Pumpkins

We had a very full Sunday. Gene decided to make fresh bread, caldo verde, and Portuguese sweet bread, he helped carve jack-o'-lanterns with the boys, he played outside with them and he set up the rest of our Halloween decorations. To be fair, he had been traveling all week so he wanted to be uber-involved this weekend -- and he was!

My baker!

Boys and sweet breads. Gene cut the recipe down and made some shortcuts and they worked. Delicious sweet bread!

Texas is so warm in October that we always wait til the weekend before Halloween to carve our pumpkins. We made the mistake of carving them early one year and they rotted on us. So Sunday was designated as pumpkin-carving day. Gene is my master pumpkin-carver.

The boys are not afraid to dig in there to get out all the innards.

This is the pumpkin Will picked out at the pumpkin patch in Kingwood. It is completely lopsided and has scratches (they look like scars) all over the front. It is a perfectly spooky jack-o'-lantern!

Getting ready to carve Henry's pumpkin.

Gooey! We always save the seeds to roast later.

Henry's finished pumpkin has two different eyes and a rhombus nose. 

My two cuties.

We can't carve pumpkins without taking a few pics outside the front door with them.

I love this picture because it shows just how much these boys love their daddy!

And just for kicks, here are pumpkin pics from years past:

2010

2011

and 2012 

After we carved our pumpkins, we finally set out our outdoor decorations. We have an inflatable this year. Check out Weezie -- she was freaked out!

We ended the day with chalk and bubble fun in the backyard.

And now we are really ready for Halloween! 

ArBOOretum

Our favorite fall festival, ArBOOretum, was yesterday. It was an absolutely beautiful morning and just the perfect day to be outside.  

We started off with family pictures

and then headed to the petting zoo. The animals were hungry so the boys grabbed fistfuls of food to feed them. Henry was scared the animals would bite him, so he ended up throwing all his food on the ground, every single time!

Baby chicks!

 Henry was a dragon again this year 

and Will dressed up as Harry Potter.   

And they're off to go trick-or-treating in nature's playground!

What I love most about ArBOOretum is that the kids have to work to earn their candy. At each station, they have to act like a particular animal before getting their prize. Along the trails, there are also posters with facts about each animal. Here Henry is leaping like a cougar.

At "It's a Trap!" the kids were trapdoor spiders preying on unsuspecting insects. 

The zipline was the perfect activity for the Bat Flight station.

Henry climbed like a fox to grab a quick snack.

The rope bridge was the ideal activity for Bobcat Balance.

 Henry got a ghost painted on his arm, 

while Will chose a spider.

Inside Henry watched a puppet show and visited the reptiles and owls and Will spent a good 30 minutes in the Arboretum's nature library, devouring books about conservation, bugs, and "grossolgy."

Filled with candy, learning, and walking on the trails, the Houston Arboretum's ArBOOretum is definitely our family's must-do fall festival!

A Day in Kingwood

The boys and I spent all day Sunday in Kingwood. It was a gorgeous day to be outside and Kingwood is just a beautiful part of Houston.

We started the morning at the Pumpkin Patch at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, just up the road from my parents' house.  

We found a friendly scarecrow

and lots and lots of pumpkins.  

This may be my favorite picture from the whole day.  

After the pumpkin patch, Henry and I played at the park while Will read Harry Potter. This little boy never tells me to stop taking his picture, which is good because I need lots and lots of practice!

We went for a walk down the trails

and found a tree stump covered in popcorn. The squirrels were having quite a feast.

After lunch, we all headed outside for some fresh air. Will usually doesn't like me to take his picture, but I managed to sneak in a few shots. 

I also captured Henry and Gramma having a conversation about the Halloween decorations across the street. 

We had a great day and are so glad Gramma and Grampa are back in Texas!