had a hard time getting the yellow vest on.

It kept getting wrapped around his arms and wasn't on him all the way until the first half was over.  Owen likes to play goalie because then if he gets the ball, he can punt it.  He's all about punting the ball!

Owen was back to running and kicking the ball in the second half of the game.

 

And Bean was still rolling around on the ground, getting tangled up in her princess lawn chair.  Silly Bean!

Driving Home

We headed out early Sunday morning and made good time coming home.  This rest area had plenty of room for the kids to run around.

Owen took off running without waiting for his sister or me.

It didn't take Chloe long before she realized she could play by the lake if she ran, too.

They found long sticks and rocks to wave around and throw in the lake.

I'm not sure what kind of tree this was, but it looked like little tomatoes grew on it.

The kids cooperated and let me take pics of them together on the bridge.

Chloe hung around longer to cheese it up for me while her brother was playing in the leaves.

Then she joined in the fun and searched for the largest leaves she could find.

They worked together to make big piles of leaves.

To jump in AND to kick around.

Todd drove the last couple hour stretch home while I got to kick up my feet and take pictures of the sky in the side rear view mirror :)

After the Wedding

We drove to the Hill for dinner at Rigazzi's.  We were the first to arrive, so Owen kicked his soccer ball around out in the back alley.

Chloe waited patiently with her notebook in her lap and drawing pictures.

She was so focused.

Owen got in trouble for not listening and was forced to stand in front of this cool wall for pictures.

We need a wall like this at home!

When we walked out of the back parking lot to go to the front of the restaurant, we saw this cool old building across the street.  I asked the kids to climb up on the loading docks and jump.  Chloe didn't hesitate.

Owen looked at me like "You want me to do what?!"  It was close to a four foot drop, so I was asking a lot.  :)

They had fun just walking and balancing along the bumpers sticking out from the wall.

And then Chloe got caught by a Daddy and turned upside down and maybe tickled before she was released.

 

I thought it was interesting that windows were not boarded up with wood and then how they broke into curvy pieces.

Here is Rigazzi's where we had a wonderful Italian dinner and where the kids ran around high on sugar afterwards from a popsicle.

I need a green brick wall like this at home, too.

Love the expression on Owen's face as he is doing what is asked and his little sister obviously has some choice words for him about what they are supposed to be doing.