Happy Halloween 2011

This Halloween the weather was beautiful and it stayed light out later as well. The girls picked their costumes fairly early in the year. And they didn't change their minds once so In September I started putting their costumes together. Clarissa was a Spa Girl complete with the fancy nails, slippers, bathrobe, and her face had a splash of color. Kimberly was a tooth fairy. I had a fun time making her dress, wand, and watching the costume come together. Yes you ARE looking at the group picture right Lady dressed up as well. She was a little piggy and we won her costume at the Bark for Life event that took place earlier this year! We went to the hospital and a few family friends houses...  you would never guess that though from how much stuff they came home with!

 

Spa Girl

 

Tooth Fairy

 

The girl's stock pile... HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I was going through pictures and it came to my attention I had yet to do a post on our pumpkin carving! Clarissa was more than happy to sit back and allow me to do the "dirty work" she told me the kind of face she wanted her pumpkin to have and she was relaxing in the living room watching tv since she was also home from school with a temp. Kimberly jumped right in there and was more than willing to scoop out the insides of her pumpkin.

After getting clear instructions from each girl on what they wanted I got busy carving their jack-o-lantern's....

Even though she wasn't feeling 100% Clare was able to find the energy to smile with her pumpkin. She congratulated me on how I did what she wanted me to do. I was happy she liked it!

Kimberly wanted her's to have 1 eye and a sad face with a tooth... so what is the rectangle? She also wanted a K on the side of his face she explained it was kinda like face paint. I drew it out and then carved it but the middle it was triangles to show the K outline and they broke of leaving a big rectangle.

And there you have it our 2011 jack-o-lanterns!

5K & Halloween Party

Saturday October 22nd was the Race for the Cure, a 5k walk and run for breast cancer awareness. The last time we did the walk Kimberly was 1 and Clare was 3. I debated bringing the stroller but thinking of 3.1 miles for both girls to walk just didn't sound like much fun, and I'm thankful I brought the stroller. We enjoyed meeting new people and of course it felt great walking to support an amazing cause. Quentin's Aunt survived breast cancer, we walk in honor of her, so many others, and those who lost their battle. They are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Ready to GO!

With Halloween coming closer and closer there are several events taking place to help kids show off their costumes. This year Quentin's parents thought it would be fun to throw a kid friendly party for the grand kids. There was a maze that led us to the back door of the garage where a big gorilla was waiting for us. The kids just giggled knowing it was Grandpa Chuck but it was funny to see their reactions to the garage that was dark had a lit path to 4 pillows on a blanket and a rocking chair. From behind the shadows a kinda sorta scary looking witch came out and told the kids they looked good enough to eat. Kimberly then added "we smell good too." I got a chuckle from that and we all sat around the witch while she read about the kids getting ready and telling the story of how they got to this kinda scary looking witch. At the end of the story the witch took off her hood and the kids laughed at their Grandma Laura who was not scary to them at all. Each kid showed off their costumes.  The kids hit homemade pinata's, ate fruit loops off a string, and had to pin a face on the jack-o-lantern. It was getting chilly in the garage and stomachs were beginning to growl but luck would have it homemade mummy pizza was in the oven almost ready to come out. Along with eye debled eggs, grapes, and chips. We didn't stay hungry for long. The cousins played for a little while but then we had to get home so that they could go to the pumpkin patch since they hadn't been yet. We figured it was best we not go for a second time after Quentin got his worst serious sinus infection to date. We came home with LOTS of candy, full stomachs, and awesome memories.

The 4 grandkids on the Painter side
A girls with chicken pox, transformer, dragon, and tooth fairy

Each kid had their own personal pinata to break FILLED with candy.

 

The girls had a great time

Kimberly's Favorite part was:

Story, Seeing ma and pap dressed up and, pinata

Clarissa's favorite part was:

When ma said come in my children you look good enough to eat, And how the

story she told was about Clarissa, Kimberly, and their cousins.

Cinnamon Bear

One of the fun traditions going back as far as when my brother went to Gingerbread House Pre School is that a little bear named Cinnamon Bear comes to each of the students' houses for the weekend. Kimberly just completed her weekend with Cinnamon Bear and boy did we have a fun weekend. We write a quick story and Kimberly colors a picture in a book and then goes to school on Monday and shares her stories and coloring page with her classmates. Cinnamon Bear, as I said before, has been a tradition for many years and I remember back when I had my Cinnamon Bear in September of 1990. Here are some fun pictures form Cinnamon Bear's busy weekend at the Painter house.

Our waiter, Nate, was so kind to ask Kimberly if Cinnamon Bear wanted milk to drink too. Kimberly could only giggle at the question.

 

Cinnamon Bear and Kimberly waiting for me to cut out the pieces to Kimberly's Halloween costume.
 

Picking tomatoes from grandma and grandpa's garden. Kimberly thought to do this all by herself.

Kimberly went on a golf cart ride with Cinnamon Bear.

Making snickerdoodles

This was just to cute to not post!

Clarissa took this picture of Kimberly rolling the snickerdoodles in the Cinnamon. Cinnamon loved this part of making the cookies.

Kimberly and I looking at pictures from when I was little and had Cinnamon Bear. We also realized this will be the last time Cinnamon Bear visits our house. But then maybe Clarissa or Kimberly's kids will attend Gingerbread House Pre School and bring home Cinnamon Bear!

Deals 2011

The time has come for our annual Deal's Orchard trip and apple sauce making weekend. It was exciting for us to have my brother and his family visiting from Illinois. The girls stayed quite busy from when we arrived at the Orchard to when we got home from making applesauce.

Enjoying the hay ride

The girls had some apple cider before they ate pop corn.

Off to get our pumpkins from the field.

Kimberly found her pumpkin

Clarissa found her pumpkin. She was very particular in the pumpkin she was looking for.

More pictures were taken at the Orchard and while making apple sauce but I was busy working and the pictures were taken mainly on my parents' camera; we have a few on our camera but not many. We had a great time and can't wait to eat the apple sauce we made.