A Perfect Halloween

From learning the history of Halloween to carving turnips (super easy with a melon baller), to baking molasses cookies, to trick-or-treating (at the last farmer's market of the season) to caramel apple making to Good Witch movie watching, everything about today was simply perfect! We have deemed this the best Halloween ever and are looking forward to next year all ready! Happy Halloween and a blessed Samhain to all who celebrate! xo

On Saturday

Nothing like sitting outside on a glorious late October day carving pumpkins! It really doesn't get any better (or more New England-y) than that! xo

Trunk-Or-Treat!

Today was the second annual trunk-or-treat at church. We were all so hopeful that the rain would hold off, yet, sadly, after church ended and people were getting their car trunks ready for the kids it started to rain. Rather than have everyone outside in the chilly rain, it was decided that trunk-or-treat should turn into trick-or-treat! As such, everyone brought their displays inside and chose spots in each of the Faith Workshop rooms to set up their "trunks". Just like with trunk-or-treat, it was really neat to see all the different ideas that people had come up with! 

 Since the girls were dressing up as a deer and a fox, they thought that a "woodland Halloween" would be a good theme for our trunk. This entire display was created by the girls using items we had at home! They were also super inspired by the 'Teal Pumpkin Project' story from Sparkle Stories and asked if they could paint a pumpkin teal as a sign to all who stopped by that our treats were allergy friendly. The pumpkin looks much more blue than teal in this picture which is really funny since it didn't look nearly that blue in real life! 

In addition to gummy bunnies, we also gave out these "treats" from Sparkle Stories. We thought that this would be the perfect non-edible treat from our family since we love Sparkle Stories so very much! Here's to hoping that other families enjoy this treat as much as we enjoyed giving it! 

Meg poses with her simple (and now award winning!) "trunk"! 

Another "trunk" ready for the kids. 

Holly sets up her "trunk". This game was a big hit with all who stopped by! 

Marybeth and her wonderful (and also award winning) Nightmare Before Christmas "trunk"! And yes, she painted that picture!

Our fox and deer in the woodland!

Shortly after I started taking pictures the trick-or-treaters started to arrive. And since the girls were part of that group, and Dave had to work at Williams-Sonoma, I had to hightail it back to our spot! I'm sad that I didn't get more pictures, as there were many more wonderful trunks, but it was wonderful to put the camera down and enjoy seeing all of the kids as they came by. These two years of trunk-or-treat have been simply wonderful! We hope this is a tradition that continues for many more years to come! Happy Halloween and a blessed Samhain to all who celebrate! xo

Yesterday In Bethany

Yesterday the girls and I spent the day in Bethany. We left right after breakfast and arrived, late morning, on what was easily one of the most perfect October days ever. After the girls showed Gramma Terri their Halloween costumes, they immediately went outside to do some exploring. Meanwhile, Gramma Fox peeled me an apple. 

While we were waiting for my dad and brother to return from a service call they were doing at Yale, Emma got a much needed haircut from our favorite hair dresser. As soon as her haircut was done she made a beeline for outside and got right back to exploring (and to wait for the guys to return home). 

After a delicious lunch, the six of us headed to the farm where we would go pumpkin picking as kids, and where my parents currently have their CSA. 

Goats were visited. 

And so were the chickens. 

It was a perfect day. 

When we got home it was Grace's turn for a haircut. 

They decided to recreate the above picture. 

Nailed it! 

And then there was more playing in the woods and the brook by the girls, and more wishing by me that we lived in a town like Bethany and on a piece of property like my parents. Though I have to say, that if that was the case, our nature loving girls would be even harder to get inside than they already are! 

While I was bringing things to the car in preparation for us to head home, Emma wrote this sweet message on the chalkboard in the mudroom. And for those wondering, Lily is my parents cat.

We then began the process of saying good-bye. It was then that we acquired eight Boxwood trees (or are they considered bushes?) that my dad was needing to relocate. Dave and the girls planted them today in a spot that was in desperate need of something. They look wonderful already and we are so hopeful that the will take root and grow big and strong in the months and years to come!

As the girls and I drove back to Massachusetts we chatted all about our day and all the wonderful things we did. They loved everything about our visit, but their most favorite parts were spending time exploring  and visiting the farm. And as I knew would happen they both said how much they wish that we "lived in Bethany or a town like it."  I wish that too, sweet girls, and who knows, maybe one day we will. xo