Halloween '08

Brian carved the 2 "Tech O Lanterns" for this year. We carved a double T last year too. We liked it so much, we did it again -- and times 2 because we had such a big game the next day.

Grandmother, Hidy, Gigi, and Zoe all came by after the kids got their costumes on to see them before we went to a Halloween pre party and then Trick or Treating. Maya is Genevieve. Genevieve is one of the dancing princesses in the Barbie movie, The 12 Dancing Princesses. Sissy got this movie for Maya for her birthday and it is definitely a favorite. Mason is Speed Racer. He saw this movie in the theatre with his friend, Preston, earlier this year and really loved it. Apparently the movie didn't do very well, but Mason sure liked it!

SPEED!

GENEVIEVE!

Nesha and her friend Marcia brought their dogs Snickers and Sasha to trick or treat with us. Snickers was a bumblebee and Sasha a ladybug.

Mason poses with his friend Catherine. Catherine is in his class at school and on his soccer team.

We gathered at a friends house (in our neighborhood) and there were a LOT of kids, I think there were 17. Most of these families we know thru Mason's soccer team.

The kids had so much fun playing until late -- and the adults had fun too!

At the end of the night, Maya and Brian look like they are having a heart to heart talk. We all walked home and the kids were so tired, but we all had a great time!

Until next year -- Happy Halloween!

Fall Festival

Mason's school had a Fall Festival. Brian and I were volunteers and worked the Kindergarten booth, selling BBQ sandwiches. My Mom had volunteered to take some pictures and I had also asked her and Hidy to come watch the kids while Brian and I worked the booth for about an hour.

Since we were there early, Mason, Maya and Zoe got lots of time in the inflatables.

But once Mason saw Preston and his family, he asked to go with them and I hardly saw him until the end of the night.

Maya not so sure about the pilot pig.

The girls were being especially sweet to each other. Zoe clearly enjoyed some red drink! The girls participated in the Cake Walk and Zoe WON! She was sweet enough to let Maya pose with her and the cake.

At the end of the night Mason and Maya both got their face painted and Mason got his hair sprayed orange and green.

The kids had a great time and talked the whole way home about their favorite parts of the carnival.

Boosterthon Fun Run

Mason helped raise money for his school in the Boosterthon Fun Run. He made several calls to family and friends asking for pledges You could either pledge a dollar amount per lap run or you could pledge a flat donation, OR as Mason called it, a flat "dalmation." We have had a LOT of good laughs over that one.

Mason was pumped up and ready to run.

He had a lot of people come to cheer him on: Grandmother, Gigi, Maya, Zoe, Mommy, Nesha, Kai... and it was cold!

Each lap was 1/16th of a mile. Each lap was marked on the back of the runners' t-shirts.
The organizers did encourage the kids to walk and run ... but Mason never stopped running. So you can see him in many of the pictures clearly running when other kids around him have slowed down to get a breath and are walking.


Mason ended up with 33 laps marked -- over 2 miles he ran. He was excited and I was impressed. He actually did run the 34th lap, but he didn't make it to the markers before the time was up. We all got to walk a victory lap with him.

Thank you to those who gave "dalmations"... Hidy, Gigi, Grandmother, Pops, Sissy, Chuck, Dad, and Mom.

RUN, MASON, RUN!!

Mason poses with his teacher.

Bouncing and more pumpkins

Another pumpkin patch, but this one has a bounce house. We actually went on Saturday for a little bit and then again on Sunday afternoon. Since they are only a couple of blocks from the house, it is convenient and free... But I did buy pumpkins from them both times to show our appreciation!

Raider in the wrong bed

Raider where he is NOT supposed to be -- OUR BED. The good news is, he has already ruined the comforter, so I guess it doesn't matter too much.