Happy Halloween!

It's been a while since I've had time to write a post on here...so I'll start by updating you all on what we've been doing. Saturday night, Matt and I went to a corn maze out in the country. I hadn't heard much about it...except that our youth group from church was going and I had looked it up on line and saw that it is "haunted" during the month of October. Well, being the big SCAREDY CAT that I am, I was leery of going...but Matt is all about scarey kind of stuff and he always misses out because I am such a chicken...so I thought I'd do it for him. The website shows pictures of little kids being there...so how bad could it really be, I thought!? So...we got there at about 8:45 pm and it was already really dark and getting a little chilly. First we stopped off at the little store they have and bought me a hot chocolate. (the kind where the water comes out of a coffee pot thing...so it was scalding hot!) It was such a rip off b/c you pay $1.00 for a little packet of Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix but then you add it to this LARGE cup of boiling water and you end up having brown water basically (and no marshsmallows either :o( ) Anyway, so we approach the maze and there is a big sign that says "Haunted Maze Entrance" and I can already hear people sreaming!!! We start off and everything seems fine...no big deal...except I can still hear people screaming and I can hear a chain saw now so I am getting all freaked out. We keep walking and I finally tell Matt that I know I should put the (ridiculously hot) hot chocolate down because the minute someone jumps out and scares me...we are going to be wearing it. SO....reluctantly, I put it down (I haven't even had a sip of it yet) and we walk on. By this time, I am gripping Matt's arm SO hard and my heart is pounding. Finally we get to the "haunted" part of the maze which I figured out when I looked behind me and there was somebody with a FUUREEEEKY mask on standing RIGHT behind me looking right at me following us!!! From that moment on, I put my head inside of the coat I was wearing (Matt's huge work coat) and honestly, that was the last thing I saw until we were completley out of that whole area. We even walked through a haunted "tent" thing they had set up and I didn't see a single thing...I just keep my head hidden and held onto Matt's arm. Ha Ha! I know I am such a big sissy...but I just don't understand the rush people get from looking at greusome masks and blood-stained clothes! That is just sicko to me! (Nothing against my hubby...he isn't really into all that either...but he does enjoy a little "thrill" every so often). Anyway, after that...we cuddled up by one of the bonfires they had going and just talked. We mentioned how quiet it was...and then we just laughed. What we meant is "how quiet it was in our little space"...but actually there were kids running around everywhere screaming and laughing. It's just that our kids weren't there...so for him and I...it was nice and quiet. We were kind of sad we didn't take the kids because there were so many fun things for the kids to do and really...there was hardly anything scary about it. Matt said that there were only 3 people wearing masks in the maze and that one of them was holding a (running) chainsaw...but they weren't jumping out at people or making scary "GRRRRRRR" noises or anything. Even though the kids would have enjoyed it...it was nice to just be alone too. It reminded me of when we were first dating (maybe because there were so many teenagers there). If I were ever going to do a corn maze again though, I'd go during the day so I could actually try to make my way through it. When it's pitch black outside...all you really do is wander around and you have NO idea where you're going. For all we knew...we might have been going in circles the whole time! ha ha

Last night, we took the kids to the high school for their trick-or-treat night. The basketball players got to pick out their favorite costume and Grant got picked right away. Then all the girl players came around and handed out candy to the kids. It wasn't a "blast" but it was fun to get out of the house for half an hour and do something all together.

Today, I did my first party as a "homeroom mom" for Grant's class. There is another mom who shares the "job" with me (who has also become a good friend since we live about 1 block from each other and have little boys the same age). It was fun but I think we alloted too much time and not enough things to do. It only took them about 5 minutes to eat their cupcakes and drink their juice and then we played the bean-bag toss that I made and that was it. They spent the remaining 30 minutes playing with the toys in the classroom...but it would have been nice to have a few more games. I guess next time, we'll know.

Tonight, we will be running lots of different places and getting more candy than I care to think about. What exactly are you supposed to do with all that candy? I mean...it's just now Halloween and already we have a HUGE bowl full. After tonight, I am guessing we'll have so much there will be enough to last at least until next Halloween! Do any of you have any suggestions for how to dole it out to the kids? I just yesterday threw away a bowl of candy that was left over from last Halloween, Valentines and Easter!! and even that was hard for me to do because there was nothing wrong with it...other than that it was a year old! ha ha

Tomorrow is November! Wow! That just amazes me! I think I will probably put our Christmas Tree up in the next week or two! Crazy, I know...but I just can't wait ANY longer! ha ha Plus, we are having Thanksgiving at our house this year...and I want to have my house all decorated for the holiday's then anyway...so I might as well do it sooner than later. Normally, we put our tree up ON Thanksgiving Day, but this year, since we are hosting...we have planned a big bonfire that evening for our family and we will be playing games and making smores! Fun, huh?! If I have any "takers" I am offering to take all the girls shopping the next day...but so far, I don't think anyone has "signed up" for that! hee hee

My dad's birthday is Sunday. It's been about 2 1/2 months now since we've seen him. He's still in CA working and the kids are missing him SO much! We sent him a little package yesterday for his birthday so that will be nice...but I hate it that he'll be spending it ALL alone. I wanted to make a video of the kids singing happy birthday to him and of them just being cute and playing..but I didn't get around to it in time! :o( We don't know when he'll be home again...but we are hoping sometime around the holiday's he'll get to come home at least for a quick visit. Too bad it costs so much to fly or we'd just go see him! Matt and I have never flown...so I keep saying one of these days...we ARE going to!

Well, I've exhausted my brain. I can't think of anything else to tell you all right now so I guess I'll end. Hope you all have a fun night collecting candy with your cuties!