Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!
We had a GREAT day today! Nicholas had his last soccer game of the season this morning and he scored a goal! Then we had lunch with grandma and pop-pop. After that we headed home and cleaned and got ready for some Halloween evening fun!
I took the kids out kind of early for Trick or Treating because of the weather and also so we could be home for our own trick or treaters. Daddy met us along the way and we were able to hit a lot more houses!!
After scoring some great candy we headed home for some yummy homemade pizza and apple crisp and, of course, candy sorting and eating!!
All in all, it was a pretty great Halloween- hope yours was just as good!!

Halloween Prep

We've been getting ready for Halloween around here!
The kids celebrated the holiday today at school and had a ton of fun having a big Halloween Party and Parade.
Last night and tonight we took time after dinner to carve our pumpkins.
Here is just a small sampling of the past two evening's activities.
And ever a sneak peek of a few of our creations.....

Nicholas did NOT enjoy getting his hands dirty

Addie started off painting

And then dug right into some pumpkin guts!

Daddy actually ended up cleaning out the pumpkins last night....
I got that job tonight!

Like Father, Like Son

Nicholas' First Creation

Working on creation Number 2

Mommy's Creation

Happy Halloween!
Go Yankees!

Pumpkins and Haunted Houses

Recently, Pat and I took the kids pumpkin picking in preparation for Halloween and fall. They had such a good time wandering through the pumpkin patch and checking out the animals and the corn. We had a great time watching them, as well. We were lucky enough to unexpectedly run into friends of ours at the farm and we spent a little time chatting and let the kids run around the pumpkins.

Our Ghouls!

Grabbing the wagon and heading out to make their pumpkin picks!

Nicholas has spotted one of his picks, now he just has to get the wagon to it...

Nicholas and Mommy

Addison and Mommy
(If you look, Addie has hair that is the color of a plump, ripe pumpkin)

Found his pick now getting it to the wagon

Making our way out of the pumpkin patch

Our Corny Little Man

They had a hay maze that Nicholas was so excited for!
Addison got stuck and her big brother went into the maze, a third time, to help her!

Heading in to pay for our picks!

Sampling some cider as we get ready to head home for the day....

A friend of mine from work has been kind enough recently to bring in a ton of "New to Us" toys for Nicholas and Addison. As a thank you for all the new goodies, Nicholas decided he wanted to make something for my friend, Rich.
Nicholas, Addison and I made a pilgrimage to Michael's the other day and they chose a Halloween themed gift- a foam haunted house that they constructed with help from daddy.
The three of them had a ball putting the house together and Rich absolutely ADORED the house and has it proudly displayed in his office!

Our crafty boy!

Addison helping out with the craft project

Crazy Faces while making a Crazy Haunted House

Fall Festivals

Our weekends have been quite busy lately and this one was no exception! After soccer today the kids and I headed down to see Pat's sister, Aunt Liz. She was having a Fall Festival at her house for her friends and family and their kids. We spent the afternoon painting pumpkins, making Halloween paper chains, decorating foam pumpkins and watching all of the kids play together and enjoy themselves! With the weather being so nasty, it was nice to have a fun and unique way to spend a cold, rainy, snowy Fall Saturday!

Ready to Have Some Fall Fun

Aunt Liz and the Kids getting their pumpkins ready

Nicholas and Addison doing some pumpkin decorating

A Little Wii time!

We headed out on the front porch to blow some bubbles...
Addison carries that skull everywhere she goes.....kidding...

Aunt Liz and Her Niece

Bubble Time!

Nicholas, Addison and Their Aunt

Soccer Saturday

This morning was like every other Saturday morning since early September- It was a Soccer Saturday!
We spend our Saturday mornings at the soccer field watching Nicholas' team enjoy themselves while they run around wildly after the ball. Today was no different except that because of my ankle, I couldn't be out on field with the team. I have been lucky enough to have an awesome assistant coach who is the dad of another player and he has been taking over my on field duties. What has been nice about that, other than the fact that I don't have to run around during the entire game, is that I'm able to watch Nicholas and take a few pictures while the action is happening!

A little Pre-Game warm-up in the goal!

Nicholas' Biggest Fan!

Dribbling

Taking a Water Break