Halloween...already?

Last year we took Gracie to Plymouth to the 49er RV park where they have big Halloween festivities that are great for kids.  This year Tim had to work, but my mom and I took both girls.  This meant I needed to have their costumes done almost two weeks before Halloween!  I grew up with almost all homemade, unique, one of a kind costumes (thanks Mom!) and I have always wanted the same for my kids. 

Korbe (the cowboy) and me (the scarecrow)...

Not that there aren't great costumes at the store, but I like it when they have a costume that no one else has (plus, usually they can be made for less money, too)  Gracie has been a flamingo and a garden gnome, but this year her costume evolved a little.

A happy flamingo...2010

Garden gnome on the move...2011

 I showed her a picture of a "Diva Mermaid" costume I saw on Pinterest and she was in LOVE.  Every day she would ask me if it was done.  Finally I sat down to put the thing together and I was stumped.  It was the whole mermaid part...which looked so cute online.  So with the help of my mom, we brainstormed ideas...it could be Cinderella? No...wrong color blue...a fairy?...not appealing to Gracie.  Then it hit me..."Gracie, do you want to be a Fairy PRINCESS?" and of course she loved the idea...My mom did the headpiece with a matching hat for Charlotte and matching wands and I did the dresses.  I think they turned out pretty cute, and Gracie got a lot of compliments.  I don't think I will make Charlotte put hers on again...tulle is not to comfy for an infant (what was I thinking?! :)  so I will put her in something cozy on Halloween instead. 

In Plymouth there was face painting, cupcake and bag decorating, pumpkin seed spitting contest...AND trick-or-treating.  This was the part Gracie had been waiting for and had even practiced at home.  She had a great time and after just a little trick-or-treating was happy to help hand out candy to the other kids (except when she got scared to DEATH by some of the costumes) On the way home she said "Halloween is scary!"  I guess she is right!

Ready to go to Plymouth

 

One place had a little circus and gave out cotton candy!

Guarding the bowl

Charlotte not so happy in her fairy princess costume

Hanging out with "Grandma Jan"

Makai was a skeleton!

 

Gracie is thrilled she will get to wear her costume again in another week! 

 

Happy Birthday Lacie!

Our dog, Lacie, has been the best girl lately...and she turned 6 yesterday.  She has mellowed out so much (we had heard that labs mellow around five...and that was five long years but so true!).  She lets Gracie play all over her, and is a very sweet dog.  She has had SO many episodes with skin allergies, and we have yet to get it under control.  But yesterday we let her stray from her STRICT diet to have some leftover scalloped potatoes, ham, and some yogurt...and even a few pretzel goldfish.  She was so happy, and after her dinner returned to her spot.  Ever since her two "younger sisters" arrived she has not had as much attention as when she was the only "child".  She still behaves and is excited to see us when we come home. 

Happy Birthday, Lacie!

Baby sister Gracie

Before she got kicked off our bed :)

Babysitter

Snuggles with baby Gracie

With baby sister Charlotte

She loves this little girl!

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Sometimes it's nice that Tim works weekends so that our family trip to the pumpkin patch can be on a Monday when there is no one there!  We have been taking Gracie to U-Pick Pumpkins (aka Gum Ranch) which is where I went in (I think?) kindergarten.  It is 110 acres in Fair Oaks owned by Mr.Gum who is 93 and his wife is 91.  Up until this year he still drove the hay truck.  They have rope swings, a little hay maze, and lots and lots of pumpkins.  It is an old fashioned type of pumpkin patch which happens to be five minutes from home, so we will visit several times in the next couple of weeks.  We had a nice visit and can't wait to go back.

Trip #2 - Medford

My grandparents are 83, and they can no longer travel so my mom and I took the girls to go see them.  They have seen Gracie a few times, but it was the first time they saw Charlotte.  Thankfully, the time in the car was MUCH less, only a few hours each way.  For everyone's sanity, we stayed in a hotel which was great.  It even had an indoor pool which Gracie LOVED.  My grandparents can only handle short visits before they get too tired, so we did many short visits over the three days.  My grandma (to the girls she is Granny Rose) and Gracie made cookies together, and both my grandma and grandpa "Grandad" sat with Charlotte several times.  My Aunt Carole was even able to come for a visit, and I haven't seen her in several years so that was special. 

 

 

 

Meeting Grandad

Snuggle time with Granny Rose

Aunt Carole

Resting back at the hotel (can you tell Gracie was exhausted!??)

 

 

 

 

A group shot attempt with the timer...not too bad!  :)