**Happy Halloween....2010**

I absolutely LOVE halloween! No matter how hectic and crazy it might seem trying to get everyone ready and running here and there, I just love everything about it. Making spooky shaped cookies with the kids, pumpkin carving, the pretty leaves on the ground, seeing the kids in their adorable costumes, spending time with family, getting dressed up myself, going door-to-door, seeing all the excitement on the kids faces while they are trick-or-treating, and even eating candy until it makes you sick. Everything about Halloween I enjoy.

This year Rylee was a girl genie and Dax was a vampire. Both kids costumes turned out perfect and they both looked adorable. Rylee was definitely the cutest little genie I have ever seen and Dax made the most handsome little vampire.  

Also, a few days ago I went to the Zumba Halloween party and dressed up as an 80's chick. We worked out for 2 hours and then they handed out prizes, had refreshments, and just hung out for a bit. It was a lot of fun! And dressing up as an 80's girl was also a lot of fun.

On Halloween morning we got up and got the kids ready for the trunk-or-treat, which was at 11:30 am. After that we all had lunch, took Dax back home for a nap, and then back in our costumes and off for some trick-or-treating. The weather started out nice and perfect in the morning. Then at about 2 pm it started raining really hard, but by 3:30 pm it stopped raining and cleared up long enough for us to go to all the houses we had planned to. At first Dax wanted me to just carry him from house to house, but once I put him down he was loving it. He wanted to run as fast as he could across the yards, not wanting to wait for anyone to answer before skipping to the next house. Soon I had to go back to holding him so we could wait up for everyone else and so I could keep up myself. That kid is too fast for me. 

After all the trick-or-treating fun we stopped to see grandma Shauna, then I took the kids to see grandma Dean and Tom and then over to see grandma Judi and Papa where we ended our night. We ate dinner and then Rylee helped answer the door for the kids and hand out candy. They couldn't come fast enough for her.

The kids had an exciting day and ended up with more candy then they even know what to do with.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

~Corn Maze~

Rylee was both excited and a little hesitant this year about going to the corn maze. Last year when I took her it was an all-out haunted corn maze, which I didn't know before taking her. She actually did okay for how scared some of the other kids were, but the next day is when I really noticed how much it affected her. While trick-or-treating, anytime she saw someone with a mask she would panic. If there was decorations on someone's porch that looked like a scary person with a mask, she would not go to that door. I swore I would not do that again.

So my sister Shanda and I decided to take the kids during the non-scary hours. When I told Rylee we were going to the corn maze she asked if it was going to be scary like last time and I told her no. Once she knew that she was so excited she couldn't wait.

Since it was not going to be scary, I decided to bring Dax along also. We all met at the corn maze and headed in. Right away we realized it was slightly scary. Not what I would call scary, but apparently what little kids consider scary. As long as Dax was being held, he was just fine. He gave some dirty looks to the people with masks, but that was about it for him. Now Rylee on the other hand was scared right when we got there. The second she saw someone in a spooky mask she was saying I want to go home and wanted me to please hold her. That was when Shanda took Dax and I carried Rylee. Thank goodness all five of Shanda's kids were brave enough to walk. After just a few minutes Rylee realized it wasn't so bad and she wanted down to walk with all the other kids.

It did take us quite a while to find our way out. Tip to self for next year, when the older kids run down the trail and come back saying "dead end", make sure to go check it out yourself before turning around. This is what happened and we kept skipping the one he said was a dead end and after trying everything we headed down it again and sure enough it was not a dead end, it just looked like it from a distance. But that is okay, we had a good laugh and a lot of fun. The kids loved it!

Halloween Surprises!!!

Oh how we LOVE our Halloween jammies! Every year Brett's mom and dad (grandma Judi & papa) get the the kids something fun for Halloween. This year they got the cutest pillows and blankets, pajamas, and a whole lot of candy.

They both look so cute in their new jammies and love their soft blankets and pillows.

Another thing we always like to do is let them wear a Halloween shirt the day before Halloween. Here are some pictures of the kids in their Halloween shirts and with their stuff from grandma and papa.

~Rylee's Preschool Halloween Party~

On October 28th Rylee got to wear her costume to school for her preschool classes Halloween party. All the little kids dressed up and then at the end of class they sang some cute halloween songs to all the parents and then all lined up for a trunk-or-treat from the parents. They all looked so adorable in their costumes and singing the Halloween songs.

This year Rylee picked out a girl genie costume and it turned out SO cute! She picked it out by herself and wanted nothing else once she had her eye on this one. So far, out of all the halloween costumes Rylee has had, this and her ladybug is by far my favorites. She got so many compliments on this one and looked absolutely adorable.

She was so excited to wear her costume to school. Here are some pictures of her with her little preschool class.

The annual Halloween party....

Every year Sam and Lennette have a huge, all out, adult Halloween party with lots of fun, food, costumes, drinks and karaoke. This year Brett dressed up as Dr. Shots and I was a Nurse. I won the prize for the "Sexiest Costume".

She has been having the same girl come for a few years now that brings all the music and karaoke equipment. It is such a blast. Trust me when I say that I never thought you could ever get me up to do karaoke, but every year, without fail, I get up and sing.

This year our friend Brandon came with us to the party. Of course he was a little hesitant about going since he didn't know anyone except for us and then Sam and Lennette, but he came anyways. He was so glad he did because he ended up having such a great time. So much fun in fact that he was ready to be carried to his bed at 11:30 pm.

Its definitely nice for us because we have no worries about how we will get home because we just crash at their house every year. It makes it so convenient for us. This way we can have as much fun as we want and stay up as late as we want with no worries.

They definitely know how to throw a good party. Its been the funnest Halloween party we have ever been to and we always go back for more year after year.