Advent - December 20th (part 2)

We also delivered sweet treats to our neighbors before we left for Seminole. This is a fun tradition! It usually takes up most of the afternoon because we have such sweet neighbors that we always end up staying and visiting with them!

The hunt for candy!

After the boys took their obligatory photos in their costumes, they could hardly wait to start the trick or treating. Well, Ben could hardly wait...Des was just ready to run!

Ben carried the same trick or treat bag I had as a little girl and we stopped by our neighbors Peter and Susie's first. He was SO excited to get some candy in his bag. For the last 3 weeks he had been practicing by collecting other small items in his bag. Pretty cute.

And they're OFF!

When Ben first saw Susie's great costume, he got a little scared. He kept hiding behind my legs and Des just ran straight to her with his arms up for her to pick him up. We got our first pieces of candy and though we tried to get a good photo, Ben couldn't keep his eyes off of the candy bowl!

Shaking with excitement! Costumes AND free candy!? It's his fantasy world!

Des was just as excited about the free sugar! He actually stopped after every house asking for more!

Grabbing for seconds and trying on Susie's witches hat.

Des was a pro! He did his fair share of knocking on doors, taking the candy and of course, eating too much of it!

Ben, Super Dad, and a trailing Des.

By about house #3 Ben wouldn't wear his hat anymore...I tried bribing him telling him no one would give him candy if he didn't wear it. Somehow the neighbors weren't playing along and instead thought he made an excellent Robin Hood.

We made it down our street and half way around the curve before turning back. Our night of fun wasn't over yet though! We still got to hand candy out to the other trick or treaters.

We sat out on our front porch and the Isenbergs dropped by to help with the doling out of candy. We bought even more than last year and STILL ran out in a mere 40 minutes. Our neighborhood attracts carloads of kids from all over and it is so much fun!

My favorite costume of the night. This creative kid is a STORM CHASER! He was covered in leaves and trash and then the dreadful stray tree limb through the heart. :)

As soon as our candy supply ran out we came inside to begin watching the Ducks game and dive into our treat sack. Isn't Liv the cutest tigger ever!?

Though this guy comes in at a close second. (Please notice the duck scarf. It's the latest obsession...)

Then on Sunday, "Pot and Bawb" came by to hand deliver some more treats for our boys! Yummy marshmallow treats!

All in all, we had the best trick or treat night ever!

nature walk

It has been absolutely beautiful here. The most gorgeous fall weather I ever remember.

We've tried to embrace it knowing that just around the corner we will be cooped up indoors longing for spring.

We take walks every day, sometimes two, and we spend a ton of time in the backyard. But one day last week we set out on a very specific walk...a nature one.

The goal was to collect as many pretty leaves and other fall items as we wanted. We filled the entire compartment of the stroller full. Ben was LOVING choosing his leaves, though I don't think he really put much thought in to it...it was more of a fistful at every turn.

We stopped to play at the gazebo or "wittle house" for a bit.

And then continued on our hunt.

Fall colors are just breathtaking. Ben was really digging all the red and orange...go figure.

As soon as we got home he pulled the stroller into the middle of the living room and dumped all the leaves into a pile "to show daddy when he gets home from work!"

Who could say no to that? Then the boys had a grand ol' time throwing the pile of leaves around.

I aimed to make garland with the leaves ironed between wax paper but for the life of me couldn't get the wax paper to work. oh well. It was fun anyway!

red state woes.

i am infuriated. the obama sign in our front yard was stolen along with the other two on our block. 

yet another reason why i want to move to france.