Double Bubble, Toil and Trouble . . .

The time has come again to document October's spooky festivities. We kicked off the season with a bang at our Church's Willy Wonka themed fall festival. My kids loved finding their golden tickets, using them to get in and then loading up on games and treats. Scottie brought her good friend from gymnastics Maya. On entering the "Chocolate Factory" (the gym, decorated rather spectacularly in streamers and faux candies) Both girls spied the chocolate fountain and I believe I heard Maya gasp out, "That is the most beautiful, delicious thing I have ever seen!" Ahh yes, wait until your spirits get low as a middle aged mother of four, chocolate in all it's forms, takes on breathtaking appeal. I digress, The kids loved filling their gullets with goodies from various games such as Veruca Salt's cake walk and Mike T.V.'s memory game. As Halloween approached costumes were decided etc. And it was an easy year. Scottie opted for Olympic gymnast, Tess was Mulan, Betsy was a fairy and Gunner chose skeleton at the last minute. Tess goes to two different preschools and after attending both those parties she said, "I am done with this." In order to get her to continue to dress up for the church trunk-or-treat and the actual Halloween night, I had to buy a Mulan wig. In between Parties we threw in our traditional trip to the pumpkin patch for our family pictures and to pick out pumpkins. Ah yes, the perfect family picture for Christmas cards.

Oddly enough we ran into two of the families we had been to that same pumpkin patch for the first time eight years ago! (Wish you were there Cannings!) "Wait Mike, surely there's room for six more on that cart!"
It was fun to see them and even more fun because Gunner got to stay later with the Gealta and Cragun boys to try the Corn Maze. Unfortunately we picked a rather thick skinned pumpkin which we had to let Joe wrestle with to carve. "Shoot! I always bite off more than I can chew. Better ask Scottie for help.""Look Tess, I'm getting it!" "Yeah, great, whatever. I need to find a bathroom!"
That said, none of my kids really like squishing around in the guts and interest in carving waned after just two pumpkins.
Every Year several members of our church line the parking lot with their trunks open and decorated and provide a safe environment for the kids to trunk-or- treat. Definitely dreamed up by a mother, this is an event we never miss. I personally feel they got enough candy at Trunk or Treat and wanted to leave before dark to Eastern Washington for our Nephew, Henry's, baby blessing. But Joe decided to throw in a few houses on our block Halloween night. So we Arrived late and sugar-low-tired at His brother Jason's later that night but thank goodness for Daylight savings giving us an extra hour to re cooperate. The Blessing was great; cute baby, delicious food, great company. The bad side was the shortness of the visit but we had to be back for school on Monday. I'm never sad to see October go, yahoo! On to Thanksgiving.