Act 4; Scene 15: Happy Halloween!

Here's to the haunting, creeping, and spooking

Laughing, tricking, and looting.

This year's jack-o-lanterns

Happy Haunting!

Act 4; Scene 14: Goofball

Daddy captured these goofy pictures on his new fancy iphone after church this Sunday.

What a goof. He really looks like a goofy old man with the sun shining on his static-just-after-nap hair!

We sure love this guy.

Act 4; Scene 13: The Big Reveal! (Almost)

Since we've already been to one Halloween party, and are about to pop in at some more, we thought we'd give the big costume reveal a bit early.

But this year's costume is a bit harder to guess. Even people that have seen us in costume don't know who we are. It is rather, um, specialized, shall we say?

So here's the deal--this is the reveal picture, but it is also the FINAL hint.

Do you know who we are???

Happy Haunting!

Act 4; Scene 12: Spiders and Monsters

Our neighbors invited us to a Halloween party, and asked us to bring cupcakes.

Here is what I came up with:

Spiders:

Thank you Kris, for the kit!

And Monsters:

Mostly because I ran out of spider legs

Thanks to Kim for the bloodshot candy eyes!

And our final Halloween costume hint!!!!

Ready?!

We are made of lots of felt and foam.

Keep guessing!

Act 4; Scene 11: Birthday! (And another costume hint)

This week I had a birthday.

And it was awesome. Busy, but awesome.

Robert took the day off so that we could visit the local Halloween Carnival that day. So we headed out right after Tommy's morning nap to make the most of it.

Well...turns out that local Carnival (Cornbelly's) was actually closed and did not open until 4pm that day. Rats! However, we were still able to get in some fun in the open sections while no one was around.

He even got to climb up the stairs and get in the tractor when no one was around!

 This sequence of photos was my favorite from the morning. He calls pumpkins balls and was trying so hard to reach that little one!

We decided to stay at Thanksgiving Point for lunch and split a delicious deli sandwich at the Cafe. Then we headed to the ice cream and soda bar where we enjoyed this cookie sundae:

Then home for nap time! Well, for Thomas.

I went and got my bangs trimmed, picked up my free birthday treat at The Sweet Tooth Fairy, and renewed my driver's license.

I got back just in time for us to try Cornbelly's again--this time during open hours :-)

And with all of the bounce houses, tractor rides, corn mazes, and plastic cows (Tommy really likes the plastic cows...) Tommy's favorite activity was walking around on an empty stage. Yep. Like this:

He LOVED trying to walk over all of the uneven cracks, as you can see here. Robert and I sat on a bench and looked on.

Kind of anti-climactic, right?

Then we rushed home with 30 minutes before I went to a grueling 3 hour dance rehearsal. In those 30 minutes, one of my dear friends managed to bring me a platter of beautiful, delicious cupcakes. Pumpkin with maple cream cheese frosting. Um...hello!

Lighting the candles after rehearsal

Whew! Busy day! Then on Thursday Mike and Robert surprised me with some pies, and my parents came down to deliver a beautiful outside porch bench from Robert, and some new running shoes from them.

If you couldn't tell from the details here, we have eaten enough goodies to kill a nation this week. And it has all been delicious!

But this wouldn't be an October post without a hint about our costumes! So here it is:

We are three people in a five person band

 Happy Haunting!

Act 4; Scene 10: Some Spooky Meals

I'm a bit behind on posting about our Halloween meals.

Here's what we've been up to around here lately:

Last week, we mummified our meal

The spider web dip sort of worked....

 And yesterday we had an eyeball craze

worm encrusted eyeball pie

monster cookies

Ah! So many creative and delicious ways to enjoy the season!

And now, for another Center family costume hint:

We are hippies.

Any more guesses, Heather? 

Happy Haunting! 

Act 4; Scene 9: Our Trip to Virginia: Fredericksburg, Oakton, and Washington DC--Daily Highlights

FRIDAY

Up at 4am and off to the airport.

Me, sick as a dog; Tommy, happy and restless; Robert, holding the family together.

After two successful flights, a 3 hour stop-and-go drive in the mini van to Fredericksburg.

Our highlights of the day: Visiting with family we haven't seen for years and meeting new family members (Ava! and Jeremy's fam); also the sandies cookies on the airplane.

Tommy's highlights: walking around the airport flirting with everyone; the playroom at the Brooks' house.

(No pictures from today, sadly--I was too sick to think about it)

SATURDAY

Restful morning with a morning nap, gathering items for rain weather.

Another (shorter) van ride.

Frozen listening to the backyardagains on the big headphones

Highlights: free history museum at Fredericksburg, complete with child station (blocks, dress-ups, books, puzzles). Visiting in the lovely square while waiting for the ceremony, and watching the the wedding itself. Visiting with family at dinner--and hearing all of the "kid noise" through the restaurant; and definitely the cheesecake.

Tommy's highlights: finding Mike and falling asleep in his arms to the captivating 3 piece orchestra; walking around the tables at the restaurant making friends.

Sharing cheerios

Striking a pose

Spotting the groom!

Lovely ceremony

Mike has the magic touch

James was a great "flower boy"--picking off all of the petals

Brothers and mom!

Again, the magic touch at work

Cutting the cheesecake

SUNDAY

Highlights: Walk through the Oakton neighborhood; seeing Orrin Hatch in church; playing games with siblings; sampling Uncle Carl's famous apple pie.

Tommy's highlights: Playing with the stroller and doll (even though legos and blocks were out and available...) "chasing" his cousins up and down the street; going up and down the gym stairs at church; sampling Uncle Carl's apple pie.

MONDAY

Highlights: Temple grounds at DC temple--gorgeous; eating lunch at a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives restaurant;  seeing the view of the city from the top of Arlington cemetery; picking out a Christmas tree ornament; roasting marshmallows in the backyard

Tommy's highlights: Opening and closing the French doors in the mini home display at the temple visitor center; climbing up the stairs at the temple grounds; eating raisins and m&ms in the car.

Ellen, Thomas, James

Fits were also a huge part of this vacation

asleep at the diner

Maryland crab cake sandwich. Very famous--I thought it tasted like mushy bread

The double cheeseburger deluxe ended up being just that--TWO burgers!

Some of the many soldier headstones

Looking towards the Lincoln Memorial

TUESDAY

Highlights: Morning nap for both boys; walking around quiet and closed off downtown DC; having the park almost to ourselves; actually being able to get right up to the war monuments (we were afraid we wouldn't be able to); fruit smoothie at Potbelly's in the Midway airport; sleeping baby the whole 2nd flight home.

Tommy's highlights: seeing construction trucks downtown; chasing pigeons in the food court; eating dum dums; playing peek-a-boo with the man in the seat behind us; going up and down the escalators at the metro and the airport.

WA monument under construction...bummer

White House from a distance

Lincoln Memorial

WWII memorial

Vietnam Memorial

Lincoln memorial through the trees

Guarding the closed memorial

Korean War Memorial

This is what was happening all over--closed signs, and pedestrians walking around them :-)

No traffic allowed today! We had the park to ourselves!

View of Jefferson Memorial

There he is!

The Capitol building

What a fun and whirlwind trip! We are so thankful Carl, Shirley, and Marit hosted us and toted us around so we could as much in as we could!

However, we have both come to the conclusion that we are NOT traveling across the country for at least another three years (good thing Mom and Dad Center live in St. George right now). I am also thinking that our youngest needs to be at least 6 before we attempt traveling like this again!!!!

And on that happy note, have a lovely day :-)