Halloween Happenings!

There is no better way to explain Halloween 2014 as a plethora of activity.  There were so many Halloween activities the weekend before Halloween that it really turned into Halloween Week!  The weekend before Halloween also saw temperatures more like August weather so it was hard to not take advantage of the weather and activities!


We carved pumpkins on Monday, October 20 - a bit early but knowing the upcoming weekend would be busy I didn't want to miss the chance.  They both helped dig out the guts for a bit then went off to play while the rest of cleaned out.  They offered their opinion on what the faces should look like.  Ralph did help carve a bit this year.

The boys were Mario and Luigi for Halloween . . mostly because it was a good choice for a pair.  Someone wanted to be Ninja Turtles again but wanted to wear different costumes.  I vetoed the idea; if they were going to be turtles again they'd wear the same outfit.  They did look pretty cute as Mario and Luigi - the mustaches were too sticky so they were freshly shaved Mario and Luigi's.

The Friday before Halloween brought us St. John's Trunk or Treat for the boys followed by a Cub Scout Pack meeting with Halloween themed activities for Ralph.

On Saturday, Grandma took the boys to HyVee's Halloween activities in the afternoon.  They had a chance to paint pumpkins, trick or treat throughout the store, and decorate a cookie.  Mike and I took them to a Halloween-plooza event at Northeast High School that evening. They trick or treated though some hallways and played some games where they'd win a piece of candy.

On Sunday, they went to Southpointe Pavillions to trick or treat at various stores and take their turn in the bounce house followed by a visit to Abel residence halls to trick or treat on some floors and paint a pumpkin.

After a bit of break and supper we went to grandma and grandpa's church and Trunk or Treated.

On Monday, we went to Boo at the Zoo!  Since they were costumed we stopped by a few houses we wouldn't have had time to get to on Halloween.

We had a few days break then it was finally Halloween!  Halloween really was the holiday that almost didn't happen.  I thought the boys might be in a hurry to be picked up . . Henry did pretty good in getting his costume on; Ralph seemed to have started a new game on the Wii as I approached him room or just after I got there and we had to wait until he was done.  Finally get his costume on and we go to Grandma and Grandpa's. 

They had fun ringing the doorbell and trick or treating . . then went into the house and turned on cartoons.  We finally left and drove through Wendys on the way home.  The boys had to eat their jr. cheeseburgers and some fruit before going back outside.  Ralph ate supper somewhat quickly; Henry is never in a hurry to eat and had barely at 1/2 his cheeseburger in the time Ralph had ate all of his.  Ralph waited a few more minutes but ultimately he and Mike went out leaving Henry to finish his supper.  After some whining and crying he finally accepted I wasn't giving in and at the rest.  We got his costume back on and went outside . . .Not knowing where Ralph and Mike were I just started at the nearest house with its lights on.  When we got to the 2nd house, before anyone rang the bell, Henry declared he was done and ready to go home.  It seems Luigi was lost without Mario.

Fall Festivities!

This could also be labeled . . ."What we did during Lincoln Public School's Fall Break" since it is a little more appropriate.  We usually visit a few pumpkin patch type places but we could only squeeze in one this year due to other various conflicts.  The boys each took a trip at Fingerprints; Ralph during a school day out with his before/after school group, and Henry with his PreK class.  We didn't visit the pumpkin patch until the last day of Fall Break . . .here's what we did leading up to Tuesday.. . .

The Saturday of Fall Break (October 11) was the Pumpkin Run for Ralph.  We let him run by himself this year so he could run at his own pace which I'm sure he preferred.  Seeing all the kids in purple shirts it is hard to distinguish one from another.  I did find an orange hat for him to wear which turned out to be a good idea in finding him . .though he did get hot and carried it after while.  This may have been his final 1-mile run for awhile.  He has already declared that he does not want to do the Mayor's Run in May . . .

Sunday was the Disney Junior Pirates & Princess Showa at the Pinnacle Bank Arena featuring a story about Sophia the First followed by a story about Jake and the Neverland Pirates . . . (a little goofing around during intermission).

Monday brought rain, rain, and then some more which put a slight kink in our plans and we had to swamp some plans around.  We visited the Lincoln Children's Zoo to see the new red panda cubs which are being hand raised.

Following the visit to the zoo we went to the Amazing Pizza Machine in Omaha.  Mike & I rode go-karts with the boys at the same time which is why there isn't any photos.  This "ride" has been a favorite of Henry's since the first time we went.  I think he knows he is getting too big for it but still had to ride it.

Tuesday was the final day of Fall Break and, because it wasn't raining, we were able to go to Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  It was a bit chilly/windy morning but warmed up some as the day went on.  In hindsight there were better days ahead in October but it's always hard to make a good guess on the weather  It wasn't very busy either which is key at Vala's.

We arrived around 9:30 am and took our usual tour of the various paths away from the front gate.  We did venture into a "haunted house" or two we had not visited before.  We did take the hayride out to the pumpkin patch which we don't normally.  Ralph tried his hand at the paint ball.  We watched a demonstration of the "pumpkin blaster" (ie. using pumpkins as a cannonball).  Unfortunately it had rained so much the day before one of the trike tracks was too muddy with puddles for the boys.  We finally made it over to the bouncy pillows, duck races, and train ride after lunch. Most of us ran out of energy around 2:30 and decided it was time to go home!

 This may have been the first time Mike & I took more than one day off work and didn't travel too far from home.  It was good to have some family time!