Halloween Fun with Friends

This year Josh and I decided to get a few of our friends together for a fun pumpkin carving party. The kids had a BLAST painting little pumpkins, watching "How to Train Your Dragon," chasing each other around, and screaming...yes...LOTS of screaming! This little group of kids have SO much fun together, and get SO excited to play and run around. I LOVE it! I was just happy we rented the clubhouse so they could run and play to their heart's content without breaking anything :) Between our 4 families, we have 7 children under age 5! Needless to say it gets a little crazy at times, but it's a joyful crazy! And it beats having to get a babysitter! Why get a babysitter when the kids are such great friends and want to get together as much as you do right? :)

Baby Stock had a hard time settling because of all the noise, so Josh and I took turns holding him in the next room. It's an interesting dilemma I sometimes face with 2 kids: Annabelle is having the time of her life, beaming with excitement and joy, screaming with delight, yet Baby Stocky is restless, fussy and overstimulated because of the noise. It's so tough! I can't bring myself to break-up such innocent, happy, blissful moments for Annabelle, so I do my best to pacify Stockton by taking him into the next room, holding him, singing to him, rocking him, etc. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I can't wait until they're both having the times of their lives, screaming together :) Adding a 2nd child brings such added depth, emotion, and love to your family, but being pulled 2 different directions is I feel the most difficult adjustment--wanting to be there completely 100% for BOTH of them at the same time--wanting to sit back and watch Annabelle play, laugh, scream, chase, and interact with friends, yet wanting to be silent with Stockton in my arms, rocking him, and staring at his adorable chubby face until he's asleep. Luckily I get those moments with each of them at different times; it's just tough when those moments present themselves simultaneously! But...back to the party :)

Season and Kenny's pumpkin turned out so great, definitely the BEST pumpkin success of the night! It was such a fun night with friends, and we're so glad they joined us!