HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We had some real holiday fun around here! Ever since the Easter Bunny hid colorful eggs all over the back yard, Vanessa has been locked in to the exciting rituals of each holiday.

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" people have been asking Van.

"A Why On," she'd say. "And Keenan is going to be a Wep Odd."

Maybe she's have her R's and L's down next year.

This was the third year in a row that our two year old wore her lion costume and got stares and comments where ever she went. It doesn't hurt that her hair blends convincingly with the costume's mane.

I found a 0-3 month sized leopard costume for Keenan on eBay. It has a tail and pockets and fits him perfectly. He rode around in the Baby Bjorn, sleeping, then woke up and stared silently at the mayhem. Such an angel leopard.

We were lucky to have our friend Brad and his (adopted) daughter Amanda come to play for a couple days. We havent' seen them in two years. Five year old Amanda and two year old Vanessa hit it off like two old ladies catching up over a cup of tea. They trick-or-treated at the Thursday night Farmer's Market Halloween fair.

We don't think Nanners remembered the drills from years past. She took her role very seriously and Amanda took her hand and showed her all around. Van was perfectly able to receive candy, but not able to say "trick or treat."

Amanda has a very big personality and does not shy away from taking charge where ever she goes. Nanners was totally up for the game, but she did show signs of toddler wear and tear by the end of the highly stimulating evening out, and we don't even think she had that much sugar yet.

On Friday, Daddio, Brad and Amanda were able to see Vanners in her very first stage performance, at school. Let's just say the littlest pre-schooler brought up the rear of the line, stood in the center of it all, and lost her train of concentration first.

Keenan and I stayed home, but, after seeing these pictures, I had to wonder if maybe she was in over her head, in the advanced pre-school class. But I ran into her teacher, the sage and fabulous Miss Carmen, and she assured me Vanessa would be "bored" in the younger class. "She's right where she should be," Miss Carmen reassured me. Phew.

On Saturday, Halloween, we woke up with Brad and Amanda, bid them a very fond farewell, and looked forward to seeing them a lot more, since Brad's step daugther Alli has just moved to Monterey with her husband and they are expecting a baby this month.

Vanessa and Daddio got ready for the third and final Halloween trick-or-treat tour in our little neighborhood. BFF AJ came by and was acting all non-chalant about this holiday, until we badgered her into dressing up - "You're ten!" I chided her. "Are you giving up trick-or-treating already?" She dressed as a gypsy and Daddio dressed as a surfer (duh!) and together they took Vanessa around our two closest blocks. They filled up their buckets so full Vanny could barely carry it, and they even got full sized Snickers bars, bags of Dorito's and a hot grilled hot dog on the route. AJ's mom, Jen and I and Keenan stayed home and guarded the candy and caught up.

On Sunday, AJ came by to make us cheese pancakes, then "Auntie" Nell, "Auntie" Shea-Shea and friend Bridgette - all Jack's athletes - came by to say hello and see baby Keenan. What a fun Halloween holiday weekend we had!

On Wednesday morning Daddio has his third round of interviews for the Cal Poly job. Saturday Uncle Mark and the Magic Aunt (Debbie) come for four days. Woo hoo!