A 2 for 1

Well I'm stooping to a new low here in my blogland - I'm *gasp* combining two holidays into one post and I'm going to blow through them (a few pics, minimal text). I'm just too far behind and now that Christmas is almost here, I really can't spend December in arrears. So:

Halloween

First things first. My themed mantel. This post is nothing without that. 

This was last year's and clearly before I took the tags off everything haha. This year's was better but somehow I don't have a picture (for shame!). But this the little shelf/coat rack thingy in the kitchen that I change seasonally. It's safe to say that decorating this is one of the things I live for and I'm not even ashamed to admit that!

Besides the mantel, of course there were the pumpkins. Have to do those. And also of course, both boys had to do the whole thing by themselves. Draw the face (several drafts- magic erasers are good for clearing sharpie off a gourd, who knew?) and then carve all the pointy teeth with an itty bitty serrated pumpkin knife and it all only took a thousand hours. Alex just kept moving his knife in and out of the same spot, never actually making any progress. You could not tell him that though. In the end he cried because he didn't like how his came out so then I had to give him mine and we started all over. Another thousand hours. Jason and I were permitted to minimally assist at times. It all looked like this.

This is fun. Without fail, Jason sticks his tongue out any time he is concentrating on something. Look at Jason and then look at Ashton ;) 

The pumpkins were almost a bigger deal than the trick or treating. I didn't even attempt to photograph that, but I did end up with some fireball and a hot toddy with my bestie :)

Group costume shot with Elijah and Crosby:

So Ashton, full of stealth, was a ninja. Alex was like, a bull. He was like the cowboy AND the bull.

Here's a more descriptive side shot. 

The bull was a bit unwieldy and 4 houses into trick-or-treating, Alex fell twice and had had enough. Luckily Grandma was visiting and took him back to the house to hand out candy. When Jason, Ashton and I rolled in about 8:15 pm, Alex took one look at how much candy Ashton had, cried that Ashton had more than he did (Alex really is a crier), and how was he supposed to go out and get more now that it was too late? 

So that was Halloween.

On to...

THANKSGIVING

You know what comes first!

We had a full house for this one - Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Chris, Aunt Lizzie, Owen, and Sarne. Berg, Karen and Jayden came for the actual meal itself, which consisted of the same recipes we make every year. Why mess? (It's funny, if you look at last year's post about this, the pictures are pretty much the exact same lol - including one of Grandpa chopping!)

30 pounder!

Whiskey sours, naturally!

Hastily taken photos of the spread

So much to be grateful for! Like how the boys (ages 3, 4, 6 and 7) gave us 10 seconds to eat in peace before needing something lol.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blue 42, Blue 42, Hut Hut!

I only know that line because of Ace Ventura. ANYWAY, Ashton just wrapped his first season of flag football! We have been allll about the game this fall - practices on Wednesdays (even in the rain!), games on Saturdays, watching it professionally on TV (pause for photos)

 under the friday night lights at Natick HS (pause again)

and we even hit a BC game (annnnd pause again).

This was the first year Natick offered a K/1 flag football league and frankly, it was awesome. The coaches, the people, all of it. Ashton actually really learned how to play and the season felt, I don't know, official. Must have been the green screen ;)

Back row, middle. #7!

It should be noted that Ashton always came home sweaty and filthy (see face):

And on Saturdays, even though his games were often at 8 or 9 am, he wore his jersey the whole day :) In other news, his mouthguard proved to be good practice for the retainer he now wears, and I only had to drag Alex off the field two hundred times during the course of the season! (That's him next to Ashton:)

His turn next year, when he is in kindergarten (!!).

Just wanted to post some of my favorite pictures somewhere. Enjoy :D

And a quick video of him scoring a touchdown: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGA_fdDYUaw

Final huddle of the season. That's a wrap!