Happy Halloween!

Last Saturday Zachary had a Boy Scout Campout at a lake about an hour north of us.

Christina and Ben even came with us.

We were having a good time playing by the water.

Caleb and Elektra also enjoyed playing in the sand.

Unfortunately, Zachary got sick with a fever, sore throat, coughing, and vomiting. So we had to leave.

It was only a 24 hr thing, because by Monday he had no problem dressing up and going to the Boy Scout Fall Festival.  They got to dress up in their costumes and play games for candy.

Zachary is Puss n Boots, Elektra is a Barbie Princess, and Caleb is Bumblebee Transformer.

Caleb and Zachary both won 1st place a couple of times.

Elektra's Princess status allowed her to play in front of the line.

Way in front of the line.

We lucked out. Our Den is smaller than the other Dens in our Pack, so we didn't have to wait with a bunch of other kids. In fact, our Den was able to play each game several times. Yay! More Candy!

So close Zachary!

We went to Universal again this week.

 Actually Mike and I went twice. Just the two of us for Date Night. I love Date Night!

We rode all the coasters there! Wheeeeeee!

Then we snuck over to where they are building Harry Potter Park, and took some pictures. Can't wait!

Spring of 2010 so they say.

Zachary rode the Mummy! But he says he will not go on it again. At least he tried it. Caleb rode on Jaws. He used to ride it, but once it scared him and he didn't want to go again. But since Elektra wanted to go on the Boat ride, so he agreed to go on it again. He was so happy he did! He loved the Killing the Shark at the end. He clapped and said "Yay!! Now that shark can't hurt anybody any more!"

The kids came home and CRASHED before we could even get them in jammies.

Ben came over to help Christina decorate the front yard with Halloween decorations.

He helped the kids get in to the Halloween Spirit by turning them into Zombies.

Then the Zombies found their graves and went back to wait for some people to cross their path.

But as soon as we brought in the pumpkins,

they forgot all about being Zombies and became Artists instead.

Everybody got really into the Pumpkin painting. Or carving.

Christina and Bens pumpkin cried when they cut into it. 

If you don't want to be cruel to your pumpkin, paint it instead.

 Maybe the entire thing.

Or paint a pumpkin on the pumpkin.

Or you can just pretend to hurt it by drawing blood splatters all over it.

What a family of artists we are. These will scare away any spooky ghosts that might be lurking around.

Elektra's Masterpiece

Caleb's Pumpkin within a Pumpkin

Zachary's blood covered Pumpkin

Christina and Bens Joker Pumpkin

My Witch Flying Over the City Pumpkin

Mikes Mickey Mouse Pumpkin

Leonard and Michelle sent some craft pumpkins for the kids to decorate.

Elektra colored faces on them, and Caleb glued them on paper.

Mike and I decorated the foyer for our Trick or Treaters.  We used the fog machine, and a strob light. He completely enclosed the foyer, and we put the scary dude out on the porch.

We then played scary Halloween Music and had purple lights for the background. We had so many trick or treaters that would not come to the door.  Alot of parents had to come with them.  They were so focused on the FAKE guy that they had no idea Mike was hiding behind the sheets dressed as a devil. They would be starring at the FAKE guy and Mike would jump out and scare them. The best one he got was a friend of ours, Darrell, who is Avery's dad.  He screamed and screamed like a little girl. It was alot of fun!

The kids enjoyed trick or treating. Elektra said "Do Again" after every house.  There are so many children in the neighborhood, and even the parents get into it. One house BBQs hotdogs for you, another has an ice chest full of soda pop and water.

But they all said, "You have THE BEST haunted house in the neighborhood!"

Their buckets were so full, Mike HAD to stuff some candy in his own pockets.

They had a blast trick or treating, and then eating some of the candy.

Today we walked to the park that Mike and I take Elektra to most mornings.

Instead swinging on the Monkey Bars, Zachary crawls on top of them.

I'm on the other side of this teeter totter trying to get Zachary to bounce as high as I can.

They are just like me, and love to swing high, and then JUMP off!

 Gracefully of course.

Then we came home and made a train city.

I have lots of ideas ready for burning off all that SUGAR high they will have for the next month.

I will try and update the blog more often, but I know I say that every time.