2nd Half of October: Alma Awards, Pumpkin Patch and Dates!!!

It is NOT very often I get to ditch the mom mantra and dress all up formal and attend a red carpet event.  In fact, never before have I had tickets to actually WALK the red carpet with the celebrities and enjoy the glamour of the cameras and lights etc.  When Chip first told me he had received tickets from a friend, I didn't really want to go - it seemed like a LOT of work to arrange all the things for the kids and babysitting, find a dress, shoes, clutch, get hair and makeup done up and nails and get there - but BOY WAS I GLAD WE DID!!! It was so fun and we had a great time.  We had amazing seats and the show was only an hour and that was fun and then afterwards we had VIP tickets to the producers after party and that was a blast too. (since Chip's friend was the producer of the show that makes sense!  He was awesome and it was fun meeting him!)

Anyhow, I never take pics of myself usually and don't really like being the center of attention for the camera so the pics below are somewhat awkward due to my friend just taking them on my phone and me feeling a little silly, but it was so fun and I am glad we did it!

On a side note originally Chip saw my shoes I was planning on wearing and didn't think they were great and he hated the necklace when he saw it by itself - but both of those things were a huge hit as I had a celebrity ask me who my shoes were by and another person ask who I was wearing and then quite a few people asked for the details of my necklace - that was very fun and flattering and did make me feel like a superstar!  Haha - far from it but it was fun to feel glammed for a night!

My highlight was seeing Eva Longoria within arms reach and watching all her dresses she came out in for each segment of the show - and her and Mario Lopez were hilarious together - great on stage.  My only complaint was the show was too short - hopefully next year it will be a little longer - the Alma awards are the Music, TV, and Movie awards for Latinos.  It was fun to see them and as always I wished I was part of their culture - LOVE their beautiful olive skin and dark features!

 Before the show

 Eva Longoria and Mario Lopez - the hosts of the night!

 After!

End of the night at the VIP party!

 The next day I got up early and ran 8 miles - felt great and this pic was so beautiful had to stop and take a pic!

 Then it was another late night as we went out to Universal Studios Night of Horror - and it was scary and I did give Chip a few bruises squeezing his arms so hard.  We went with friends and it was a blast tho!  A fun Halloween date night!

 My favorite foods of fall - butternut squash soup and caprese salad with homemade french bread!

 My little shadow every morning!

Cash lost his first tooth one Saturday before his soccer game and was so excited - just pulled it right out himself before we could even video it!  Love him!

We had a great time at Mickey Mouse Trick or Treat at Disneyland again - a very fun tradition that the kids always look forward too - Ivy had said every day since then: "mom, I want to go back to Disneyland!" So it was a success!

Ready to go!

 The bus ride there- kids were SO excited!

 Waiting in line to get in to Toon Town!

 Found our friends and ALL in line for the Goofy roller coaster - Ivy's first!

Splash Mountain is always a favorite! Cash and Brighton - they had already rode it twice with Chip and were back with me for two more times - we didn't even get off and have to get back in line - just let us go in our same boat!

 Griff didn't want to go but him and Ivy enjoyed Winnie the Pooh instead while Cash rode Splash over and over!

 The next day we had a little bit of a Disneyland hangover so figured icecream and movies would help!

Cash has started playing bball on Thursdays at the park and it is so cute how the boys get so into it - here they were huddling up with their team before planning some strategy!  He is in there talking!

 It has been very warm so numerous beach and park days occurred!

Ivy loves the swings and is a little monkey climber - keeps me on the toes when we go!

 Chip and I had a great date night out to Pei Wei and then test driving cars and then to Handels for some yummy banana and coconut cream pie icecream cones!  Perfect night!

 We made Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory apples one Sunday and the boys were my little helpers - So fun and SO YUMMY!!!

 Also we did our annual pumpkin carving - a blast for the kids - altho it still cracks me up how Griff has to leave the room when Chip digs out the seeds to avoid puking!

Little miss insisted on carrying her own pumpkin - it may have been a little heavy for her!

 After the pumpkins were carved and lit we got to enjoy the yummy apples!  Even daddy LOVED them! (rare cuz he isn't a sweets guy!)

 I tried making pumpkin waffles and they were SOOOO yummy too!

Kids loved them!

Had to make more for friends!

 We went to In'n Out Burger and then Cottone pumpkin patch with friends one saturday - was a blast!  Kids had so much fun, and we did too!

 I worked in the classroom for the Halloween parties for Griff and Halloween was very busy! We had a great time - these two are so fun together and Griff always takes care of Ivy there......most the time anyways!

 My superhero and me!

 Enjoying their snack together!

 By the time night came I was tired of being dressed up and cold so I didn't since had earlier in Griff's class - but we did have our pizza for dinner with friends and then headed out trick-or-treating at candycane lane.  We had heard it was crazy but had no idea how many people and crazy it would really be.  It was an experience for sure (not one we will repeat I don't think)  The kids were tired and didn't last long but it was fun nonetheless!

The troop! Addie and Ellesyn joining my kiddos!

An example of the decorations at one of the houses - they go all out there which is awesome, but the treats they hand out are not so awesome (I don't blame them when busloads of people get dropped off to go through the neighborhood there!)

On Saturday, Nov. 1 we set up the Christmas tree (one of them!)  It is our grateful tree and won't get lights or ornaments yet but we cleared out Halloween and needed something and the Thanksgiving decor was lacking.  I love it and we are putting thankful notes in it and then reading them each sunday!  (this is what happens when Chip works the weekend!)

 Halloween Hangover called for hot chocolate, Elf, and dancing to Christmas music as we put up the tree!  We love the fall and holidays!!!

 Cash had a soccer game and the highlight for me was watching these guys play with their daddy - also at the end of the game when Ivy only wanted to go with daddy and so he had to take the mini van and the kids and I got his car and to ride in silence for a few minutes.   Heavenly!!!

October was great - and here's to an even better November!