Happy Halloween!

This afternoon, after Etta woke up from her nap, we headed up to Lauren, Dustin, and Liam's house in Bellevue to watch the Titans game and eat chili and celebrate Liam's first Halloween and go Trick-or-Treating!  Lauren's brother, Will, was also there. 

Once the game was over and our bellies were full, Etta turned into a ladybug and Liam became an Auburn Tiger and off we went to ask strangers for candy.  E did a great job holding her candy bucket and keeping her antennae on her head (I thought FOR SURE that she would refuse to wear those).  She also did a great job knocking on the first couple of doors ("gock, gock").  Then, Etta figured out that if she chewed on the packaging of her newley acquired treat long enough, eventually candy-coated chocolate goodness would delight her taste buds.  She didn't really care about knocking after that.  I think her hands were full and she was afraid we'd take the chocolate away from her.  Her face was covered in chocolate and it was hilarious!

Etta kept up with us like a champ.  The melt-down came on fairly quickly (after a sudden spurt of sugar fueled energy).  So, we scurried back down the street to the Overbeek house and started packing up.  E was in full-on sensory overload.  She melted down right at 7:00 (usual bedtime is about 7:30... and we were 45 minutes from home).  She calmed down as soon as we got in the car.  Then, I sang all the way home to keep her happy.  She was in bed by 8:00.  Passed out instantly!

Thanks again to Dustin and Lauren for hosting a little Halloween get-together and cooking chili.  We had a great time!

Lauren, Liam, and LO's brother WIll

hmmm... what did that lady just put in this bucket?

it's a Reece's Cup!

"gock, gock"

After the nice lady gave Etta some candy, Etta placed her chewed on/ slobbered on Reece's Cup in the lady's candy bucket.  HAHA!  The nice lady looked a little disgusted when she handed it back to me.

it's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

Can you guess which ones she "sampled' along the way?

Playing at the Mall

We had a little mini playdate at the mall this morning.  They have this great little play area that's perfect for toddlers.  Jennifer, Molly, & Delaney AND Emily & Cooper met us over there.  All of the kids had a great time running around and climbing and sliding.  They are all pretty fearless.  Before I even realized that there was a little slide in there, I caught a glimpse of Etta zipping down it.  "weeee!"

I forgot my camera this morning (le sigh).  I also forgot my phone at home and I left Etta's juice in the car.  I was a bit disheveled all morning after getting up late and trying to run out the door...  So, I forgot my camera, but Emily had hers!  She took a bunch of pictures and I got a bunch of pictures with it and then she uploaded them for me to share with all of you!  Thanks Em!!  :)

Delaney 

Cooper 

Cooper 

Weeee! 

Coop and Etta 

Silly Cooper

Delaney and Etta 

Cooper, Etta, and Molly 

Delaney, Cooper, Etta (love her expression), and Molly 

Delaney, Coop, E, and Molly 

Delaney, Cooper, and Etta 

BUDDY WALK!!!

Saturday was a big day!  Saturday was Buddy Walk Day!  This was our third Buddy Walk.  The weather was AMAZINGLY perfect and the turn out was HUGE!  Last year they estimated 1,300 participants braved the COLD weather and I've heard that this year there were at least 2,000 people there!  In the week leading up to the event, I told at least two different people that they wouldn't have trouble finding their friends once they arrived because it wasn't so big that you couldn't find people.  Boy, was I proven wrong!  There were at least 5 or 6 families that I knew were there and I never even saw!  I was actually really bummed when we were leaving and I realized that I hadn't seen some of our friends. :(  We did still see a bunch of our friends and even made a few new friends (that's what it's all about, right?).

Etta's Entourage was also bigger this year!  I loved our little team.  Nancy even brought along some friends from her church who took on this event as a group project.  "God's Warriors" raised $145 in addition to the $900 that our general team raised! Thank you to everyone who sponsored our team and supported the DSAMT.  (If you didn't get a chance to contribute, and would like to, you can go to www.firstgiving.com/ettamay. Donations are tax deductible.)

This year was a little more special because it was the first year that Etta was able to WALK the Buddy Walk!  We took the stroller in case, but we just used it to hold our stuff.  Our big girl walked most of that mile. A few times she needed to be carried along the way, but she walked across that START line and she walked across the FINISH line where she was presented with her medal (which she promptly tried to yank off).

After the walk, we said our goodbyes to about half of Etta's Entourage and then the rest of us had a little pb&j picnic over by our car.  Then we headed home so Etta (and I) could take a nap.  :)

and now for photo mania!

 Etta and Delaney

Etta, Me, Emily, & Cooper (stole this from Em's blog)

(stole this one too.  Thanks Em!)

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Rylee (with her Mama Nancy)

Addison, Etta, and Jen

God's Warriors in a warrior prayer circle :)

Ron

Liam and Karis

Dustin and Lauren

Crossing the START line!

LOVE this!  Thanks Jen for taking over as photographer for the last half of the walk!

Lauren, Dustin, and Liam

Rick took his job as sign holder pretty seriously

Mel and Rick (aka Grandmomma and Granddaddy)

(Lauren, Dustin), Etta, Me, Jennifer, and Delaney

Receiving her medal

"ooh!  what's that?"

"EEEEEH!  I don't want it!" 

Etta, Tiff, Keith, Lauren, Dustin, Liam

Troy, Addison, Jen, Etta, Tiff, Keith

Rick, Mel, Tiff, Keith, and Etta

Picnic

Daddy and Etta May :)

Etta and Momma

Nancy and Rylee

Etta and her cousin Rylee

Etta and Rylee- "high five!"