Fall Leaves

 

We've been doing pictures in a leaf pile for as long as I can remember and they are always some of my favorites.  As soon as the first leaf falls to the ground the kids are jumping around asking for a leaf pile.  It usually takes a few more weeks before there are enough to make a true leaf pile, but, if there is on thing we know for certain it's that we'll have plenty of leaves for them to scrape up.  

This year we were blessed with the most beautiful stretch of warm days and cool evenings with very little rain so this years leaf pile was just about as perfect as they'll ever be!

Halloween

 

Halloween!!! Every year I say I'm done dressing up - and then I look back on these photos and I know I'm lying.  We'll probably be in family costumes until the kids start rolling their eyes and telling us we're too dorky to hang out with and then we'll look back on these photos with longing.  I know it already.

This year we had a group costume as Disney's Descendants.  Admittedly I had about 10% understanding of what the story and characters were all about until a week or so before Halloween when Ryan and I sat down to watch the movie with the kids.  Don't get me wrong, I'd "watched" it with the kids before....but this time I actually tried to pay attention.

The descendants are the kids of the bad guys from all the Disney movies - so we were all assigned our roles by the littles.  Ryan was less than happy about his (Prince Ben) because he felt like he looked like a banker.  He claims that next year he'll have more of a hand in his costume - I can't wait!

Malificent makeup is HARD!  But, three tries, one trip to the dollar store, and more time than I'd like to admit and I think it turned out ok!  Hey, at least the horns were both comfortable AND warm on my ears.  

Beth's family was a little too young to really care about the Descendants so they were the characters from Toy Story.  She always does a really nice job with their costumes.  They are always really well thought out and adorable.

The Brackemyer family was the other half of our group costume.  I'm certain that very few adults had any idea who we were and how we all fit together, but "Do it for the children" was our mantra, and so, we did!

I think Hazel has my favorite costume of the bunch - Dizzy.  A little art girl from Descendants that truly fits her personality and style.  She was so adorable with her little pink glasses and buns in her hair.  

Randoms from October

 

Just a quick photo dump from October - mostly because some of the pictures are too cute to not print, or because there aren't enough pictures to tell a full story.  Enjoy!

Our new camper!  

The kids and I went to the Glow Walk at their school.  The kids loved it and the weather was great.

This picture is actually from Labor Day weekend, but it's going here because this is where we're at these days.  LOL!  Erin and I always say that we don't do a good job of getting pictures together, so this was in an effort to change that.  Abby took it!

And lastly, matching Halloween PJ party and the Brackemyers one night - with a headless Hazel (last picture).  

Halloween Festivities

 

Just a quick round up of some of the festive activities we did around here in October to get excited about the next holiday!  This year we're going to try and make a Christmas Train, so we thought we'd do a test run with a Halloween one.  We have some work to do on that front, but it was a good craft that kept the kids busy for awhile one evening.

And, we can't let a holiday pass us by without some sugar cookies for our friends and teachers.  This is 100% a COVID tradition that I think might be here to stay.  The first batch I made "cheaters"  and just got store bought dough and store bought frosting, just for something to do (and also because I personally wanted cookies).  But, as you scroll down you'll find the batch that Erin helped with - and I gotta say, after doing those mummies, I think we're ready to go into business with these puppies.  They turned out so cute!

Hazel's Halloween Bunny cookie :)  She cracks me up!

I mean, come on!  These are adorable! (gingerbread man cutters for the win here!).

Lastly, we carved ourselves some pumpkins.  This fall has brought us the most amazing weather.  Some cool days, some warm ones (it was 66 yesterday!).  I know the snow will be flying before we know it, but I will NOT wish away these fall days.  They are 100% my favorite.

Oh, and festive fall cocktails! This happens to be an apple cider/pear margarita.  It was good, but the classic is still better.

1 Family x 12 (October)

 

Family Halloween Costume 2021: Disney's Descendants, brought to you by Abby and Hazel's new favorite movie.

Sadie: Maleficent

Ryan: Prince Ben (the Beast and Belle's son)

Hazel: Dizzy (Lady Turmaine's granddaughter)

Abby: Mal (Malfeasant's daughter)

We had a group costume with Jamie's family, I'll share all the photos here soon!