Halloween festivities

Halloween this year was loads of fun for the kids. There were a lot of fun festivities for them to prepare for the holiday.  From pumpkin patches to pumpkin carving parties, they were pretty busy.

Twins club Halloween party at a Pumpkin patch

Emily was Princess Aurora and Kyle, shockingly, a monkey. :-) They were able to dress up on the Friday before at preschool with their classmates.  

On Halloween, we went over to a friend's house for a delicious dinner before heading out Trick or Treating with their friends. 

The Trick or Treating Crew

BatGirl, Princess Aurora, Monkey, Dragon, Knight, Buzz LightYear

Sweetness

Now that we have a season pass to Disneyland, we can go back almost anytime for a little bit and explore smaller areas without feeling like we have to cover the whole park in one sitting. Of course the kids have their favorite areas, but we are getting to see new areas this way too, little by little. So this past Thursday, I took the kids up there in the morning for their "something fun". 

This was so sweet, walking down Main Street, the kids just started holding hands as they walked together.  It was too sweet to not take a picture or ten.  

And when we got to the castle, we saw Snow White frolicking by the fountain!

This time, we spent a little time in ToonTown and saw Minney Mouse at her house. 

Monkey cupcakes

Spike joined us for dinner a couple times this week. One of the nights she brought a perfect dessert for our house!

Almost too cute to eat!

The monkey master himself eats his monkey cupcake.

Normally, he eats the frosting off a cupcake first, but since it was a monkey cupcake, he couldn't bear to eat the face off... well at least until the end.  Kyle (and all of us) LOVED it!

Good to be a girl

Grandma gave Emily this adorable skirt when we were in Chicago.  Emily LOVES it!  She put this outfit together by herself.  As another mom at preschool said, her outfit says, "It's good to be a girl!"

Disney Halloween trip

These are a few fun photos from a trip to Disneyland. It was swelterting hot outside and reasonably crowded, but fun nonetheless. Especially exciting was the first time seeing Princess Tiana from the Princess and the Frog. 

Princess Tiana

Enjoying some ice cream in the heat. 

Jeff and Kyle self-portrait

Buzz Lightyear space ships

Cool shadow shot

Slam dunk!

Emily has been practicing her basketball skills!  She was so excited to demonstrate her slam dunk!

Owie is all better

Emily was showing us that her owie on her finger was all better.  We couldn't help but to take a picture. 

Heading home

On the way home from Chicago, I made my first trip outnumbered by the kids.  We have always traveled together, the four of us.  But work called for Jeff to head to a client site and catch up with us back in San Diego.  So off we went.  As we passed through security, a guard pulls me aside and whispers to me that there is a playground in Terminal 2 that is a short walk away.  Sweet!!  In the morning before leaving Grandma's house, we had a great "something fun" - playing in the leaves and riding the scooter with Grandma.  But I wasn't about to turn down a second "something fun" for the kids since they were about to have to sit in confined space for the next 4 hours.  Off to the playground we went! 

Kyle with his Miko neck pillow and all of his Mikos buckled in with him - well except for Big Miko who had to ride in the suitcase with Meow-Meow.  Funny story about that - we have read Koko's Kitten which Kyle and Emily LOVED.  Anyhow, when I told Kyle that Big Miko was too big to carry with him and had to ride in the suitcase, Emily volunteered her kitty to ride in the suitcase too to keep Big Miko company, just like Koko and his kitten, All Ball.  

Kyle passed out on my lap.  Emily was passed out on my lap on the other side, but I couldn't get a good angle for a picture that would show anything. 

It was a successful flight for the three of us.  The stars were aligned for us.  Toy Story 3 was the movie so they watched a little bit of that while eating their lunch I had packed, we went potty about a million times (at least 4 times - thankfully we were a whole row ourselves), and then took a nap for at least an hour with them both laying on my lap - it was quite a site to see.  And then we were landing.  Kyle wasn't too happy when we landed because he would have liked to sleep a bit longer, but  if we had to have a meltdown, I'll take one after we are on the ground and getting off the plane and  getting home is super quick. 

Fall fun in the leaves and on a scooter

As I mentioned previously, the kids are loving the fall in Chicago.  And stomping around in the leaves, is so much fun!!

Nothing like running through the leaves!

And the kid's Great-Grandpa, my mom's dad, fixed up a scooter we had as kids.  Well older kids, probably at least 10 years old.  But that doesn't deter a 4 year old!  Kyle & Emily were both eager to take it for a spin.  Kyle had no problem figuring it out as he is quite the bike rider and gets the balance thing. Emily had some fun on it, but preferred to be held and pushed around on it. 

Emily and Grandma

Emily rides

And Kyle rides

Grandma time!

Pre-wedding pedicure

Emily and her Great-Grandma (my Mom's mom)

Emily, Ryan and Ike with Grandma giving her front sidewalk some artwork

The neighbor's tire swing. Even in cool weather and sundown, the kids LOVE it!

And what fall in Chicago would be complete without a trip to Goebberts?

Emily and Kyle had a great time with Grandma on the camel ride.  It may not be quite the same ride that Karen and Pete took in Morocco, but for Hoffman Estates, it sure isn't bad!