Halloween at Mike's Office

The Halloween festivities this year kicked off with trick or treating at Mike's office. The twins had so much fun cruising the hallways, stopping at the various cubicles and popping in and out of people's offices saying, "Trick or treat, please." Judging by the tour Mike was giving the twins throughout the office, I think Mike really enjoyed showing off his girls to his co-workers. It was a very fun day - and the twins even behaved themselves - so I have a feeling we'll be invited back again next year to his office for more trick or treating.

First stop, the conference room, where homemade cookies and brownies greeted all the children.

Playing with some of the trick or treaters. Chatting it up with Mike's co-workers.

On the hunt through the hallways for candy.

Who knew daddy's office was so much fun!

The proud daddy with his beautiful princesses.

Mermaid Me! Happy Halloween!

Just for kicks, I thought I'd post one picture of me having some dress-up fun this Halloween. It's one reason, even as adults, we can still love Halloween as much as the little ones do - playing dress up - and, isn't it fun?! I joined Paige and Taylor in the mermaid theme with a wig, some sparkle glitter, as well as some face and body jewelry of my own! The twins loved seeing mommy dressed up, and I had some fun with it too. Next year, I'm going to convince Mike to get in the dress-up spirit too!

Trick R' Treat at The Zoo

Our local zoo hosted a night of Halloween fun with costumed characters, pumpkin bowling, crafts, haunted houses, and candy stations. The kids got to trick or treat around Lake Victoria (situated at the center of the zoo grounds), to meander through the zoo with other children and to pick up even MORE candy for their Halloween stash. Mike and I enjoyed the locale of the zoo because it was truly a family-friendly event, plus something a little different than the door-to-door neighborhood trick or treat experience.

Trick or treating at one of the many candy stations in the zoo.

Taylor showing off her trick or treat bag.

Checking out a friendly ghost and pumpkin.

What a moment. They're both looking in the same direction, just not at the camera. Sometimes, this is as good as it gets...at least you can see both of their faces at the same time. A truly rare photographic moment here.

Meandering through the candy stations.

A passerby stops to admire the mermaid princesses.

Inside the haunted house. It was a children's haunt (a mild version of a haunted house). You'd never know it though by the reactions of Paige who could hardly bear to look at anything in the haunted house.

Paige practically crawling her way out of her seat to get out of the haunted house.

While Taylor remained curious about the sights and sounds of the haunted house, Paige was petrified and we couldn't get out of the haunted house fast enough...

Bedazzled Paige.

Paige people watching at the zoo.

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There's so much to see....we're just taking it all in.

Which direction do we go next?

Waiting in line at another candy station.

Trick or treat, please.

Meeting some costumed characters.

Enjoying a moment with her lollipop.

Isn't this Halloween awesome?

Still enjoying her lollipop.

Paige still sucking on her lollipop.

Bedazzled Taylor.

Happy Halloween!

Someday the twins will discover that it's fun to be a little different and fun to dress differently too; but for now, it's monkey see, monkey do. Or, in this case, mermaid see, mermaid do. Yes, both of the girls wanted to be mermaid princesses for Halloween this year. I thought (and even hoped) that they might each want to be their own character and had even explored and encouraged the girls to think about each of them being something different, but as with so many other experiences in our daily lives, whatever one of the girls has, the other one wants to be/have the exact same. I was able to convince each of the girls to have their own unique trick 'r treat bag - woooohooo, something...at least one thing...to distinguish them this Halloween! So, drum roll please....the big reveal of twin mermaids, Paige and Taylor! (Be sure to check out additional photos in the above slide show)

Here we are in all of our fabulousness!

Let's go trick 'r treating.

Got shopping-sized bags. Will acquire lots of candy.

It's a great day to be princesses!

Taylor strikes a pose.

Dress up. Isn't it fun!

Oh, snap. Divas. Yes, that's what we are!

On the move. This is the typical shot. Usually I'm chasing after them rather than facing them.

Paige strikes a pose.

This crown is for me?!

Mmmmm....chocolate!

Doing their own rendition of the monster mash.

Countryfied

Countryfied. What is it about spending time in the country that makes a person feel rustic and that makes a person want to tear through the old backroads and cornfields with some quirky Alan Jackson song running through their head? Is it the hospitality, charm and beauty of nature that makes the country life seem so appealing? Or, is it the old-fashioned games of horse-shoes and hide-n-seek in the shoulder-high cornfields that seem a nostalgic thing of the past? Perhaps it is the fun children have as they climb on top of the hay bales or the massive farming equipment. Whatever it is, this past weekend, we spent part of our afternoon getting countryfied. We took the twins to a nearby family farm where we all played in hay and corn mazes, climbed to the top of a hay bale pyramid and rode in the back of a tractor-pulled wagon through the farm fields. It was a really fun day, and a few pictures from our time on the farm are shown below. (Mike was with us too, but regrettably, we didn't get one picture with him...next time, next time.)

Paige and Taylor taking turns steering the John Deere tractor.

Teamwork - two sets of toddler hands were needed to turn the tractor's steering wheel.

When you can't ride the real thing, rocking horses are a close second on the farm.

Carving Pumpkins

We love our church! And, not just because yesterday, following the morning service and Sunday school, there was an opportunity to carve pumpkins but because...oh, okay, that is one of the reasons we love our church! Our church always provides families with opportunities to take part in good fun with other church families and friends who attend and yesterday was one of those times. After the twins finished their Sunday school class, and after Mike and I had attended the morning worship service, we all joined together again to take part in the pumpkin carvings. Paige and Taylor picked out the pumpkin for our family, Mike had the honors of gutting the innards and pulling out all the seeds, and I pitched in with the face carving handiwork. Now, I know what I'm about to say here flies in the face of the spirit of humility, but can I just say that Martha Stewart's got absolutely nothing on us when it comes to carving pumpkin faces....

Checking out the pumpkins, trying to decide which one to pick.

Paige settles on this pumpkin.

Mike showing Taylor the oooey-goooey pumpkin innards and seeds.

Taylor chows down on a pumpkin-flavored donut, complete with pumpkin-flavored frosting and topped with candy corn.

Let the carvings begin...

Checking out the face of our masterpiece.