TONS of candy!

As is tradition,

Mema and Grandpa came over for dinner

before we all headed out for trick-or-treating.

We took the obligatory front step picture

But look who joined us this year???

We were thrilled to have the penguin family

starring Cooper come along

for his first Halloween

And,

cowboys away!

Check out our herd of cattle!

We hit a lot of houses

We had a bit of a plan--

it was mostly

move fast

and hit a lot of houses

Our bags started to get so heavy

that we needed a break and a ride

Cooper was waaaay past his bedtime

(but was a real trooper!)

so they headed home.

We still had a few houses to visit

And a few more...

 until lights started to turn out

and we knew it was time to turn home

Tuck needed a picture with Cowboy Grandpa

We needed a pic with all of us

(including the Mema Cow)

And now...

CANDY

We ended up with around 28 pounds of candy

(yep, we weighed it)

But better than the candy

was the family fun

Happy Halloween!

Just getting warmed up...

Halloween is always such a fun day.

We had our school party

with bounce houses and games.

Mom worked the kindness rock table this year

(she had to take a picture for proof she was there--

sometimes Weston forgets

and tries to give her a hard time)

I spent a lot of time on mine

The day always ends with a parade 

3 dress rehearsals done--

I think we are ready for tonight!

(P.S.  Sixth graders are too mature for all this party stuff--

Jackson got to go bowling!

I think he'll be ready for tonight all the same)

Crazy hair...

don't care!

Gotta love spirit week!

One more happy birthday

We had one more celebration

for Dad's birthday--

street tacos and cheesecake

with the Woods side

Everyone get ready

for cheesecake!

Make a wish, Dad!

Wait,

where'd Cooper go? 

He was ready for something to eat!

Aunt Mandy said he'd been on a spoon strike.

She let Mom give him a little cheesecake

(why wasn't Mom that cool when WE were little???)

He LOVED it!

Strike over? 

We, of course, played a little

Win Pappo's Money

Must have been a tough one...

Dad was supposed to get the gifts,

but when I found this cool

Cabbage Patch horse

in Mom's old room,

well, I guess I got a gift too!

Happy 41, Dad!

2 days, 9 games, 4 trophies, and a medal

Somehow,

this weekend turned into 

the tournament weekend

for all things sport.

So let's get it on!

Tucker had his last soccer game

of the season

What a difference from the first games

of running around all the other players

to now running in front of the other players!

He looks like a real baller!

Yay, Cheetahs!

You've never met a boy

more proud of his trophy--

"It's my first trophy"

he told anyone who would listen

Mom didn't get a lot of pictures of 

Weston's last game--

it was a rough one, 

reaching mercy-rule by half-time

but he said he learned a ton,

loves playing running back,

and is excited for next season.

That's a win.

The Phantoms had a rough tourney--

after only 2 or 3 losses all season,

they lost the first 2 games,

knocking them out of the top bracket.

They're hungry for next season...

My team, the Pirates,

had a different go.

We played some really tough teams

with some really...spirited parents

on the sidelines.
(One kid's parents screamed at him
so much, he started crying.
He's SIX!)

But that intimidation didn't slow us down!

We took FIRST PLACE

in the fall tournament.

My first gold medal!

A great fall season for everyone!

PUMPKINS!

We followed a tip to Aldi

and found some enormous pumpkins this year

(Aldi, who knew?)

and we are so excited to make

some masterpieces!

Let's get to work cleaning those guts out...

And now, 

the carving...

A unicorn,

a brace-face,

a puker,

a skeleton,

and a transformer

The turned out AWESOME!

(Mom's the brace-face by the way)