A Southern California weekend...

Last weekend (that would be two weekends ago actually), the kids had a few days off from school so we headed to Southern California to spend some time with grandparents and some aunts, uncles and cousins.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  Saturday we spent at Balboa in Newport Beach.  We rented a big bike for the adults and the kids road scooters, rollerblades and ripsicks down the boardwalk.   We had lunch at Ruby's on the pier and then spend some time just playing in the sand and surf.  The kids had so much fun at the beach that we went back on Monday for a few hours with our Bruschke cousins.  The kids love spending time at Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's house.  They love the huge yard with the tree house, the jacuzzi, hide-outs on the hill, the tire swing, the cats, Lego's galore - and of course, spending quality time with Grandma and Grandpa.  

Halloween

Halloween is always a fun time.  However, I'm finding that with my various ages of children, it can get a little crazy.  Halloween day I spent going from school to school for various Halloween parades and parties.  Halloween night was the traditional trick-or-treating.  Alexa and Bryant were particularly fun as they realized that they were getting candy at each house.  Alexa kept running from house to house saying "this is so much fun!"  Bryant wanted to eat all the candy as he was getting it - typical of the age.  He'd never been given so much at one time.   Ashlyn, in her old age, went trick-or-treating and spent the evening with friends.  Unfortunately, I didn't even get a picture of her - she was a gangster (from the hood).  It rained on and off Halloween day and night, but luckily we got a good hour break for our trick-or-treating.

One of the best parts of Halloween is the candy sorting and trading.  My kids do this for days!

After trick-or-treating, we had 4 other families come over for some group sorting and trading, hot chocolate and cider, and a scary movie (a Goosebumps episode which, unfortunately, was a bit too scary).  A fun evening and another successful Halloween!