There's No Place Like Home: Halloween 2011

October was a whirlwind. I seemed to be sick for most of it, almost 2 weeks of respiratory issues, so many things on the 'to-do' list went unchecked: Zooboo, pumpkin patch, Friendly/Haunted house at the children's museum & the annual picture taking in the leaf piles. I'm trying to learn to erase the mommy guilt and enjoy whatever I can. However, I think since I did carry the mommy guilt, I may have over-compensated with overbooking a few social activities to celebrate Halloween. With all of Addy & Lilly's social engagements also came costume changes. They have a serious obsession with dress-up right now, so they took full advantage of the season. Enjoy the pictures...

Addy in her first Princess costume of the month

Dr. Lilly ready for her party at the YMCA
Addy was then inspired to be Princess #2

Minnie Mouse made an appearance for their pre-school party

Here's Addy as Dorthy & Lilly as the Cowardly Lion for the night of Halloween

The whole family got in the spirit for a friend's party-this time Lilly was Dorthy & Addy was the Cowardly Lion (perk of twins, right? a quick costume trade?)

Halloween Hangover...

Not sure where October went, but the final weekend was occupied by a Hayride & Picnic with our twin friends, a costume/birthday party for a friend, neighborhood gathering & parade, and trick-or-treating with both grandparents here celebrating our chicken & egg. Now, I'm trying to wrap my brain around November and rid the house of any evidence of any Halloween candy.

The week leading up to Halloween, EVERYONE asked the girls what they were going to be. Most anticipated hearing "princess" or "fairy" or "ladybug." I was afraid the girls would be swayed and would want to go as princesses instead (because don't get me wrong-they love princesses), but they were troopers, each time proclaiming proudly that they were going as a chicken and an egg! Overall, they were great trick-or-treaters and tolerated Daddy driving them all over town to show them off before getting to do any actual door-to-door action.

During the neighborhood gathering & parade, we realized we hadn't quite prepared them for the 'scary' costumes. Lilly took one look at some kid draped in black cloth (head to toe) with a bloody stump on top of his head and FREAKED. Girlfriend had to come back to the house and ran upstairs insisting that she'd rather go to bed than participate in Halloween. It was so sad, but after some coaching, she rallied. With her daddy by her side, she braved the neighborhood again. The grandpas' recounted a couple of times having to cross the street to avoid the "scary" guys". Luckily, we had no long-term side effects of the trauma.

Addy was a doll and told anyone who asked that her Ga Ga Jody had made her costume. She has a new-found love of NERDS and I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing as she eats them one-at-a-time, so a mini box can occupy her attention for up to 30 minutes. She adored watching the older kids and idolize our neighbors, so any holiday that means she spends time with them, she's on board!

Enjoy the pictures!

Lilly on the hayride

A wind-blown Addy on the hayride

Braving the big-hill slide at a park nearby during the twins club picnic

Mom's turn!

Addy-layered and ready to go! (it was a chilly Halloween night in Indiana!)

Lilly-ready to fill her bag!

First stop: GiGi's and Wild Bill's house (great-grandparents)

Grandpa Dave, Grandpa Ian, Ga Ga Linda, Ga Ga Jody, Daddy, his chicken & his egg!

Halloween 2010

We were Angels last year, and bugs when they were 1, but I think my favorite is still the weiners from their newborn stage!

This Halloween we are debuting our little chicken & egg! The chicken came in an after-Halloween sale last year and for the egg, Grandma Jody dusted off her sewing machine. They are pretty cute! Here we were headed to the Northside Twins & Multiples Halloween Party a couple weeks ago. More pics to come after this weekend.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Rules....

We got our wear out of the costumes this year (check out the original occasion here) and between my Northside Twins & Multiples party, in-home playgroup playdate, a birthday party and trick-or-treating, we picked up some tips we thought we'd share. My "Angels" were adorable and we had fun, now it's time to put this holiday behind us and head into November! Enjoy the pictures.

1. Keep your friends close and enemies closer...
(Our monthly playgroup celebrating a bit early) 2. Refuel regularly

(hot dogs were the food of choice:

portable, no mess and avoid the bun all together...can't afford the carbs.)

3. Build up endurance early in the day

(exercising while attending a halloween birthday party for a friend!)

4. Pick your vehicle for streghth & durability

5. Keep that sweet smile on your face so no one questions how many times you've been to the cookie table

6. Stay hydrated

7. Motivate each other ("High-5 Sis")

8. Practice on home field before going to unknown territory

9. Stay warm

10. Reap your reward

The Week in Pictures & Videos

Okay, so between a fun/new playgroup, a visit from my parents, a great halloween party at friends and the girls halloween, I am selfishly admitting that my highlight for the week was getting my new IPhone today. I'm officially obsessed and have no time today to update my blog because I am busy organizing my life with a new calendar, contact list, etc.

Let's just say it was a big step up from my old school phone that still used an antennae....

But, because I know you didn't hop on my blog to hear me talk about my new phone and how incredibly hip I already feel having it, I'll give you some pics of the week...

*Lilly is becoming quite the book worm right now--loving to be read to and pretend "reading" each time you finish a book with her, she's off your lap and on to find a new book.

*Uncle Jon & Dad with the girls Halloween night (yes, those are beers)

*Our politically incorrect costume party threesome--me dressed as The Nanny, Jeremy as the Man in the Middle and our friend Becky as the wife (Mrs. Denial)

As for our new "winter" playgroup, you'll have to visit Jacob's blog for the outcome of the chaos, but here's a video teaser of us trying to get our costumed kids to pose for the paparazzi.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our little Hot Dogs!

Lilly is on the left in both pics, Addy on the right. Seriously, this is way too much fun! We won't be trick or treating this year, but I couldn't pass on the costumes for their first Halloween. This will also probably be the only year they let me dress them alike!

Thanks to Janet & Tony for their Halloween outfits and Becky for their first pumpkins!

As for mom, I return to work part-time tomorrow, so I'm looking for a treat (maybe 6 hours of sleep??) tonight!