Happy Family: October 2013

Halloween 10-31-13

Halloween was a fun day. Mommy took the day off work to spend with Alissa. We woke up bright and early and got our Halloween costumes on so that Mommy could take Alissa to her work Halloween party. Alissa met her friend Lily there and they had a wonderful time together.

These are the kids that came to my work party. Aren't they cute?

Alissa, Lily, Sophia, Danica

Alissa with Lily and Carlie

My co-worker Denice invited her daughter and family. This is the cute little family.

After the work party, Mommy took Alissa to Grandma and Grandpa D's house so we could visit with Heber and Rose. These three cousins always have a fun time together.

Heber as Harry Potter, Alissa as Doc McStuffins, and Rose as Hermione Granger

Alissa with Grandma and Grandpa D.

We decided to play dress up with Alissa to see if she fit into Mommy's old Ragedy Andy and Ragedy Ann costumes. Doesn't she look cute in them?

Next, we went Trick or Treating in Grandpa D's neighborhood

When we left Grandma and Grandpa D's house, we drove to Grandma and Grandpa S.'s house and spent the rest of the evening there. We also went trick or treating with the cousins in that neighborhood. Here are some pictures of the family.

Satoko, Mako, and Jason as Mobsters

Mommy, Alissa, and Daddy as Lambie, Doc McStuffins, and Stuffy the Dragon

While we were at Grandma and Grandpa S.'s house, we had some surprise trick or treaters. My niece Mykin and her cute family came trick or treating only to discover my car out front. So, of course we invited them in to get some cute pictures of their little family.

Jon as John and Mykin as Wendy... Little Adelyn is a red fairy...

Alissa with Grandma and Grandpa S.

Jeremy, Meggan, and Vash as Wolverine, Witch, and Link

Vash and Alissa

Vash with his sword and shield

Here are a few extra pictures of Alissa and Kitara together. We purchased a Darth Vader costume for Kitara for Halloween. Isn't this cute?

October 25, 2013 Pumpkin Train Ride

One month ago, we signed up to take Alissa on a train ride. Around the same time, her daycare had taken her to a train station, but she was unable to ride the train. She was very disappointed. When I found this opportunity on a daily deal website, it seemed like the perfect solution. The hardest part for me was keeping the surprise quiet.

Around 3:00 p.m., on October 25, 2013, we left to complete our one hour journey to the train station. Our train was taking off at 4:00 p.m. On the way, mommy made a comment about the train by mistake. Alissa picked up on this immediately and became overly excited about her opportunity to ride a train. A few minutes later, our bad luck happened. At about 3:30 p.m., Steve's car lost power and he had to pull over to the side of the freeway. I was so disappointed as I knew we would not make it to the train station by 4:00 p.m. After calling the train station, my parents, and Steve's parents, a wonderful solution presented itself. The train station informed me that there were seats still available on the 5:30 p.m. train ride. In addition, Steve's parents had no plans that evening and offered to pick us up and take us to the train station. The only problem was, what do we do with the car?

I called our regular mechanic who gave us the phone number of a Tow Truck company. Upon calling the company, they could pick up the car within 45 minutes and deliver the car right to our mechanic without problem. Our wonderful mechanic, who closed at 5:00 p.m., agreed to wait until the car arrived before closing up shop for the day. All our problems were solved.

Everything worked out as planned and we arrived to the train station with 30 minutes to spare. This gave us time to walk around the train station store, pick our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, and watch Alissa pick out a tattoo and stickers (which were all included with our train tickets).

Next, it was time to ride the train. Here are the pictures of our wonderful adventure:

Waiting for the train in our costumes. Daddy is Stuffy the Dragon, Alissa is Doc McStuffins (doctor to stuffed animals and toys), and mommy is Lambie (Docs best friend).

With Grandpa in front of our train

Getting ready to board the train

Being silly on the train

One of several visitors who came to see a terminaly ill child (age 2-3)

Alissa playing with the silly string after getting shot with it

Daddy, Alissa, and one of the mascot visitors

Alissa with a Train Conductor

Alissa is in "awww" of the train

The Old Haunted Car

Visiting the haunted car

A highschool drill team performed "Thriller" as we exited the train;

next, they wandered the streets.... Alissa made sure to stay away from them...

We ate dinner at this fun fast food restaurant before our drive home

October 2013 - Halloween Decorations and Fall

October is probably my favorite month because I love Halloween, Pumpkins, and all the fall decorations. Alissa has been helping me decorate our house for Halloween this year. Here are a few pics of my beautiful daughter showing off our Halloween decorations:

Alissa colored the picture in the window (on the left), she picked out the Halloween door mat, she helped us carve the one pumpkin, and she helped me put up the green Frankenstein Lanterns

Alissa by the Happy Halloween sign

Alissa next to the Trick or Treat sign

Our milk carton skeleton, on the right, looking at our house

Alissa playing with our skeleton

Enjoying the fall weather under our tree

laying down and playing with a leaf

my beautiful child

Mother and Daughter

October 18, 2013 - Black Island Farms

Alissa and I went to Black Island Farms today with some friends. This is one of the funnest places to be in October. Activities at the farm include the hayride, picking pumpkins, the cow train, playing musical instruments, walking through three different corn mazes, crawling through tunnels, going down slides, riding tire swings made into animals, shooting corn out of the corn cannon, playing in the corn box, jumping in the bouncy house, playing in the ghost house, watching the pig races, etc. Here are some fun pictures of our great day.