Another Crazy Busy Weekend

Halloween weekend was the second crazy busy weekend for us in a row. Last weekend was Natalie's birthday party, and we followed up with another round of entertaining this past weekend. The boys had their fall party at school, and after much deliberation decided to go as GI Joe. They had a costume parade to end Red Ribbon Week, and Lucas made a super cute banner to hang around his neck. They played Spooky BINGO and loaded up on sugar just to be sent home to their parents. Friday night we had plans to go to Boo at the Zoo, but they were thwarted by Natalie's super late afternoon nap. No big deal, we called in plan B: Pumpkin Carving and seed roasting. I get a small bit of joy as a mother over the strangest things-like when my kids beg for roasted pumpkin seeds this time or year, or when they come home from school and they've eaten all their carrots, but haven't touched their fruit snacks :). The most creative we get with pumpkins is a jack o lantern face, but this year we went one step further. I had a grand scheme to carve each kid's initials in the pumpkin, but that wasn't going to work out. Let's just say, the more square and straight the carving, the better off we all are. So, we decided to make their first letters as the eyes, and just put on a nose and a mouth. Done. I got the lovely job of pulling out the guts and separating the seeds for roasting, while Derrick did the carving. The boys weren't much help-they were engrossed in netflix, GI Joe, Rise of Cobra. Oh well. I tossed the seeds in some oil, sprinkled them with salt and put them in the oven for about 45 minutes. YUM! They crunched on them while watching Star Wars the Clone Wars-their Friday night ritual.

Saturday, I had a major errand running marathon. Derrick made us all pancakes, and I was out the door ASAP to hit the grocery and Sawmill Road. When I go to Dublin, I try to do as much as possible in one day. So, it was Target, Kohls, Meijer, JoAnns, Giant Eagle, and Kroger. Seriously...I didn't get home until about 1:30! I was beat! But, we won't have to go to the grocery for about three months! Since January, I've taken on a new attitude towards couponing, stockpiling, and trying to get the most out of our grocery budget. I try so hard to get the best deals, and return things if I have to when I find them at a lower price somewhere else.

Sunday was the big trick or treat day. Of course, as Lutherans, we also celebrated Reformation Day in church...but let's face it, trick or treat overshadows Martin Luther when you're seven. The day was full of being in the kitchen. I was a cooking fool-and exhausted that night to prove it. I made potato soup before church, two loaves of beer bread, oatmeal muffins, and chicken and noodles. I seriously didn't sit down until about 4 o'clock. Our families arrived around 5:30 to eat and help get the boys in their costumes. I must say, this year's costumes have been my favorite so far. They were Mario and Luigi. They had already decided that Matthew would be Mario and Lucas would be Luigi based on the first letters of their names. Ok...whatever. Well, I ordered the costumes a size too big for layering purposes, and because Luigi was online only at target.com, and that's the size they had. So, that meant the mustaches were too big, too. Thankfully they wore them for a few pictures, then I let them take them off. But they totally made the costumes. Not to be outdone, Natalie was adorable in her poodle costume. She was a trooper for about 45 minutes of trick or treating, then I think her hands were freezing, and she wasn't a fan of being cold. The boys RAN from house to house, as if they were in the video game. In fact, Matthew even said that when they go from street to street, it's like they're going into another world on Super Mario Brothers-that kid and his imagination! While we were out loading the bags with candy, my in laws were at our house helping Derrick pass out fresh hot popcorn and candy. It was a super fun weekend, and the boys were in bed asap-after a serious teeth scrubbing of course!