A weekend of Tricks and Treats (and Tears)!

Our Halloween weekend started off with a trip to the Corn Maize on Saturday morning! We dressed the boys up in their costumes and headed out in the beautiful fall weather. It was a beautiful day, in fact, Jeff and I wished that we had left our sweatshirts in the car! We started out in the "corn box". This was basically a huge sand box filled with dried corn. The boys LOVED it, they loved it so much we had to go back a second time before we left! Next, we made our way through part of the corn maize. I say part, not because we didn't know how to find our way out, but because it was just WAY too muddy! After a month of rain and probably hundred's of people trampling through it, that maize could have been renamed "Corn Muddy"! So, we decided to move on to the Cow Train! This was a four wheeler that was pulling about 5 barrel cars attached to one another and painted to look like cows. We knew the boys wouldn't do it by themselves so we asked if we could ride along. That was easier said than done...those barrels and seats were definitely made for children! But, we both were able to fit in one with a boy on our lap. The Cow Train was then pulled through another mini corn maize. Ashton and Ayden both love to move so this was a hit! We then took a water break as we waited for our turn to go on the hayride! We all enjoyed a hayride with great narration from a funny farmer driving the tractor. He kinda' reminded me of my grandpa, which made me enjoy the ride even more! Next we decided to check out the pumpkins and the goats. Ayden, surprisingly, was really excited by the goats. Both boys liked looking at the pumpkins and throwing them around! We bought a couple pumpkins and made one last trip into the corn box. By this time it was 12:30pm and we had to get our little tots home for lunch and a much needed nap! They usually go down for a nap at 1pm, but it was 2pm today. Since we were already suppose to "fall back" an hour tonight anyway we decided to just start that schedule then! That evening we ate dinner and got dressed again for some neighborhood trick or treating! This was Ashton and Ayden's first time to t.o.t. and they weren't sure what this was all about. They loved going up to all the houses and seeing people. They were a great hit and everyone was poking their heads out to see our little Thing 1 and Thing 2! But, the candy thing meant nothing to them, especially since they have never even eaten any candy! It was just another toy to play with and throw on the ground! We came back home and continued to pass out candy to the other neighborhood kids as they made their rounds. In order to avoid an extra early wake up call from the boys we stuck with the upcoming time change and put them to bed about an hour late. It worked out well because they woke up at 8am just like usual! Thank goodness...this mama needs all the sleep she can get!

Daddy and Ayden on the water break

Ashton and Mommy on the hayride

Ashton says "hmmm....."

The corn box

Daddy and Ashton on the Cow Train

Time to Trick or Treat!

My little Thing 1 and Thing 2 had a great Halloween!

Sunday Jeff spent the morning getting his things packed up and loading up his car to head for St. Louis. He starts his new job there tomorrow. Although we have been talking about and preparing for this time for awhile now, it was harder on us than we anticipated. After daddy left we ate some lunch and I put the boys down for an early nap. I put them down early so that they could get up a little early and once more get dressed in their costumes for a Birthday/costume party. Caleb, who use to be our neighbor, is turning 4 this week and we were invited to a great Halloween themed party to celebrate. I was really excited to go and see our much beloved, and missed former neighbors! Unfortunately, for me, it turned out to be very stressful! The home the party was held at was beautiful...which translates to...not toddler proof! There were Halloween decorations, figurines, breakables, candy, ceramic tile stairs, an unfenced swimming pool,etc....all over the place! It was so hard trying to keep up with both of them by myself. Ashton almost did a face plant down 2 ceramic tile steps into a ceramic tile floor! I grabbed his arm just as he was falling! They understand steps no problem, but it is hard to see the steps coming when you are going down, especially when it is just two steps. I needed a breather from all the indoor hazards, so I took them outside, into the yard. Of course, they didn't stay there. Of course, they went in different directions. Of course, I followed the wrong boy. I don't even remember what it was I saw that I thought Ayden was going to get into, but I went after him. As I got his hand and started to walk towards Ashton, I see him trip and fall. It looked like he just went down onto his hands and knees...no big deal! He started to whine and I said "I'm coming, go ahead and stand up." As I get there I see that he, of course, has ended up in a little decorative pond! I stand him up and pull off his cold, wet pants. Luckily, just his hands and knees/shines ended up in the water. The ends of his sleeves were a little wet but he was able to leave this shirt/onesie and his shoes on. So, Ashton had to finish out the party showing off his cute, white, chicken legs! After this Caleb's dad took us on a little hayride around the yard. Shortly after this I decided it was time to go home! Now, I am home and sore and ready to go to bed! It was a fun, exciting and sad weekend, and now that it is over I have to get serious about packing!

(After reading about this 1 hour and 15 minute experience you can

understand why I have no pictures!)