October & Halloween 2015
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Somehow, another October has come and gone. So now here we are, listening to the pitter patter of rain outside our window, wrapped in blankets and nibbling on cookies and milk. And while I personally find myself ready for this change, I can't help but smile when I look at the pictures the fun we've had this month or so, the connections we've made and people we've loved.
We spent the day before Halloween finishing running errand and prepping our ladies's costumes, and in the evening we headed over to my inlaws church party. They had a lot of kids and candy there, and Isla loved dancing with Lolo while Addy watched tentatively on the sides. I have to admit, I am loving this phase-Addy is reserved in big groups, but around those she knows and loves is a total goofball. I feel lucky to be one of those privileged few. And we simply can't get enough of Isla's sweet, creative dance moves-she is such a light. After coming home, we cuddled with Daddy and went to bed early so we could get up in time for Halloween.
For weeks, Addy had been asking 'is it a Halloween night?' when she'd see the darkness and fog loom in, so she was ecstatic when she woke up the next morning and found out it was not a drill, but the real deal! We enjoyed our ward's Halloween Carnival, and after all the thought and hard work that went into it, I think everything went really well. All this kids seemed to have fun, and that is what its all about right? After coming home and taking a long nap, we headed out to make the rounds trick or treating. We stopped at my Aunt's and our good friends the Parscal's before heading over to my inlaws. It always amazes me how crowded their neighborhood gets that night-Addy was shy at first, but once she got the hang of it, she was all about the trick or treating-and of course Isla walked around ecstatic to be doing whatever big sister was doing-thank goodness she didn't walk in any houses haha. It is a sign as to how full their buckets were and how tired and hungry they were that Addy asked to stop to go back to Lolo and Lola's house to eat more dinner. After some food and visiting, we headed home and played games with Luke and a bunch of his friends till bedtime. So, 3 parties, 5 costumes, 3 trick or treat dates and several family visits later, we are more then ready for some new themes, like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
For weeks, Addy had been asking 'is it a Halloween night?' when she'd see the darkness and fog loom in, so she was ecstatic when she woke up the next morning and found out it was not a drill, but the real deal! We enjoyed our ward's Halloween Carnival, and after all the thought and hard work that went into it, I think everything went really well. All this kids seemed to have fun, and that is what its all about right? After coming home and taking a long nap, we headed out to make the rounds trick or treating. We stopped at my Aunt's and our good friends the Parscal's before heading over to my inlaws. It always amazes me how crowded their neighborhood gets that night-Addy was shy at first, but once she got the hang of it, she was all about the trick or treating-and of course Isla walked around ecstatic to be doing whatever big sister was doing-thank goodness she didn't walk in any houses haha. It is a sign as to how full their buckets were and how tired and hungry they were that Addy asked to stop to go back to Lolo and Lola's house to eat more dinner. After some food and visiting, we headed home and played games with Luke and a bunch of his friends till bedtime. So, 3 parties, 5 costumes, 3 trick or treat dates and several family visits later, we are more then ready for some new themes, like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
In the days leading up to the main festivities, we got to do a few fun things-the most noteworthy was probably be able to visit my Mom at school. As part of Addy's birthday present from my parents, there was a certificate for a trip to the book fair they were holding, good for one book, snack and walk in the woods with Grandma. It said it was good for two tag alongs [namely Mommy and Isla] so we all were excited for this. We brought some cans to donate to the food drive, and after putting those in, got to check out my Mom's classroom and do a puzzle. We were so impressed with the school and faculty members! Then we got to pick out the books and snacks [Addy picked Pig Kahuna: Pirates and popcorn for her spoils!] and we went for a walk around the campus and the 'forest' behind the school. We all had so much fun, and it was a good way to get Addy excited about school, and me a little tiny bit less paranoid about when the day comes for her to go daily haha. So thanks to my Mom for that-it was the high light of her week!
We also enjoyed a special 'member morning' at the Academy, where we got to watch Claude [the albino alligator] get fed. Then they had a special moon show in the planetarium for toddlers, which was great. We also got to do a scavenger hunt of sorts when we checked out a backpack full of activities from the play area there-what a great thing they have going on! Even Isla participated by pretending she was a alligator snapping her teeth, or dancing like a jellyfish. We also had the pleasure of hanging with some of our favorite people here and there-Addy and Anne are besties, and since Isla and Blake are intended we thought we needed to set up a few meetings haha. The Bay Area Discovery Museum is one of our favorite places, with its Golden Gate Bridge backdrop, amazing facilities, and in fact it is the only children's museum to be built in a National Monument. It was a blast as always, for all of us and we always look forward to the next time we can hang out with them!
[they were pretending to be jelly fish in the above pics.]
So this was the rest of the things we did this last month or so. Now, we'll fill our time with more routine things, like more trips to the zoo and Academy, visits with friends, preschool at home, books, play dough, characters, legos, blocks and castle building, baking, movies, jobs and so on. We have so much to thankful for, we're excited for a whole month to talk about it!
