Happy Halloween!

We've had a great past few weeks. Clayton finished up soccer and all the kids were awarded medals at an end of season pizza party. Clayton is still enjoying preschool and Sam is finally starting to make an attempt at talking and communicating! Yay!
We had a great Halloween. We met all of our neighborhood friends at the fountain (up the street) for a traditional "kids in the tree" photo. After that we trick or treated at the shops and then hit a couple of streets on the way home in which we ran into Clayton's best friend from preschool (he was SO excited when we ran into his friend, Blake).
We made 3 jack-o-lanterns. Unfortunately, they lasted less than a day. We have a major squirrel problem in this city! They are almost like children - they don't want you to have anything nice without it being ruined! :)

Last soccer game of the season


Soccer star!


Sam wanted to participate in "halftime snack"


Getting his medal from Coach Brian


Acting silly


Look what I got!


Going for a ride


Love my happy Sam!




A fun new game...


Going for a hayride at the Farmstead


The pretty Belgian horses that pulled us!


Sam loves to snuggle!


Happy Halloween!


A fun game of "You've been boo'd" was had on our block


In honor of Spidey!


Lanterns that we made (that were later broken by the squirrels!)


My favorite, which was also apparently the most tasty!


Meow...


Luckily, I took pictures the first night I put them out...




Why we no longer have pumpkins....


Spiderman!!


My dino boy!




Ready to roll!


All the neighborhood kids "in the tree"!


Honorable mention, my most favorite costume I saw of the night - a hot air balloon!


Clayton's best bud, "Mr. Incredible" - and his brother, "Mario"


Most of the candy was left for the "Halloween Witch" who came and took (trashed) the candy and left a new toy in its place!


Well hello there Mr. Grasshopper...


Clayton painted Spiderman!


Happy Fall to All!

CLAYTON
- I found that a bag of marshmallows (the big ones) in my cabinet had only a few left in it (it was previously unopened). I asked Clayton if he had gotten into it and he said "yes" (he has a history of helping himself to things before mommy is downstairs in the morning). I said did you eat all of those today?? He said "no" - and I said "how long have you been working on those??" - he said "Ohhh - about 3 days!" Needless to say cabinet locks aren't just for babies! :)
- We told Clayton we needed to get rid of some toys soon or Santa was going to think he didn't need anything new and not stop at our house. He said "why don't we just put them in the basement where he can't see them?"
- "Mom - today it is time to teach you how to make pancakes!" - I always claim I don't know how because I really just don't want to :-P Besides it makes it more special when daddy is the only one who "knows how to make pancakes".

SAM
- New words - bubble (also used to refer to balloon), HEY!, Hiiiiii, Byyyye, Night, Okay, Pop!
- He is actually making an honest attempt to say words now - even though sometimes the words don't come out at all (just the sounds)
- He loves to talk on the phone
- He loves airplanes. Anytime he hears one he stops what he is doing and points at the sky and gets giddy with excitement and says "choo choo" (he thinks airplanes say choo choo too)
- He loves change (as in money!)...he will confiscate it from you if he hears even the slightest clanking coming from your pockets!
- He loves to cheer for Clayton at soccer. He will drop what he is doing if he hears people clapping and clap and say "YAY!!!"
- If you ask him if he wants something (that we already know he wants) he will get very excited and say "yeah! yeah! yeah!" and dance around