Warner Spooks

Well, November is almost over, so I am finally getting around to posting Halloween pictures.

This was our first Halloween in Crofton, and what a great time we had (well except for the Trent being not quite well part). Friday before Halloween, the kids wore their costumes to school and had a traditional Halloween parade. I wasn't sure I would make it back in time after dropping Sammy off at preschool for her own party, but I did. Alas, I did so without camera. Perhaps that is a good thing. All the kids were adorable. Some of my favorites were one kid dressed as the Planters peanut and one dressed as a lego figure. The school counselor, the art teacher, the janitor and the music teacher dressed up as the scooby doo gang. It was hilarious and fun. It was a good thing it was an early release day full of mostly parties. Just seeing all the costumes as we walked to school had Jon geeking out.

Indiana Jon(es). I wouldn't let him take his whip to school as they weren't supposed to take any weapons with costumes. Better safe than sorry.

Jo-Jo the clown.

Our wood sprite
Ashley insisted on striking a Spiderwick Field Guide pose rather than smiling. She claimed wood sprites (or sprites in general) don't like to be photographed.

because she wasn't exactly being cooperative, I am glad I snapped this picture of Ashley earlier while she was busy gathering up papers etc.

the whole walk to school gang in their costumes.

On Saturday morning, we braved the drizzle for the Kiwanis sponsored Halloween parade. The kids wait at the church and register. When the parade, which starts at Crofton Woods Elementary, gets to them, they join in the back and walk up the Parkway to Crofton Elementary (about a half mile I think). I thought it was just a little fun community thing. I had no idea it was a small but full on parade complete with the local government and the two local High School bands. They even threw a bit of candy at the kids.

The pre-requisite old car

South River High playing Thriller

Arundel High with the more traditional band thing going on

Ashley and her friend Eowyn. Two pretty little sprites.

This kid's little brother goes to pre-school with Sammy. His mom made this costume. I thought it was incredible, and yes, he definitely won a prize.

ready for trick-or-treaters

It ended with a short party at the school with prizes for costumes. Color this mom shocked when Ashley won second place in the prettiest/cutest category. Ashley told me in September that she wanted to be a wood sprite from the Spiderwick Chronicles. Since this is a fantastical creature that does not exist and is not a popular for sale type of costume, I got as creative as I could which amounted to making her a fairy costume and using fall wood colors and decorations. During the time I should have been making this costume, everyone in the family decided to get sick. By the time I got out to get the fabric and pattern and such, I left myself too little time to get it done and therefore spent a couple of late nights making sure her costume was ready for Friday at school. After she won, my friend April leaned over and told me that is what I stayed up until 1:00 a.m. for. It really wasn't, but I was happy for Ashley all the same.


The night ended with trick or treating of course. The kids talked me into dressing up with them (see picture at top). We went with friends, which ended up being a mob of 21 that narrowed down to 5 by the end. What a great time it was. Trent was right in his early assessment of our new neighborhood; it was great for trick or treating.

one of our new friends and his "scary" costume.

And Ashley Too

Almost two weeks ago, Ashley had her turn to go to the archery range with her dad. Actually, it was quite the whirl wind of a day. We started out the morning at the Native American festival at the local 4-H club where the kids made crafts, shot bows, and went canoeing. I forgot my camera, but when April takes pity on me and sends pictures, I am sure I will post them. Afterward, we went to a birthday party and then Ashley went to the range with her dad, one of her very best friends (Leonora) and Leonora's dad and sister. For having little experience so far, Ashley is a decent shot I have to say. This past weekend, this same group headed up to Lancaster to an archery store. Ashley shot on Trent's old re curve at the range there and nearly got a bull's eye. She was pretty excited.

This was just two days after her birthday. Our Ashley is now 9. When did that happen? She seems the same to me until I pull older pictures out. What a tall, leggy, imaginative fun girl she is. We, of course, love her immensely. We are not sure we love the alarm clock she received for her birthday though she absolutely does. She insists on setting it every school day, and it sounds like R2-D2 on a major caffeine kick. It rolls away after the first snooze, and I think it is hilarious that she will deliberately wait for it to go off again and roll off of her nightstand. The bottom picture shows the boots she just had to have. I guess she really is getting older. Sigh.

A Little Archer

I need to post about Halloween, but that will take more time than I have right now.

After some chatting with friends last weekend, Trent got out his compound bow and went and got some arrows etc. for it this past Saturday. It was nice to see him so excited about getting it out. At the same time, he tried to restring his old re curve, but they couldn't restring it anymore. Sooooooo, Trent bought a children's basic re curve for the kids to use.

After coming home, Trent headed out with Jon for the archery range not far from here. It is free (so cool) and very close. Ashley really wanted to go with her dad, but she was still recovering from the 3rd grade plague. Next time. Jon is still a little young for the whole thing, so he needed a lot of help. He is starting to get it though, and, according to Trent, he got at least one arrow off. He had a great time and wants to go again.

I guess we could argue we should have spent last Saturday raking leaves etc. as the weather was so spectacular. I am glad the boys got out to the archery range though. The picture above is the Japanese maple tree in our front yard. It is a late turner. While most trees are dropping their leaves copiously right now, it has just now fully turned and started dropping. I love the colors. When we are done with our time on the East Coast, I will always remember how much I love the fall here. It is a longer season than I remember fall being growing up, and it is just beautiful.

The Great Pumpkin?

Friday the 23rd, we had Sammy's preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch. The trip was originally scheduled for the 16th, which is a teacher work day for Anne Arundel County. As a result, older siblings could come along. That day turned out to be very cold and very wet. In our case, we wouldn't have been able to attend anyhow, because Sammy was sick at the time. So, though it was a bummer for Ashley and Jon, the trip was rescheduled for the following Friday, and off we went to the Pumpkin Patch.

It was a great little place to visit. They aren't open to the public until the afternoon and evening on weekdays, so it was just the 4year old class and the 3 year old class and their parents etc. It wasn't huge, but it was plenty big, and the kids had such a great time picking out pumpkins and going through the corn maze and just playing around. The prices were good actually, and I picked up some decorations for the porch.

Later that day, we brought Ashley and Jon back to pick out their pumpkins and to run through the corn maze a few times before the farm closed. What a fun place. It is only about 5 miles from where we live, and it was a great time for the kids. I think I know where we are getting pumpkins next October.

We arrived a bit early since the farm is only about 5 miles from our house, so Sammy decided to have an early story time on top of the stack of straw bales

Time for a few songs before picking pumpkins

Time to choose a pumpkin. This looks like a sincere pumpkin patch to me. What do you think?

She found the pumpkin she wanted

Sammy and her friend Claire inside one of the corn stalk teepees

Time to go inside the corn maze

Inside the maze. Sammy and her friend Claire must have gone through this maze at least 4 different ways in about 15 minutes. Ironically, when we brought Ashley and Jon back after 4-H that afternoon, we had a harder time navigating though.