Tis The Eve of All Hallows Eve....

Happy Halloween! Here is the friendliest (least scary) skeleton you have ever seen, and the sweetest little pumpkin.

I don't have too many pictures of Anna and Benjamin together YET, but here's one.

We went to a Halloween party (trunk-or-treat party) at our church this past Saturday. It was really fun: yummy snacks, fun games for the kids, a hay ride, and trick-or-treating around the parking lot. Anna's excitement for Halloween is very contagious. I even dressed up like a cat because Anna was very concerned when I told her I didn't think I was going to dress up. (She let it slide with daddy though.) The pictures above are all of the party: Ben making his meanest skeleton face - while trying to swipe treats from the snack table, Anna and Ethan on the hay ride, and the last picture is of the kids and I back in the church warming up after trunk-or-treating.

Anna was very smiley while going through her loot with daddy looking on...and sneaking a few pieces here and there. Anna was way into the popcorn...you taught her right Grandpa Dewey.

Just thought I'd throw these other October pictures in here too: The pumpkins Anna and I painted, the bigger pumpkins we did Mr. Potato Head-like faces on, and the pine cone people we made for a Family Night a few weeks back.

We are getting our fill of Halloween festivities around here. Last Saturday was the party at church. Anna and I have been playing the "trick-or-treating" game numerous times this week. Tonight we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". Man, that is such a great movie! Tomorrow the kids dress up for Anna's playgroup at "school". And tomorrow night I'm taking Anna and her friend Aiden trick-or-treating around the apartments here. How does that work, you may ask? I was wondering that myself. (As in, how do you know which apartments want trick-or-treaters since, you know, there isn't a porch light. It was a big mystery to me all month:) Well, just today we got our newsletter with a sheet of paper to hang on your door tomorrow night. That signifies that little kiddies are welcome for the tricks or the treats. So, now you know. Hope you're all having just as much fun celebrating Halloween as we are!

First Trip Back to Marquette

Anna and I went to Little Presque Isle with Grandpa Chuck, Gram Melissa, and Grandpa Dew. We played around on the beach and Riley and Buddy tired each other out. The first picture is of Anna running away from me so I couldn't take her picture. Think again Miss Anna! In the other, Anna is making acorn stew. Yum, yum!


Anna and Grandma Susan made some Halloween cookies for Anna to take to her friends at church on Sunday. The sprinkle master hard at work.


Anna at the pumpkin lot picking out a pumpkin with Grandpa Dewey (since they didn't have one at their house). Actually, she ended up choosing a little gourd. Hey, it was only 50 cents. Lucky Grandpa Dew.


My dad's birthday dinner. Pies galore! "Delish!" As Anna would say. Anna made a blueberry pie for Grandpa, but then wanted to eat it herself. She lost interest after a few bites. My sister Beth and her fam celebrated too.

Grandpa Chuck and Benjamin. Guy time. I love the first picture when they are totally reclined in the chair with Ben's pants unzipped. (Don't you like Chuck's beard?!) Oh, and Ben-Ben is smiling in the second one...he loved being flipped upside down.

Anna's slumber party with her Aunties KC and Ashley. She loved it!

Too soon to take a trip back home after only being gone for a couple months??? Not so...according to our family. And Anna. It was too cute seeing and hearing Anna's excitement at everything we did: "My old park!!!, My old house!!!, My old church!!!, My old library!!!" Needless to say, although I think she missed her daddy deep down, she was none too thrilled when our trip had to come to an end.

We were there for five days and packed tons in. Ethan had to be responsible and stay home to study for mid-terms...which was the whole reason the kids and I took this little trip. It was good seeing everyone. It was so fun for Anna. During the trip I thought the kids and I would probably not try this again...but we'll see. I missed Ethan and Ethan missed me. Ahhhh....

When we drove up, my mom was with us, so I was a little nervous about the drive home alone. It went perfectly. I left at 7:30 pm with a full tank of gas and two sleepy little kids. They were both asleep within 15 minutes and I didn't stop once. (I planned ahead with the amount of liquids I drank after 4pm...AND I did stretching/isometrics/etc. during the long deserted drive.) I saw two deer, always a heart pounding experience: "Please, don't move!" Also, I had cell reception the whole time as far as I could tell...even while driving over the Mackinac Bridge. Good to know. We got home at 1:30 am and Ethan was up waiting for us.

Anna thinks it's already time to start planning another "little trip" to Grandparent Land. While looking at some of the pictures we took on the trip Anna said, "I think maybe we need to go back there now. Yeah."

PS If anyone is interested in seeing another hilarious video of Anna and Benjamin laughing (this time at a balloon, not by being tickled) check out my parents blog: right hand side of web page, "Other Blogs I Visit", Dewey and Susan.

Random Sweetness......

Visiting the local fire station when my parents were here visiting. They had a fire safety day for kids. Anna was a natural with the fire hose.

The girls: Gram Melissa, Ange, and Anna on Sunday morning.

Sunday morning cuteness. Did I mention our church doesn't start until 11am...such a perfect time! (Church lasts 3 hours, for those of you who are unaware of how the Mormons do it :) We share the building with another congregation that starts at 9 am. I hope we don't do a switch-a-roo January 1st.

The castle Anna and I made for her Polly Pockets. Not too shabby...but I've seen better. :) I'm just not a creative person so I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Really, Anna came up with most of the design.

Our little Chunky Monkey (Benjamin) riding a doggie at the park - with the help of Grandma Susan. Anna doing the "sweet look" she does oh so well.

Tickle Time!

Here are two little videos of the kids laughing. Ethan took the one with Benjamin and when I was showing it to Anna, she wanted a laughing one of herself. (Anna LOVES looking at family pictures and videos...especially of herself :) I promise, you can't watch the one of Ben without laughing yourself...or at least smiling. Usually when Ben-Ben laughs, it turns into a breathless squeal pretty quickly, so the amount of laughing during this tickling session is rare. ENJOY!!!

Baby Food for Benjamin

Ben turned 6 months old yesterday. What a big boy. He is following his hands a lot and using them effectively... most of the time. He gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. He pushes himself around the living room floor until he gets stuck under various objects, mainly the couch. He tells us all kinds of stories with his sweet little baby voice, or just growls at us. He smiles and laughs at the most uninteresting things (but mostly his big sister Anna). AND a few weeks ago we gave him his first taste of baby food with successful results. Of course we did start with blueberry mixed with rice cereal. Here is a video of him getting his first bite, given by Anna. I'll throw in a couple extra pictures to accompany this momentous occasion. (I love the one of Anna pushing is head back to better cram in more baby food.)