Happy Halloween!

Halloween was a lot of fun this year.  Kate dressed up as Tinkerbell and Jack was a little monster.  Leading up to Halloween, we had a number of fun activities to get us excited for the big day.  Kate spent the day on Wednesday with Grandma Cecile and got to make Halloween cupcakes.  Then we got to attend the Halloween Carnival at Tahoma High School that night where Kate played lots of games and got some candy.  My mom and dad flew in from Colorado the following day and on Friday they joined Kate's class for their field trip to the pumpkin patch and had a wonderful time.  Saturday we all went to Pacific Science Center to view the Harry Potter exhibit.  It was very cool but both kids got a little scared from some of it!  On Halloween morning we went to visit our friends, the Schufreiders, for their annual pumpkin carving party.  I carved bats on Kate's pumpkin and a goblin on Jack's.  Then Kate's good friend Noah (Buzz Lightyear) and his parents came over to our house for a yummy pizza dinner and afterward we hit the streets for some trick-or-treating.  Our new neighborhood really goes all out for Halloween.  Tons of decorations and lots and lots of trick-or-treaters.  It was really fun to see.  Unfotunately Kate got a little spooked at one of the houses and decided she was all done.  So we headed home and handed out candy for the rest of the night.  Both kids are now fast asleep.  I wonder what they are dreaming about after all of that excitement?

Kate painting pumpkins

The cupcakes that Kate decorated with Grandma Cecile

Kate as Tinkerbell

Jack the Little Monster - not a fan of his costume!

 Kate getting her face painted at the Halloween Carnival.

Kate - asleep in the car on the way home from the carnival. 

Yes, that is a sucker in her mouth!

Jack rockin' at the Schufreider's house.  He's Batty for Mommy!

 Kate all ready to go on Halloween!

Noah & Kate - At home and trick-or-treating

More Little Monster on Halloween night

Our pumpkins!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Gonzaga Visit

When I first met Dave's little brother Jeff he was 8 years old.  I can clearly remember attending his elementary school band concerts.  So it is hard for me to believe that he is now a Freshman at Gonzaga University!  This weekend we got to visit him in Spokane for Gonzaga's Fall Family Weekend.  After surviving the road trip over there (see previous post), we met up with the family for dinner before retiring to our hotel for some much needed rest.  On Saturday, Jeff gave us the grand tour of the campus.  We got to see his dorm room, many of his classrooms, the "Cog" (Center of Gonzaga), the basketball arena and the baseball field.  Later that evening, the 3 brothers all went to a Spokane Chiefs hockey game together.  On Sunday we met up for a nice lunch before hitting the road once more.  I am extremely proud of Jeff.  He seems to be really embracing college life and is thriving at Gonzaga.  Here are some of the pictures from our visit:

Jeff & Kate in Jeff's dorm room

                               

 Jack the little Bulldog checking out the pool table in the dorm 

The 3 brothers - Dave, Kevin & Jeff in one of Jeff's classroom buildings

Some of the campus

 

Jeff & Kate in front of the business building

Little Bulldog tuckered out from the tour

Gonzaga girl snacking on candy corn

Kate riding the bulldog and trying to take it for a walk

The basketball arena & baseball stadium

    

First Road Trip

I thought I was fully prepared.  I had packed adequate changes of clothes, diapers, baby gear and warm coats & gloves.  I even armed myself with their favorite snacks, some new toys and books and the travel DVD player.  I perfectly timed our departure time to coincide with the beginning of their nap time.  But apparently no amount of planning and no matter how much stuff you load in the car, no kids enjoy being strapped into a car seat for 5 straight hours.  This I learned on our trip over to Spokane this weekend to visit my brother-in-law at Gonzaga. 

Jack fell asleep, as planned, just a half hour after leaving:

Kate worked on her cool new puzzle book after Mommy craftily got the sun out of her face:

1 hour later, Jack is awake and not too happy.  Let the screaming begin:

Kate never does fall asleep, but instead shows us her fruit roll-up masquerade skills:

The driver is not amused!

 

 
Unfortunately Jack never fell back asleep and Kate didn't sleep at all.  Nothing went according to my grand plan.  Which further proves that I was blessed with children to challenge my "Type A" personality on a daily basis.


And I'm sure you are wondering how the drive back home went.  Well just start at the top of this post and read it again and you'll get the general idea.


When are we taking our next road trip?  When Jack turns 18.

Marta's Wedding

On October 1st, Kate and Jack got to attend their first wedding.  Dave's cousin Marta got married up in Snohomish at Lord Hill Farms.  Being their first wedding, I of course had to dress them up in snazzy new outfits!  Jack didn't do too well during the ceremony - sitting still isn't really his thing.  So Dave and I actually missed the entire thing (Kate stayed with Dave's parents)!  But we had a great time at the reception!  Kate showed off her skills on the dance floor and they both got to have some fun with their cousins that they don't get to see very often.  Kate told everyone that when she gets married she is going to marry Jack!  

Pretty Girl Kate

 Daddy & Jack (looking very serious in his suit)

Kate & Poppa Dave

This is how Jack feels about sitting still

 This is all we saw of the ceremony!

Jack, the life of the party!

Little stud

Checking out the lights

Brother & Sister having fun!

Jack hangin' with his cousin Owen

Jack giving cousin Sam some high fives!

Pumpkin Palooza

We sure didn't have much of a summer but Mother Nature is making up for it with some very nice fall weather.  We took advantage of it this weekend and visited a local farm and a pumpkin patch.  On Saturday we visited Thomasson Family Farm in Enumclaw, Washington which is about 10-15 miles south of our new house.  It was a great place.  They had all kinds of activities for the kids - sandbox, a pretend cow to milk, slides, bubbles, rubber duck races, a big box full of corn to jump in, tractor rides and a petting zoo!  By the time we had hit all of the attractions we were too worn out to pick out some pumpkins from their field.  So we called it a day.  On Sunday after Jack's 1st haircut (see prior post) we headed to a nearby pumpkin patch.  It was another beautiful day.  The kids picked out an assortment of pumpkins large and small.  They are currently sitting on our front porch just waiting to be carved!  I'm saving that task for when it gets closer to Halloween so they don't get too mushy.  Here are some pictures from our fun in the sun!

Cutie Pie Kate!

Playing in the sandbox

Little man Jack!

 Kate milking a "cow"

In the corn box

Candy corn face painting

3 1/2 feet tall

2 1/2 feet tall!

Has anyone seen any pumpkins?

Boo!

Sister & brother

My little pumpkins!