Making Memories of Fall, & Halloween (and a very long post with many pictures, fewer thoughts and words)

We had a wonderful weekend that began with presents from Daddy...a wagon for Molly Mae and a bike for Anna Cate:

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Then, Anna Cate and I had a date to a birthday party for Isabel.  My friend Megan (Isabel's mom) loves Fall and it was a great Autumn evening party celebrating her precious daughter..
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On Saturday, BJ and I went for a 10 mile run, our last long run to train for the half marathon next month. He said it was his anniversary present and I can not imagine a better one than seeing him invest in his health.  Afterwards, we stopped by the Farmer's Market for some hand pressed apple cider:

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so we could prepare a Fall afternoon out back carving pumpkins.IMG_0761.jpgIMG_0754.jpg
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Fall...this is the way I feel about you:Making Halloween memories for our girls did not disappoint in 2010...
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 The backstory:  Vicki Silver gave Anna Cate this adorable book....
And it is such a nice read for the two of us.  We use it to talk about how Molly's entrance into our family was hard at first, but now grand.   During one such reading, Anna Cate said, "we should be the Mouslings for Halloween" and I RAN WITH IT!!!  (Because for the past 8 months, she has said she wanted to be Hannah Montanna, which makes me want to throw up!)
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I have way more pictures than I have thoughts and words here.  I will say this, though...When I share good times with family and friends, I'm so grateful for the memories I'm watching being made for my children.  And, for the record, BJ and I both had tails but I just don't feel like posting pictures from that angle!

The festivities began this afternoon with the youth of our church hosting a "trick your trunk trick or treat party." It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend more time in our costumes!
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Erin and Mike Silver were pirates...BJ's brother Greg's Dog Bob was a pirate as well. (I guess AC and Bob are sort of cousins?)

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Susan Silver had a wild west themed stop, so with the decor and the inspiration, you can see the Silvers were quite influential this Halloween.

Anna Cate got to see her best buddy, Bryce and try to talk him into going on the pirate ship. He was a little scared of walking the plank for some candy and said, "I have ENOUGH candy."
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The girls have so many friends of all ages from our church family, and it was nice to spend the afternoon with them...

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Or just use them for a soft shoulder/pillow...
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After this event, we headed out to "Nana" Sharon's house to go trick or treating.  We have spent every Halloween with their family in some way...
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Sharon is such a hostess and so domestic...check out these towels she MADE for the occassion..IMG_0862.jpg
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After pizza and beer or juice boxes, it was back at it for the kiddos and their parents...
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We had to stop by Baba's on the way home, not because we needed the candy, or because we didn't spend enough time at church with her, but because I'm a person of tradition, darnit.  We have gone there every year, taken a picture in her home here, and I wasn't going to let the fact that we've been at this for 4 hours stop us.
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Anna Cate absolutely adores her and I never know whether to feel embarrassed or touched that Anna Cate feels so at home there.
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It was so fun to be a family of four, just like in the book, "Angelina Ballerina."  And about making memories, I'm reminded of what my father told me after I got out of college debt free. He basically said this, "The debt you owe to me will be taken care of by paying for your children's education."  The same can be said a bit for memories...Making memories for your children is really a way of saying thank you to your parents for going to all the trouble to make them for us.  They really are quite special.... both the memories I have of childhood and the good times we're having creating new ones for Anna Cate and Molly, who tonight were the most precious Mouslings ever.

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Just as getting home and digging for the candy is as good as the whole affair trick or treating for it...
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I'd say, having the memories is almost as grand as living it. Good thing the memories will last longer than the candy.
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Comments

Patti said…
They ARE the cutest mouslings ever! Where did you get Molly's costume?? I love it !
AJ said…
of course john deer...too cute..now all AC needs is a john deer pink bike helmet. BTW..you look very nice with your hair pulled back..you should do it more often. :)