Halloween

Dearest Boys,

Halloween was on a Saturday this year.  And all the parents said, "Hallelujah!"  Considering that the next time this will happen, y'all will be too old to have us walk you from house to house, I'd say this was my very favorite Halloween of.all.time.forever!

I know we were having a good time because I only took 4 pictures the whole evening (then I borrowed 3 others from Facebook to make this a more legit blog post).

Since we had a block party to attend later, we started our festivities earlier than the average trick-or-treater when we drove to Grandpa and Grandma's house and made theirs our first doorbell of the evening.  The sun hadn't finished setting yet but y'all visited their neighbors anyway!

Jax, you wanted a Morphsuit this year and decided to be a ninja.

Colt, you carefully considered the options at Target and decided on being the most adorable Hulk I'd ever seen! 

 After Grandpa and Grandma's, we headed to the other side of our neighborhood to your BBB's house.  Their street knows how to party and could teach our street a thing (or twenty) about having fun!  They welcomed us in and let us participate in their chili-cook-off.  (Note for the future:  Pioneer Woman's chili has nothing on the winner's brisket chili!)   

We tried to get the kids together before you all took off.

Although there were a whole lot of kiddos, you two stuck with these two most of the night. 

After over an hour of trick-or-treating, we all made our way back to the host's driveway.  They had their driveway covered in pillows and blankets (it was actually cold this year!!) so y'all watched a movie and made too many visits to the dessert table. 

Nights like these are the exact reason that I want to freeze time and keep you at these ages forever!

Pumpkin Patch

Dearest Jax and Colt,

As I mentioned a few posts back, our fall schedule barely left room for sleeping - much less the fun extras that come with fall.  I actually thought the pumpkin patch might get officially booted from our traditions list but then y'all started asking about it pretty regularly (it doesn't help that we pass by it daily!).  So, during the very last week that it was open, we squeezed in a visit between school and soccer practice.  That, in and of itself, proves how life has changed.  I used to carefully plan the day and time of our annual trip and mark it on a calendar.  While we anticipated the upcoming fun, I would set aside outfits that were patch-appropriate and charge up the camera's battery.

While there were no posed pictures among big groups of pumpkins or no family photo of us nestled in hay, there was fun.  There was running, jumping, sliding, laughing, tagging, and climbing fun! 

And there was a momma who was so glad that this didn't get cut from our list and who is already looking forward to squeezing it into our busy schedule next year!

Monster Mile

Dearest Colt and Jax,

We were happy to join Grandma in her neighborhood for another Monster Mile experience. 

 Our hectic schedules forced costumes to the back burner; therefore, I a) let go of my desire to dress the two of you as a duo and b) waited until the last minute to order your costumes.  And that's my excuse as to why you're "disguised" as a baseball player, Jax - your costume didn't arrive until after this event.

 

 Not sure how much longer y'all will want to pose next to folks in costumes, but I think the incentive of candy guarantees a few more years : )

San Diego's Top 20

Dearest Boys,

Having only 4 athletic events to attend each weekend left me a little bored and I knew I just *had* to spice life up a bit.  So I begged asked mentioned a weekend trip to your grandma and she had hotel arrangements reserved in no time!

Ok, ok...actually, my childhood bestie had her first baby and we wanted to go visit her.  Our school district had a 3 day weekend for "Fall Break" so we used that as our opportunity for our first ever Mother-Daughter Getaway. 

We flew out the afternoon of October 9th and I tried to read on the plane.  Do you have my motion sickness issues?  If so, then you know that that idea was a big no-no.  Luckily, the view coming in to San Diego made me feel better : )

 

I introduced Grandma to her first Uber experience and we were off to our hotel.

We remained positive even when the hotel looked like this:

After settling in as much as we could, we picked a dinner spot to try.  We didn't plan out much at all - instead, we decided things simply from google searches like, "Unique restaurants by the bay".  C Level ended up being one of the best search results of the weekend! 

 

Afterwards, we were Ubered (is that a verb yet?) to...where else?  Target!

We did some shopping before making the sketchy walk back to our even sketchier hotel (motel?).

Specific Note from your mom:  Please take your significant other to San Diego for a visit!  Please DO NOT stay at the Wyndham!

So we high-tailed it out of there Saturday morning and checked into THE gorgeous Marriott Marquis.  

 

Specific Note from your mom:  Please fork over the extra money for a balcony with a view of the water.  Please DO NOT leave your bathing suits at home.

After another advanced Google search, we ended up at a local favorite, The Broken Yolk.  With a name like that, I shouldn't have been surprised when my food was prepared with lots of eggs; yet, I was. 

 

We explored downtown a bit before going back to our hotel.  I chuckled when we stumbled upon the Strip Club.

Specific Note from your mom:  Please ask me to tell you the story that goes along with this.  Please DO NOT believe your dad's version.

I fell in love with our view the minute we got back to our hotel!

 

But we did eventually leave it so that we could go meet Mr. Harrison Walsh!

 It was great to see our friend, Fab, after so many (5!) years apart.

That night we returned to our stomping grounds yet again...

 

We woke up bright and early on Sunday so that I could introduce your grandma to another first - Segway touring!  Our guide showed us around and we took lots of touristy-type pictures.  However, very few people look good in helmets so this is all you get:

 Us in front of a MLK Jr. memorial

Us inside Petco Park (where the Padres play) 

Remember how I said that we didn't really do much in terms of planning?  Well, the one thing that I had on my "Must-Do" list was hang out on the beach.  Fab and Grandma obliged me with a trip to Coronado.  

It was a calm beach with white sand and chilly water and it made me miss both of you fiercely!  I can hardly wait to show you the Pacific someday!

Not only was walking the beach fun, but walking the neighborhood across the street was too!  Grandma was impressed with the fun trees while I was intrigued by the houses enough to research their value and speculate what type of career could afford someone such luxury. 

$7 million?!?  What could you possibly do??!?

We returned to the marina for dinner that night & then I took a tiny dip in the pool.

 I revisited said pool the next morning as I sat nearby and did some light reading.  I barely made it through the articles though because I kept brainstorming all the things I want to show you if I ever get to bring y'all.

Before long, it was time to make the return flight home.

Coming home to y'all made saying goodbye to the beach and friends just a little easier.

Thanks for being a fun travel companion, Mom!