"I am a robot, trick-or-treat"

I wasn't as excited about our costumes this year as I was about last years. But I knew with James' creativity they would turn out ok. Adeline looked the best. She was a fairy princess/robot. She also got to sport her glow in the dark wand we had been saving since last year that she got from Great Grandpa Bean.
What a happy little girl!

And look at this little man. Yes, he is in a spray painted sack held together by duct tape. We wanted Andrew in something that we could pick him up in if we needed to.

Our family shot!

Adeline couldn't walk very well because her box was too long, James couldn't move his arms because he had those crazy tubes around them, and I couldn't touch my arms together because I was stuck in a box. This provided a bit of humiliation for me but also a lot of laughs.

Andrew eating pretzels to keep himself happy. He dumped the bag out all over himself but since I couldn't get to him with my crazy robot box costume we just let him be.

Addy's first walk to the neighbors. She couldn't climb the stairs so we had to help her get the candy in her bucket.

Aunt Betsey was a great help in preparing all of our costumes.

Daddy and daughter robots.

I think Andrew was upset because Addy got candy and he didn't at a particular house.

A full family shot....thank you David Rudd.

Mommy and Addy

Andrew happy with his hands full of candy.

And here is a video of the princess robot in action.

Andrew was very excited when we all got home and he could dig into his candy. What a fun night with great memories!

Andrew loves Matthias

It is so cute to watch Andrew follow Matthias around. Matthias doesn't seem to mind. Just about every day Andrew points to his picture in the house and won't stop until I say his name "Matthias".

Tickle Time!

Aunt Betsey started tickling Adeline (I think) and Andrew wanted in on it. (or it might have been the other way around...I don't remember) Either way both kids loved it! I think Aunt Betsey was having fun too.

A Halloween package

Grandma Bean sent a special Halloween package to the kids. Adeline and Andrew were both very excited to see their new books.

Thank you Grandma, we love them! We'll make sure Mommy and Daddy read them to us each night before Halloween!

A Shrek Special

The kids relaxed while eating popcorn and watching Shrek.

Eventually Adeline made her way to Aunt Betsey's lap and Andrew pulled out the couch into a more comfortable position.

Carving Pumpkins

Aunt Betsey will be staying with us for the next two months doing a cardiac and family practice rotation at the hospital here in Muskegon. We are very excited about this. So tonight's event that Aunt Betsey gets to participate in is carving our pumpkins. I learned my lesson from last year about waiting to carve your pumpkin until right before Halloween. Last year the pumpkins had caved in and were moldy before Halloween even came.
We tried to keep Andrew at a distance because he would have
A. eaten the pumpkin guts and

B. thrown it all over the house.
Adeline became a pro at pulling out the pumpkin guts.

The girls chose ghosts for their pumpkin and a bat for my pumpkin.

Good job ladies it looks great!

Even though I had to carve my pumpkin all by myself Adeline was very generous to have her picture taken with me.

Our finished products!

It's getting dark too soon....

..and with the time change next week it's going to be even sooner. A fun shot of Aunt Betsey and Adeline playing soccer in the back yard after dinner.
Adeline having a pouting session while Aunt Betsey plays with Andrew.

I love 'em!

How could you not?

Uncle John-John and Papa's presents....

Adeline was very excited about giving her presents. She worked very hard on each of them. Uncle John and Papa loved their gifts and they especially loved their handmade cards with Andrew's approving hand on the back.
Here is Addy with the happy birthday boys.

"Papa, Papa"

Andrew LOVES his Papa! And each time Papa went by him while he was eating he would shout his name. Poor Nana isn't getting as much love though. She even tried tricking Andrew telling him she had a car in her closed hand to get him to come to her. It was really funny watching my Mom do that but I did feel bad that it didn't work. He's just playing hard to get Mom, really.

Cousins playing

Nana brought over a tub of toys for the kids to play with. All Andrew needed was a car and he was set.
I am going to be sad the day his cheeks go away.

Cousin Michael came over and played with Andrew.

And Aliyah decided to come and join in on the fun.

More birthdays...

Sunday we went to church with Nana and Papa and we all headed back to Uncle John and Aunt Candy's house for lunch. It was nicer being in house rather a restaurant where the kids could run around. Mom, Aleisha and I brought the food (all requests of John and Papa). We had lasagna, salad, corn, bread, pumpkin pie, rhubarb pie, and cherry cheesecake. Thank you Candy for letting us invade your house and kitchen.
Aliyah with her Mommy

Keith with Nate and Bree. It was so nice of them to be there.

Andrew was a big boy eating at the kid table.

Table shot.

The other side.

John and Candy

And of course as soon as Aliyah saw James she had a big smile on her face. I think he might be her favorite Uncle. If not we'll just let him think so.

Dance Party!

So the big surprise for Aunt Erin was that we had all the speakers hooked up, music ready, black light out, white shirts on. We are ready for a dance party. With a special t-shirt for the birthday girl we guided her into the dark room and started the music.
Andrew just loved it. He loves to dance. I don't really know what this move is but it is one of his favorites. All of these pictures are taken in the dark but with the flash it makes it seem like it was bright out.

Aunt Erin acting out a song.

Andrew dancing with the birthday girl.

Addy Kay showing us her moves.

It's a jumping party.

On the front of Aunt Erin's shirt it says "Erin's Dance Party" and on the back is says "Happy Birthday 2010"

This option on the camera caught some of the black light.

Andrew completely disassembled the Barbie house so we used some of the sticks to pretend like we were drumming.

Aunt Betsey got into it.

Andrew was a very happy dancer in his t-shirt and diaper.

I hope we got all of the sticks back to the Barbie house. If not some might be under the couch.