Halloween 2011

And another Halloween is in the bag--along with a butt-load of candy! The boys/firefighters didn't really go to THAT many houses, but boy oh boy are their bags weighty! We hit the "loop" that my parents live on, another street with a cul-de-sac off of it and a short blip of a street and then headed out to the IL's. (they were disappointed that Brian's light was off--in case Brian is reading this).
On the home front, it was a VERY differnt story. IF I buy candy, I buy way too much. And this year, since we had NO trick or treaters (unless you count the HS girl that came for candy specifically from Parker, and NO that is not a metaphor for anything), we have another butt-load of candy here!! Guess who is going to be voted "most popular" tomorrow at work?

Zombie Prom 2027

I spent a couple of days at my girlfriends house and while I was there, they had an invitation to a Halloween costume party with a "Zombie Prom" theme to it. I have not dressed up for Halloween since I really don't know when. We just don't get that into it here, coupled with the fact that chance are Kurt will be working for any such event, means that I have no reason to get dressed up, HA!
BUT, Zombie Prom awaited us. Off my GF's hubby and I went to Goodwill to score appropriate clothing and even he had to admit, the shopping trip was pretty darn painless! We were in and out in 20 minutes, each of us with what we needed. (I went back later with my GF and we got her a dress too!)
Lots of white makeup, some scar "tattoos", and lots of baby powder in my hair--boy did I smell like a baby's heiney--and we were pretty much set. Beckett did NOT like how I looked in these pictures, but we had a fun time at the event =)

Ferry Time!

Saturday after our Trick or Treat adventure (and after Xmas card pictures---dang we were BUSY on Saturday!), we took the ferry across the Mississippi River over to the Iowa side. It had been quite awhile since Paxton had ridden and I don't think Beckett ever had. Needless to say, they had a very enjoyable ride--helped along by the lollipops that the nice gentleman collecting the fare gave them =)

Trick or Treat at Stonefield Village

Yesterday we did Trick or Treat at Stonefield Village in Cassville. SF is an old-time village made up of businesses that you would have seen from an era long ago: Milliner's, Saloon, Depot, Blacksmith shop, etc. There's an old schoolhouse, dentist office, post office, general store and more as well. Every year at Halloween the different buildings are "adopted" by local businesses, organizations and families and are decorated and "manned" to hand out candy. Last year they had over 2,000 people attend the event---a pretty big deal for a village of 900 (Cassiville, not Stonefield! SV was never a real inhabited place)
We got there nice and early, which means we were able to get out earlier as well, which worked for us =) The boys are firefighters this year! Police officers last year, maybe next year they need to emulate Momma instead of Daddy....

Shooting the annual Xmas card

Yep, it's that time of year again. The joyous event of getting photos for the annual holiday card that I send (I've missed one year since Arielle was born). This year we went back to the walking trail on campus since we were on a time limit and who knows if we'd get another nice day outdoors?
Our theme this year was Brewer's attire, and we got lucky enough to find everybody something in a different hue. Today I'm sharing "nice" ones, but later this week I'll do an outakes/bloopers post with a bunch too.
Afterwards, Arielle and I ran out to Walmart, got the card designed on a kiosk, hit "complete" and picked up 80 Holiday cards one hour later! Oh when I think of how my Mom had to do it years ago.....

Saving 2nd Base

October is breast cancer awareness month!! Unless you live under a rock, chances are you knew this already. Pink, pink, pink as far as the eye can see: the NFL dons pink shoes, wristbands, gloves and towels (even the refs have pink whistles, I love it!), I've seen fire department personnel swapping out their usual navy Tshirts for pink ones, and pink ribbons are everywhere!
My local hospital is offering a free manicure at a downtown spa for anyone having a mammogram in the month of October. This saturday in fact, the spa will be set up at the hospital and you can get your boobies scanned and then have your nails done, all in one stop! I walked away with a gift certificate since I'm not doing it on the big day.
Have you had your mammogram this year yet?

Wordless Wednesday

It's been awhile....

Chucking rocks

More pics from our walk on the campus walking trail. The boys love going under the footbridge (although I do think Kurt has driven across it---it's definately wide and strong enough, but general vehicle traffic is not allowed) and tossing rocks into the stream that cuts through the land

Gone 'a-scooterin...

Since Beckett's birthday, the boys both have matching scooters and boy do they love them. Last Sunday was SUCH a gorgeous day (and I'm kicking myself for not getting Xmas card pictures done!), we decided to take the scooters down to the walking trail on campus. The trail is a pea-gravel type of material, which made scootering difficult, but there is a rumbly wooden bridge a little ways back that they like to venture under to throw rocks in the stream.

HS football (game)

Paxton has been wanting to go to a football game for a few weeks now, which I haven't figured out because it's not like we know any of the kids who play on the team. He know Parker goes to the games, maybe that's where it came from? Anyway, tonight was a perfect reason for going--the elementary kids here did a walk-a-thon as a fund-raiser and tonight they got to take a lap around the stadium to wrap it all up. Paxton didn't want to walk, but Beckett did. While we waited for Kurt and Beckett to join us, Paxton had a ball running up and down the steps and goofing around with Arielle--they LOVE when she does things with them =)
They did shave about 4 years off my life when Arielle lifted Paxton up so he could see over the top of the stadium wall, HA!!

Technology and one small boy

Who is too smart for my own good. He's discovered my ITouch and has figured out how to operate it without any lessons from me!! I will not be sharing any passwords with him, HA!!