Halloween (finally)

I know it was nearly a week ago, but here's Amberlyn and Denvers costumes!

They were Minnie & Mickey! We went to the ward Trunk or Treat! We ate dinner there, (who ever thought chili and costumes went together was.....) then shopped all the trunks. Amberlyn is an old pro by now, this being her 5th year out, but Denver on the other hand.....He was apparently tired or something, because he kept trying to lay down in the middle of the street. I showed him how to hold his bucket and go say "Trick or Treat" to the ward members. They handed him a treat, and I tried to show him how to put it in his little orange bucket. He thought I was taking it away, and had a meltdown! After a few times of this, he began to figure out that he still had his treats, they were just in the bucket. It soon got dark, and we had been to all of the trunks, so we went to seek other treats.

We went home, parked the car in the driveway, and headed over to our friend Mary's house, to make the rounds as a group. By the time we got there, I was done with Denver trying to sit in the street, so we borrowed a stroller and headed off. I pushed him to the next house, lifted him out of the stroller, and took him and Amberlyn to the door. Minnie Mouse knocked, and a sweet stranger emergred with a bowl full of candy. I told them to say Trick-or-Treat, and Denver's version was something like, "Tikk Teet!"

He was handed a treat, and suddenly, it clicked! He was so excited to show me! I told him to put it in his treat bag, and he ran down the driveway to the stroller, to be toted to the next treat bearing house. From then on, he always had to see the candy. He would either take one (or 5) from the bowl that was extended to him, or intercept the goodness mid-drop, to examine his prize. We only went down a street or two, then I was DONE! We headed home to count our treasures!

Denver was excited with his haul, and immediatly settled on an orange Tootsie Pop, with the wrapper still on. Here they are, with Denver trying to open his treat!

What a fun Halloween!

Schnepf Farm!

Well, we had our annual pilgrimage to Schnepf Farm! The kids had a blast! We opted not to have the kids wear their costumes, because, well, it's a farm, and farms are dirty. We went the day before Halloween, and we wanted to keep their duds clean for Trick-or-Treating.

We arrived at the farm around 4:30 pm. After loading kids in strollers and making sure diaper bags were sufficiently packed, we entered DisneyLand. Well, it may as well have been for how excited the kiddos were! Amberlyn and Wywy had to stop and get their faces painted! Ghosties

for both this year!

After they were all painted up, we headed off to the pumpkin patch to find the biggest bestest one! We actually already picked pumpkins at Apple Annies in Wilcox, AZ,

but it was fun to play in the patch with their cousins at Schnepf.

After pumkpin hunting, we were off to the hayride! We rode on a tractor pulled, straw filled trailer,

and even got to get off to pet the deer!

After the hayride, it was time for the rollercoaster! Amberlyn was brave enough to go, only if mommy went with her. She was a trooper, and quietly endured the 3 times around the track. She loved it, but didn't want to go again. (don't worry, it's a kiddie coaster!) Next it was time to ride the rockets! Amberlyn and Wywy shared a ship, and went flying as high as they could around the world! Denver rode the Honey Bee with daddy, while the older two were on the rockets.

Then it was mommy and Amberlyn's turn,

then Lynne and Wywy had their turn!

After the Bumble Bees, we wanted to go on the train, but it had derailed! It would be at least an hour before it was fixed, so we went to the races. Go Kart races! They have individual karts, or family style ones! We had a blast! Where can I get one of these?

Next was the petting zoo! Denver got to go in and pet the baby goats.

Amberlyn didn't like the smell, so she waited outside with dad. Then was the carousel, and next they kids played on a pyramid of straw bails while we waited for the train to be fixed.

It was finally our turn for the train, we raced over as soon as it was fixed!

The school class that was supplying the actors to make the train ride "spooky" never showed up, but that was fine with us, the kids just wanted a fun train ride. After a few stops at the gift shops for penny candy and candied almonds, we left the farm and stopped for dinner at Burger King (cheaper than dinner on the farm) while we waited for the firework show to start. A short display of colorful sky rockets was the perfect way to end a fun night on the farm!

We had a blast, and would love to keep it an annual tradition!