Hall-O-weeeennnnnn!!!!

We took Ava to Cobb Island to trick or treat with her cousin Juli.  She had a blast and loved getting "treats".  She held onto her pumpkin so tight and wouldn't let anyone else carry it or even get near it.  In fact half way through it got so heavy she dropped it and I had to scoop up candy from the street.  It was a good opportunity to unload half into the bag in the wagon to lighten her load a little.

I wasn't really sure what to expect since we didn't go out last year.  She wasn't walking yet so we stayed home and handed out candy instead.  This year our candy was placed in a bowl on the porch with a please share sign.  Luckily we have a small neighborhood so I think it worked ok.  Aaron stayed home since he had to go into work that night.  He slept for a while then got up and refilled the porch bowl and waited for us to return.  I really wish he could have come and know he was upset about it.  He hates missing anything his little girl does.  She is lucky to have such an attentive Daddy.  In fact we have been talking about ideas for how we will all dress up next year :)

Here are some of the pictures from this year.  I let Ava stay in her jammies all day until costume time.  She hates getting dressed and undressed so I figured the less I "tortured" her the better.  In fact she didn't even take a nap which makes her great mood that night even more of a wonder.  I really really thought that was recipe for a meltdown.

Here is my little pirate demanding that everyone come and sit down and see the cat.

I'm pretty sure Panda was enjoying all the attention a toddler demanded be given.

She even decided to entertain us with a trick.

Hey, rolling on your back is tough work.

Sttrreetttccchh!!!

Ok, that's enough!...shortly after this she retired to her chair for the evening.

We took our pumpkin's with us and added them to the porch.

My pirate was getting impatient as she saw other kids walking past.

So independent...

We had a wagon but she didn't want to get in it.  I think she was afraid that if she sat she wouldn't get to keep going up to the doors.  I finally convinced her to let me carry her because her little legs can only go so fast and we had a lot of ground to cover.

Kate blinding Juli with the mega flash.

This house was really cool.  They had music blasting and really went all out.

Awww, someone was getting the evil look.  Someone must have asked for some of her treats.

That's all that turned out from the big camera.  Here are a few blurry phone pics of her pulling me down the driveway and onto the street.

 This one was after as we sat on the floor trying out a few treats.

 Here is a video of her ignoring me and trying to get to her candy that I had moved.

Pumpkin decorating=fun times

Saturday I gutted the pumpkins...I tried the Martha Stewart method of cutting the bottoms off instead of the tops and it made cleaning them so much faster and easier.  Thank you Martha Stewart. 

After the pumpkins were cleaned I set them outside to be carved later and got Ava set up to decorate her mini pumpkins.  She really got into it and in fact didn't want to stop.

 She wanted me to do some so I added a smiley face on this one.  The rest was all done by Ava :)

The finished products :)  She liked doing this so much that I think we will have to do another painting project soon.  I think I will get some little clay ornaments for her to paint for our tree.

I didn't end up carving the pumpkins until Sunday and I forgot to take pictures.  I did snap a few with my phone though.

Holidays just keep getting better and better the older Ava gets.  I can't wait to see how she will react at Christmas.  I can even let her help decorate the tree this year.

Playtime at Nan and Pop's

Last Friday we had dinner at Nana and Poppies house.  After dinner Ava went into the living room to sit on the floor by Pop and play.  She didn't like me taking pictures of her toys but I managed to snap a few in between my camera getting batting away by her hand.  Check out these vintage Mickey Mouse toys.

Poor Goofy lost his ears at some point.  Who know which one of us decided to de-ear him.

 Now's the time to say goodbye
To all our company
Through the years we'll all be friends
Wherever we may be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse
Forever let us hold our banner high
M-I-C - See ya real soon!
K-E-Y - Why? Because we like you!
M-O-U-S-E!!

 This is closer to the red and white Minnie that I remember.

 Look at how much Mickey has changed over the years. (I looked him up and he is from the late 40's to early 50's)

A view from the window...

Last night while I was cooking dinner I took a peak out the window and this is what I saw.

 and then they disappeared and I had to go looking out another window.

 Look at the way she looks at him...she adores her Daddy.

Our life may not be perfect but we sure do manage to have some pretty perfect moments.

A little bit of Ava...

 Sitting at the table for breakfast.  She didn't do much as far as actually eating her breakfast.  She just sat there.

 and sat there...

 and refused to get down.

 Then she jumped around the room for a while.

Her hair is getting so long.  You should see it when those ringlets are soaking wet and combed straight.

Pumpkins, Goats, and those things that go Mooooo!

That's what we saw today when we took Ava down the street to Zekiah farms.  I love going there because we don't have to get off the back-roads to get there.  It's also where we got our Christmas tree and pumpkins last year.

I added a little warm country haze to the photos.  I love the way it kind of really helped set the mood for them.

Here she was walking to the car to go get her "punkins"

 and in case you missed it here is a close up of the goat with it's head in a pumpkin.

 She kept yelling "Hey cow come sit" and "Hey goat come here" just like she does to the dogs.

 I'm pretty sure she could have sat there all day.

 Trying to pick up her pumpkin....

...which she insisted was stuck.

We got one large pumpkin, two medium/small pumpkins, and three tiny ones that Ava could carry.  She loves her pumpkins.

A family bonfire

My Aunt and Uncle have started having weekly bonfires now that my Uncle built a fire pit at their house.  They moved closer to us back in May/June of this year and since then we see them so much more.  We no longer have to cross the dreaded "waldorf" area to get to their house.  Now we just head down a few back roads and in about five minutes can be pulling up their driveway. 

Ava's favorite thing to do when everyone else just wants to sit by the fire is to run up to the house to walk on the "circle".  The circle is a large covered well (you know those things kids use to fall in all the time) that sticks up about a foot above the ground.  Normally she drags at least one person with her and literally hops up and walks circles around it.  Then when it got later my Mom, Aunt Denise, Uncle Doug, and Ava headed in to watch mickey mouse.  While Aaron, Chris, Jessie, Katie, and I sat around the fire talking about ghosts and all the creepy noises that emit from the woods late at night. 

I really enjoy our family dinners and bonfires and can't wait for the next one.  I do need to come up with a way to distract Ava from the circle and keep her down by the fire.

and just for fun here are two playful edits.