Halloween was Genius

Halloween couldn't have been more fun. G's friends came over for a pumpkin shaped sandwich and monster bones picnic and ghost bowling before the big trick-or-treating event. With five kids and all the parents our house was quite chaotic but full of laughs and fun.



G and Colt toured the neighborhood in their wagon and the girls had a blast ringing doorbells and explaining their costumes. They were precious running back from each doorway yelling "Mommy, look what I got!" with their bags wide open.



When we got back to the house they loaded up on candy and G broke out the straw flute to entertain everyone.




I absolutely love watching these little ones grow up together (like their mom's did). Their interactions only get more precious and priceless over time. Oh, look at those faces, I just adore them all!



Our Halloween Genius - Baby Einstein

Patches

All the beautiful weather we have been enjoying had the pumpkin patches calling our name this year. We visit our local patch twice and made a trip down to the Arboretum to play amongst their pumpkin and gourd houses. G had so much fun on each trip and has developed a love for pumpkins. He found out they make great drums, some of them are hard to pick up, the little ones are fun to play with and even throw. Oops!

Here is a just a sampling of the hundreds of pumpkin patch pics we have collected.















Andrew and G at the pumpkin patch 2009 v. 2010


Last year we spent most of the time propping them, feeding them and just strolling quietly. This year we could hardly get a picture that wasn't on the move. We oh so cleverly stuck them in between hay bails to corral them, if only for a minute. The rest of the time they ran...



Next up... Halloween!

Sharing

It's a Tradition

Yup! We get to decorate these bad boys every year!



The process starts weeks before the decorating as the family searches for the correct cinnamon imperials and my grandmother's incredibly vague recipe that we have used all the years before. For example the icing recipe just list ingredients - no measurement. Every year we end up winging it so we have no idea what we did to make a note and remind ourselves next year. It is all part of fun, part of the process. The day before the dough is made and 100 sweet little pumpkins, bats and ghosts are rolled and cut. Seriously, it's a workout. But oh so worth it when you are lying on the couch sick from consuming your weight in candy corn the next day and laughing remembering making candy corn vampire teeth with your grandmommy!







It was G's first year to help decorate and as you can tell from his face he loved eating all the goodies, I mean decorating too!

Fourthversary

Today marks four years, four glorious trip around the sun for the Newton's. I love that birthday's and anniversary's always make me pause for a minute to appreciate the person or event being celebrated.

Today, in the midst of all the monotony of life (i.e. laundry, dishes and runny noses) I am so thankful for the man I married. I am thankful for the person he was four years ago and the growth and change that the past four years brought.



I am thankful for our unforgettable wedding weekend, the family and friends that joined us,the fantastic wine we shared and the beauty that is California Wine Country.



When I think back to that weekend I feel full. Full of laughter, gratitude, love and hope for a brilliant future.

Happy Fourthversary babe! I am blessed to be doing life with you.

Here's to many, many more!

Cold Feet

Good Morning World! Just going to get the paper this morning and got cold feet. Brrr!

More Park

G wants more park! More Park! More Park! He chants it! He demands it!

Okay, he is only one and thankfully doesn't demand anything quite yet. But this weather we have been enjoying demands that we be outside to soak it up and G seems pretty happy about that. So back to the park...




Our little toddler really can not get enough of the outdoors these days. Anytime a door opens he sees it as a chance to escape to his favorite place... Outside. He loves it all - drive-way, backyard, and park play. Unluckily, when it is time to go inside the fit begins. A serious fit, legs and arms flailing, a big I don't want to go inside cry and all. It's ugly! Then he sees a ball inside or I get him a snack and he is over it.



These pictures are all from last Sunday. We chalked up the driveway, took a wagon ride to the park and finished it off with a game of hoops and frozen yogurt.



I love the way he always holds on to the sides of the wagon and looks all around!



Watching the big kids play takes real concentration and yes holding your tongue out helps



His first dunk!



Even helped daddy pull the car back into the driveway



For our little family this is as good as it gets!