Happy Halloween!

It's looking like that time of year. It's feeling like it too with cold temperatures and days that are way too short. This is one of the only time we get candy to last a whole year. The kid's looked forward to knockin' for their treats tonight.

I do love the seasonal art projects that Ava brings home from school:

Of course, Bryan had pumpkin carving time with the kids :)

 And, sticking with the pumpkin theme ~ might as well draw one on my pumpkin-sized belly.......

Ava had fun with that one :)

 We celebrated Adam's birthday party too!

We all got a kick out of Ava's card for uncle Adam.......

Can you believe he's 35?

This year I figured since I was going to be at the tail-end of my pregnancy and looking rather large, I would search for some pregnancy costume ideas. I found a great idea for a skeleton by searching "google images." Buying a t-shirt would have costed me $30-40.00! Here is an example of one I found online:

I really loved the idea. You know how much I like skeletons :) 

So, I decided to find a black shirt hanging in my closet and make my own! I didn't have fabric paint, just acrylic, so I hesitant to how it would turn out (whether the paint would crack or not from the stretching). I also had to think about what I could use to "imitate" my belly size to stretch out the shirt while I painted it. Then, it came to me! A kid's ride-on bounce toy! Perfect! 

I only had one chance to draw this design and get it right. I sketched out how I wanted the ribs to look; something like this:

On a black shirt, I didn't have anyway to draw a design with pen. My kid's white chalk was too big to use. I went into my desk to search for a writing utensil that would work. I found some liquid white out; gotta use what you have available ;)

It worked better than I thought! At least I got the outline done! Then, I started drawing the baby skeleton. It's hard when you can't erase! lol

I filled in my drawings with white acrylic paint; but not too thick (hoping to prevent any cracking).

I used red marker to outline my heart.........

 For the finishing touches, I stitched a pink bow on the baby's skull......Ta Da!

Isaac was happy to pose with the finished product :)

Then, I tried it on to see how it fit on my skeleton ;) 

 If I were to do anything different, I would have chose a long sleeve shirt. I also would have painted the sternum and the ribs smaller. But, overall it was a fun project.

The Halloween festivities are fun, especially when you see your kid's having a great time. Thankfully I was able to trick or treat a little bit with the kids without asking everyone to go in their house and use the bathroom ..... Haha :D

 A lot of fun,

A little scare,

A bat or two,

Stuck in your hair,

Something Creepy,

Something "Boo,"

And one big wish,

That's all for you! 

Happy Halloween! 

So long October! 

Fallin' for Fall

What can I say? What's a Fall day without jumping in a pile of freshly fallen leaves? This was before the cold front moved in and we could run around the grass barefoot and enjoy most of the hours of the day in t-shirts.
Ava didn't hesitate to run passed Isaac and dive in the crunchy leaves first......

Isaac jumped in shortly after......

Autumn expressions :)

Ava wanted Isaac to cover her completely with leaves. You would never guess she was hiding underneath that pile.....

Zeek and his sharp nose knew though!  ;)

He wanted to make sure she was OK ..... lol

The autumn season, after all, allows us only a short window of opportunity to enjoy simple pleasures.
The weather changes as quickly as the leaves fall.......

I'm getting a little anxious about the next couple of weeks.
Tick Tock!

I hear the winds of change.........

Isaac's Photo Shoot

On October 1st, Ava had her school photo taken. I'm still waiting on the class picture though. I decided I would take advantage of the pretty fall foliage and take Isaac's photo myself. But first, here is Ava's official school photo:
Beautiful, big girl! 

The timing was ideal when we went out that morning to take photos. Soon after, the wind blew the leaves off the vines of the plant growing on this trellis. It was a little chilly, but rather mild for October! Isaac is so easy-going, he's up for anything :)

My handsome, happy little man! 

Autumn; The Year's Last Loveliest Smile

 On many occasions I have my friend, Gretchen, to thank for initiating our adventures. It's easier to get my kids to enjoy the great outdoors more when they are side by side with friends. I usually jump at every invite. This particular hike was at Strawberry Creek. I usually try to come here every Fall because of the opportunity to see the beautiful colors the season brings.
We were also happy to have our friend, Stephanie, along with her boys (Jack & Ben) come along too!
Today was the the first day off of school for harvest break. When the kids are out of school, we take full advantage ~ especially on a gorgeous day like this!

"Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting; so get on your way!" 

~ Dr. Seuss

"Come little leaves" said the wind one day;

"Come to the meadows with me and play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold;

for summer is past and days grow cold."
~ George Cooper

The kids eagerly ran ahead where they were delighted to see patches of snow.
They brought some back to show it; er, I mean throw it at us  :)

Look at those mischievous expressions!

Like a dance, the leaves float through the air and hide the path;
an autumn quilt.....

The autumn explorers:  Emma, Isaac, Matthew, Ava, Jack, and Ben

The kids had a good chuckle when Matthew slipped off the bridge and soaked his shoes, socks, and pants.
Luckily his mom was prepared and had extra clothes!
With each bridge came a reminder to have a snack. Mmmmmmmm, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?

Big steps, little feet  :)

We made it to the Osceola Trail sign! We continued uphill, leaving footprints through the snow in the historical ditch.

The golden glow, warms my soul  :) 

You know what else warms my soul?
My kids; who's hair is the color of October :)

I had Gretchen take these photos for me. It was really sweet when Isaac rubbed circles on my Buddha belly; guess he can see (and feel) how his baby sister is making me grow out of extra large shirts..... lol

Awwwwww............

Lovely day!
The kids slept as soundly as a squirrel in the forest that night.
Until our tracks stamp our next adventure...... Happy Harvest Break everyone!

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