Happy Halloween!!!

We started the Halloween festivities off by carving our pumpkins. Ollie wanted to carve both of the pumpkins, the big one and the itty bitty one. Although he really didn't want to touch any of the goop in the pumpkin.

Ollie is cutting up the pieces that I have already cut out of the big pumpkin. He had some little, purple, kid knife and thought he really had something special!

Have you ever seen Dorothy and Batman talking on the same phone?

Take "MY" picture with the scarecrow. He had to lift his mask up so that I took his picture, not Batman's, with the scarecrow! So silly!

Now it's Batman's turn!

Hey Batman, can you see?

Kathryn, Andrew & Ollie - time to go trick or treating!!! Finally!

The firefighters were down at the park and one of them opened the truck for Ollie to check it out. He got a little shy and would only stand on the step. His Batman mask kept getting in his way so we put on his hat instead.

In the pavilion they had a "kid safe" area with games and candy and coloring!

When we got home he dumped his bag and found a little thing of play dough and immediately had to play with all of his play dough. Don't worry he already had his share of candy while we were trick or treating.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!!!

Another Halloween Carnival!

Tuesday night we went to another Halloween carnival and a local high school in our district. We met Becky, Kathryn & Andrew there. There were lots of games to play but it was so crazy....the lines were very long.

Ollie got hot in his costume and eventually ended up in only his skeleton jammies! Oh well, it was fun and just another excuse to wear his Batman costume!

Monkey Joe's!!

Monday was such a dreery, rainy day. Not to mention that it was my last Monday off for awhile until someone new is hired and trained at work. So, I went to wake Ollie up from his nap at 3 and asked if he wanted to do something fun with mommy and he said no and rolled over and closed his eyes. I said "so, you don't want to go to Monkey Joe's with mommy?" He sat straight up and said "yes I do! Monkey Joe is my best friend!" So away we went...

He had a great time and got some of the wiggles out. Then we left and met Aunt Erin at Red Robin for dinner. We had a coupon for a free monster milkshake which Ollie & I split. We had a very nice day off!

Cleaning up leaves

Ollie was helping Daddy clean up some of the leaves today and some how ended up driving the lawn mower!

He is pretty good, he did not run into anything. I guess his truck has helped him alot!

Time to go for a leaf wagon ride! Hold on Bella!

Bella jumped out about a second after this - she wanted no part of the wagon ride! Ollie loved it!

Halloween Parade & Carnival

This morning we woke up and drove to Wood River for the Halloween Parade. We sat in front of Charla's house on Ferguson and Papa, Grandma Pati & Megan watched with us. Amelia, Sara & Amy were also there. The wind was a little chilly this morning but Ollie has a jacket, coat, hat & gloves on.

Ollie & Megan waiting for the parade...it is coming we can see it!

Afterwards we all hung out in Charla's house for a bit. Ollie, Amelia & Megan played with Amelia's toys. They all played very nice together. Then we went back to Papa's house for some lunch and a ride on the mule. Then off to pick up Tyler and then to Aunt Erin's house.

Allison was at Aunt Erin's house. She had already carved her pumpkin and carved the grim reeper in it - pretty cool. When we arrived she was working on a Halloween Cookie house. Of course, Ollie & Megan wanted to help too! Look at that concentration!

Then we went to the Halloween Carnival at the Rec-Plex. Allison is dressed as an 80's punk rocker, Megan is Snow White and Ollie is Batman (would he be anything else?)

After the carnival we all went out to eat at Cecil's. All the kids were shooting straw paper at each other! It was crazy but fun.

When we got home Ollie started making a pile out of all of our leaves. Tyler helped him. They got a pretty good size pile going!

Bella wants to play too!

"Get out of my pile, Bella!"

Wow! Leaves are so much fun!!!

Trip to the Duck Blind

Sunday afternoon we all took a trip to Daddy's duck blind. So this is where Daddy goes all the time.

Don't worry that is Ollie's play gun.

Here is a view of the duck blind from the inside. It is nicer than I thought it would be.

Ollie is "powing" the duck decoys.

Ollie loved riding in the boat and playing in the blind. It is pretty cool, when you get there in the boat you just drive the boat right through the brush and it just falls back down into place once the boat is in. Then you can get out and step right onto a wooden platform so you don't have to get wet at all! When we first pulled into the blind and Ollie looked up he said "wow, where are we?" His eyes got so big and he had a big smile on his face. "like a duck cave" he said when we left.

Dog Beds & Roller Skates

On Sunday we decided to make a big doggie pillow for Bella for her dog house. We found an old, soft blanket and a very old sewing machine. Chris sewed two sides of the blanket together and then we turned it inside out and stuffed it with old throw-away clothes (t-shirts, socks, pants, etc.) Then Chris sewed up the open end and we put it in Bella's dog house.

Our hope was that she would have a nice, soft, warm place to lay when it gets cold outside but she still does not seem to like this beautiful dog house that Chris built. Ollie took some treats in the dog house but Bella still would not get in, she would just take the treats from him. Then when he got out we tried putting the treats in the back of the house but she would just stick her head in and keep her butt out and steal the treats.

Below are two videos of Ollie. One is when he is calling Bella to come get a treat. He is saying "tricky treatin, tricky treatin" I guess her coming to him for treats made him think about trick or treating for candy! In the second video he is trying out his roller blades again. He takes quite a tumble but did not cry at all! In this video he is saying "I want to go on the other hard ground". There is a difference in the concrete on our back patio in case you are wondering what that means.

Fundraiser Winner!!!

On Tuesday we found out that Ollie sold the most stuff for his fundraiser at Daycare - holy cow - we didn't even sell that much! So, on Wednesday Ollie got to go to Toys R Us with Ms. Dee and pick out some new toys for his classroom! He was so excited when we got home on Wednesday he was telling me all the stuff he got...sounds like a lot of Batman toys! I hope the other little boys like Batman! He also picked out a castle and lots of princesses for the girls. His teacher said he did a great job picking out toys for the girls too - they were very excited when he came back!

Wednesday night we took a trip to Wal-mart to look for a new hat. What do we find? That's right, you guessed it - a Batman hat w/matching gloves! Ollie loves this hat - he is trying hard to do his Batman face in this pic - batman does not smile. Thank goodness his coat from last year still fits!

Good Bye Aunt Harriet...you will be missed

On Friday, October 9th my Great-Aunt Harriet passed away. She was my Grandma's younger sister. In the picture, Harriet is on the left & Grandma is on the right. When we were little Grandma & Aunt Harriet would take me, Erin, Teresa & Trisha (Harriet's granddaughters) on vacations to water parks and camping etc. I can remember that Trisha and Erin would be in one bed laughing and giggling, Teresa & I would be in another bed laughing & giggling and Grandma & Aunt Harriet would be in another bed laughing and giggling just like us! I am sure they are both up in heaven laughing, giggling and catching up on the last two years.

I do not have many pictures of Ollie and Great-Great-Aunt Harriet but here is a good one just a few weeks after Ollie was born. He does not know it but he has known her all his life.

Singing for Church

Ollie's sunday school class sang for church last Sunday. He went out again. I'm so proud of him! He does not sing but at least he is standing there this year. Maggie is also there, this is her 2nd Sunday at our church and she is singing and doing the hand signs and everything! I guess that is a difference between boys & girls... she's not shy at all. Ollie is hard to see...he is in the front with a green sweater on, Maggie is a row behind Ollie and two little girls over. You can see her at the end of the video, basically she is behind the dark haired guy's head.

Friday Morning

Friday morning, Maw Maw, Mommy & Ollie went to the park in Glendora. Ollie had a great time and played for over an hour. Ollie you are not supposed to hang upside down on the swing!

Then we all went out for lunch at a nice little place in downtown Glendora. We ate outside so Ollie didn't have to stay in his chair.

Of course he had to check out the fountain.

Inside, there was a mummy skeleton which Ollie was fascinated with. Maw Maw took him to see it and he shook one of the mummy's many hands!

Now it's time to go back home. We have to ride 2 airplanes to get home! He did pretty well but was real tired by the middle of the second ride and cried for a little bit and finally fell asleep when I got him calmed down. We didn't get home until after midnight on Saturday morning.

Pumpkin Patch in California

Thursday evening, we went in search of an open pumpkin patch. Most of their halloween stuff does not begin until the 16th. But, we found one! And it was a good one! Ollie got to pet and feed the animals.

He was trying to feed the baby goat.

But one of the other goats stole his whole cone - he was hungry!

They also had bounce houses and a big slide! He bounced around and climbed up and went down the slide for awhile - he should have been worn out - I know I would have been.

Afterwards, we went out for dinner at a mexican restaurant and Ollie had rice all over the place. Yikes!