Crafts, costumes and dead fish

So we did NOT carve pumpkins this year.

Am I the worst mom ever?

They never asked and I didn't care to remind them. Being super sick this week and pregnant is a good excuse right?  I don't think I would have reminded them even if I hadn't been sick or pregnant (but don't tell them that).

Now just because we didn't carve pumpkins didn't mean they did have fun FALL festive days. Because they did.


Just about EVERY day for the month they came home from school (did homework) then went to work on their "crafts" they LOVE coloring, drawing, creating (anything messy).

My favorite is probably Asher's creation on the yellow page. (Notice the arrow through his heart under the grave stone). Ha ha ha

They put out all the decorations this year and I let them choose where and everything. I added the new pumpkin craft as well. You can go HERE for the super easy tutorial. 

They of course dressed up for Trunk or Treat at the church, Halloween at Uncle Danny & Aunt Sarah's, and also attended the school Harvest Festival.

My mother in-law so kindly got their costumes this year at either Ross or TJ Maxx, which was nice because they were a different from the everyday costumes but I didn't have to make them...loved the no stress! 

Ella LOVED wearing makeup with her gypsy costume.

 

Asher was the best magician  (loved pulling his rabbit out of his hat).  

Tate was the cutest little sock monkey and made accompanying sounds.

Ned also took them to Bass Pro Shops (while I was gone at Joy's wedding, more on that later).  What a husband, he pulled out all the stops, I was so proud of him!

Asher decided he wanted to wear his cousins hand me down shark costume.

And pose in front of the fish.

They also did the pumpkin patch with Grammy! And you can tell from their faces how well they liked that.

Then my dad's birthday was celebrated up at Oak Glen.  

They did the SLEEPY HOLLOW DINNER at Riley's Farm.  Which was a huge hit. The kids loved it and it was such a fun Halloween/fall event. We would do it again.

It helps that I had just re-read the book: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in preparation and showed the kids the Disney video.

So we were well prepared.

We also went up a few hours early to walk around the Oak Tree Village to explore nature. 

Ned taught the kids how to crack open acorns and how to get the meat out (& told them they would still need to cook it). You know basic survival skills all kids need. 

 And we got our huge jug of apple cider.

No FALL is complete without APPLE CIDER. 

And then thought I'd leave you with a truly demented Halloween craft.

I don't know how this happened, honestly, but it did.

The kids were making bloody Halloween candles.

And we found Asher's fish had perished, "witch" ironically enough. And they begged and begged me to let them put it on the candle.

I finally let in and it took a lot of effort to get it out of the bowl, on the candle without anyone touching it.

I let them keep it on long enough to get a picture and then that was enough, they were laughing and I was gagging.
Poor witch.
RIP.

 Hope you all had a wonderful fall.