I heard someone say today that they couldn't believe that it's November already.  I agree!  Where did October go?  As far as that goes, where did the rest of 2009 go?

I'm not complaining, but it always amazes me how fast each month goes by especially when we're really busy.  The month of October has definitely been a busy one.  We had something going every weekend.  It began with Sonny being in Salvisa, KY, for the first weekend, then the MAP I.B.U. the following weekend, then the MAPster, next was Gabriel's birthday and last, but not least, was the Halloween Bash.  It has been an excitingly exhausting month!  I hope yours was as good or better!

Speaking of the Halloween Bash, we had great one!  Our home congregation is a wonderful place to be for all occasions.  The day was started with a pancake breakfast, lots of decorating in between, and a terrific party with a hayride for the conclusion.  There had also been plans of taking the kids to Pumpkin Hollow and having the party at a farm, but it rained so much during the week that our plans changed.  That didn't seem to bother anyone.  We just cancelled the Pumpkin Hollow trip and moved the party to the church building.  It's good to be flexible!

Everyone was encouraged to dress up including the adults, so they did.  As we walked in the door, someone was there to take pictures with a Halloween scene in the background.  There was a costume judging in which several trophies (small, plastic ones, but trophies indeed) were awarded for different categories, such as the funniest, scariest, most original, etc. 

A big fire was burning outside to roast hot dogs and cook hobo stew.  We also had chili, nachos, and desserts, so no one went home hungry.  Then there were the games.  We were divided into couples to race with a potato between our backs.  Then we were divided into teams to pass a hula hoop over each person as each member of the team held hands.  Another team game was throwing marshmallows into a pot that was being balanced on top of the head of a team member.  (Of course, there was a marshmallow fight with all the marshmallows that fell on the ground!  It wasn't just the kids or teens either!)  We couldn't let the potatoes go to "waist" (get it?), so individuals raced with a potato held between their knees.  Then the last game was "Wrap the Mummy" which involved lots of toilet paper.

Next, we had "trunk or treat"!  The kids quickly grabbed the bags/buckets and headed for the parking lot where they walked around the circle collecting candy and other treats from our church family.  Of course, that's always a highlight for the kids, because...they like candy!  It's a highlight for the parents because they know their kids are safe and...they like candy, too!       

The last thing on the agenda was the hayride.  Believe it or not, after all the cool, rainy weather we've had, it was a beautiful night for a hayride!  The moon was bright, the stars were sparkling, the air was cool but not too cold.  It was great!  It was just a great day altogether!

Our family even had fun making our costumes together.  The only one we bought already made was Bryson's box of Wheaties.  From that costume, we came up with the idea of being a carton of milk, a spoon and a bowl for the cereal.  It really wasn't that expensive and we enjoyed being creative!  To top it all off, we won a trophy for the most original costume.  Gabriel was absolutely thrilled because he has wanted a trophy that he could call his own for quite some time.  Now he has it displayed on the dining room table where the late morning sun can shine on it and make it look pretty.

All in all, the month of October was not only productive and eventful, but it was just plain fun!  What more can I say?  We have been truly blessed!

(*Note:  The Picture Cube of our Halloween party has been posted on Sonny's Blog Page.)