Leaves, Glorious Leaves!

We had fun a few weeks ago raking our leaves and playing in them.

We bagged 20 bags that day...but notice how many leaves are still on the trees?  We're still working on getting them all up weeks later!

"Daddy, I'm so gwad you'w here wif me"

Mikey crawled on Jaron's lap during dinner one night and told him this.  It had been a while since we had had quality daddy time, and Mikey wanted to make sure Jaron knew he was loved!

Halloween Fun at Home!

The fact that it's taken me until November to post all our Halloween adventures should be indicative of how BUSY we were during Halloween week!  Phew, I'm still exhausted!  At home we had fun carving pumpkins (Emily's isn't carved cause I saved it to bake "Dinner in a Pumpkin" on Halloween night).

Cleaning the guts...

Final products with Daddy...

...and with Mommy.

Halloween Fun at the Museum!

The Museum of Natural History puts on a free Halloween party each fall.  In one building, the kids get to play a live game of "Clue", going from room to room, interviewing Ms. Scarlet, Prof Plum, et al., to discover who stole the candy.  Spencer LOVED being a detective!  In the 2nd building, the kids got to play games, earn candy, and do Halloween crafts.  It was all so fun, and best of all it was FREE!

"Pin the Eyes on the Spider"

"Pin the Mouth on the Bat"

Outside the Museum, having a good time!

Halloween Fun at the Hospital!

The Orthopedics Department at the hospital puts on a trick-or-treat each Halloween.  The kids got to dress up, meet Daddy, and go around to the different reception desks and office areas in Orthopedics and get some goodies.  Lots of other resident families were there too.  After the trick-or-treating we went in the "party room" and had cupcakes, cookies, gathered party favors and played with balloons.  It was so fun, especially the part about getting to have Jaron there!

Jaron's a doctor, Mikey's Raphael, Spencer's Luke Skywalker, and Emily is...a pumpkin??

Jaron helped the kids maneuver through the Ortho offices.

Spence and Mikey go for the good stuff!  All the secretaries were so nice!  They loved seeing all the kids in costume.

Halloween Fun at School!

Spencer's Kindergarten class had a Halloween party, and Mikey and I went to "help out".  As you can see from the pics, Mikey, or should I say, "Raph" (aka "Raphael"), as he now insists to be called, made himself right at home with all aspects of the party--the snacks, photo shoot, and parade.  Mikey didn't think twice about stepping right in with the big kids.  He even used his super-Teenage-Ninja-Turtle skills to fight off the evil Darth Vader and Venom at various times during the party.  And Spencer, or should I say, "Luke Skywalker-as-a-Jedi-Knight", loved having his little bro there.

Mikey and Spencer at Spence's table, enjoying a Halloween snack of spiders and ghosts.

Spencer's class picture.  Luke Skywalker is front left, and Raphael is center back. (Spencer's teacher is back row, 3rd in from the left.  She's really great.)

Luke and Raph on the march around the basketball court.  I don't know who that nice guy helping Raph is...