2009 School Portrait

Boo at the Zoo

We finally managed to get over to Boo at the Zoo in Decatur this week. This is an excellent Halloween event and one that has earned a place on our annual list. Fantastic decorations, animals to pet, a scary train ride in the dark, and an evening of fun to be had by all. Well, by all people who have young children. And right now, that's how we roll.

This was our favourite pumpkin scarecrow guy. He looks like Jack!





Boo! For Boo at the zoo.





A silly Mario on the carousel.

Our Mario

Kellan is Mario (of Nintendo fame) for Halloween this year. Here are some shots from Friday night, before we left for Zoolie Ghoulie.








The mustache didn't last. It wasn't comfortable. But at least I got some photos! Here he is at the zoo. Sans mustache, but still cute.






Telling me off because I wouldn't let him go into the goat enclosure in his costume. They would have chewed right through it and its got to last through Halloween!

A Day of Festivities

We were invited to a super fun Fall Festival on Saturday afternoon at Henry's house. There were all sorts of games, a pinata, crafts, yummy food, an obstacle course, and even a "candy in the jar" guessing game which we won! Yeah for a weekend-long sugar high. I love the candy corn! I didn't get many photos because the kids were all too busy having fun, but here are a few snaps.

This is Henry, Marina, and Kel wearing their colourful vampire teeth.




Kellan kept cheating at the apple game -- no hands!




Balloons in the obstacle course.




Kel swinging at the pinata.





We also had a swim party to attend earlier in the afternoon. I had the camera along anyway, so took a couple of photos. Here are Kel and Cedric hanging out in the pool at the Y.

Fall Colours

I went for a walk around Lincoln Memorial Gardens on Saturday to try and capture some of the beautiful fall colours with my camera. Unfortunately, I left it a week late and everything was already past peak, many of my favourite trees having already dropped their leaves. I got a few pretty shots though. Here's a sample of our fall colours (one week past peak!) in central Illinois:

Abe's Corn Maze

We had a beautiful fall afternoon for our venture into Abe's Corn Maze. This is our favourite corn maze (and I don't want to hear any, "You have a favourite corn maze???" comments -- when in Rome, right?).

Here is Kel, excited and ready to conquer the maze.



Half way through the maze, we stopped for some scenic photos on the pond.






Another break. Kel decided to snap a photo of me. I'm teaching him how to use the camera.




Still trekking along through the maze.




And, our victory shots by the "Exit" sign!




There was a little "pumpkin patch" where the kids could pick out a pumpkin and then paint it.



The artist, hard at work.






Kel and his pumpkin creation.





We also took a wild hay ride over some crazy muddy terrain. I couldn't get the camera out while we were on the ride because I was clinging on to Kel to keep him inside the wagon. This is a shot of Kel standing next to the hay ride wagon afterward.