Halloween + playing catch up

We didn't want to skip Halloween, even though this year it was insanely busy and we were in the midst of packing up our house, so we did our best to make it fun for little C.

We painted pumpkins, which he loved.   That followed with the Curious George Halloween movie, which he also loved. 

He's getting to be such a cheese for the camera

Halloween day we took him to a Curious George book reading.  Cambridge has the only Curious George store in the world apparently, and they did a Halloween themed reading time, and then let all the kids meet George.  C was in heaven.  He loved it!  He talked all day how BIG George had given him candy.

That night we met up with our friends and their two cute little boys (one being 5 days old!!!!) and trick or treated in their neighborhood.  It was a GORGEOUS neighborhood, and I think all of us as adults enjoyed peeking into the houses when the doors opened.

C and their little boy M had a BLAST.  I was seriously surprised at how much fun they had.  They would toddle up to the door, knock and say 'trick-or-treat' in the cutest voices ever, and so obviously they got tons of candy.  

I was reminded at how great Halloween is: it was so cool to walk around and knock at perfect strangers homes, and them opening it up and being so kind to the kids.  Anyway, it was the funnest Halloween I've had in a LONG time. :)

Getting ready to leave...love this little pooh bear!

Daddy was excited!

Teaching them that pumpkins are not 'scary'....Little M was terrified of all the ghosts!

Trick or Treaters

 These next photos crack me up....C's face kills me. 

Such cute friends!!!!

We moved the next day!  It was a crazy time, and we were so blessed to have so much help!  C has struggled with the transition, but loves his 'new house'!  We are loving it.  

First night in the new house

These two love brushing their teeth together. 

 We did a little trip into the city.  It was really fun!  We checked out Copely square, (where the marathon ends), the prudential tower, and the boston public library.  The library is amazing!!! Holy cow...I wish I could spend hours in there.  We also made it to Newbury street, which is a fun street filled with shops and restaurants.  We all enjoyed getting out into the city!

Wearing Mr. H's hat...a perfect fit!

We get to head to Utah for two weeks.  We are so excited!!!! Until then! :)

Pumpkin Patch Fail

This month has been a crazy one for our little family.

We kind of failed on the whole Halloween thing...

but I was determined to make it to a pumpkin patch.

Mr. H got out of school early, I looked up what I thought would be a great patch and we set off.  

Unfortunately, a 25 minute drive turned into an hour drive.

Also unfortunately I forgot a drink for poor C who had just finished a peanut butter sandwich.

So we had a lovely cry/whine/scream fest for about 40 minutes of our excursion.

We arrived at the patch just as the sun had gone down...

the patch was a little bit of a disappointment.

"Pick your Own" here meant walk into a field and decide which pumpkin to pick off the ground.

Clearly I was delusional when I thought it actually meant 'pick off the vine'.  It was tiny, we were the only people there and we were starving.

C did have fun picking his pumpkin and riding in the wagon, but had a complete melt down when we had to leave the wagon behind.  

Mr. H decided we should stop for dinner as it was late and we were still an hour from home.  

We put wendy's into our gps, which told us there was one 5 minutes away.  

We told C we would finally get a drink, but then proceeded to get lost trying to find that darn Wendy's for the next half hour.  When we finally reached it, we were elated.

I think that twenty minutes in Wendy's was heaven.  C was so happy to finally get a drink of water, and I was so happy we were on our way home.

We laughed about what a fiasco it had been, but that's what making memories is all about, right? :)

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A visit from the Sister

We were so lucky to have my sister L come visit us over the weekend.  She came in on a Thursday night, and I was so excited to see her!!! It had been 9 months, which is way too long.  

Of course we talked non-stop her entire visit.  It was so fun to talk about so many things.  It was fun to have her get to know C all over again.  He loves his aunt 'L' and insisted on having her pour his drink, get him a napkin etc.  

Shopping with L and playing at the park. L really got into going down the slide on her stomach. :)  

We took her into the city and went down to the wharf.  I love that is by the aquarium and we can see the free seals. :)  It was a GORGEOUS day!

 We finally got to do the Swan boats, which has been on my bucket list for forever.  Boston Public Gardens are GORGEOUS.

Mr. H took C home for his nap and L and I were able to explore the city for the rest of the afternoon.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Quincy Market and then explored the city and enjoyed Little Italy.  It was fun to just take it easy and talk and be together.

Sunday we took it easy with our meetings and went on a walk that night.  It was great.

Monday we were able to go apple picking.  It was GORGEOUS.  Everything about it was so quaint and gorgeous.

We were able to do a hay ride, pick apples, and then look at the farm with the animals.  We had cider and apple donuts.  It was delicious.

We made an apple pie that afternoon and sampled delicious pastas.

It was a great visit.  Thanks L for coming!!!!!
Can't wait to see you soon!

Pumpkin Carving Fail

I don't know if I can adequately describe the type of fiasco our pumpkin carving was tonight.

But let's see:

Baby C is sick with another runny nose.  BOOOOO!!!!  So he's toddling around, nose running, feverish and overall grumpy.

The house is a DISASTER, thanks to me not being organized today and trying to get too many things done with a sick baby.

  

Our pumpkin is half rotten.

We try to clear off dinner from the table, and as Mr. H goes to put the leftovers in the fridge, they fall all over the floor and pasta flies everywhere.  

I attempt to convince Mr. H that I want to listen to Christmas music while we carve.  He refuses. :)  We choose the Beatles, and decide it will be a family tradition.

So with the Beatles blaring, we start to carve. 

Carving a rotten pumpkin is pretty easy, surprise!

As we lift the top of our pumpkin off, there is a shattering of glass, and to the music of "Can't Buy Me Love", Baby C has knocked over our glass candy jar, shattering it to smithereens.  

Baby C is terrified, and we all jump into action.

So, with the Beatles blaring in the background, Baby C sobbing, Mr. H attempts to vacuum up the glass.

But whoops.  The vacuum decides it's sucking power is zero.

Mr. H is down on all fours, trying to sweep and pick up the glass.

Baby C is much more feverish, and is so sad.

Mr. H and I look at each other 

and decide to call it a night.

We drop that pumpkin right back outside, and get little baby C to sleep.  

Our attempted "happy face" pictures

I think Mr. H's face says it all

But on happier, more brighter notes:

*I'm teaching a little girl piano and voice lessons that lives in our court. It has been such a blast.  But today, she sang "Tomorrow" from Annie, and it made me tear up.  She was awesome and truly singing from her little soul.  It made me so happy.

*Baby C said a new word today: "BANANA!"  

*Have you seen these two videos?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIsCs9_-LP8&feature=player_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SELDTUaHRxQ

AWESOME.

*Got to talk to the sister tonight.  And found out we both love the movie "Steel Magnolias"

Goodnight!

Fall Break

This past week was Mr. H's fall break.

Except, it wasn't really a break for Mr. H since he is applying for graduate schools and continually working extremely hard.  

But, it was still fall break, so we had to do some fun things.

Dinner with Mr. H's parents and sister

Lunch with my mom and dad for his birthday 

watching Monsters Inc.

Watching the Halloween Special version of Toy Story

Then, Mr. H watched baby C so I could go to a Jerusalem reunion.  

I was able to attend the Jerusalem Center back in 2010, and it has remained one of the greatest things I've ever been able to experience.  

We all got together and saw the Jerusalem movie.

It was fantastic!!!!!

It brought back so many memories.

Jumping through the temples in Luxor, Egypt

At the Garden Tomb 

Participating in the Palm Sunday celebration

(The beautiful center, at the Dome again, my awesome roommates looking out over the old city, and us with our friends we made there.  )
Anyway, sweet reminisces.

I got home, and we proceeded to stay up so late and sew Mr. H's Halloween costume. :)  

Saturday was full of homework, but we did manage to go to the pumpkin patch.  I was so excited and thought baby C would run around and love the pumpkins, corn maze and tractors, but man was that baby underwhelmed.  He was not overall impressed, and was more excited to jump back into the car afterwards and listen to the radio with us.  

Oh well I guess :)

This about summed up his attitude :)

Sunday was filled with family time at my parent's home for my dad's birthday.  Mr. H watched Lord of the Rings with the boys, and I chatted and hung out with my mom.  We had a really nice day together, and it was fun to celebrate my dad.  We got to see my aunt and cousins, as well as my grandparents which is always fun.  

Baby C is growing up so quickly.  Man does this baby have an attitude.  But he loves being silly, and he loves playing.  We love hearing him when he wakes up jumping on his bed, and the way he always puts his little things everywhere.  (The car keys in his bath cup, what??? :) )  

It was a busy week, but now we're half way!!!!  Mr. H is on the downhill stretch and that feels GOOD!