Halloween part 3: Finally, Trick or treating

Trick or treating around town can be few and far between, due to the abundance of "Trunk or treats" in the area.  So, guess where we headed? You betcha! Trunk or treat.  This year was great though, even bigger, spreading from one church, down 2 or 3 blocks, to another church.  Our local Merchant's Association was there, along with fire trucks, police cars and parks and rec vehicles.  Lots of fun, lots of people...LOTS of candy!   They say a picture is worth a thousand words...here you go!

Front porch picture...notice the Thomas's hanging out!?

Flying off!  Yes, he was a Fire Fighter for school, Batman for trick or treat

He wanted to take a picture on the steps of the church

"Batman to da rescue!!!!"

We met up with our cute neighbors along the way!

Dumping the loot at Grandma's...the last stop

Wow!  Better hide the chocolate from Mommy!

Halloween part 2: We're gonna be stuck in here FOREVER!!!!

As you can tell by the title of this blog, our family decided to brave a corn maze.  We have a local farm, about 10 minutes from our house, that does one, along with hay rides, and all things farm.  Because Brant's class field trip got rained out, we wanted to be sure to get one in before the season was over.  So, Oct. 30th was the big day.

Brimming with excitement, Brant bounced out of the car...immediately wanting to go on the departing hay ride.  Scrambling to buy tickets, we hopped aboard, only to discover not only was one of my students on it, but a friend from a club as well.  So much for escaping for a few hours!  But we soon forgot them as the tractor started and we were off!

Raz Taz farm is a working farm, and the owner of the farm rode along, narrating the hayride though fields, around ponds and past historical farm equipment.  Brant is was in heaven as we passed combines, soybeans, Frog Bottom Pond (there's a story with that name) and lots and LOTS of tractors.  The farmer educated us on crops grown in NC, the Piedmont, and why it's important to buy local, specifically, "It's Gotta Be NC."

Looking where we've been, around Raz Taz farm.

Frog Bottom Pond (to the right) in a field of soybeans.

All too soon, the ride ended, and Brant was off.  He took off in the direction of the small silos filled with, you got it! CORN!  Brant kicked off his shoes and dug, waded, hopped, tossed, in other words, throughly enjoyed the corn.  We laughed when the kid exiting before Brant was squirming uncomfortably. As his dad checked...yep, corn in the diaper!

Brant had corn in his pockets when he came home!

On to the hay bales, hay tractor, hay tunnel.  If you ask Brant what is his favorite is...it's the hay tractor!   Running himself silly, it was time to hit the Maze.

Way up high on the hay bales

Look at my cute boys!

Having fun with Daddy in the tunnels

Loving crawling through

Brant's favorite, the hay tractor.

We didn't do the Mini Maze, but headed into the big one.  About an hour later...we came out.  It was great fun, Brant led the way.  By about 30 minutes in though, he was getting a bit concerned as we hit dead end after dead end.   Looking very serious, he stopped, turned around and said, "We're gonna be stuck in here FOREVER!"  He made Daddy lead the way after that, and slowly, but surely, we made it out! (Mommy was VERY glad to see the Port-a-potty strategically located at the exit of the maze!).

You are now entering the maze.

"The Leader!"

Looking through towards the rest of the farm

Mommy and Brant, in a rare blog appearance.  I'm usually behind the camera!

Smiles as we made it out!

We checked out a few more tractors, and it was off to rest up for the big night of Trunk-or-Treating...to be continued!

Halloween part 1: BDS Carnival = Great Family Fun!

Ms. Jodi walking with Brant during the parade

Halloween has come and gone and it's just now that I can sit down to record it all!  This is going to be a multi-post blogging session, as we crammed so much into the Halloween weekend, one post can't hold it all! 

The tradition at BDS is that the kindergarten students wear their costumes to school on the Friday before Halloween, and hold a "parade" through the halls of the school.  It's great fun, and, as you see the feet of the middle schoolers, they love to line the hall.  The kiddos are all adorable, but I have a soft spot in my heart for a particular fire fighter!

The costume only lasted a little while as it got shed, piece by piece throughout the day.  When Brant came home that afternoon, the only remaining costume parts were the t-shirt and pants he wore underneath it. 

A short break at home and we headed BACK to BDS for the annual Halloween Carnival.  For those of you who have never been, it's a must do on the list.  Entering under the black cat, it was a world of fun, from Putt Putt, inflatable slide, games and a cake walk.  Guess who the pro at the Cake Walk is?? You got it, Little B!  And he went straight for the Reese's Peanut Butter cake...like father, like son!

I'll let the pictures do the talking for the rest of the night!  Enjoy, we sure did!

Brant's class, Fireman Brant on the back row, far right.

The two fire fighters playing fire station, I overheard their conversation, it was adorable.
They both are shooting hoses at the fire!

Throwing the balls into the tic tac toe!  

Oh yeah, blue cotton candy.  Brant was blue too, by the end!

Remember those pumpkins?

Snoozing in Daddy's arms

This week's blog was supposed to be about Brantley's first field trip.  Daddy took off the day, and was heading with the K4 class of BDS to the Corn Maize, Pumpkin Patch and Gem Dig in High Point.  




The weather was calling for light showers, so the boys dressed in their rain gear.  Expecting an 8:30 departure from school, Brantley hopped in the car to meet the bus there.  8:30 came and went, NO BUS!  A call to the bus company says that they thought the trip was cancelled!  They sent a bus, but it was 2 hours later than the kids were supposed to leave!  By the time the kids got to High Point it was POURING rain.  They had to turn around and come back. 

The kids were so cute, because even though they didn't get to have their trip, they had a bus ride!  For the kids at BDS, this is a few and far between experience, as we don't have school buses.  Although disappointed, Brantley bounced off the bus.  Daddy decided to check him out early, to salvage the day, and they headed to see Alpha and Omega in the "fee-a-ter."  

Remember those pumpkins we brought home from Delaware?  Brantley does, he had to load them AND unload them twice before we got them back to North Carolina!  Well, tonight was THE night.  It had to be, as Brantley doesn't have another night off before next Friday, and carving pumpkins in the O'Day house is a family affair. 

Two of the pumpkins Pop Pop bought Brant for his "pumpkin train"

Daddy working hard on the Thomas pumpkin

We didn't set out to carve pumpkins tonight. As a matter of fact, we went to a birthday party (Brantley's good friend Allie from school), Lowe's (to try and pick out paint for the laundry room) and a few other errands.  It only dawned on me as I was pulling into the driveway at 5:30, that Halloween is NEXT weekend!  

Another birthday at the Little Gym, good thing it's a favorite!

Nothing like a good belly flop!

Taking it slow on the beam...look at monkey Hannah on the bars!

Smacking the mats and singing Happy Birthday to Allie (center)

As much as we got done today,we only got two pumpkins carved tonight, Brantley's and mine. Daddy will do his one morning he's home (that baby's huge!) Didn't Thomas turn out well, and my owl on a branch is ok.  I don't know what these people do who carve these pumpkins in magazines! Either we got really thick pumpkins, or it's not as easy as it looks! 

Even though Halloween is not a big holiday for our family, the excitement is growing!  Lots of activities coming up this week!  Tomorrow, team party, Friday is the Halloween carnival AND he gets to wear his costume to school...Saturday...corn maize with Mommy and Daddy...then Trunk or Treat!  Whew...anyone else tired?  Check in often this week!  

A Blustery kind of day in Delaware

Brant: MOM!  When are we leaving?

Mom: Early in the morning. 

Brant:  But I want to go NOW!  I miss Mom Mom, Pop Pop, Jacob, Hazen, Hadley, Baylor and Bwalaney!   

We've been planning to come back up to Delaware for Fall Break, since our last trip up.  Brant had so much fun, and really misses his cousins in between trips.  Mom and Dad love to come up too, so it was no problem! 

Beautiful Delaware mums

The only plan we had for this trip was to go to the Pumpkin Patch.  We took Brant to the Pumpkin Patch when he was only a few month old, and haven't been in Delaware in October since then.  We set off with Pumpkin Patch as our ultimate location, but Pop Pop told us that the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit was having an open house.  We swung by the airport to check it out.  Brant enjoyed the helicopters, and seeing all the Troopers, like Pop Pop used to be. 

Brant made a bee-line for the helicopter

The rear-stablilizer of each plane or helicopter had the State Police emblem.

There were helicopters from New Jersey, as well as Maryland

Checking out the plane, like the one Pop Pop almost got sick in on duty. 

Finally, we got to the pumpkins!  In North Carolina, the pumpkins are expensive!  But here in Delaware, we got a pumpkin that Big Brant could hardly lift..for $10!! (keep posted for carving pictures later in the month!)  We had fun comparing pumpkins, putting them back, getting more and enjoying the fall beauty.  But HOLY COW! It was windy, even for Delaware!  

Of course, a fall trip to Delaware is not complete without a trip to Smith's orchard for some yummy apple donuts, turnovers and cider!  This time, the pumpkins were in abundance, as well, and I couldn't resist sneaking in another photo!

We are now prepping for  a Phillies cookout and game party!  How fun it is to be with family!  How blessed we are to have each other!