Trick-or-Treat: Zoo Edition

Buzz Lightyear's, and Brides, and Bears. Oh my!

Callie says:

Just a quick Sunday night update in our expansive look at Halloween 2011. Yesterday, we decided to Trick-or-Treat at the zoo and since it was kind of cold, I wore Cohen's bear costume from 2009 and Cohen wore his Buzz Lightyear costume from last year. We definitely couldn't unveil this year's costumes before Hallowen - that's a major faux pas!

We did get to see some of the animals getting their Halloween pumpkins. Our trip was kind of short and we didn't make the full rounds, but I definitely think that the pumpkin "carving" skills of the elephants, tigers, and penguins easily rival Cohen's "carving" skills. Anyways, we need get to bed so we don't miss The Great Pumpkin on Halloween. Be safe!

Buzz Lightyear is getting hitched?

Little Beckett Bear getting a ride

Just found out he couldn't take a Penguin home

Are the Elephants hiding behind that tree?

A bear in pink converse's

We're a couple substitutions away from a classic movie

Skeletons, Field Trips, and Pumpkin Carving

Scary Skeletons!

Cohen says:

We're obviously trying to set a record for Halloween themed blog posts this year, and considering we still haven't actually gotten to All Saint's Day itself, we should be able to reach that goal. As is often this case, this posting contains pictures from a few different events.

While some families get their picture taken each year with Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny (ok, we do that too), we like to take an annual picture in Skeleton jammies. I contend that this is gonna get real challenging when Baby Gap/Kid's Gap doesn't supply our sleepwear anymore, but I imagine mommy will figure that out when we get there.

Was it something I said?

Sorry Callie!

Skeletons - 2011

Skeletons - 2010

Skeletons - 2009

Earlier today, my preschool class took a field trip to Gordon Pumpkin Patch in Mt Vernon. If you frequent the blog, you probably were quick to realize that this was our 3rd pumpkin patch trip of the year, which is entirely accurate. We like to think of it as supporting the local economy of not only our home county (Skagit) but those to the north and south (Whatcom and Snohomish, respectively).

Today's trip was fun because my class was the only people at the patch, and because mommy, daddy, and Callie got to go with us. The downside is that a mini-windstorm seemed to also plan a trip to the pumpkin patch today, but it was still better than the reading, writing, and arithmetic of a normal day at school.

The 2 Day Preschool Class of Burlington Little School

Fighting the wind for the pumpkin

Silly worms at all the apples

Hey Dad! Check out the natural frame for this shot!

4 apples a day keep the doctor away

Callie having a staring contest with a chicken

This week, we also finally got around to carving one of our pumpkins from a previous patch excursion. I'm not personally one to touch the slimy insides of a pumpkin so I let mommy and Callie do that, but I'd like to think that I'm the creative genius behind our design. I mean, I told mommy that I wanted a mean pumpkin and made a scary face, and she delivered.

We also have a Buzz Lightyear pumpkin, a Pirate pumpkin, and a Bunny Rabbit pumpkin, all Mr. Potato Head style that I'll try to get pictures of later. Up next: Trick or Treating at the Zoo on Saturday, and Halloween on Monday. BOO!

The planner

and the manual laborer

Dare me to eat it?

The result

School Pictures

Cohen's first year of Preschool

Callie says:

Just wanted to share Cohen's school pictures that we got today. I know that I give him a hard time, but even I have to admit to his devil-ish good looks. Watch out ladies, my big brother is on the loose!

Amaizing and Cornfusing

The White's, White Jr's, and Lindgrens

Callie says:

If the this update feels similar to last week's update, that's because they share a trend. It was our 2nd straight Saturday with a trip to the Pumpkin Patch! This week's journey took us to Bob's Corn in Snohomish, and while they had all the standard Pumpkin Patch regalia, their large Corn Maze was really the central attraction.

Lost in a sea of pumpkins

Grandpa, why the long face? Get it?

The corn maze itself

After hurrying through the pumpkins, cow-train rides, etc, we got to the corn maze and it was pretty unanimously decided that I would be the leader. My trivia knowledge, map reading skills, and overall corn field related knowledge made me the obvious choice, and frankly, I think people like daddy were afraid that the aliens from "Signs" were going to show up or something.

Keep up, ya'll

I think we need to go that way

A resting point? Yes please

Shoulder deep in a bag of Dorito's

After about 45 minutes of Corn-fusing turn after Corn-fusing turn, we finally found the half way point, which was a private fire pit for our family. Grandma and Grandpa, the organizers of the corn-related fun, brought all varieties of food to be prepared over the fire, but in reality all I needed was the bag of Dorito's. Well, until the S'Mores came out anyways...

How bout them Huskies?!

A blurry picture, but you get the..well..picture

She-She using Grandpa and Grandma as a frame

Waiting for the Cow-Train

All saddled up

Video: The Cow-Train Express

Two October Saturday's down, and two pumpkin patch trips complete. I don't think we plan a third for this coming weekend, but if you are at a patch nearby, you probably should keep your eyes up. I'll be the 2'8 two-year-old trying to pick up the 52 pound pumpkin.

Happy Halloween!

Kind of a creepy pumpkin, right?

Cohen wanted the one WAAAAY at the top

The Great Pumpkin

Some cute livestock

Cohen says:

My cousins just had another birthday (Happy Birthday Eden and Emma!), and that meant it was time for our 3rd annual trip to the Stoney Ridge Farms in Everson. The pumpkin patch is definitely not fun alone, so once again this was a group trip with the Hadland's (Auntie Angie, Uncle Karl, Brooklynn, and baby Beckett - or "baby karl" as Callie puts it), the Huddleston's (Tim and Brady) and the Johnson's (Uncle Josh, Auntie Jess, Emma and Eden).

Callie see's "Chishens"

"Chishens! Chishens!"

A farm girl at heart

Cohen and a mailbox head horse

Cohen and Brady getting some feed for Callie's "Chishens"

I'm really not sure if this is a standard pumpkin patch or not, but anytime you combine apple orchards, train rides, farm animals, good food (like fresh doughnuts), and well....a pumpkin patch, you have a winning combination in my book. This place actually has christmas trees too, and while we've never actually come here for a tree, it's always a good chance for mommy to remind daddy that she wants a christmas tree farm some day. I like mommy's plan, but daddy seems unsure.

Who doesn't love a barrel-train?

The blue car is the fastest..shhhh..

Silly Callie - she isn't even steering!

Somebody has a crush on his cousin...

The hayride to the pumpkin patch

Jonagolds, right daddy?

Gotta finish the apples before moving on to pumpkins

For the 2nd straight year, Emma and Eden's birthday party was right after the pumpkin patch trip, so they left before us and we didn't get to spend much time. The bright side though is that we got to spend the next few hours with cake and bouncy houses (apparently not allowed in that order by the owners of the bouncy house place), and the rest of the night playing with them at Mimi's house. For those that don't know, the girls actually stay home with me, mommy and Callie a few days a week now, so we get LOTS of play time. Will it ever be enough? Probably not.

Callie trying to keep up with Brooklynn

I think I see something.....

Hmm...

Come look at this...

Well that was anti-climactic

Brady, and his produce carrying dad, Tim

All in all, another good trip to the pumpkin patch. We decided to go light on the haul this year, since we have another trip scheduled to "Bob's Corn" with daddy's family next Saturday. You might remember the alluded-to missed corn maze trip in last year's PumpSkelFerryBlog. Well, here's to avoiding the Washington State Ferry System on Saturday in an effort to join the rest of the family on time. We'll have more updates soon!

Wait, what? I'm supposed to walk?

Guess not