Happy Halloween!

Ashlyn was so excited about Halloween! She has been talking about it to EVERYONE. "I'm going to be a beagle doggie, like my doggie, Ranger."

Ashlyn painted our pumpkins. She started crying after she painted the mouth, because it was "scary." (The eyes are black, the mouth blue.) She then got over it, as she continued to paint the entire pumpkin. And, the little ones, too.

Christopher looks a bit goth with his first painting experience.

Christopher's tail kept dragging, so he would carry it.

Rather than go from house to house at night, we opted to trick or treat downtown Martinez. This was Ashlyn's third trick or treating this week. We'd already been to the parade at Todos Santos last Sunday, and her preschool class went to the city offices on Friday, where she got a huge stash of candy! (Allen has now organized Ashlyn's candy into "candy that he wants to eat" and "candy he doesn't want to eat.)

The kids also sang some Halloween songs in English and Spanish that they've been learning this month. (Notice Ashlyn is the only little girl not wearing a dress.)

Christopher probably should have dressed as a hockey player this year. Week before last was a bit rough for him. First he chipped his two front teeth. Before the week was out, he had also swallowed what we believed to be a magnet (turned out to be a penny,) and had a black eye from falling off of the bathroom counter. I'll be accepting my mother of the year award next week.

The left eye is more swollen in this picture than black.

Allen celebrated his 34th birthday last week. Ashlyn decided that he should have an eye cake. Usually he has a birthday pie, but we went with the eye cake this year.