For The Family

So though they fully support my scrapbooking, my family (not immediate) really just cares about my kids and what they're up to. They are tired of my layouts. And as this blog has it's roots in family, this post to to appease them.

Friday afternoon was Nikolas' friend birthday party. We had done the family celebrating his birthday weekend with the WrinkLee's and this past weekend was the friend celebration of his choosing. He had toyed with inviting many friends for a party but opted instead to have his closest friend, Jasper, sleep over. Michael and I schemed and concocted plans that still involved sleeping over, just not at our house. We booked a Kids Kabin at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, unbeknownst to either of the kids.

We picked up the kids from school with the Mummy Mobile loaded and headed west on I-64. The same road we drove time and time again this past summer to get to Busch Gardens. And still, they were clueless. Nikolas asked a few times but nothing pressing. We told them we were going clear the opposite direction, to Charlottesville. Innocent acceptance. It wasn't until we literally pulled into the registration parking with the great big wooden beams and giant wolves that he figured out where we were! Surprise! Immediate excitment!

The boys had a fantastic time. Jasper's Mum had known about our plans and packed all the appropriate attire, costume and all. They went to the water park both days, they played MagiQuest and they went trick or treating. It was fantastic! Mizzy Moo wanted so badly to be "one of the boys". She did a great job keeping up until about an hour past her bed time and then she was done! Literally, she woke up with a fever the next morning...

Saturday afternoon we carved our pumpkins. Dad dragged his mammoth pumpkin inside but left it unscathed. I had my warty pumpkin and carved the word "beware", all the while groaning about what a tough pumpkin it was. Nikolas has strict instructions to remind me next year that, though the warty pumpkin might look cool, it's a pain to carve. Mia drew her face for Dad to carve; it resembled a clown. The power tools came in handy for the perfect round nose. Nikolas wanted overlapping ghosts. I got put in charge of that one. A single ghost saying "boo" were what he got! And, for the first time ever as a family, we roasted the pumpkin seeds.

And Sunday, was the real deal trick or treating. Around the neighborhood and those of several friends. Our cowboy and cowgirl. People wanted them to be Woody and Jessie but nope, no commericalism. Just a good ol' cowboy and cowgirl. I took them to the houses along our street while Michael went to other neighborhoods. Mia, again, wanted nothing more than to keep up with her big brother. In fact, she got down right indignant with him at one point because he kept racing ahead and was ringing all the doorbells! She knew her rights and she wanted to ring some doorbells too! They came home with oodles of candy! The traditional "sort" happened and Mia partook for the first time.

Sunday morning while the boys were at the swim meet, Mia and I went for a walk. With the camera! ;) She knows me so well... Got some fantastic fall shots of Mia. That girl and her blue eyes...