We checked out a new-to-us Costco after dropping our last guest at the airport—we have learned that different Costcos have different products and it’s fun to explore.
This was one of the new and different things—a chocolate Pentagon (they also had the Capitol!):
The other different thing was an entire walk-in cooler for JUST milk:
Prepping the bar!
My Andrew!
The kitchen table ended up being the center of the party. We definitely need a bigger kitchen AND a bigger table! 🙂
Skyping with a good friend who couldn’t make it!
About 1/3 of the food that we had. Which was way too much. 🙂
The sign comes out! I gave the background story and told them that since he’s five, you know even if I HAD tried to tell him to do it he would have likely screwed it up, so it had to have been completely random! Everyone LOVED it!
The only two guests who weren’t Tivo peeps—our realtor (who helped us find this house) and her friend “Moral Support.” 🙂 They got along with everyone and had a good time!
I learned later that they were making fun of my pantry labeling—this ketchup was the “LAST ONE.” 🙂
Maggie got along with everyone and actually wasn’t too much of a pain!
Charlie was right in the thick of things, too. I know she’s the people person cat, but we didn’t think she’d stick around with 25 loud people…but she did. She was in the middle of it for the most part…and didn’t mind the attention! 🙂
Amy wanted to steal the kids’ minion backpack.
Those of you who know…KNOW what this box means!
Rivals…on the chair of truth. I’m not quite sure how it got called that, but by the end of the night it was THE name and probably half the people had been in it. 🙂
The kids came home from the sitter’s at 8 and stayed up for a bit since there was just so much going on it was way too exciting to go to bed. 🙂
One of the many, many things I never saw happen until I was looking at other people’s pictures!
The night was pretty much wrapped up by 10:30 or so, with most of the major cleaning done and the last people leaving about 11 (gone are the days when we were partying hard until 2am!). 🙂
We agreed the party was a great success! There was too much food, lots of laughs, and lots of wine…and no one got hurt and nothing got broken! There was one red wine spill at the very end of the night, but considering how many people were drinking and sloshing red wine glasses it could have been lots worse many times over.
And we can’t wait to do it again!
Morning relaxing…Eddy was encroaching on what Maggie thinks is her new bed. 🙂
So this just blew. my. mind. Owen apparently brought this home from school Friday—just a completely random art project they did. But the letters? TCF? The abbreviation for the Tivo forum where we all met and how we have always referred to the group! I asked Owen how he came up with those letters. No reason, he liked them. He knows NOTHING of TCF. He knows the word Tivo, of course, and knew we had Tivo friends coming, but we have NEVER said or mentioned TCF in any capacity. I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!?!? I decided right then that we would have to incorporate it into the party later!
Katie said she wanted to help…until she actually stuck her hands in the bowl and got flour on her. That was all she wrote.
Eddy finishing mixing the sausage balls!
Mark and Karen are BIG Ohio State fans so there’s a loving rivalry between them and Tom, of course being an MSU fan. And the MSU-OSU game was going to be on the night of the party! They had stopped at our house to say hello and as they were leaving, Tom slapped the Sparty S magnet on the back of their car! 🙂
My Tivo friends all promised they’d come to our housewarming—and they came through! Eddy flew in from Florida, Sheryl drove down from New York (as seen in the last post!), Amy and Bill drove down from New Jersey (not seen below), Mark and Karen drove over from Ohio, and multiple people came in from around the entire metro DC area!
Tonight we went out to dinner at La Tasca, a delicious tapas place. I had never done tapas but I’m a convert now (it’s great for large parties because you all get to try a little bit of everything).
Our gnomes got to hang out with an old friend.
Our sangria flights. YUM.
Just pretending, but I really could have drank that entire thing with a straw. It was GOOD.
The whole group!
Katie was napping when Sheryl arrived and had asked if Katie would be shy. I said NO WAY, she doesn’t have a shy bone in her body, she will be a total show off, and will warm to you immediately.
Ha.
She spent the first 45 minutes laying in the bean bag with her hands over her eyes and then when we made her get up, this is what she did:
Then she started to come alive and be her cute self. 🙂
I finally got Tom to hang up his military photos, awards, memorabilia, etc.—otherwise known as a me wall. He hasn’t had one since we left Jacksonville in 2008.
The last hour post-dinner/pre-trick-or-treating was the worst (ToT didn’t start until 6:30). Owen was asking me every minute if it was time yet. We just kept the Tivo playing and hoped for the best.
We started getting them dressed (SLOWLY) about 6 and then started inside pictures about 6:20 (none of which turned out)…then outside pictures at 6:25…and it was a good thing that didn’t take too long because Owen started to see neighbor kids come out and he WANTED TO GET STARTED. 🙂 Tom was super excited, too, as he has missed the last two trick-or-treat nights. The weather was chilly, but not bad. I just had on a sweatshirt, Katie had a turtleneck, and I layered two long-sleeved shirts on Owen.
And then one quick cell phone shot as we were headed out!
We ran into one of his friends at the second house.
And then the house that he visited with Grannie Lin with the RIP sign with glowing eyes!
Katie did pretty good walking and keeping up, but when there was a long stretch with no houses, Tom would carry her (and when her pumpkin got too heavy with candy—as it did towards the end of the night—I’d carry that). She would repeat everything we said—like we’d say “Owen, go up to that house” and she’d parrot back “Owen, go up to that house!” The whole night. And she kept saying “I trick or treat! I trick or treat daddy!” It was adorable.
About 10 houses in, they were finally getting the hang of walking up together, actually saying TRICK OR TREAT, and saying THANK YOU. They didn’t have it mastered until almost the end, as usual. 🙂
When we were done with our street, we asked if they wanted to do more or go home. Both immediately said MORE! But, by the time we were done with the second street and we asked the same thing, Owen said he was ready to go home! They had plenty of candy so home we went.
The first thing Owen chose to eat? Pretzels.
Katie? Milky Way.
Giving daddy a big smooch!
She did well for being up way past her bedtime, and we let Owen stay up later as well…but he was definitely ready for bed at 9.
I was originally excited thinking that kids would dress up for school today but with the school-wide party last week and early dismissal today, today was a “spirit day” and they were supposed to dress in orange and black. And Tom actually was home this morning and got Katie dressed—and then I remembered at the last possible minute before heading to the bus stop that I had to put her in the sweater that I’ve been waiting a year and a half for (a hand-me-down from the Beson girls!).
Waiting for Papa, Grannie, and daddy to bring Owee back from the bus stop (she slept in today!).
My three cookie monsters!
All smiles with the grandparents! It helped that Tom was behind me making faces! 🙂
A rare family pic (since I’m always behind the camera!).
I had to make her an MSU Cheerleader today!
Craft table! Which I had to do while also carrying their bags, his light saber, and my camera. 🙂 Tom was running late because he was finishing up the back steps.
Katie LOVED the train. This was the first of many rides.
Snack time and water break!
Costume contest! (A puppy won it.)
Attempting the Mummy Race. Owen understood he had to wrap Katie up, but he wasn’t careful and the toilet paper kept breaking and he just kept wrapping it around her neck so she was screeching “I’M STUCK! I’M STUCK!” It lasted maybe all of 45 seconds. 🙂
Piñata!
Anakin meets Darth!
Owen’s school had a Halloween (Halleyween) party tonight with games and snacks and dancing! It was quite loud and chaotic, so we didn’t stay really long, but we did stay long enough for Owen to play a few games, see some friends, and have a cupcake!
Anakin!
Katie was screaming inside the house so we let her come out to take pictures, too.
Using the Force!
Decorating his goodie bag.
Pin the nose on the pumpkin.
Broom race!
Witch hat ring toss—his first attempt made it!
CUPCAKE!
Build-a-skeleton!
More broom racing!
We ended the night with a stop to get frozen yogurt! 🙂
He was invited to a birthday party at a local martial arts place…and boy did he have fun. We would actually have been interested in sending him there, but it’s expensive (not to mention 4-5 days a week).
Here is a video compilation of some of the stuff he did.
But I had to put this video in all on its own—he was SO excited and SO proud of himself for breaking the board! GO OWEN!
Let’s just say the steps that were here were far from safe and definitely not built anywhere near code (no screws were used in the entire thing, there were five nails holding the steps to the house, and the support beams were just sitting on the ground). Our landlord said the last tenants put them up and long story…it was being left to us to fix if we wanted to. Don’t get me started. 😯
And since the previous install was SO completely horrific, it took Tom a few extra hours to make things right…so at about 6:00 he stopped for the night with most of it done. Now it just needs railings, some support work under the bottom steps, and a few finishing touches. (We reused the actual stringer section but the actual treads should all be—at the very least—removed and redone using screws instead of nails.)
And my favorite part of the redo—a 3′ platform at the top (instead of the two treads that were there)!
The eventual plan is to build a floating deck at the bottom, like this, to have somewhere flat to set our table and chairs (though that will require permits and fees, so it might be next spring):
I love having a handy hubby!
We all went for the morning program!
Then they told us it was Halley tradition to have the VIPs participate in Tooty Ta with the kids! (This is the dance I posted awhile back that Owen learned in Pre-K but did again this year.)
You can’t see us very well, but me and Gramma Jean are up in the front. 🙂
Owen’s cubbies:
Owen’s table:
I love his hopes and dreams: to do more homework! 🙂
This is why I can’t take Katie in the classroom…all my attention has to be on her.
She just wants to play and take out every toy. Here she was having a tea party. 🙂 I have no idea where she learned the words tea party.
Owen is Calendar Helper. We didn’t get to see it this morning because the morning program ran late. I have yet to get a good description out of him on what Calendar Helper does. 🙂
Getting ready for snack time!
What’s left of the ant farm from last week:
Getting ready to go to lunch.
Everyone gets hand sanitizer!
LUNCH! We asked who he usually sits with and he said “Somebody.” 🙂
After lunch, daddy was back in the classroom helping.
Owen loved every minute of it—and so did Tom!
Gramma Jean and Grandpa David babysat so we could go out for dinner. This was happening as we left…
And the driveway was full when we got home.
Owen was invited to a classmate’s birthday party at a trampoline place—and he LOVED it! Tom took him and got these pics and vids.
Owen was also thrilled to come home with Ninja Turtle swag—including a tiny plastic skateboard, kleenex, and ooze. 🙂
We took Gramma Jean and Grandpa David to the park to go on the nature trail! It was a gorgeous morning!
Where’s Katie?
Here I am!
And the route we took. I knew it was up and down but a few of the big jags really surprised me. And aren’t GPS apps cool?!
I had emptied out the crate [that she had loved sitting in the other day] and her first response when I showed her was “YAY!” 🙂
Then she climbed right in and said “Mama! Pick up my box!”
No, daddy will have to do that!
Tom took the kids to get donuts this morning before I got up!
Owen wanted to go out and wait so I let him by himself. But then Katie wanted to go with Owee so Tom went out with them. Owen gets SO excited it’s crazy.
He pulled it out at breakfast! It was super wiggly and I had told him last night to just move it back and forth and it might come out. I didn’t really think he’d do it! He was SO excited. And Tom was home this morning so he got to see it, too!
“I was just moving it around and POP it came out!”
Boo to how much it costs, of course, but we decided it was worth it since it’s the main thoroughfare and constantly touched by the kids (flat paint just wasn’t going to last as it was already marked up after three months) and we didn’t have the equipment to reach the second story.
And a mere four hours later…
And Tom painted a bunch Saturday so almost the entire first floor is painted and it’s finally looking like a home instead of an institution! It also really makes all the molding stand out and look better, too. (Pics will be posted once things are put back together.) I probably wouldn’t have picked gray again, but we had about four gallons left from repainting at the Birdie house so to save money we decided to use it here, too.
Now we just have the bathrooms to do (one will be a dusty lilac and one will be a leftover green from Birdie).
It was a nice cool morning so we decided to take the kids exploring at the park down the street (literally less than a mile away, right down from the entrance to our subdivision). I had intended to just check out the playground and the lake, but we thought “Why not just walk along the .4 mile path?” Well, we didn’t see signs for that path, so ended up on the 1.4 mile path. But it was really nice—through the woods on a well-worn path, up and down hills, over the stream, etc. Of course it was a little too rough for Katie so she spent most of the walk on Tom’s shoulders (so he definitely got a workout) and we were all sweating by the end. But Owen did really well and he loved it and wants to go again! It really was fun and I can’t wait to go back, too!
Excited about the surprise trip!
Heading down the path!
Checking out the pond!
Owen learned what dismount meant!
Walking across the rocks to cross the creek!
Of course Owen picked up some sticks guns to help protect us.
We had been in the basement (I was keeping the kids busy while daddy painted upstairs) but we snuck up to get them changed before kickoff! (Of course, I hadn’t thought of it early enough to make sure I had Owen’s jersey. It has apparently disappeared and was nowhere to be found. I was then going to put him in Tom’s jersey but I couldn’t find that one, either! So the Rose Bowl tee had to suffice!)
I told them it was a surprise, so once downstairs, Katie went right up to Tom and said “Surprise daddy!” 🙂
I went upstairs to get Katie up from her nap because it was almost time to go get Owen. I asked Tom (who was home early but in the bedroom reading) if he had heard her and he said no. So I went to her room and quietly opened the door and peered into the bed—where there was nothing. SHE WAS GONE. I think my heart momentarily stopped as I thought WHERE THE HELL COULD SHE BE? HAD TOM BEEN FOOLING ME AND HE REALLY HAD GOTTEN HER UP? My eyes quickly scanned the room and I wondered if she wasn’t hiding in the closet…? Then I saw this…
…and then saw this and heard a tiny giggle.
That little shit! She heard me coming and hid under her B. 🙂 Of course then we had to go run and see daddy, where she proceeded to hop up into bed and be cute. 🙂
I turned my back for 10 seconds while her and Owen were at the table coloring…and she had managed to not only get the top off the marker (which she hadn’t been able to do before) but also try to eat the marker. This is Tom showing her in the mirror.
Realizing she did a naughty thing:
Today we took the kids to the Big Apple Circus! Tom and I had watched a PBS special on them years ago and always wanted to go…so when I found out they were going to be local, it was a no-brainer. Owen was SUPER excited to go and knew all about the circus, though I honestly have no idea how because I don’t think we’ve ever talked about it, read books about it, or anything.
We opted for the cheap seats since they claimed there was not a bad seat in the house. They were pretty truthful and I was happy with our seats—they were perfect for us because we were right at the top of the steps in the very outermost ring with no seats in front of us right below the A/C! (As it turned out, there were lots of empty seats and we likely could have moved closer, but we just stayed where we were.)
This is where Katie sat to watch about a third of the show.
Another third was from Tom’s lap. And the last third, well…you’ll see a picture later. 🙂
We all oohed and ahhed as one girl got into the little box. AND THEN A SECOND GIRL CRAWLED IN WITH HER!
Goats riding on ponies! They also had dogs riding on the ponies!
Spinning brothers! Amazing!
The last third of the show was her running around in that section of seats. 🙂 She did really well overall and I was happy to let her run there since she sat still the whole first part.
Amazing balancing act. All of those pieces she’s standing on wobble and roll.
The final act—trapeze artists! Owen LOVED them.
The butterflies on the walls at the end.
As we were waking out, I asked Owen what his favorite part was.
Owen: The boing boing at the end!
Which, of course, referred to the trapeze artists doing their final jump/dive into the net to get down from the high wires. 🙂
Then we stopped to eat and didn’t get home until almost 8:00. At which point Owen was still talking about it. 🙂