So, today is Halloween and the boys are excited!  We are not really big on Halloween but we do allow the boys to wear a costume, decorate a pumpkin, and go to our church’s Halloween alternative carnival.  It is put on by the AWANA program and is called AWANA-ween.  They will have all kinds of food, games, candy, jumping castles, and more.  It’s a blast so instead of trick or treating…..we head there!

A month or so ago, I began asking the boy’s about a costume.  Usually I just pick what they are going to be but this year I asked.  They have been a teddy bear, monkey, Oregon State Beaver mascot, Oregon State football player, (I guess you know where my honey went to school now), a doctor, and the Cat in the Hat in the past.  They didn’t have much of an opinion at first so I began looking on various sites…..not really finding anything.  Finally, I went to the web page for the Disney Store and let Cannon look at the options.  Immediately, he said “Mike Wasowski mom……I want to be Mike.”  This is a character from Monsters Inc.  A friend had given him a toy figure of this character a while back and he just loves it.  I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the idea of him being a monster but for the first time, I could tell he REALLY wanted this.  And that is major progress in our world!  SO, if it was Mike Wasowski he wanted……it was Mike Wasowski he was going to get.  Hearing this, Townsend decided that he wanted to be Mike’s sidekick and best buddy in the movie…..James P. Sullivan or “Sully.”  So, for Halloween this year…..I will have 2 little monsters in tow. Have a look at these amazing pics take by our new friend and photographer Karina of Beagley Photography!

Do they look happy or what?!  I am so in love with these little faces!

We also decorated our pumpkins……

Last night, at our regular AWANA meeting……the boy’s teachers’ both shared this little comparison with them.  They each did a demo with an actual pumpkin which really helped it to sink in for all the kiddos.  I think this is so awesome and couldn’t wait to share with our blog family……..

“Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin.  God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.  He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff….including the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed, etc…  Then, he carves you a new smiling face and puts HIS light inside you to shine for all the world to see.  Welcome to the pumpkin patch!  God waits for you!”

And with that……we are out!  Have a safe and Happy Halloween!