Let the Festivities Begin

Even though Halloween is officially a week away, we started the festivities this week. Yesterday we joined friends Celia and Rina at a special Halloween story time at a local book store. The kids enjoyed singing songs (including two of their favorites, "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Five Little Monkeys" along with a new favorite, "The Hokey Pokey") and hearing Halloween-themed stories. Alex and Ari were happy to see their friends and to meet lots of new friends...there must have been about 40 children there in all! Here are Alex and Ari with Rina and Celia after the story time:Today we had our neighborhood play date at Darby's house and her mommy made it a special Halloween costume party and celebration of friends Lilly and Gregory's actual birthday. This was Alex and Ari's first chance to wear their costumes in public, and they were very excited to put them on (until they realized they got a little hot running around inside on an unseasonably warm October day!) Their friends also dressed up as a fairy, pirate, Deedee Doodlebop, witch, princess, doggie and other adorable characters:

Darby the Fairy
Ari the Bunny (without her ears) with Darby, Alex the Lion (background) & Katie the Princess

Alex the Lion (his hood is down) enjoys a snack with Princess Katie

Lilli eyes her cake (brother Gregory was watching from a distance)

This afternoon Aunt Lori and Uncle Sam brought Cousin Ozzie over for a visit with the kids, who were very eager to show Aunt Lori and Uncle Sam the "kew car" (new car).

So it seems as if our Halloween celebrations are off to a good start- we're looking forward to our neighborhood parade this weekend and to the "big event" next week!