October Highlights

Well, dangit! I can't believe October is over already. My favorite season is wrapping up it's final weeks. Oh well, at least I still have Christmas to look forward to.

This was such a fun, busy month for us. And after last year, we (my kids in particular) really deserved a fun October. I think we got to experience almost every fun little Fall activity we could think of. I only missed a couple of things, but we'll get them next year! For the sake of not having another dreadfully long post, I'm just going to post up some of my favorite pictures and save my endless ramblings for later.

So, let's start at the very beginning...of October anyway.

We started off our fall fun by making the ever popular (and most importantly...free!) trip to Gardner Village to see the witches. My thanks to Amanda for taking most of the cute pics, since my camera was dead, like usual. My camera eats through batteries like they're made of chocolate. Although, to cameras, maybe batteries DO taste like chocolate. Who knows? The kids had a blast running wild and ignoring every word of discipline Amanda and I shouted at them. Amanda and I had fun perusing the shops and pretending the crazy kids running amuck belonged to someone else.



Later that week, we celebrated the wonderfully warm fall weather by crashing in on the Packers' plans to visit the Hogle Zoo while the kids were out of school for UEA weekend. Unfortunately most everyone else had the same idea and it was a wee bit crazy. But still a good time!



The day after that, we again crashed in on the Packers' plans (wow, they must have gotten pretty sick of us...) and joined them at Farnsworth Farms to pick pumpkins and enjoy some hot apple cider while sitting on a bale of hay and watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. Well, at least we thought we'd get hot apple cider. Kurt braved the INSANE line and managed to get some cider for his family, but I told my kids "tough luck" and they got a bag of Cheetos and a Root Beer from inside the little store. Actually, I think they preferred my snack offerings better. They don't care much about being festive. We really did have so much fun and I think we'll be making this one a tradition. Only we'll be sure to always be there plenty early. It was a madhouse of people with the same great idea. I guess everyone wanted to seize the good weather while we had it. Also, a quick plug for Farnworth Farms: They have the BEST apple cider I've ever tasted! We guzzled down the half-gallon I bought in a matter of a day or two. And this is coming from someone who really isn't an apple cider fan.



Next on our list of fun October activities: ENGH Gardens - where they had a fun array of little activities. Those things including: A little maze, a super awesome version of The Black Pearl for the kids (and possibly adults...) to play on, and a variety of those little wooden displays you stick your head in for fun pictures. It's amazing, all the little things you can find to keep kids entertained for hours. And might I add...FREE! This has become my favorite word. I have so many fun pictures from this one, I might have to create a couple of collages for it.



Sure enough...it's gonna take two...the pictures at this place were too much fun.



And the award for my favorite picture of the day...



This is Amanda, myself, and Brianne, playing into the roles of the character we're standing in for. I still can't look at it without laughing.

Ok, moving on...nope, sorry, I'm still not done.

Brandon and I managed to break away from the kids for a day at Frightmares with Steve and Katie. Katie and I had a GREAT time. Steve and Brandon also had a great time, except for the half hour they spent secretly rolling their eyes while Katie and I chatted up some of our old Lagoon friends. Sorry, but if you ever come to Lagoon with me, it's almost a guarantee you're going to have to spend at least 15 minutes standing around while I visit with old friends. My fabulous sister, D'Ann was so kind as to spend the day with the kids while Brandon and I enjoyed our day out. And as if that wasn't enough, she also stayed the NIGHT with the kids and got us a room with her Marriott discount so we could fully enjoy some alone time. It was a wonderful little break and I thank my "D" for playing so well into the "favorite aunt" role.

Now, because once simply wasn't enough...we also enjoyed yet another trip to Gardner Village to see the witches. This time, we ventured off with Julie and her boys. The trip was equally full with rambunctious kids we chose to ignore, except during the handful of times one of them would be seconds away from falling into the pond. I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures. It was getting dark and my camera...well...sucks.



The day before Halloween, Mathew had his preschool program which was SO cute! I think I giggled the whole way through it. I have a few video clips of it, but I simply don't have the patience to put it up. Plus I'm pretty sure it's one of those things no one would care about but myself. But here's the unmasked Spider-Mathew with his cute preschool teacher, Mrs. Becky. She's amazing with the kids and Mathew loves her.

Ok, the end is in sight. All we have left is HALLOWEEN!!!

This year, Halloween was seriously perfect. I could not have asked for a better day. The weather was fantastic, it was just the right amount of busy, and we got to do everything we wanted to, which NEVER seems to happen. We enjoyed our ward Trunk-or-Treat, some pumpkin-faced Papa Murphy's pizza, a quick trick-or-treating trip, and watching some scary movies while eating popcorn. It was the perfect, low-key Halloween I was hoping for. What a great day to end the best month I've had in years.



Well, so much for a short post minus all my ramblings. Oh well! HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!