Happy Halloween!

What's the Pirate Password?  YO HO HO!  This year, Vinny is completed obsessed with Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  With no costumes to be found in the Disney Store or on line...anywhere, Mommy had to fashion one herself out of felt, duck tape, and a little hot glue.  Not too shabby.

Off to Monrovia's annual Halloween block party.  The Chamber of Commerce blocks off the Old Town section of town so that all the local merchants can pass out candy.

But it felt more like a cattle herd than trick or treating.  Just one big long soup kitchen line.  Still it was fun to see the whole town dressed up in the spirit of things.

 Not a fan of this guy...

I tried to catch a shot of him walking down the street below, but when I knelt down, so did he.  Goof ball.  Still, I love this shot because it sort of captures our "Old Town" main street section of town.  We love to drive up the tree lined street, checking out the little shops.  Makes a trip to the grocery store not so unpleasant.

Dinner at T-Phillips before heading home to trick or treat...

Back to our neighborhood for some real trick or treating.  First stop on the block!

Checking out the booty!

Fall Fun at the Preschool

Our firefighters friends from Engine Co. 2 came to visit at the beginning of October for Fire Prevention Week.  Though he chickened out on using the powerful fire hose, the fact that he agreed to hop up on the truck shocked me!

 Here he reading Go Away Big Green Monster with one of his very "best buddies," Richie.

Lunchtime with the Thanksgiving turkeys!

Haircut Day

Anthony's patience and persistance has paid off.  After what seems like countless trips to the barber shop, or haircut shop, as Vinny calls it, he's finally tolerating haircuts much better.  No more screaming, and in fact, Vinny now sits in the chair all by himself.  He looks forward to seeing Carlos now.  Carlos is such a fan of Vinny, he even spotted him at the Halloween block party later in the month.  Here he is on the chair, all proud of his bravery.

As a reward for being a big boy, we ventured out on the train into LA for dinner at a Mexican restaurant we'd been wanting to try since we moved here.  Border Grill.  I remember watching the cooking show with The Two Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, when I was a kid.  Now I can say I ate their food.  Delicious!  Anyway, here is Vinny on the train.

Pumpkin Picking

Here we are at what has become our October tradition...pumpkin picking at Reilly's Farm, about an hour and a half from our house.  It's way out in apple country and it's a little taste of New England, which makes it well worth the drive for us.

We ignored the Please Don't Pick sign...shh!

Off to find the perfect pumpkin, and maybe spot his favorite Halloween literary character, Spookley the Square Pumpkin.

San Diego!!

I've said it before and suspect I will say it again, but living in California is pretty sweet.  We are so close to everything!!!  For my birthday this year, Ant planned a trip to San Diego.  We had to wait until October for work to settle down for both of us, but it was worth it.

First stop, SEA WORLD!

Here they are feeding the very noisy and very hungry sea lions.

Measuring up to the dolphins...

Hello Shamu!

Where we goin' next Daddy?

Feeling the starfish with Daddy in the tide pools.

We can not believe he agreed to this...feeding the sea rays....

Shamu Show!

Giving the SPLASH signal!

 They don't call it the "Soak Zone" for nothin'!

There are 4 Shamu's.  Who knew?

Our trip happened to fall during AZ's fall break, so we ran into the Lafko's and Vinny's best buddy Evan.  

Lunch with Shamu

San Diego Zoo