One last Halloween post

Dan and I couldn't help but notice how much Brett and Casey have grown in the past year. It's especially evident in the photos from last Halloween and this year's photos, as the boys chose to wear the same costumes again this year.

Halloween 2006

(Notice how long the sleeves are on Casey's
costume and how baggy Brett's pants are.)


Halloween 2007
(Notice how you can see the white
shirt under Casey's sleeves.)


Halloween 2007
(Notice that Brett's football pants
are waaay too short.)

Halloween night

I'll never forget something Brett said on Halloween night
three years ago.

"Will we have any more customers?," he asked, referring to trick-or-treaters.

Here are some of our "customers" from tonight.

Suzanne, Carson and Josh


Our neighbor Mikaela and her friend Marli


Tanner


Jack and Scott

Newsroom trick-or-treat

Late in the afternoon, the boys and I headed over to the Eagle for the annual newsroom trick-or-treat event.

With the amount of candy they get from the people in the newsroom, believe me, they don't need to go door-to-door later.

Casey getting a treat from Bonnie Bing


Brett and Casey with Bob Lutz


Dan's Business team co-worker Andi and her son Larry


Denise Neil and her daughter Lexi with Brett and Casey


My friend Beth with the boys

Brett's 2nd grade Halloween party

Later this afternoon, Casey and I went to Brett's class party.

At Brett's school, the 2nd graders parade into the gym and then they have a mini sock hop. It was really cute.

At the party, the kids had snacks and treats, then played a game where there were two teams and each kid a team had to carry a fake eyeball on a spoon all the way around the room as fast as they could. It got pretty competitive.

It was a great party.

This young man on the left dressed as a pimp. In the 2nd grade.


Brett and his buddy Patrick


Brett and Logan


Costume parade


Doing the twist with Mrs. Clynch


Casey and Caleb were really interested in the
witch's brew punch


Brett taking his turn carrying the freaky eyeball

Casey's Kindergarten Halloween party

Halloween is always a busy day for us and this year is no exception.

We started the day off with Casey's Kindergarten Halloween party.

There was the customary costume parade (I never failed to be amazed at the variety of costumes you see). Then the kids had a snack, played a game and took home tons of candy and treats.

Casey in the costume parade line up

(I love the bride costume the little girl on the right is wearing)


The kids got to decorate their cookies at the party.


A class photo.

Trunk or Treat

We went to the trunk or treat event at two local churches this weekend. This is a new event for us. I never knew that people got so into decorating the trunks of their cars!

This was a cute one.


Shrek showed up to give out candy...


...as did R2D2



The Tiki Party Kids
Brett, Carson, Tanner, Casey, Josh & Suzanne

Last soccer game

Yesterday morning, Brett played his last soccer game. It was about 40 degrees, and the hat and gloves came out, but the Green Machine won the game.

I can't say I'm sorry to see the season end now that the weather has turned cold.

Now on to basketball!

Brrr!


Our team in warmer days

Costume party

Tonight, Dan and I went to a "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" costume party at Jeff and Kathryn's. You could be any incarnation of Elvis or Marilyn Monroe (fat, old, young, dead, etc.)

Just to let you know, I haven't dressed up for Halloween since I was probably eight years old, so this was all a bit new to me.

I opted to go the traditional route, while Dan chose to use a Burger King mask in his interpretation of "the King."

The King and I

The hosts really got into it. Kathryn had a great wig, and I really loved Jeff's sideburns (they were pieces of fur glued to his glasses).

Kathryn, Jeff and Lauryn


They even had the dogs wearing Elvis costumes

There were lots of great costumes...

Terri and Doug were grunge Marilyn and Elvis

Terri had a great fake tattoo "shirt"
(Terri won the prize for best Marilyn)


Terry Brown was Frankenelvis
(Terry won the prize for best Elvis)


Joe was Elvis riding an ostrich and Melissa
was Marilyn as a Macaroni Grill server
(Melissa used to wait tables there before it closed)


One final group shot

We've been "booed"

Tonight, our doorbell rang and when we opened the door, we found we'd been "booed."

For those of you not familiar with this Halloween ritual, you make a take a paper bag and fill it with candy, and leave it on the doorstep of another house in your neighborhood. The bag also contains a poem explaining being "booed" and a sign the recipient can hang in their window so others know they've already been "booed." The goal is to see how far this "chain letter-type" game can go.

Brett and Casey look forward to getting "booed" and "booing" other kids every year.

Brett and Casey checking out the contents of their "boo" bag.

"A" for effort

Casey is this week's winner of the Outstanding Effort award in his Kindergarten class. His teacher nominated him for always being willing to share. He got a special pencil and a certificate for a free kids meal at Chili's.

Way to go Casey!

Fall festival

This afternoon, we joined our friends, the Dillons, at the YMCA's fall festival at Camp Hyde.

The kids played carnival games and we all took a hay rack ride.

Brett playing the football throw game


Casey trying to win a prize


Brett on the "bungee" inflatable


Casey takes a turn


Brett, Casey and Caleb having a potato sack race


A Loving family portrait on the
hay rack ride

New baby

My friend Amy had her first baby, Natalie Ann, Thursday night. We went to visit them today in the hospital, and I have to say, she looks a lot like her dad Jeff.

Welcome Natalie!

Soccer game

This morning we had a soccer game. It was pretty chilly and the 25 mile-per-hour wind gusts didn't help.

Thankfully, the weather has been great up until now, and we only have one game left.

Dan got to play coach this week as our team coach was on vacation with his family.

Dan and Brett


Running with the pack

Day off

Today the boys had a day off from school, so Dan and I took a vacation day too.

The weather was unseasonably warm, so it was a great day for Dan to get some yard work done and for the boys to play outside.

Birthday party

Today Casey helped one of his best friends, Braeden, celebrate his birthday at All-Star Adventures.

There was pizza, cupcakes, video games and lots of rides. We took Brett along and he got to have fun too.

Best buddies

Braeden, Scott and Casey



Riding the Tilt a Whirl



Riding the train



Brett even got brave and rode the roller coaster
by himself three times!



Casey on the go karts



It was a boy-crazy day!