Halloween Town

On Halloween night we took the kids trick-or-treating in the Thompson Circle neighborhood. The police block off the streets so it's safe for the kids to walk around and we don't have to worry about them getting hit by a car.

Jackson's costume came with an additional mask, so he decided to have an outfit change for trick-or-treating. The 2nd mask was much scarier than the original!

We had a family photo op while trick-or-treating at Gram & Pop's house.

Our trick-or-treaters in action!

Every October, the Sykora and Watson families host a Halloween party. This year the party was on Friday, October 30th at the Sykora's home. As always the kids were super excited about their costumes, the hayride, and all the candy! After many trips to the various Halloween stores in Waco, the costumes were decided. Cason was a Ninja, Maddie a 60s Disco Diva, & Jackson was Jason from Friday the 13th. (I promise Jackson has not seen Friday the 13th; he liked the mask that accompanied the costume!)

At the party, we saw lots of cute kids dressed up as many different characters. There was baby Michael Jackson aka Asa Warner,

Indiana Jones aka Brock Sykora, the Incredible Hulk aka Cade Crenshaw,

Fred Flintstone aka Kyle Coats with Mom aka Sara, and

Barney Rubble aka Kase Coats with Dad aka Jason.

McCray & Jackson pose for a picture while waiting for the hayride to get going.

Cason, Cage (Yankees ball player), Maddie, Grace (Pebbles), &

Mason (Brett Michaels) also wait for the hayride to start.

Maddie and Morgan were Disco Diva twinkies!

Corey and I, along with Tom & Cheryl and Matt & Lora, went to adult Halloween party. We brainstormed many different costume ideas, and our final decision was Geisha girls and Sumo wrestlers. The Sumo wrestler costumes were hilarious! Needless to say, we got many stares & laughs as we made our way to the party. Especially from our new neighbors as we made our way to the car!

Cheryl, me, & Lora as Geisha girls

Sumo Wrestlers aka Matt & Corey

Jackson finally lost a tooth

While Jackson was fighting the swine flu, the tooth fairy decided it was time to pay him a visit. Jackson finally lost his first tooth! Even though he felt horrible, he was excited that he got to join the ranks of those who have lost a tooth, or teeth!

Heeeeyyyyy, Sic Em Bears!

Corey & I were able to get tickets to a Baylor football game pretty cheap, so we decided to take the kids to a game. The weather forecast was not that great for game day, but since we already had the tickets we were going to the game rain or shine.

Cason always has to be different!

We met the Crenshaw's and the Sykora's at Touchdown Alley so the kids could have some fun before the game started. It sprinkled off and on while the kids played, but not enough to stop them from enjoying all the activities! They shot baskets, golfed, threw footballs, & climbed a rockwall.

What a crew!!!

Blake, Cade, Cason, Jackson, Maddie, Addison, & Brock

Jackson & Madison made it to the top!

Cason almost made it to the top, but it really took

much more effort than he wanted to exert!

After the kids finished up their Touchdown Alley fun, we made our way into the stadium. We hadn't eaten dinner, so we decided to grab some food before the game started. Corey was still in line at the concession stand, while I took the kids to find our seats. As soon as we found our seats, the bottom fell out of the sky! This was not a drizzle, a sprinkle, or rain even-it was a downpour!!! We brought panchos, but of course they were not out of the packages yet. We got completely soaked before I could get everyone's pancho on them. All we could do was laugh!


We made it through the 1st quarter and most of the 2nd before we decided that sitting in the rain to watch Baylor play really wasn't worth it!

There's Only One Fair...

...and it comes to town in October. That's what my Dad used to tell my sister and I, and now tells my kids, when we said something wasn't fair. So every time the Heart O' Texas Fair & Rodeo comes to town, I think of that saying. Thanks, Dad!

The kids & I were out of school for Columbus Day, so we met Corey & headed out to the HOT Fair Grounds to have some good ole' carnival-style fun. Madison brought her friend Hailey along so there would be an even number for riding purposes.

Jackson is definitely the dare-devil in the bunch. He wanted to ride every ride that the carnies brought! Thankfully, he wasn't tall enough to ride the ones that scared me the most. He was tall enough to get on the alien ship-looking ride that spins you around so fast that you stick to the walls, while not being strapped in at all! He was the only one that wanted to ride this particular ride, and I was not going to let him ride by himself. Lucky for Jackson, we found some 7th grade Lorena boys to ride with him. Even though he wasn't alone, I still had to walk away while the ride was going. I've got a feeling this won't be the last time I have to walk away from something Jackson is doing!

While Jackson was riding the alien ship ride, Cason decided that the motorcycles were more his speed. I'm sure this won't be his last ride on a motorcycle either.

Hailey was definitely the biggest chicken of the bunch. Madison convinced her to ride a few of the rides that she probably would not have ridden on her own. The faces that Hailey made were priceless; I wish I could have captured them on camera! Somehow all 4 of them decided that the Tower of Terror was a good choice. They waited in line, found the perfect seat, and up they went. Once they got to the top, they came flying down at a rate of speed that may have made my heart stop. Once again, priceless faces were made, but not able to be caught on camera.

I think the kids had a great time, but I'm glad that the fair only comes to town once a year!

Cowboys Training Camp

Jackson & Cason had their first football practice of the '09 football season in early August. Corey is coaching the 5-6 year old Cowboys again this year. Jackson loved every minute of practice, even though it was 900 degrees outside; however, Cason did not. After 10 minutes of running plays in the heat, he wasn't sure he wanted to play football anymore. Here are a few pictures from the first day of Cowboys training camp.