Spooktacular October

October was one of our busier, but fun, months.  Each weekend brought a birthday party or shower or sometimes both!  October also brings football, fall activities and sometimes if we're lucky here in Naples, our first cool front.  It's nice to finally open up the house and bring in the fresh air, even if it we have to turn the a/c on by noon.

We made our third annual trip to the St. Monica's pumpkin patch.  We picked up Joanne and Miah Jane (who we've gone with each year) and met up with Leah and her boys and Susan and her family.  It was fun to go around and choose our pumpkins that we decorate and carve, even if a kid stole our wagon and we had to pick them out a second time!  And even though Lexi was in a terrible mood and wouldn't let go of me the entire time we were there; in a very strange, round about way, we had fun!

Can you believe these kids have been going to the pumpkin patch togethr for THREE years?!?!?! Miah was about a month old and Lexi was 10 months when we first went three October's ago.  Look at these cuties now!

I was able to get a few cute shots of the kids on the 'fall' themed bench.



I love this picture...MJ is wondering why she has to sit with these two clowns!

We tried some group shots...as you could imagine, coordinating so many little ones to smile and look at the camera was very easy. LOL

Joanne, Miah Jane, Susan and Cameron

Devin and Lexi couldn't quite reach the face holes in the character boards...too cute!

October also brings a certain little friend's birthday; Brennan turned THREE!  We celebrated on a gorgeous sunny, but surprisingly not hot, day at the Can You Dig It Playground at the North Collier Regional Park.  The kids had so much fun running around playing, sliding, digging, you name it!  I got some great pictures of the kids in action...all smiles! :)

The Birthday Boy!

He's saving that frosting for later!

Brennan and Gavin in the back row and Blake, Devin and Lexi front and center.

Lexi was pushing Gavin around and around in this twirly chair.

And then it was Blake's turn!

These next series of five pictures depict the many faces of Lexi Lynn!  These faces are seen often and she can go from happy to sad to scared to having fun in just seconds.  She's the cutest little thing ever.  I know, I'm biased!

The kids' favorite thing at this particular park is the Can You Dig It pavillion.  In the summer the parents love it as well because of the cover and shade.  The down side is how dirty the kids get and of course the amount of little pebbles they bring home in their shoes. AY!

That's strawberries on Blake's face NOT blood...no worries people!

Singing Happy Birthday to the B-Man...

Can you guess how hold he turned...can you tell he's been practicing?!

Thanks for letting us celebrate your 3rd Birthday with you Brennan.  We can't wait to celebrate many more with you.  Not only did Brennan turn 3 but he learned he is going to be a BIG brother next year.  Congrats to Kelly and Christian!! :)

Lastly, the end of October brings us to HALLOWEEN!!! The kids (ok, and me!) were so looking forward to Halloween this year.  We decorated the house on October 1st with our little haunted houses, jack-o-lanterns, spiders, etc.  Andy and I took the kids to the Halloween costume store and let the kids pick out their costumes for the first time.  (Hey Leah, you may want to try that next year with Adrey! :) LOL) I thought their choices were a bit on the boring side but the kids thought they were the best costumes ever and that's what's important.  This year we were invited to a Halloween party thrown by a long-time friend of Andy's. The one thing she demanded was EVERYONE had to dress up.  I haven't dressed up for Halloween in I don't know how many years.  Andy had his costume planned to a 'T' (wait for the pictures, you'll die) and the kids had theirs picked out...I didn't have a clue.  I'm so frugal I couldn't imagine spending money on a costume to wear it for only a couple of hours.  I can't believe what I found in my closet!

My grandma's flapper hat and flapper dress...Unbelievable!  I used one of Lexi's long beaded necklaces from her dress up box and I was set. 

Let's see if you can guess Andy's costume/character:

Keith Stone from the Keystone Light commercials...nice mullet!

Introducing the cutest fireman and cookie monster duo in town!

We even had her carry around fake cookies from the kids' kitchen set.

Absolutely hilarious...Keith enjoying one of his Stones.

Family Portrait!

Vampires were at this party too...



Just like we've gone to the pumpkin patch every year with Beckman girls, another tradition we have is trick or treating with the Jarbo gang.  This was our third year invading their neighborhood and letting Cal and Gabby show Devin and Lexi how it's done!  We have so much fun going trick or treating with them.  We also had Lindsey with us again, which we've had her company all three years too.  We can't thank Lindsey enough because she gives our kids so much attention and takes such great care of them.  She walked Lexi up to every house and made sure she didn't get any candy with peanuts.  I'd hear her tell the person, oh she can't have that, do you have anything else?  Such a sweetie pie!

Eric taking the kids on a hay ride.

Linds and Lex...enjoying the hay ride.

We hope everyone had a fun Halloween and hope you all got lots and lots of candy! 

  Love the Fireman and the Cookie Monster.