Trick or Treat

We weren’t really planning on doing much if any Trick or Treating but we did end up doing some. Last year we only went to the grandparent’s, but this year we went to three houses! We started Trick or Treating at my office, where he scored a tootsie pop, and some pretzels.

Avery and his treats from my office

 After my office we made a few quick stops at the neighbors, just to show off his costume, but Avery got more treats. Then after a quick supper we headed out to a friend’s house where Avery helped hand out candy for a while before we headed home for the night.

Heading up to the door to trick or treat

Handing out candy.

Avery's first trick or treating experience was a success!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween From Avery!

 Monster by day, Lion by night!

Avery the Monster

Avery the Lion

Spooky Sports Fun

We had an unexpected Halloween event yesterday, while we were waiting for GG & GT’s Halloween party to start we found out that Trick or Treat with the Mavericks was going on at the Taylor Center. Trick or Treat with the Mavericks is trick or treating and games with the different MSU athletic teams, and since Avery’s aunt is a coach for the Volleyball team we thought we should go.

Ready to go play some games
(and get GG some treats)

We got our lion ready to go, and Avery got to use GG’s pumpkin to collect his treats, as long as he shared with her when he got back. There were lots of kids in costumes running around the Taylor Center having fun playing games and collecting candy.

Trick or Treat with the Mavericks

 Avery decided to be shy, and wouldn't talk but that didn’t stop him from playing the games. He played Volleyball  with Volleyball team, threw a softball with the Softball Team, kicked a ball with the Soccer team, played bean bags with the Wrestling team, and shot some hoops with the Women’s Basketball team, all while keeping one eye on Stomper. By the end of the event Avery had come out of his shy shell a little bit and had treats to share with GG.

Playing Softball

Playing Soccer

Shooting Hoops

Bean Bag professional

Daddy giving Stomper knuckles

When we got back to GG & GTs house, everyone had arrived for GG & GT’s Halloween Party. 
 

Freddie, Dylan, GT, GG and Avery

And Avery not only shared his treats with GG but with Dylan and Freddie as well, what a nice guy (Lion).  

Pumpkin Carving

I pick this one

Last year we skipped to whole pumpkin carving thing, since Avery was so young and really wouldn’t know what was going on. But this year I couldn't resist. First we needed a pumpkin, so we headed up to the Farmer’s Market to find the perfect pumpkin. 
Avery choose what I call an “Ernie” pumpkin (An “Ernie” pumpkin is wider then it is tall, and a “Bert” pumpkin is taller then it is wide, like the shapes of Ernie’s and Bert’s heads). After covering the floor and putting on our pumpkin carving clothes on we started carving. Avery would have been more then happy to have been in charge of the knife but he had to be content with a scooper. 

Here we go

Look at that!

Scooping!

Avery was surprisingly interested in the process, he liked the scooping and the carving, and only wondered off to find a truck or car to play with once or twice. When we were done we had to try out our pumpkin, it isn't anything fancy, just two triangle eyes and a toothy grin but it does the trick! 

Our finished pumpkins

Ready for Halloween!

Golden Heart Halloween Party 2012

Avery the Lion

Avery, the Lion, had a spooktacular time last night at his daycare Halloween party. The parent advisory board puts the party on every year and they do a great job. There is lots of fun and games and food.  After our chicken strip and sub sandwich, banana, and cookie supper we hit up the bean bag toss. Avery stood at the line ready to toss the bean bag, then he took a few steps forward so he was at the edge of the board and dropped the bean bag right in the hole, we couldn’t help but laugh. 

Standing at the line ready to toss a bean bag

Made it!

From the bean bag toss we went to the pumpkin pick, then the fishing, then bowling...then..... Needless to say Avery was very busy checking out everything and collecting prizes and treats from each game.

Pumpkin picking, always a favorite

Fishing with Daddy

Happily all the prizes and treats were something he could have, animal crackers, gold fish, rubber ducky, Frisbees, no candy! One Halloween event down, but still more costume fun to come.

Homemade Halloween

Growing up, like most people my age, all of my Halloween costumes were homemade. From my first Halloween, Raggedy Ann costume to my last Cheerleader outfit (in 9th grade), my mom and Grandma Hewitt were responsible for the creation of my costumes. I loved and cherished every costume, from the last minute Tulip costume, made out of old curtains and tag board, to the extremely labor intensive dinosaur costume, each one was special and worn more then just for trick or treating.

Last year Avery was a hand-me-down puppy from Old Navy. But this year I was determined to make his costume, even thought he doesn’t know the difference yet, it was really important to me that I make his costume or more accurately that his costume was homemade. There were so many options for what he could be. One idea was he could be a clown, and wear the actual costume I wore for my second Halloween.

What a cute little Clown 

Halloween 1983 - Lee and Me

 But as cute as he was in my clown outfit I really wanted him to be something he “knew”. I debated and asked around, and finally settled on a costume. I bought a pattern (that I could modify) and material and set to work making Avery’s Halloween costume. 

Ready, Set, Sew!

I worked really hard on his costume, it isn't perfect but it’s homemade, and I am very proud of myself. Avery will debut my creation tonight at his Halloween party at daycare, I am so excited to see him in the finished product, I cant wait! (But you’ll have too!)

Mankato Public Safety Center Open House

Last night was the open house of the new Mankato Public Safety Center, which puts fire, police and rescue under the same roof for the first time in Mankato history. During the open house the public could tour the entire building. We opted for the self guided tour, with the majority (all) of our time spent in garage area where the fire trucks and rescue vehicles are kept. Avery was so excited to see all the big trucks!

Avery & Daddy checking out the Fire Trucks

Driving 

Besides getting to see all the trucks, we got the chance to climb the training tower. From the top of the tower you could see all of the downtown, it was pretty good view at night.

GT, Avery & Daddy at the top of the tower 

The View

 It looks like a nice facility (from what we saw) and I am glad we got to chance to take a look around (aka see the trucks!).

Safety Center

Fire Trucks!

Fall = Leaves (lots of leaves)

Growing up in a house with a yard filled with trees on the edge of a ravine filled with more trees makes Fall mean one thing, Fall = Leaves....lots of leaves. As a kid that meant huge piles to play in, piles so big you could hide a small car in them, and as adult that has meant lots of work (and big piles to play in). Over the years I think my parents have tried everything to pick up the leaves, racking , blowing, sweeping, shoveling, mowing, pushing and last year my dad even moved them with a skidsteer. This year we added yet another way to move the leaves, via toddler.

Playing in the leaves!

 Avery had a great time sweeping the leaves off the driveway with his Papa. He was a great helper! Although he wasn’t as taken with the actual racking of the leaves into a pile as he was playing in the leaf pile but what do you expect from an almost 2 year old.

Sweeping with Papa

Raking

 Last year Avery was hesitant when it came to sitting in or even touching the leaves but that was all different this year, he had a great time rolling around in them and playing hide’n’seek with his squire friend.

Rolling in the leaves

Avery and his Squire Friend

All the leaves aren't down yet so I am thinking Avery will have a few more chances to play in the leaves before it gets too cold out and the snow files. But when the snow does show up Avery will be ready to help then too!

Showing us shoveling skills 

Birthday Helper

October is a month filled with Birthdays in our family....which means lots of singing, candles and presents. This past weekend contained two occasions for singing, candles and presents. Friday was my Dad’s birthday and Sunday was my Mom’s ( and Veronkia’s) birthday, so of course we celebrated. Celebrating birthday at my parents house now means you get to have a Birthday Helper.  What is a birthday helper? The birthday helper is the cutest little boy, who if your lucky will sing his own version of Happy Birthday, before he blows out the candles for you. The birthday helper also doubles as delivery boy for any and all gifts.

Blowing out Papa's birthday candle

Ready to blow out Grammy's birthday candle

Avery loves his new self-made position of Birthday Helper. Avery has been practicing the birthday song and blowing out candles (which is one of the cutest things ever) so he will be ready for the next time he will be called upon to help.

Dino’s Pizzeria

To celebrate Jon’s birthday we went out for supper at Dino’s Pizzeria. It was the first time we have taken Avery there, I knew he would love that he could color on the table cloth but what I didn’t know is Dino’s does something special to keep kids entertained while they wait for their food.

Time to color

 What is that special thing they do? They bring out a softball size ball of dough to play with. What a great idea!

Squishing the dough

Toppings!

Do you like my hat Daddy?

Peak!

Avery poked, and squished the dough, drove his trucks on it, wore it as a hat, and even had a little taste. Avery loved his first trip to Dino’s, he had so much fun, and he ate all his spaghetti too!

I love Dino"s!

Pumpkin Pics 2012

Because Avery loves pumpkins and I can’t resist an opportunity to have his picture taken, we went to the Drummer’s and Quality One Hour Photo’s Pumpkin Patch fall photo shoot yesterday. Happily there wasn’t much of a wait and with only a few kids on the list before Avery it gave us just the right amount of time to explore the greenhouse. Avery rode a big wheel trike with Daddy, then did some coloring with GG & GT, and after checking out the all the pumpkins and corn stocks in the green house it was Avery’s turn. 

Checking out the Green House with Daddy 

Big Trike Time

Looking for just the right color with GT

I love how the pictures turned out, there lots of good ones to choose from. Here is a sample of some of my favorites.

Pumpkins!

Flirting

Sometimes I am a troblemaker

Check out Avery's Pumpkin Pics from 2011, it is fun to see how much he has changed since last year.