Halloween

Halloween 2012! What a blast! Although it rained we made the most of it. Started off in the morning with the boys waking in matching pj's and helping mama bake cupcakes, storytime the night before with daddy and alot of playing in there bedrooms. Logan insists these days that Hunter play with him. Hunter doesn't really play but he sure does enjoy just sitting in Logan's room watching him play. I like to listen from the outside to Logan telling Hunter what toy he can play with or not play with. Lucky for Logan, Hunter doesn't tell him what toy he wants to play with just yet.

 

While the Chicken Caccitore simmers on the stove, the boys and I all get dressed in our Halloween costumes. They weren't really costumes for anyone but Hunter though, everyday clothes for the rest of us. Daddy, Mama and Logan were cowboys (or cowgirl) and Hunter was our prize Bull. Pretty fitting for our heavyweight.



I attempted to put freckles on my cheeks (more cause I guess I don't have enough naturally) and Logan didn't like that, he informed me "mama you sick, you need to go to bed right now"



Boo Boo insisted on bringing down Pistachio for the festivities! We found Logan his saddle just in time for Halloween. It was a hit of course, all the neighbors came out to see what the neighing was coming from. Logan couldn't have been happier, he wanted Pistachio to come inside, it's all he can talk about.



A boy and his horse!

 

and Grandparents too!

Mustache pumpkin was Mitchell's, mine was an owl but you couldn't tell. Until next year! Give us ideas for a family costume again!



Pumpkin Patch (visit # 3) and final!!

 

Nonna really wanted to take the boys to the pumpkin patch, so we arranged to meet there on the weekend while daddy was at work. The boys loved it, well Logan anyway, there isn't much Hunter doesn't not like these days. Except being hungry. There were still tractor rides, hay slides and a hay maze. (yes stanly lane again, my favorite) Logan really wanted to inspect the tractor most of the time while we were there this trip.

 

I was able to snap some pretty cute pics of the boys today though!



                       Hunter: 6 Months   Logan: 2 Years 8 months

 

We had a blast! Came right home with all of our mini pumpkins to get started on our Halloween dinner table crafts! Stay tuned for Halloween night pics!

 



Pumpkin Carving and the Coffin Races, What?

 

Friday night was spent with the Franco's carving pumpkins! They had all the right tools and space, plus Manya made a delicious dinner. Spaghetti and Meat Balls, yummy! Mitchell and I haven't carved pumpkins in years, so we printed out stencils of what we wanted and voila! It made it pretty easy, for Mitchell anyway. I taped on the stencil and dotted out the outline then he did the gutting and carving.

 

Logan was suppose to help but he would rather pick up all the seeds off the floor or play with the pumpkins insides. Maybe next year he will be more in to it?



Miss Mia had the cutest pumpkin, hearts for eyes and nose and some big puffy cheeks with a big smile, Nico's was too scary

and well you will have to wait for Halloween pics to see ours!


 

Coffin races the next day were cool! There were about 10 to 15 themed coffins, my favorite was the Geanie in a coffin one! Those woman were awesome!

Logan had an alright time, not much to do for the kids, except trick-or-treat through the near by businesses.

All in all it was a nice, HOT, family day out. 



Pumpkin Patch (visit #2)

 

Back to Stanly Lane, I just can't stay away! This time we met up with our cousins, Nacho, Nico, Manya and Mia. What a blast the kids had running around through the pumpkins up on the hay stack, down the slide and in and out of the maze. It is so fun watching them teach each other new things and care for one another. It is family love. It is always a good time when we get together. Hunter sat back, mellow as usual and just took it all in. Next year he will be right there in the middle of the maze with them.

 

Big Pining and Aunt Sari joined in on the action, pushing Logan around in the wheel barrel and spoiling each one of them with yet another pumpkin, cause the 8 that we bought just a few days before weren't enough. Although the one Aunt Sari picked is my favorite and is front and center on my dining room table.



 

Franco Family 2012

 

Caldwell Family 2012



Miss Mia is so in love with Hunter it is just too much. I went to take him from her arms, thinking she would want to run around and play, however I was quickly almost pulled down to the ground with her because of the tight grip she had on him. She wouldn't let him go, she said, "no I will hold him".

 



 

Can't wait to carve pumpkins with this little family and stay tuned for yet another trip to the patch!

 



Pumpkin Patch (visit #1)

Stanly Lane Pumpkin Patch 2012 was a wonderful success, it's our favorite. First trip was on a Friday, Shitbird ditched school to go with us, and the boys were so excited for her to be there. Logan ran all around picking up every pumpkin he could and trying to pick up some he couldn't. Hunter was in a sleepy mood so no smiles in these pictures. Fall is my favorite time of year, the smell of rain coming the colors changing and the decorating. Ooooohhhhh the decorating, I love pumpkins and Halloween and Thanksgiving. Of course Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is a day to just be greatful, of your family, health and the feast that is put on the beautifully set table. Plus it is usually within days of my birthday.

 

I couldn't resist posting the pic of Hunter after he fell down from sitting up, too cute!

 



 

Yes he did eat a little straw.

 

Logan drove the tractor, rode the pig a few times and like I said picked up a few pumpkins using his grunting and funny faces to help him.

 



Pumpkin Patch 2012

 



I couldn't resist being a kid again and going down the hay tower slide with my boy! You can't say no to play time! He was in love, couldn't get enough.

 



Logan 2 Years 8 Months

Amy 16 Years 7 3/4 Months

Hunter 5 1/2 Months

 



Cerini Family Picnic

 

For some time now my cousin Manya has been doing some digging for more family. As if my family wasn't big enough already, she was successful in finding some relatives that live in Switzerland a cousin his wife and there children. After finding the 5 of them, that opened up finding a few more families that live here nearby. Elio and his wife planned to come to the States to visit so like any Italian family you have to get together and meet with food. Manya arranged a lovely day in the park for all of us to meet, eat lunch and play in the park. Some were meeting for the first time and some were just to catching up.

This is just a picture of all that could attend, there were quite a few that didn't make it.

The kids had a blast having a picnic together with sandwiches, cookies and the ever tasty Pirates Booty.

It was so nice to get out of the house for the day with the kids and hang out with family and relax. 

 Logan was so relaxed and having such a good time that when nature called he wasn't shy. He simply pulled his pants down and went. My new found cousin informed me, "it's ok, it's better than him going in his pants." True, very true.



Evelyn Cerini Cabral's Family

Lucchesi Park 2012

(I love how Logan is kissing on Hunter's arm, I didn't even know that until I downloaded the pic)



Wolf Creek Camping (Trip #2)

Wolf Creek Campground on the Union Valley Reservoir is officially our favorite spot! The drive isn't too bad about 2.5 hours, and the weather, oh the weather is amazing!! High 80's to low 90's and the water is perfect for bathing and swimming. Yes, I said "bathing" there are no bathrooms at this campground. Aj and my parents came along for the trip and even Pa surprised Logan and came up for a night.

Night bike ride complete with head-lamps, they didn't come off the remainder of the trip. Thank you Boo-Boo for those! 

First full day we hit up the water for a nice relaxing swim and some soaking up of the sun to work on our tans. The boys had a blast, even Hunter relaxed in his little sun-room. He just loves to be laying around kicking his feet and talking away these days. Logan preferred to be playing in the sand with his dump truck.





The next day by the lake Uncle Mitchell thought it would be fun to teach Aj how to jump off the rock. At first Aj was a little afraid, he is a Cabral afterall, but once Uncle Mitchell held his hand and jumped with him there was no stopping him. Logan even jumped with them a few times. Thank goodness for the Caldwell jean, mama doesn't have it in her.

Keeping the sun off my baby was a little hard in this heat, he was pretty much in a diaper the entire trip. A little vitamin D is good for you, right?

 Butt Crack!!!

    Logan: 2 1/2 Years    Hunter: 3 Months

Yes, we got a flat tire and the boys learned how to change it. There was alot of "Why"
 and "I do it" going on during that 20 minute tire change. Thank goodness Boo-Boo was napping. 



Fabulous trip! Fabulous Weather! Fabulous company! Can't wait for our next camping adventure.