Catching Up 4

I know it's been forever, but here is one of the very last catch up times.

HALLOWEEN FOR THE FOSBURGS AT HOME

So, because it was only like the second week Chris was gone and, therefore, the kids were not quite up to par, I really outdid myself on this holiday. I like the holiday usually, but this year I went nuts with stuff to keep my kids from missing daddy too much. Thankfully, the busy week kept me from getting too unhappy too! It was a great idea and we all had so much fun!

October 25th, 2010 - October 31st, 2010

MONDAY: this was our first opportunity to really begin reaping the benefits of Chris' deployment. Chris has often been gone for military purposes, but this is his first official deployment over seas. We were therefore invited to the Deployed Spouse's Dinner that's held every month at the base. I was so nervous!

It was so much fun. From the moment I walked in with my three little ones in tow, someone was there to help and see to our needs. One kind woman helped me to a table and grabbed me a high chair. Another woman, Angie, came over and began to chat. She stayed the entire time with our family. She stayed with the kids while I entered the line for the food. Another kind woman helped me with the three plates of food so I could get to the table without dropping anything. Angie fed Elizabeth so I could eat hot food and take care of Evie and JC. They had hot dogs and lots of other good things kids like to eat. They even had a bouncy castle-like thing and games for the kids put on by the local high school ROTC. There were treats and deployment information, and free books, and dvd's - all for those of us who happen to be parenting alone for a while. Honestly, the Air Force takes almost as good care of us military families as the church does - and that's saying a lot!

I also met my "First Shirt" that night. This person, for those of you unfamiliar with the title, is like my military equivalent of a home teacher. Mine happens to be female, but the responsibility is the same. She answers questions, helps out in emergencies with the family, and will basically make sure I'm taken care of while my husband is gone. I've got double coverage! Anyway, the kids had a blast, we got home late, and I not only ate hot food, but had wonderful uplifting adult conversation while my kids played.

(By the way, so proud of JC this night! One of the ROTC young men wanted to make sure my little one knew where his mommy was. JC took the boy all the way to our table pointed at me and said, "mom". He then smiled and ran back to the bouncy castle with the young man trailing behind him.)

TUESDAY: well, it was late, but we finally decorated our house inside for the holiday. Not tons of stuff, but we had a little pumpkin patch on our mantle, a fun witch door hanging, some neat decals for the windows, etc. I let the kids pick what we put up and where everything went. They had fun. We also tried on our costumes. This was important for me because I wanted to find the Halloween bucket and make sure every costume had its parts. I also wanted to see what else I needed to buy. Then that evening, we made rice crispy treats. I know, what for? Well there was this very convincing commercial on tv (hulu) that showed a mom and her kids making shapes out of the treats. So I tried it. We had a lot of fun, mostly during the cooking part.

WEDNESDAY: we didn't do much this day except one thing. After dinner we all loaded into the van with our treats from the night before, and delivered them to my visiting teaching sisters. The kids did a great job watching us moms chat and give treats to our ladies. I even got to teach Evie a little about the principle of visiting teaching so it was a productive, if not a long, evening.

THURSDAY: oh my goodness what a day! This was Halloween party day at preschool and of course, the whole family went. Each mom had designed a craft/food to teach the girls and we had so much fun. There were lots of goodies, they all wore costumes (Evie a princess and Joe a pirate), they read books about Halloween, had a costume parade,

Eating a food craft!

and learned how to make a lot of fun things. Kudos to our preschool moms for a really fun Halloween lesson!

Evie, Emily, Katelyn - best friends

After some nice long naps (thank goodness) the kids watched a Halloween cartoon abt a girl who lives in a hotel and her adventures that Halloween night. Then after dinner we colored some Halloween pictures I printed from a parenting website I follow. They were great and we put them up on our windows to scare away the "bad guy." Have no idea where this "guy" came from, but every night during dinner now JC whispers that a bad guy is watching us eat! Silly children!

FRIDAY: by this time I was starting to wear out, but we still had plans, so I kept on. This was the afternoon we had costumed story time at the library on base. The kids donned their Thursday costumes (after a quick wash) and we headed over there. It was great. They listened to another two Halloween stories, but opted out of the craft for picking their own books. My kids love the library. Then they trick or treated at the check out desk, after getting their books, of course! It was a lot of fun.

Finally, we ate dinner at Ihop. Why Ihop you ask? Because all the kids got free "scary face" pancakes that night! These are pancakes you decorate with candies. So my kids ate for free, we did something Halloweeny, and I got to skip cooking that night! Great all around.

SATURDAY: finally the day had arrived! The kids could barely contain themselves! We got all dressed up quite early in our Halloween costumes.

Evie-a mermaid with purple hair (this was such a fun thing to do) and face paint

JC- a tractor driver (minus the 12pm shadow, he wouldn't let me do it)

Lizzy- baby bunny complete with tail

and me- mommy bunny complete with long white ears.

We headed to the church for the trunk or treat. I love this tradition in the church. My kids have fun, get dinner, and stay safe. We played the carnival games, ate the yummy food, and trunk or treated till our bags were way too full for little kids!

Such good aim, my mermaid

Evie wins a prize!

Oh my Goodness! A fire truck just for me!

Look who won at the cake walk!!!

It was a blast and one I was glad was finally come and gone! We were all so tired that night and the next day we had church!

Lizzy enjoying her prize!

After the big haul on the couch! Yummy!

SUNDAY: didn't think we forgot the actual day of Halloween did you? Nope. For a treat after dinner, I turned on "The Great Pumpkin" Charlie Brown cartoon. Kids loved it and it was a great way to end our very long and full Halloween week.