Welcome to Pendleton Manor: Halloween

Since I've been home, and not working, I've tried to make each Holiday special. I try to keep it inexpensive, but I do try to do stuff to lead up to each Holiday and create memories that my kids will remember. We don't always do the stuff I have planned, but I do think it's fun to get the kids excited about that kind of stuff.

I found this idea on Pinterest (I love Pinterest!) for a Halloween count down. The lady had a theme for each day (witches, ghosts, pumpkins, etc.) and ideas for treats, activities, games, books to read, etc. for each day. Some of the days I did stuff that went along with each theme, but not every day, and mostly the kids liked having a visual count down until Halloween.

Our countdown wall

For the past 3 years or so, I've wanted to get a season pass to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving point. Each year there has been a Groupon for it, but each year I have seen the email too late and by the time I go to buy it, it has sold out. This year I was able to get a deal on some passes to go to a different corn maze. We drove all the way down there to find out that they don't open on weekdays until later in the day. It was fairly early in the day (probably around noon) and it wasn't open to the public until after 4 pm. Oh, and it was down in Pleasant Grove (a 30+ minute drive from our place), and we didn't really want to hang out down there all day. (I think we had other stuff going on that day that we needed to get back home for.) Instead of making the day a complete bust, though, we took the kids to this awesome park in Pleasant Grove. I don't remember what's it's called (it might be called "Discovery Park" or something like that) but I went there as a kid and loved it. The kids had a really good time, even though it was pretty cold.

Steven playing in one of the "dinosaur heads"

We went back to the corn maze the next day and the kids had a lot of fun.

Sofia riding in this "animal train" pulled by a lawn mower. The kids wanted to ride on that one over and over

The kids in a big corn pit

Sofia in the petting zoo portion

Sofia sitting on some huge pumpkins waiting for the pumpkin drop

One of the "themes" on our Halloween countdown was mummies so we wrapped Sofia up like a mummy with toilet paper

We don't host a lot of parties at my house, because it's not very big, but we have made it a tradition to carve pumpkins with my family at our place. Steven, Anna, Mandy, and Ashley with their finished pumpkins

Josh and Steven with the pumpkin they carved

My sister-in-law and I like to take our kids to this pumpkin patch every year (it helps that it's free). If the kids dress up they get extra candy. This is Sofia the Tiger after she had gotten ahold of some chocolate and a donut

I love this picture of Sofia

I know you can't see her face very well, but you can tell that she's absolutely excited

Steven trying to carry one of the pumpkins we picked out

Sofia, pumpkin, Steven

Steven was Buzz Lightyear

Sofia with her baby pumpkin

Sofia and Steven with their pumpkins

Sofia afterwards in the car with her haul

Steven showing off his teeny, tiny pumpkin

My friend, Trisha, and I decided to take the kids to the Witches Village at Gardner Village. It was a little bit of a mistake because it was SOOOOOO crowded. It took a long time to find parking and there were people everywhere. I think there were a lot of field trips, too, because there were a lot of school age kids there for a week day. I had never been, though, and the kids thought it was pretty cool.

Sofia with one of the witches

Sofia was very intrigued by the witches

Josh was nice and carried Steven for a while

My sister, Sammy, is a hair dresser, but she also teaches. She was supposed to take a 4-day trip to Southern Arizona to teach over Halloween but it ended up being cancelled last minute. Because both she and her husband had the time off, they decided to come up to Utah and spend a few days here. It was really good to see her and she was excited that it wasn't snowing (although 60 degrees is still quite cold to her ;) ).

We went to breakfast on Halloween morning with my good friend, Lisa. Sammy while we were waiting

Me waiting. (In case anyone cares, I didn't start drinking coffee, it was hot chocolate ;) )

Sammy and I. Note that I am wearing flip flops. It was quite pleasant that ;) Also note that Sammy has a scarf and trench coat over her chair. 60 degrees feels like full-on Winter to her ;)

Me, Sammy, and Lisa at breakfast

Sammy was very impressed that I was making soup from scratch for our sister, Ginelle's, Halloween party

This is when Sammy and I went to pick up the kids from their Halloween party at their babysitter's

Pretty much ever since my sister, Ginelle, moved to Utah (almost 7 years ago), we have spent Halloween at her house. Every year has gotten more elaborate, with more people, and it has become a full-on party. This year the weather was AWESOME (with a high in the 60's that day) so she was able to dress up her back yard and have the party mostly outside.

Sofia the cute tiger