Pumpkins, Parties and Halloween

Bring on Fall and all that comes with it.  I took the boys to a Pumpkin Patch.  It was a chilly day.  So we werent out there long.  That, and I knew there was no way I'd get all three kids to smile for the camera.  It's funny how you realize (as you have more kids) that you'll never get that "perfect picture." With three kids, a perfect picture is one when they are all even in the frame. 

While it looks like Carter was about to drop Conley - he wasn't and he didn't. 

The big boys.

Carter found his pumpkin almost immediately.

Cole on the otherhand, took quite awhile.  I told them about the size I was looking for, because we were going to make characters out of them with some toys I bought.  Cole wanted HUGE or tiny, not the parameters I gave him (as usual).

Conley in his Halloween outfit.  No good up close ones, he was tired and chilly.

Carter riding a "rocket" pumkin

Cole's Buzz LightYear Pumpkin

 Carter's Yoda Pumpkin - he loves Star Wars these days.  And the warty pumpkin he found at the patch, was perfect for Yoda. 

Instead of celebrating Halloween, his school does a Circus Days celebration where they transform the gym into a circus.  The boys were so excited about it and that I was going to volunteer.  When I told Brian I was helping out at the face painting booth, he said "Can you paint faces?"  Really Brian?  They're toddlers and preschoolers, does it matter? Well, I realized upon arrival what their templates were (lions, elephants, circus tents) that No - I couldn't paint faces.  I stuck to balloons. 

Here is a photo of Cole crying.  He was terrified of the clown.  Which happened to be his Motor teacher (that's what they can Gym/P.E.), Mrs. Cox.  Thankfully I was there helping out and could diffuse the situation.  He still talks about it, "I scared of clowns" is what he says alot.

Pics of a few of the stations before the kids got there.

The scene of my crime - the face painting booth.  Funny side note - Carter has a "Thanksgiving Experience" at school this week and I signed up to help for it.  The only place they needed help during the time I could volunteer was FACE PAINTING.  Are you kidding me?  Maybe I can draw corn or something.  I'll let you know how it goes.

We went to one of the best birthday parties recently.  Their friend Awbrey turned 5 and she celebrated at Itz.  Cole died and went to heaven - seriously.  We were there almost 4 hours and he was kicking and screaming when we left.  We started out at the miniature bowling. One of his favorite things to do, except that he normally doesn't share the lane OR the ball.  But he listened to Joanna and Julie and took turns.

The other happy camper of the night was Brian.  This place has Guitar Hero and Joanna had purchased the package that allows the kids to have unlimited game play while they are there as long as the game didn't spit out tickets.  This game is normally $3 to play, so Brian took advantage :)  Plus Itz serves beer and margaritas - and we couldn't pass that up either!

Cole loved the roller coaster, but he really loved it when Daddy rode with him.

Carter's favorite part of the night is when they all got on the bumper cars.  Technically they are a couple inches short of the height requirement, but the attendant was so nice and let all the birthday party guests on.  They did this for at least 20 minutes since it was empty at the time.

Cole on the Monkey Jump with a random girl.  You think he was enjoying himself?

Conley slept through most of it. 

On Halloween my good friend Julie and her family came over to Trick or Treat with us.  Here she is getting a smile out of Conley before we got his costume on.

 He wasn't too happy about the costume.  Cute pirate though!

 Carter was Yoda and Luke was Darth Vadar. 

 Cole was Luke Skywalker, but I don't have a single good picture of him in his costume.  Julie got some with her camera, and she'll email them to me once she's in her new house with Internet.  Could you imagine not having Internet for 3 weeks!  Not me!

 I didn't get a good picture of Conley the night of Halloween, so I put his bandana and earring back on the next morning.  He slept in his shirt and baby legs :)  He is SO SWEET!  I just want to eat him up :)