Happy Halloween 2010

We want candy! It is another day of Trunk or Treat.

Time to put on the costumes again for the Pellissippi Ward Trunk or Treat. This time we got to decorate our trunk with Halloween decor. The kids were excited to wear their costumes again and I was smarter about Tyson's makeup this time. We used paint for his eyebrows and they worked out tons better than before.(Tyson took the picture) Vaughn dressed up as a cowboy and I was a witch. I love dressing up for Halloween. It's the Halloween parade.

The vampire was unhappy with mom. I was taking too many pictures and he didn't want to show me his vampire teeth. At least the Pumpkin Princess was smiley.

There were a lot of families there with their trunks decorated. I like trunk or treating verses the door to door trick or treating, at least here. I mean, if we were in a place like Circleville or Manassa, which are small towns and you know everyone, we could go door to door trick or treating, but here I just don't dare. Too many crazy people in a big city.

Mr. Marlow is so nice. He had a little girl about Taryn's age and he is always saying hello to us. Taryn learned how to say "Trick or Treat." It was cute to hear her say it to each car.

Iris Marlow and Taryn. They were both pumpkins. Taryn thought it was cool that someone else was a pumpkin like her.

Taryn, Olivia Allred, Tyson and Olivia Olmstead. These girls love Tyson and are his good buddies. The church trunk or treat was a success. They even had some games before the candy began to flow. Thanks to my good buddy Holly Ritter, it was a ball. Thanks Holly for all your work!

Halloween Cookies, Spiders & Pumpkin Carving

October 30th, the day for our Halloween tradition, a craft and Halloween cookies. We were happy that we could have Olivia over to share in the festivities. (I have been meaning to help our her mom, who just had twins, by having Olivia over but we have been sick and then family comes and then we got sick again. Finally we were all better and without visitors, so we could help her out and have Olivia over for the afternoon to give her mom a break) My kids love to make things. This year we made spiders out of styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners. (I forgot to take pictures of this event) After the spiders we decorated Pumpkins and Ghosts. Instead of making the ghosts white, we frosted them green and the pumpkins orange. The kids had a ball decorating and made all kids of creepy and crazy cookie creations. (say that 5 times fast) Taryn even got into the cookie decorating. I thought she would just lick off the icing, but surprisingly she didn't. She took the candy and made some good looking cookies!
And once the cookies were decorated we all tried one, just to make sure they tasted okay. They were YUMMY! That evening it was time to carve pumpkins. Now usually we would have done this long before now, but I was told that if you carve the pumpkins too early here in Tennessee they will mold and go bad. So that is why we are doing it later.

I was teasing the kids, telling them I would eat the pumpkin. Grossed them out!!! Both my kids are squeamish about sticking their hands into the pumpkin to pull out the "pumpkin guts" as my dad always called them. We had to force Tyson just to stick his hand in last year. This year we didn't have to force but we did have to coax him just a bit. EWW! Gross mom! He was totally grossed out and had a hard time cleaning out the pumpkin, but I gotta give the kid props, he did clean MOST of it out. Now getting the munchkin to help out was a whole other issue. She first had to have her shirt off like Tyson. (She wants to do everything her big brother does). Then she would look into the pumpkin and say "No Way." But after a while she did stick her hand it and grab some "guts" but then quickly said,"That yucky mommy." My kids are pansies! The vampire pumpkin!

We also carved a Tennessee T pumpkin, in honor of where we live. GO VOLS!!

Our scary pumpkins. I love this time of year and all of the fun activities it brings. Happy Halloween.

Halloween Story Hour/CBES Trunk or Treat

My little Pumpkin Fairy! This year for Halloween Taryn was finally old enough to get the whole dress up thing and I really wanted to dress her up like a princess, but...............she had other ideas. She wanted to be a pumpkin. Really? Okay, I looked all around for a cute pumpkin costume, but to no avail. I have been trying all month to coax her into the whole princess costume theme, but she wasn't hearing it. Finally I found this costume. It even said on it "Pumpkin Fairy." Okay, I can compromise with this. Half pumpkin, half fairy. Works for me and it worked for the munchkin as well.She had to have picture with the scary man in her costume.

Wednesdays I take Taryn to the library for Toddler Story time with Miss Dyane. She is such a fun little lady and this week was dress up in your costume story time. Taryn enjoyed the little stories and the party afterwards, and then she was ready to get the pumpkin fairy costume off. Luckily I anticipated this to happen and brought other clothes.

On Thursday, Tyson's elementary school had their annual "Trunk or Treat". Each class had to decorate up a trunk with a "Literature Theme." Really? I can't use anything about Halloween? ARG!! So the other ladies, who are room moms with me, came up with the book Run Run As Fast As You Can, You Can't Catch Me I Am The Gingerbread Man. It was the first book that Mrs. Smith, their teacher, read to them at the beginning of the year. So we thought it was fitting to use for the trunk. We had the kids decorate gingerbread men. We were fortunate enough to team up with another Kindergarten class so we had TONS of gingerbread men. I thought it turned out really cute!

My little Vampire and Pumpkin Fairy. It took almost 30 minutes to get Tyson's makeup just the way he wanted it. (I am no make up artist. I can hardly do my own everyday make up). He wanted it to be just perfect. And then it was time to curl Taryn's hair, which never holds a curl for more than 2 minutes. Needless to say, we used lots of hair spray to make it stay.

The child Vampire.

Miss Pumpkin Fairy.

"I want to suck your blood."

Totally not paying any attention to the picture I was trying to take.

These were two of the mom's who helped hand out candy from the two classes.

The kids and I were able to Trunk or Treat at the front of the line because I was a worker at the deal. We went through and got lots and lots of candy, and then the kiddos had to stay in the car while I handed out candy for the rest of the night. (Vaughn was on call and unable to be there) They were troopers and didn't eat as much candy as I thought they would. However, they did consume some but not enough to have them bouncing off of the walls.

Kind of a bad picture of Mrs. Smith. (She turned as I took the picture) She was great to help out with my kids while I handed out candy and while we set up the trunk at the beginning. Tyson just loves her for a teacher and so do I. She is wonderful. The Trunk or Treat lasted till about 7:30 p.m and then it was a while before we could leave the parking lot, seeing as how we were all shoved into these tiny little spots and had to leave in domino style to get on to the road. The kids and I had McDonald's for dinner, which they totally loved and all became right with the world. Check off one more thing on the to do list this week, now it is on to spider making and Halloween cookies.

Happy 2nd Birthday Taryn! (yesterday)

She is 2 going on 16. Where did my little baby girl go? Taryn is not a baby anymore. She is my BIG little girl. Look at that cute face. At least she still has her chubby cheeks. Love those!

She anxiously awaited for me to light the candles on her cupcake. I had full plans of making a princess cake, but at the last minute my little princess decided she wanted PINK CUPCAKES. Okay! Pink cupcakes it is!

Is it ready yet?????

YES, I have been waiting to blow out these things all day!

Happy Birthday to Taryn! Make a wish sweetheart!
Oh yummy!
Gotta love that big brother who is always hanging out with his little sister.
If it is not all over your face, it isn't good. Obviously this is a YUMMY cupcake!
Happy birthday smiley girl.

Time to open the presents. Taryn wasn't quite savvying how to open them up, so Tyson jumped in to help out. What a good big brother.

Tyson had to get Taryn a Tinker Bell tea set. (When he went looking for a gift he said that she had to have a tea set to go with the little table and chairs we bought her. What a thoughtful kid he is.)

OHHH!!! She loved it!

A "Fancy Nancy" phone. Yes, Taryn is a "Fancy Nancy" girl and loves anything associated with her.A cow for "Missy Moo". Thanks Kabonic family.Taryn received lots and lots of calls from family on her birthday. Thanks to everyone who called to wish our princess a wonderful day.

The Kabonics were here to help celebrate Taryn's fun day. It was so nice to have some kind of family here to have a birthday party. Thanks for coming guys!

Taryn got lots of fun toys and clothes. Thanks to all the grandparents and great grandparents for the presents. She loves them all. Happy Birthday Taryn. We love you so very much and can't imagine this life without you!! You fill our home with so much joy! Love you baby girl!