Happy Halloween!

The painting continues...my goal was to hire a team of painters, once we got started I knew the disarray of our house would drive me crazy. It seems painters are very busy, so Patrick decided to do the dining room last weekend to get one room out of the way (I actually don't think he minds painting, he just has zero time right now). Next thing I knew, a toilet was in the mudroom and he was taping the half-bath up. Goodbye ugly gold color, I haven't liked you since you went up.

Patrick is handy, but he's really good at starting things and then not finishing (which is a giant pet peeve of mine). For example, there are pictures all over the floor waiting to be rehung and the outlet covers are still missing and there's some paint on the trim that needs to be removed. At least the toilet is back in the bathroom. I like the color, it's sooo different than what was there.

The laundry room is the same color has the half-bath. In certain lights, it's a little "bluer" than I anticipated, but I think it'll be good once everything is back into it's place. And I'm excited for "new".

The hallway went from tan to "antique pewter" and I really like it!

The dining room is my fav!

My friend Carolynne's husband is serving in Afghanistan and she ordered Cub Scout popcorn for him. I said we'd put together a package and mail it all to him. Finley was really intrigued how the package would find it's way to Neil, fingers-crossed it does find him!

8 zillion leaves.

And the next day it snowed, it was actively snowing in this picture but it didn't show up.

W/ the Haunted Hustle 5K only one week behind us, Finley was already begging to do another run. He knew there was a Carson 5K happening on Saturday and SO wanted to do it. W/ frigid temps and no interest in waking up super early, I tried to steer him away from the idea - nope, he wanted in. This picture was from the Boogie Run (the kid's run at the Carson 10 Mile & 5K) that Finley ran in 2011.

No Boogie Run this time, just the 5K for this runner! Finley's friend Caden ran too.

It was chilly, but the boys didn't seem to mind.

It's hard to guess how to dress for running in 32*, by the end I was carrying Finley's jacket, hat, gloves and waterbottle. Sprinting to the finish!

My little runner PR'd w/ a 28:54 and took 3rd place in the 9 & Under age group! Congrats Finley, I love running w/ you!

Two pictures that were posted by the Haunted Hustle 5K...Hadley & I in our garbage bags...

...and Finley taking off for the Spooky Sprint - he looks like he's about to eat dirt! 

I signed up for another race (don't tell Finley, he's not coming w/ me this time) and the registration *required* my profession and employer. I've always wanted to do this and since the Turkey Trot isn't a super-important questionaire, they got the truth.

Easton slept over, these two were great together - they played multiple games of chess.

I attended my favorite fall party - the Apple Pie & Chili contest at a former colleague's house. It was bitterly cold, but the chili was warm and MY apple pie took 1st place! 

I dread Family Picture Day as much as the dentist. But I'm very excited about our backdrop, we went to Leinies and found many rustic textures. No sneak peeks until holiday cards go out!

And we were done.

Hadley raced to catch-up w/ friends celebrating her classmate Travis. 

Check out the boy in orange - he's swiping our Target Gift Card present 😉

Church hosted their first Trunk or Treat, unfortunately it was super cold, but the kids had fun trick-or-treating from car to car.

On Halloween, Finley was a happy Zombie Baseball Player... 

...and Hadley refused to get in costume. She started crying the day before and I'm not sure why. She was happy to be Elsa at the school party and Trunk or Treat, but on the actual day she wanted nothing to do w/ her costume. So she stayed in her Halloween tshirt/leggings that she wore to school. Weirdly, she already knows what she wants to be next year.

I'm not a fan of dressing up myself, so maybe it's genetic? This wasn't the first year she was unhappy about dressing up.

It's like she's sticking her tongue at me thinking, Sucker, I'm the boss.

We hosted friends and neighbors for pizza and Trick or Treating.

They were off in the wagon! W/ temps in the low 30's, I have no idea how they made it for 90 minutes. I happily stayed home and handed out candy.

The dump & sort. 

Because traveling for work 3-4 days/week isn't enough, Patrick is now hunting when he's back. I found this in our mudroom. I would never have a hobby that requires me to wear 100% PURE URINE COLLECTED FROM ONE DEER. I wonder why only one deer?! And who's job is it to get pure deer pee?! And how do they collect it?!