Hallo-week

The week of Halloween was full of Halloween festivities. We went to storytime at the library and the boys were each able to chose a small pumpkin to wash all clean then take home. That night we went to the pumpkin patch to choose bigger pumpkins to carve. The boys loved it! We also decided to get a bag of apple seconds to make some applesauce and other tasty apple dishes.





One morning we made jack-o-lantern pancakes. We started off with blueberry faces, but switched over to chocolate chips when we realized the berries were a bit freezer burnt and dying my fingers. Tommy had chocolate all over his face before too long!

Meagan hosted a Halloween party for the little boys. They ate cupcakes, painted pumpkins, hunted for pumpkins, played a ping pong ball drop game, and went trick or treating at the front door. It was really fun!



We went to a Halloween storytime at the library on Thursday (Damon's age group). Damon was a pirate and Tommy was Superman. After we got home, Damon informed me he wanted to be a king. So, that afternoon he painted a crown and decorated it. We also painted cuff bracelets. I had to use the superman cape for his costume which meant Tommy needed to be something different. I looked in his closet and found an Eagles football jersey, so that's what he was.

Friday we went to another Halloween storytime. Tommy couldn't handle sitting next to the table of treats and kept crying for cupcakes. Damon liked seeing everyone's costumes. That night we had our church party. I made white chili to take, but we were too late for anyone to enjoy it, so it was basically a wasted effort...although it was so good to eat it a couple times as leftovers. We ate, went on a hayride (driven by 2 real Amish boys), and trunk or treated. The boys loved getting the candy!

Saturday morning we carved our pumpkins. I helped Tommy with his little pumpkin. After it was done, he sat there forever putting the piece to one of the eyes back in and taking it out. Damon drew his face and I helped him carve it. He was dead set on Dad carving the scarecrow pumpkin head guy from the carving book we had...so after what seemed like hours, the jack-o-lanterns were done.


Saturday was our town's trick or treating night. We took the boys to a few houses. They both LOVED trick or treating. Unfortunately I don't think very many houses got word because there weren't many porch lights on but so many trick or treaters. I realized how weird it is to go to random neighbors and ask for candy. The weather had gotten a lot colder too. We were able to convince the boys home by offering hot chocolate! Damon likes to play with his candy, but Tommy knows how to unwrap his candy and cannot be trusted! Now he is always saying, "wats of tandee trih treeding".




Sunday was the Primary Program and I was asked earlier in the week to play the piano. I was nervous for Damon because it was his first Primary Program and he's super shy in big groups and we were out of town for all the practices. He was really nervous, but he said his speaking parts! For dinner, we made bread bowls that look like pumpkins (found here). Unfortunately they were a bit too small for our leftover white chili, so we just ripped them apart and dunked them in bowls of chili. Meagan had given each little boy a glowstick sword. Shockingly, no one got hurt! They loved them! We also had a Halloween jello dessert!



For school, I had Damon dump out his candy and sort it. We made a chart and I showed him how to make a tally mark (we didn't discuss the diagonal for the 5th). I thought he would get really bored, but nope, he made it through 3 different categories! We did have to take turns pulling out candy and being the tally marker. It was really fun to discuss the "one candy in the package" or "lots of candies in the package" and how he knew where it should go. Damon even changed some of his answers after awhile. Usually for school we just do craft projects, but after this activity, I felt like he really worked hard and succeeded!!



Sighhhh....I'm almost caught up on my blogging. It has been driving me crazy! I took tons of pictures of our adventures on Tuesday when Barrett had the day off, so after that I'll feel caught up.