Halloween Haunts

Well, Halloween has come and gone and November it is... Christmas is right around the corner, but not before I recap the last of our Halloween fun!!

Monday evening dawned rainy and COLD-- which was in stark contrast to the beautiful Indian summer we had heretofore been enjoying. Around 6 p.m. we bundled the kiddos up against the nasty cold and decided to try out our neighborhood first (not knowing if it would be a good trick-or-treating locale or not with all the old folks we share the street with) and it was a GHOST TOWN. There were NO trick or treaters other than our own kids, but just about everyone seemed to be home and were ecstatic to have cute little kids come trick-or-treating, so they got triple goodies. Jackpot!

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you view trick-or-treating), the houses here are divided by HUGE amounts of yard-- like an acre per lot, so it was SO much walking between houses we got tuckered out after about 30 minutes. But with all the Trunk or Treat candy they made out like bandits as usual.

The next morning Lucy's preschool had a field trip to the pumpkin patch, which seemed odd on two accounts, a) it was after Halloween, and b) IT WAS AFTER HALLOWEEN-- and who's kids AREN'T overtired, over-sugared, and over-stimulated?!? But who am I to question the Baptists... Anyway, this is Lucy and her new friend Brooke Lynne (who looks as though she was also in a candy-coma and NOT happy that morning). After a few weeks of passing at preschool pick up/drop off, I finally got the courage up to talk to Brooke Lynne's mom about maybe getting together for a play date-- and hooray!! Our first new friends here. Laree (Brooke Lynne's mom) has Hudson (next picture) who is Zach's age, and is due literally any day with identical twin boys. Her husband is in the army special forces at Fort Bragg, and is being deployed for 6 months in January-- leaving her with 2 month old twins and a 2 and 4 year old, so they may be moving home with Grandma during that time and we are SO sad (but can't say I blame her).

Zach's playmate, Hudson, is left of Brooke Lynne, and is only about 3 months younger than Zach. It is so nice for Zach to finally have a buddy of his own instead of always tagging along after Lucy and her girly-girl friends!!

They picked pumpkins, rode on a hayride, and observed the farm animals. Zach particularly liked the pigs.

Luce showing her class how a hay jump is really done (the first kid fell headfirst in the hay). Achoo!!

Enjoying the fresh creamery ice cream with Brooke Lynne!

Zach absolutely LOVED being one of the bunch-- he followed the class around like he belonged in it. Scary to think he'll be in preschool himself next year! It was a fun (though slightly hectic) way to spend our after-Halloween morning.