The Fall Festivities...

October is always a great month for family fun activities.  Besides the Pumpkin Patch usual-ness.  We have probably missed more than we've actually attended.  Which just seems crazy!  

If you don't like pictures of cute littles and pumpkins, come back another day.  I'm throwing all of the October activities into this one post.  You've been warned.

We started the month with pumpkin decorating at Callaway's Nursery.  We missed the science show...Rhys' nap went a little long...but we still had fun decorating.  Really, anytime AK gets to play with glue and Rhys gets to cut things with scissors, it's a good day.

He wouldn't look at the camera.  He was too distracted with the SHARP thing.  

Our local Chick-fil-a is amazing.  Twice a month is Tot Time with a story and craft that goes along with the story.  Every Tuesday night is Kids' Night with more crafts.  This month we've made Popsicle Scarecrows, a thumb print pumpkin patch and Jack O'Lanterns.  I don't take pictures every time because FOR THE LOVE, we're there every week.  

The staff is wonderful.  I've met some other mommies at Thursday morning Tot Times.  Most of them go to our church.  Tuesday nights are busier and almost never the same people.  

Last night, there was a family of four there.  The kids were doing the craft and the parents were sitting at a table looking exhausted and disheveled.  They didn't really stand out.  Because we're all exhausted and disheveled by the end of the day.  But the owner's wife...a precious women with four kids of her own and who never misses an activity...spotted them and offered to buy them dinner.  She filled their table to the max with food.  Enough for a couple of days easily.  After I overheard the discussion, I took a closer look and could see, they were in need.  

I love our Chick-fil-a.

Anyway, we're on a tight budget (NOT in need by any means) so I usually buy myself a drink and maybe some hash brown rounds in the morning.  Sometimes a kid's sundae in the afternoons.  But we're there for the crafts and the play area.  

The kids LOVE it.

This past Sunday, the church where AK attends preschool was hosting a Trunk or Treat.  Chris, normally, is off on Sunday's so that meant he could go with all of us.  He hates missing so many things with them but we try to make sure he's with us for some major events.  

Because I'm hopeful I will someday forget my daughter's meltdowns over clothes, I'm just gonna say...she was a Princess Butterfly and leave it at that.  Rhys was Super Man...with a mask.  Because it came with the cape and he thinks it's the COOLEST THING EVER.

Rhys was a champ.  He held my hand the whole time (mostly), said Trick or Treat and said Thank you!  AK did that as well but she's four.  I kinda expect that from her.  This was Rhys' first Halloween rodeo so to speak.  After we came home, they got to eat one piece of candy.  Betcha can't tell what color the sucker was?

Monday we headed up to the Bass Pro Shop.  We normally go at least once a year for the Santa's Wonderland thing.  This year, though, someone posted the event schedule for their Great Pumpkin week.  Crafts, photo with Charlie Brown and all the dead, stuffed animals we could stand.  

Three days later, Rhys is still asking why the Bear was trying to eat the Caribou.  

For some reason, my answer of "Bears eat other animals to live" doesn't seem to be cutting it.  

They had THREE crafts for the kids to make.  A Lucy picture to color, an Owl ornament and a Jack O'Lantern magnet.  We made all three.  Well, I made Rhys'.  AK did all her own though.

After crafts, we sat next to the "creek," ate some cinnamon roasted almonds and drank some water.  The kids were in heaven.  And the whole experience, including travel time, took over two hours.  

That's two hours of FUN, y'all.

Well done, Bass Pro.  Well done.

Y'all hanging in there?  One more...

Today was AK's Halloween party and costume parade at school.  I've never been to the costume parade because I've always had women's bible study to rush off to.  But not this year!  I am so glad we stayed because Aubrey Kate maxed out on the adorable chart and Rhys loved watching all the costumes and waving to the kids.

Again, let's pretend AK doesn't have major sensory issues with clothing and just say...

BOOMER!

She's still wearing the outfit.  I may never get her out of it.  

And believe it or not, we have one more Halloween activity on Friday.  We're going to IHOP for free scary pancakes!  The kids will LOVE that.  And I'll love watching them have fun!

Happy Fall, Y'all!