1 Zookeeper, 1 Very Pink Flamingo, and The Youngest Amazing Race Contestant

Those were the costumes for the night!! Our tradition of going to Grams and PaPa's house to trick-or-treat because we don't really live in a neighborhood continued... The kids had a blast seeing Grams' surprises this year - spider webs in the chandelier and candy corn cookies complete with spiders. YUM! Oh, by the way... PaPa, you really need to work on your dusting skills! We quickly realized that Ryan probably didn't remember the trick-or-treat ettiquette. So, a few houses into the night we had a little pit stop and reminded him how to approach the door and what to say after receiving all the yummy treats. True to last year, he then began to announce to us every time he said "thank you" to one of the kind candy givers. I would love to send pictures to his friend in China, but how do you really explain this whole tradition to an outsider!! It is quite bizarre when you really think about it!

Marlo, you won the prize for guessing the costumes from a pile of pink feathers months ago. I about died when you guessed! You are one smart cookie!
We already have next year's costume planned. Sadly, this was Morgan's last year to trick-or-treat! But, we will all dress up next year and plan to do our church's annual Trunk or Treat (weather permitting)!

Treats

Since we don't typically trick-or-treat in our neighborhood, we love to deliver treats prior to the night for our friends in our area. This is what we cooked up this year... You can go here for the witch's brew label. Witch's brew for the big kids and chocolate covered pretzels complete with sprinkles for our little friends!!

From the Pulpit - Or, the Basement Stairs

This is going on behind me as I write... I was doing other work on the computer and heard this going on behind me and just had to dash to blogger to get it written down.

Ryan came in asking for help getting a toy out of another toy (one wooden scoop of ice cream from one set stuck in a plastic scoop of ice cream from another set) stuck - I must do this for them 10 times a day (exaggeration, but it is a lot). So, I did it once and he jammed it in there again two seconds later. This time, I told him he needed to fix it. Well, Rylee intervened and this is what I have been frantically trying to record - Didn't quite get it all, but have to admit I got quite a bit of the conversation:

Rylee: "Let's pray. We are suppose to ask God for help. God, please help Ryan get this toy out."
Ryan tries to get it out and it doesn't work.
Rylee: "You pray this time. God can do anything!"
Ryan starts mumbling.
Rylee: "No, say 'Dear God, please help me get this ice cream out!' "
Ryan repeats what she says and moans and groans trying to get it out.
Rylee: "Okay, do it!"
Ryan: "Okay, God do it!"
Rylee: "He lives in our heart. You need to get a bigger heart. Then, he can live in there. He loves us and we worship Him."
Ryan prays: "Please, please help me. Don't be mad, be happy."
Rylee: "God is always always happy. In the day, at night, in the middle of the night, all the time. He doesn't go to sleep, He doesn't take a nap. He never goes to sleep - He always stays awake!"

Ryan: "I can't hear God."
Rylee: "When we open up the Bible, He talks to us. We don't really hearrr(KY drawl) Him. He lives up in heaven."
Ryan: "He is far, far away?"
Rylee: "He is up in the sky - Not a little down."

Takes Ryan to the door to look outside. Mumbled conversation
Rylee: "You can't see Him, it's very far away."
Ryan: "How is He going to put Him down?"
Rylee: "He doesn't go down, He always stays up there."
Ryan: "There are stop signs up there?"
Rylee: "No, only in the world."
Ryan: "Only, far, far away?"
Rylee: "Yep. God always helps you. He is bigger than us. Bigger than mommies and daddies, grandmas and grandpas..."

I feel so blessed when I am able to hear these types of interactions and for God's reassurance that we are instilling a faith foundation. To hear it from a child's heart...Nothing could be sweeter. I don't know all of the plans that God has for our children, but I hope that they will grow to be as bold and outspoken in their faith as adults. I pray that they will take the time as they grow older to ask God for guidance and direction in even the smallest tasks like fixing a toy!! I pray that they will have faith the size of a mustard seed. I know without a shadow of doubt that He has big plans for their lives! Oooh... I can't wait to see the story unfold further!!

Sweet!!

There is a lot of "sweetness" in this house this week... Last night, the Phillies won the National League Championship and are now on their way to the World Series for the 2nd year in a row. The 2nd year in a row!! You could say that there are happy boys in this house. To top it off, Herbie made his debut and arrived home tonight!! Life is very, very good!! Taa daa... More pictures to come once we have better light...

Final Countdown!!

"T-minus" 2 Days!!! Two more days until Herbie comes home!! He is done and ready to unveil his new look - Only problem, between the dr.'s schedule and ours we can't pick him up until Thursday evening. I am very thankful that Mike has had a busy week preparing (3 messages) for a retreat that he will speaking at this weekend for a christian group on campus, his regular Sunday school lesson, and the Phillies have been playing. This, has made the wait for him much more bearable.

Pickin' Pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch!!

A very crisp, fall Sunday afternoon at the pumpkin patch. The kids had a blast running through the field, picking out their prized pumpkins, and talkin' to the animals!

Answer to Pumpkins and Pumpkin Analyses question:
Small Pumpkin Gourd = Ryan. No weighing necessary!

"Princess Pumpkin" (short and squat) = Rylee. It is really a "Cinderella" pumpkin and hers weighed in at 15 lbs.
Larger Pumpkin of the 3 = Morgan. Average run of the mill pumpkin patch pumpkin that weighed in at 5 lbs.

Pumpkins & Personality Analyses

I can't help but wonder if there is not some psychological analysis that can be given based upon the choice of pumpkin that each child selected at the pumpkin patch today! The pumpkins are as diverse as their little personalities... So what do you think? Can you guess who picked out which pumpkin?!? More pictures from "the patch" tomorrow...