Halloween haul

Audrey and Kate had a great Halloween! Audrey helped make a spooky dinner of "mummy dogs." Ingrid and Paul joined us for trick-or-treating. Mama put some makeup on Audrey and Ingrid to make their witch costumes extra spooky. Kate was a reluctant witch; she refused to wear her witch hat. We hit most of the houses on our street, then headed towards the "holiday house" on Alameda. Just like last year it was quite the spectacle, with an Elvis impersonator, a huge crowd, and a KGW News crew filming it all (Elvis gave Audrey a candy, but Dada was too slow with the camera and didn't get a picture). At about 8:00 we headed home, making one last stop at Audrey's preschool friend Charlie's house to see his costume and get one more piece of candy. Back at home, the girls counted their loot, kept a few pieces for themselves, and then saved the rest to give to the "Candy Witch", a friendly witch who needs candy to build her candy house. If you set out candy for her Halloween night, she'll say "thank you" by leaving a present or two for you to discover the next morning. (Click here if the slideshow doesn't play.)

Pumpkin prep

Audrey and Kate got their pumpkins ready for Halloween yesterday. And this evening they had a dry run of trick-or-treating at Grandpa David and Judy's house. They're all prepped for the big day tomorrow!

Indoor recreation

Audrey and Kate returned to the indoor park and art park at the Montavilla Community Center this morning after several months away. With the wetter, colder weather upon us, there are fewer opportunities to play outside. Thankfully, the indoor parks offer an inexpensive way for the girls to get out of the house and let off some steam. The girls made Halloween decorations, played with "Floam," bounced on the trampoline, and tired Dada out by making him push them around in the Cozy Coupes. As is the custom when Dada takes them, the playtime was followed up with a trip to the Burgerville across the street.

A trip to the pumpkin patch with cousin Lily

The rain held back long enough this past Sunday for Audrey and Kate to enjoy a trip to the pumpkin patch with cousin Lily and her parents and GG and Grandpa David. We went to Baggenstos Farms in Sherwood, not too far from GG's house. In addition to picking their pumpkins, the girls got to take a hayride (twice, at Kate's insistence), dig for potatoes, run through a tunnel and corn maze, check out a John Deere tractor, and enjoy a caramel apple. (If the photo slide show below doesn't play, the album is available in Picasa.)

Visit with Grandpa Dave

Grandpa Dave came over on Sunday with some fall and Halloween decorations for the girls and a new ballet outfit for Audrey. They modeled their Halloween costumes for him.

Prepping for Halloween

The girls test-drive new witch costumes Mama got them for Halloween this year.