Blog Challenge, day 11: Halloween 2011

This Halloween was Carter's first. Although he is too young to really understand all the fun that is Halloween, it was still great to experience it all with a little kiddo. We know that every year it will be that much better to experience Halloween fun with Carter as he starts to figure it all out.

There were three things we did to celebrate Halloween this year:

1) Attended a pumpkin carving party with friends and lots of other kiddos. We did not get around to carving our pumpkins at the party as we were busy hanging with Carter and some other young kiddos around his age. Getting all the kids in costumes and trying to stay in one spot long enough to get photos of them all together was task enough. He took a liking to twin girls (5 months old) and we all hung out together the majority of the time at the party.

2) Carved two pumpkins at home a couple days before Halloween. Next year, we decided we will wait to carve pumpkins until the day/night before Halloween. This will help keep them fresh looking longer since it is so dry here. They tend to curl in after a couple nights....we found out the hard way. Do you keep or throw out your pumpkin seeds after carving? I decided to roast our this year and coated them with splenda and cinnamon. Delish!

3) Handed out candy to all the Trick-or-Treaters that came by on Halloween. This was our first Halloween ever together handing out candy, not only as a family of three but for Jeff and I as well. Years prior we were always at parties or out to dinner, and that was because we didn't get many trick-or-treaters where we lived all the years before. This year Carter was dressed in his costume all night and was included in greeting all Trick-or-Treaters and passing out candy. Great to see all the various costumes and have another memory for Jeff and I with our little guy!

Here our pictures from our various Halloween events:

Da-da, Ma-ma & Carter the Giraffe at the Pumpkin Carving Party

Just me and my Giraffe - love him!!

Carter with the twins, Molly & Ellie

I don't remember if this is Ellie or Molly but she DID NOT LIKE her costume! 

She kept crying. Carter was curious what the crying was about trying to cheer her up by poking her cheek. It didn't help. :)

Pumpkin carved by Meghan

Pumpkin carved by Jeff

Our little pumpkin (Carter's Halloween PJ's) and our two carved pumpkins

Splenda & Cinnamon roasted pumpkin seeds

Blog Challenge, day 7: Thanksgiving 2011

Today is Thanksgiving. It isn't just any Thanksgiving though, it is Carter's 1st Thanksgiving. It made this year that much more special and amazing. We spent the day with some of my extended family. Thankful we have such amazing family here to spend the holidays with. Thank you to my Grandma & Grandpa Moose (full real name left out for online purposes) for hosting Thanksgiving and having us over. Love when we get to see and spend time with family but really love when Carter gets to. I know he is young now and won't remember these first moments but everyone else will, pictures captured will help and things like this blog post will help too.

Here are a few of the pictures captured today:

Carter sleeping in his running stroller after this mornings run - we brought him & the jogging stroller into the house as to not disturb him and he slept for 2 hours just as you see in this picture. I had to wake him up for his bath and bottle so we could move on to be with the family

Carter playing with his Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa's doggies; Alex & Condoleezza

(the dogs are such good sports with Carter - he chased them around the house - under the table, everywhere he could get on his own - he had a blast and they are so good with him - I have possibly 30 pictures of him chasing the dogs)

Carter & Da-da

Some of the boys in the loft watching basketball

Carter waiving hi to ma-ma and the rest of us talking at the table

Carter loving Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa's stairs - climbing them with da-da

Good job buddy, keep climbing

(thanks da-da for making sure I don't go "boom")

Carter snuggling with his Great-Grandma and admiring her necklace

Great-Grandma playing "this little piggy" with Carter's toes

Five minutes later - little man is fast asleep 

(thanks for Snuggling with me, Great-Grandma)

He wore himself out

Thankful he can fall asleep and stay asleep for a good nap while we all hang out around him & keep enjoying each others company

Carter - the people you spent your first Thanksgiving with:
Great- Grandma & Great-Grandpa Moose, Great-Uncle Johnny, Great-Aunt Lori, 2nd Cousins Marshall & Isaac and family friend, Dave.  Not to be left out...Alex and Condoleezza.

There are so many things I am thankful for and that we are thankful for. Love that there were multiple moments today where we took time to talk about and give thanks for all that we are thankful for this year. Hope you and yours had an amazing Thanksgiving and gave thanks for all that is great in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!!

(picture courtesy photobucket)