Halloween decor and Fall Fun

Who can resist the Fall when there are field trips to go on, pumpkins to carve, harvests to gather and apple crisp to eat?  Yay fall is here! 

I have volunteered to chaperon for this field trip with each of my kids, very selfishly too.  I love the delight that the kids experience as they go through a corn maze, and the games that they enjoy at the end.  The pumpkin picking is so exciting for them, and they could care less that they are hungry or tired when they see all the fun themed playground toys.  There is even a kid-zoo spot, where farm animals live.  I'd pretty much elbow out other moms to get to the sign up sheet for this field trip.

This is L loving on his pumpin and Chester (the preschool pet stow away that comes on certain field trips.  Who knew raccoons are so docile?)

This is notable, because it's difficult for L to feel like he even wants to do some of this stuff.  He usually holds back until everyone is done with the activity until he wants to join.  He is so handsome when he smiles!  Good job, buddy!

Amazing play-land and spooky tunnels to crawl through.

I love this musty smelling pumpkin.  It's right next to the animal habitat, and I'm pretty sure that goat stink is on that baby for life.  But the kids don't care at all.

A, who didn't get to go on a field trip that day was super sweet to read to his baby bro.  Inviting him into his fort no less.  Sweet sweet boys melt my heart.

We LOVE Halloween at our house. It's pure and simple spooky fun.  None of this disturbing or scary celebration stuff (I'll leave that to the teenagers and my bro-in-law).  Just plain kid-creation, costume wearing, monster loving joy here.

Of all the places that need decorating, our family room mantle is essential.  The kids LOVE the fake spider webs and the pretend fire in the candlestick holders.  No mind that there are no candlesticks.  And the clock is perfect (thanks Neen!).  It's spooky for Halloween, and cozy for Christmas.

This spooky black bird is looking at himself in the mirror, which is quite lifelike, really.  Though you can't see it, we stuffed the stand he's perching on with black feathers to remind him that he'd better be a good bird :)  And to satisfy our Aunt Juicy, who has the worst luck with birds known to man.  Seriously.  Birds are out for her.  Alfred Hitchcock could've taken a scene or two from her life.  Don't believe me?  Check out her stories here, here, here, here and here.

Here is our ever so important witchy hand.  Not sure why we call it that, considering it's a skeleton hand.  But it has freaked my kids out for years (in a giggly kind of way).  You put your hand in its cauldron to take a piece of candy and the bony hand slaps down on you and yells 'Whatcha doin?' or 'Boo' or laughs wickedly.  You can see that the poor thing has a few toddler miles.

The ever so helpful A, with his best monster impersonation.  Well done my boy, you do me proud.

Of course, here is the mirror wreath (that really isn't a wreath at all) that I posted a tutorial for here.  Below it we hung our spider web wind chime. 

And now, for my favorite decoration this year, I give you our monster door.  Made by the kids from a dollar store table cloth, a black trash bag, a piece o cardstock and some spray adhesive.  All cut out by the kids.  I was so impressed that they could wield the scissors like that.  Red eyes were their idea too.  Same with the fangs.  I love that you can see it as you drive by, because it's so big!

Next is our crop of baby-boo pumpkins.  Can you hear the pride oozing from my voice?  We grew them.  And then we painted them. Again, all done by the kids except for the polka dot ones.  and the green ones glow in the dark!  Of course I glittered them.  I'm a sucker for glitter, always have been.