At the Farm

Last weekend my sister and I took the kids apple picking at a fabulous local farm. It was lots of fun and beautiful weather, to boot. Two turns of the Halloween Boo Barn, A tub of kettle corn, 2 servings of fresh apple fritters and some of the yummiest homemade lemonade ever, and we were ready to hit the orchards...

Falling for Fall

It took me awhile, but I'm finally excited that fall is here. It did take some time letting go of summer, but there is something about the prospect of Halloween, changing leaves, pumpkin patch visits and apple picking that makes me feel like a kid all over again...We're gearing up for our annual apple picking excursion this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm also planning on dusting off my fall decorations (late of course) and adding some spice to my house. Next project is to find Halloween costumes for my troop. My first request? An Orange Blossom costume, size 4T. Then we've got Giggles' school field trip to the Pumpkin Festival. Finish off the month with homemade apple pies and the Florida vs Georgia game and we'll be more than ready to take on the winter holiday season.

Our Ghoulish Gourd

Tonight we carved our first pumpkin! We've had pumpkins in the past, but usually I just draw the jack-o-lantern face on with a permanent marker (urban, I know) or I just stick in the Mr. Potato Head features and call it a day. But this year I decided that the girls were finally at an age where they would be excited and could help carve a pumpkin. I also have such great memories of my mom carving our Halloween pumpkins and I wanted to share that feeling with girls. I'm glad we did it! We had fun and it wasn't nearly as involved (or messy) as I thought.

The amateur sculptors, ready to go.

Spoons ready!

L'il Buddy makes an appearance.

Taking the pumpkin's "hat" off.

Halfway there...(notice the requisite Dora sticker)

Enjoying the show.

Mid-way through the doorbell rang and these goodies were left on our front step. Turns out we'd been "ghosted" by our neighbors. Cute!

Ta-da!!

Happy Halloween!!

The Ballerina & The Cheetah

We're Not In Kansas Anymore...

Or in 1988 for that matter. You know how I know? Halloween has changed my friends! And it's depressing if you ask me. I'm a sucker for holidays. No matter what, I'm right there decorating the house or throwing a themed party or what have you. So now that my two are old enough to get dressed up and appreciate the trick o' treating aspect of Halloween, I was thoroughly excited and looking forward to tonight. We got all dressed up (myself included) and, along with skeptical-paranoid-overprotective hubby, set out for the neighborhood.

Here's why things are different:

1. Last week, Chatterbox got a note home from school that the students weren't to wear any Halloween costumes to school today. I assume it was so as not to offend those that don't celebrate the holiday and to remain politically correct in these hyper-sensitive times. Whatever.

2. Tonight, we met up with some neighbors and made the rounds only of houses that we knew. Remember the good old days when you and your siblings or friends walked the neighborhood going door to door until your candy bag was overflowing? And then you came home, dumped your loot onto the living room floor and set back out for Round 2??

3. We hid the candy the girls collected on our rounds and replaced it with candy that I bought to give out to the neighborhood kids. This was hubby's idea. I had just planned on carefully checking the candy that the kids brought home, throwing out anything suspicious or homemade. But like I said, I live with skeptical-paranoid-overprotective hubby so he wasn't having it. And of course the girls were none the wiser and munched away contentedly on Mommy's safe and secure Costco candy stash.

4. It's 9pm and it seems that the trick o' treating time is over! My doorbell has stopped ringing and I still have a bunch of candy left to handout. Now I distinctly remember going until 11pm some Halloweens. I guess nowadays it's all about going trick o' treating at your local mall or zoo at 4pm and calling it quits after collecting a reasonable amount of animal crackers, boxed raisins and pretzels packs. BO-RING.

But what are you gonna do? Better to be safe than sorry. All I know is that the good old days are gone. No more homemade rice krispie treats from Ms. Dunwoody around the corner and no more gorging on assorted sweets lest your parents be accused of contributing to the nation's child obesity epidemic.

We're not in Kansas anymore. Or at least we're not in Montreal where I grew up.

I bet they're still out trick o' treating there.

This entry is cross-posted at DC Metro Moms Blog.

Yes, I Actually Looked This Up

Oldest has made a simple request, he wants to be a Ghost and all he wants is a "white sheet with two holes." I offered to buy him several costumes but he declined my offer. I even said, "I'm not sure how to make a nice ghost." And he said, "Simple, put a white sheet on my head, cut two holes for the eyes, then cut the bottom. It's so simple, and that's what I want." It's not that I don't want him to be a ghost, it's just that I want him to be really cool ghost, not just a white sheet with two holes.

So, finally, here I am, at 4 p.m. on Halloween night, checking to see if I can find directions on how to jazz up a white sheet with two holes but it seems as if I can't. Luckily, I bought the white sheet already (you never know, maybe there will be a Halloween shortage).

In case anyone is confused on how to be a Ghost, here are the directions. It seems Oldest had it right on the money. What a smart boy.

How to Create a Ghost Costume

Introduction: Here's a quick, easy-to-make Halloween costume. Remember to get creative with enhancements so that your little one stands out among the other ghosts running around on Halloween night.

Instructions
Difficulty: Easy
Steps

Step One
Get your hands on a white sheet that you don't mind cutting. Remember to wash it before you use it.

Step Two
Put the sheet over the person who plans to wear it, with the person's head in the middle of the sheet.

Step Three
Draw two circles around each of the person's eyes with a crayon or other blunt marker.

Step Four
Mark how much material has to be removed to keep the sheet off the ground.

Step Five
Remove the sheet.

Step Six
Cut the eyeholes in the sheet using cloth scissors, and cut the bottom off if needed.

Step Seven
Cut the sheet in a ragged fashion at the bottom for a more ghostly effect.

Tips & Warnings
If desired, you can enhance the eyeholes with paint. Green and black are especially effective.
Be sure there is complete visibility from inside the costume, especially if the wearer plans to go trick-or-treating.

Stop eyeing that "Star Wars"-print flannel bed sheet. It won't work. If you don't have white sheets, go for a ready-made ghost costume.