MLV - Halloween 2015

This Halloween was one of the best ever for several reasons. It is finally on a Saturday which meant most parents could participate. The parade would start earlier than normal. The weather was warmer than usual so we could wear our costumes sans coats. And yes that's right I said "our costumes" because this year even Eddie dressed up and we sort of had a family theme (there were actually 2 themes that were dictated by Mateo and Lucia). We also got to spend it trick-o-treating with some good friends. All around a great time.

This wasn't technically on Halloween, but was the night before. Miss Lucia was waiting patiently as kids trick-o-treated in our building. She was so happy to sit and wait.

Ok, now on the Halloween Day. At last, Mateo's costume is revealed. He went as - the Headless Horseman. I think he looked particularly creepy.

Family pic - Eddie (Woody), Lucia (Jessie) and Valentina (Alien) were also Toy Story themed. Mateo (Headless Horseman) and I (Ghost Lady) were spooky characters.

As is tradition, Abu and Aba joined us for our Halloween walk.

We normally meet up with the Laine kids, but this year we were fortunate enough to get the whole family. Milla (Abbie Kadabby), Hannah (Maleficient), Alma (Catwoman), Lucas (Minion) and Dram (Jack the Ripper) were ready to go.

And we were off...

The streets were packed, but the kids had a great time going in and out of the stores on Washington filling their candy bags.

Perfect Pic on one of the spookiest blocks in Hoboken - Bloomfield Street.

After all of that excitement we went to decompress at the Laine's home where the boys played video games and the girls put on a play with puppets.

It was a super, great day!

MLV Come to OXO to Celebrate Halloween

Finally, after several years, all 3 children got to come to Mommy's work for the OXO celebration. In year's past the Hoboken Halloween parade always conflicted, but because Halloween lands on Saturday this year, the kids could come into OXO on Friday. Yah!

Once again, the girls dressed up and Mateo decided to opt out. He did, however, opt in to the activities we had set up to decorate the Halloween bags

Aba came along too and helped out Valentina

She also helped Lucia

Mateo helped V trick-o-treat around the office

This alien loved Alex's modern rocking horse

Instead of carving a real pumpkin our team decided to bake a pumpkin shaped cake.

Impressive!

Mateo also served as a judge in the OXO Pumpkin Carving contest

My team did a group costume.

Look closely, we are a Social Butterflies

Lucia Goes to Evan's 7th Birthday

Lucia got to go back to one of her favorite birthday places...Pump It Up! Where Evan was celebrating his 7th Birthday.

Birthday boy, Evan slamming into the bouncy wall

Followed by Lucia a few seconds later

After all of the bouncing and pizza eating. All the children gathered around to sing Evan a raucous version of  the Happy Birthday song.

Lucia was kind enough to bring her sister a balloon from the party

Mateo really just wanted to be in the picture

And now we are off to Mateo's soccer game on a beautiful Fall afternoon where Valentina enjoyed a romp with nature.

Great day !

MLV Elysian Halloween Party - 2015

Well another year, another Halloween and this one should prove to be even more fun than the last because Valentina is more active (i.e. walking) and Lucia picked a great costume that I could really jazz up.

Oldie, but goodie.

Meet Jessie from Toy Story. 

Lucia's Jessie meets Amelia's Dorothy

And the Toy Story Alien also decided to tag along

Although Mateo was too cool to dress up (and instead opted to keep his soccer gear on) he was not too cool to feast on his favorite activity at the Elysian Halloween Party, the donut eating game.

It is also one of Lucia's favorite activities

This year, there were a few new additions to the ECS party. One obvious one is that the party was being held in their new space. Another was actually a surprise. Derrick (the dance instructor) planned a flash mob that did a dance to the classic Thriller.

Before we left, Lucia caught a picture with two of her favorite 1st Grade boys - Evan as Harry Potter and Ray-Ray as a ninja. 

And we are out.

L & V - Soccer and Scooter

Today started out early and cold...two of my least favorite things. We needed to get to an out-of-town travel soccer game for Mateo followed by afternoon swim lessons.

Lucia and Valentina made the best of it - climbing up and down a hill on the sidelines.

Later, it warmed up and Lucia practiced her 2-wheeled scooter skills. 

Pretty good! 

Cheetahs Picture Day

Just your average Fall Sunday. Both kids had piano and then afternoon soccer.

Today was Picture Day. 

Here is Lucia and her team as well as their FOUR...yes FOUR coaches!

Back to School Night

Today was Back-To-School night at the kids school. Now that they have moved and all grades are in the same building, there is only one night. What that means for us is that there was no way for both of us to go to both of the kids' classes at once, so we decided to split up and I covered Mateo's class for the first half and Eddie went to Lucia's and then we switched half way through.

This is some of Mateo's artwork - Spooky Tree. Pretty well done.

They all had to do self portraits and then the parents had to guess which was their child's. I guessed this one and was correct. My first clue was the all black in the background. I didn't know what was up with those red marks, but he told me later that it was war paint. I have no idea where that came from.

Next, I read his Back-to-school card for us. On the front cover he decided to create a comic starring a ninja and Poop Man and the title was the Murder. Yes I have a 9 year old boy.

The inside was a letter to us that spoke to his hopes, dreams and promises for the school year. It was a lot more positive than the cover. Thank Goodness!

And we finished with the review of his 4th Grade Bucket List - my favorite one was "Going to Pee." Way to really stretch yourself son.

Unfortunately, I have no images of Lucia's stuff because Eddie didn't take any. All-in-all sounds like she is having a great time in 1st Grade and that she is learning a lot, like how to define what is and isn't alive (there is a big debate about water) and also how to write a "How-To" books (Lucia is writing hers on how-to-ski). Great way to kick-off the school year. 

V Rocks at the Movies

Today we went to the movies with all 3 kids, but as we were waiting for the movie to start Lil V wanted to roam...

...and roam she did. It's so hard to look like a rock star.