Trick or Treat

Time to get some candy! Actually, I think we already have a year's supply just from all the festivals, but of course we must go out tonight for more fun!

Happy Halloween!

Love, The Dingmans

Dorothy & The Cuddly Lion

Our Pumpkin Family

Before going "door-to-door," we decided first to stop by the church where Kate goes to preschool for their Trunk or Treat. There wasn't much participation this year, but we did run into a few friends...and lots of gnats!

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Trick-or-Treat!!!! Grandma & Pawpaw met up with us as we walked down the street collecting candy from strangers! Such an interesting tradition in today's world....but we had fun!

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We even ran into Glenda the Good Witch and The Scarecrow!

And some friendly pirates!

We met some scary strangers too....

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Once it got dark we drove over to my parents' church for their Halloween Fall Festival! They always do a great job and this year was no disappointment! The gym was filled with games, activities, prizes and LOTS of candy.

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Gabe's favorite game....The Race Cars!

Kate loved everything....even the GOO!

Outside were more slimey games and this giant inflatable obstacle course!



Wheeeeeeeee!

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Final stop.....dinner with Granny Ann!
Well, we think this is Granny Ann! Kate loved her costume but Gabe wasn't so sure what to think and didn't seem convinced it was really Granny Ann uunderneath!

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Kate wanted to try it on too!

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Happy Apple Halloween

Here come the preschool parties!

If there is one thing that Happy Apple does really well (though there are lots of things they do great!), the holiday parties would rank very near the top! Not only do we get to be a part of the usual fun foods and fellowship, but they also put on a small program at every party! The kids all get on stage and sing a few motion songs....I love it!


For the Halloween party, Kate & I were in charge of cupcakes. We looked at several choices and Kate really wanted to make spiders! So tonight she got to stay up a little late to help bake and then decorate our not-so-scary spiders! They turned out delicious and pretty cute too!




Once all the parents arrived the kids were brought out for the annual "Halloween Parade." The kids walk down the street and then into some city offices where workers pass out candy to everyone. For some unknown reason, Kate never really wants to do this parade....strange! But, we made it to the end and then she was happy again to get on stage and SING! In this picture, Kate had just spotted us and came running!

Happy Apple Academy!

Kate's class - The Orange Apples!
I think Kate might have given us her best performance today! Jon fortunately videod the whole thing too! She didn't get nervous at all, did all the hand motions, and sang SO LOUD! We were so very proud of our little Apple!

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After the performance it was time for.....the party food!
The pumpkin shaped sandwiches and cheese cubes came a little later.

Kate & Mrs. Lori





Two of Kate's favorite classmate turkeys!
Aiden & Cooper

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Sleeping Outdoors....

After promising to sleep in a tent - OUTSIDE!!! - and being postponed several times due to weather, the day had finally arrived. The temperature was great, we had all day to prepare, and there was no rain in the forecast...or so we thought!


While I was at a birthday dinner for a friend, Jon & the kids began the campout with a bonfire dinner of hotdogs and s'mores! Once I arrived home it was time to change into pjs, turn on our tent lights, and zip ourselves in for the night! But, being that it was a work night for Jon, what he hadn't accounted for was the fact that the kids were going to be SOOOOO EXCITED that sleep was the LAST thing on their minds! So, after trying to ignore the kids running through the tent and leaping onto the air mattress, daddy said goodnight and left us alone to brave the wilderness...of our fenced in backyard! ;)

This picture is blurry but I still thought it was too cute not to post!

Our home for the night!

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The kids & I had such a fun time playing, singing, being silly, and eventually, going to sleep around midnight. I snapped this picture of them before snuggling in with them for the night.

Around 5:00am I woke up to the sounds of, not my kids, but RAIN! It was pouring outside and this old...NOT leak proof tent....was filling with water! I really didn't know what to do because we were not yet getting wet, the kids were sleeping, and to wake them to go inside would mean we would all get soaked! I didn't even have a phone to try and wake Jon to come get us with an umbrella! We were stranded! Luckily, the air matress must have been positioned perfectly because as I lay waiting and wondering what to do until nearly 7:00am, we didn't feel even the first drop of rain. Our bed was sitting on a lake, but we were dry! Around 7:15 there was a break in the rain, I woke up my sleepy heads, and we moved in the house! Overall, the night was a success, the kids enjoyed every second of the experience, and the rain only added to the memories! :) But, maybe next time we can talk Jon into staying the night with us.....

Trunk or Treat

The holidays mean lots of fun, busy schedules, and of course...LOTS of festivals!

Trunk or Treat #1

Tonight the kids and I met up with lots of our friends to "Trunk or Treat," play games, win prizes, and bounce!

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Emma, Kate, & Emma

Kate was soooo excited! After only 2 times around on the cake walk.....Kate won!!!!

Trunk or Treat #2

Kate & Gabe can be so silly!

Our first stop - face painting!

But, it was here that we discovered something aweful - GNATS!!!
These invisible bugs were everywhere! Swarming! And bug spray does nothing! As the kids itched and complained I kept asking if they wanted to just leave, but seeing a train and horses, they wanted to stay and be miserable! :)

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Interesting...

A couple of the trunks.

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Finally - The Train!

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And last but not least - The horse!

Zoo Spooktacular

Tonight was the night for the Zoo Spooktacular! It's the night we go to the zoo with thousands of our closest friends :) to collect candy and look at pumpkins. Actually, each year it has been more and more fun and we have learned when to go to maximize the fun and minimize the crowd!

Arriving before the actual opening, we got to the zoo in time to hear the Mayor of Pumpkinville, Jazoo the Mascot, and the Pumpkin Girl welcome us all to their town and count down to the Grand Opening!

We were escorted through the gates of Pumpkinville where hundreds of pumpkins, lots of candy, characters, games, and animals were awaiting our arrival!

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We always love to visit and feed the giraffes, but tonight was great because they were all coming up to the fence! The kids also enjoyed pointing out all the awesome pumpkin designs.

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Who doesn't love face painting!

The line for this was sort of long, but Kate insisted on waiting.

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And of course we had to ride the Carousel!

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Picture time with Mommy!

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Crazy time with Daddy!

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There were characters and animals throughout the zoo tonight....and of course we stopped to take a picture with each and every one! Here are a few of our favorites!

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The Grumpy ole' Troll....who lives under the bridge!

At the end of the night we were all exhausted, but Daddy found the energy to give the kids a crazy ride to the car!

Minutes after leaving the park we drove through drive thru for a late night dinner.

Kate took one bite of her cheeseburger and collapsed! :)