Keeping on the Halloween Topic...

Seeing as I blogged about Halloween decor yesterday, I figured I'd keep with the same topic and show how I "welcomed in" this fun holiday with the kiddos this year.

The last night of September, after the boys went to bed, I got down all the Halloween decorations from the attic and decorated the house. I wanted them to wake up to a house full of surprises. It's so fun to watch their faces light up when they come out the following morning and go from room to room discovering all of the fun items that magically appeared overnight! (Just call me the Halloween fairy - ha!)

Then, I set out a few fun things at the kitchen table to surprise them:

 They each had their own Halloween-themed bowl & cup (ready for a healthy breakfast of Count Chocula of course!).

And just for fun (and because I adore scrapbook paper & fun fonts) I set out little place cards for them. Aren't they cute???

 The pumpkins were filled with things I got on clearance at the end of the Halloween season last year... like stickers, spider rings, a couple craft items. Plus all of the Halloween toys that we bring out each year like the skull & pumpkin flash lights, plastic/rubber body parts (these are Payton's favorites), stencils, etc.

Here is Parker with the light up skull:

 And Payton demonstrating the fake rubber eye ball. Why do boys like such gross things??

Parker thought he was such a big boy drinking his OJ in a big boy Halloween cup that morning.

If you count what I spent on the Halloween clearance items from last year, plus the Count Chocula, I probably spent about $5 total on all of this. 

So, it just goes to show you don't have to spend a lot to make a big impact for kids. Get creative, SAVE your holiday stuff from year to year if you can, buy things on clearance at the end of the season, and you'll be amazed at what you can do!

Hello Halloween!

Y'all know I'm a sucker for holidays, right?

Well Halloween kicks off my favorite time of year when one holiday rolls into another and another. I love it! So, we "got our Halloween on" in the Heckman household.

Kicking off the Halloween inspiration was a recent trip to...can you guess... Target! What a surprise. :) But they had so many fun Halloween-y stuff out, I just couldn't resist.

I always know Halloween is just around the corner when I spot the Count Chocula!

And it seems like everyone has their own version of pumpkin spice coffee now (this one is not bad for the record).

The little ghost was just too cute to pass up. He glows all sorts of different colors. I love him!

 This will be Parker's trick-or-treat candy bag this year. It's the perfect size - not too big and not too bulky. Plus it has a soft handle which will make it easier for him to carry. And the eyes light up!

 Of course I also love the preppy striped inside too! :)

Now on to the house decor...

The playroom got a little Halloween makeover...

complete with the banner I made last year from ribbon and dollar store cut-outs. Some pumpkin lights strung across the window and a light-up jack-o-lantern on the armoire.

 I busted out all of the Halloween books (I'm always shocked to see how many we have!).

 The top of the armoire is where I displayed the more "breakable" decorations like the glass snow globe, the yarn pumpkin, and Payton's pumpkin spider that he made a couple years ago (I still adore that thing).

 I actually didn't do a whole lot to the rest of the house...or at least not by my standards. I got rid of a lot of decorations this year and pared it down to just a few of my favs.

The kitchen has this one fiber optic witch (the M&M's have been replaced with candy corn of course):

and just a couple of other simple items:

 

I did add one thing this year. It's a "Countdown Calendar" - similar to an advent calendar for Christmas. But this one just has little paper windows that you fold back each day. Payton has run to it every morning to open up the window see what's behind it!

 I placed it right where our Christmas advent calendar goes.

And outside is also very simple this year. A few pumpkins and one inflatable ghost/pumpkin thing:

(they begged to take part in my "photo shoot") :)

And finally, there is a personalized container of fall leaves at the front door.

 

So, that's the tour! Hope you enjoyed it.

Happy Halloween everyone!

A "Minnie" Vacation

After everything we went through this week having to say goodbye to our beloved Rohy, it was a bit of a relief to head out of town for a couple days for a mini vacation. We had purchased our tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party months ago. Little did I know then how much we would need a little get away this week.

First, we headed over to my parents house to drop off Parker. Not only is he too young to truly enjoy Disney right now, he was also battling a fever virus. He would NOT have been fun to have with us. Of course Payton took full advantage of this "pit stop" to cuddle and play with Paca's Kindle Fire.

Once Parker was down for his morning nap, Brian, Payton & I headed out for Disney!

The magical spell that comes over a child when you enter the Disney "gates" is almost palpable! He was about to jump out of his seat!

When we checked in, they made Payton a balloon sword, gave him Disney buttons to wear, and even gave him is own room key with his name on it (this may have been the highlight of the hotel for Payton - he was so excited to use his own key every time we went to our room).

 Fun little Mickey towels were on the bed:

I stayed with tradition and made a little gift bag for Payton full of little goodies and candy.

After we got settled, we headed out for the hotel pool!

 The pool was HUGE and beautiful.

 They even had pool-side games for the kids to enjoy. Payton played a "gummy toss" game:

 After swimming we headed back to our room and got cleaned up for the park!

And we were off!

We rode the hotel shuttle to the park (avoided the $20 parking fee) and walked in to a completely decorated Magic Kingdom.

Haunted Mansion was one of our first stops!

Payton was old enough this year to read all the funny tombstones himself.

 

Then...the rain came.

Unfortunately, it rained (sometimes down poured) the rest of the evening. 

BUT, we didn't let it spoil the fun.

We rode every ride we wanted (except Thunder Mountain, which was closed due to the rain), some of them twice. There were little or no lines for most rides, which is why we go to this particular event.

And fortunately, I remembered to pack our ponchos!

Payton got plenty of candy from the trick-or-treat areas throughout the park:

 And almost as if on cue (very Disney-esque) the rain stopped and the fireworks began!

They were quite spectacular, but it was really hard to get a picture of them. Sorry. :)

Then the Halloween "Boo to You" parade started, which features all of the Disney villains as well as other Disney characters dressed up in costumes. It's a really fun parade!

After the parade, it was almost midnight, so we made our way to the shuttle for the ride back to the hotel.

Payton stayed up until 12:09 and then we didn't hear a peep from him until 8:30 the next morning!

Despite the rain, we had a wonderful time.

The next day, we met up with my parents at Downtown Disney to pick up Parker, do a little shopping and have lunch together at the Rainforest Cafe.

Parker wasn't so sure about the surroundings at Rainforest Cafe.
Between the talking tree, the animals that come to life, and the simulated rainstorm, it was a bit too much for this toddler.

 But we all still had a delicious lunch together.

 Enjoying the word search with Paca... and the elephants behind Brian. :)

 After lunch we went to Goofy's Candy Shop and got the boys some much-needed candy (yeah, right). Then posed for a couple pics with Parker's favorite character, Winne the Pooh.

 Goodbye Disney! See ya next year!

 

Our Sweet Dog Rohy

Rohy went to doggie heaven last night.
It was as peaceful and calm as it could have been.
We had a vet come to the house. He laid comfortably in his favorite green dog bed and went to sleep.
Aside from my miscarriage, it is the hardest thing I've ever experienced.
I don't know when the pain will subside, but I know it will get easier with each passing day.
He was the best dog a family could ever have asked for.
He loved us unconditionally.
And even though his body and mind were failing him, he was still the sweetest dog I've ever known.
I know that he is running in the streets of heaven with a healthy, new body now.
I know that he is no longer in pain.
I know that it was the right thing to do...
but it still doesn't make it any easier.
I miss him so much it hurts.
Until we meet again someday my little Burrito...
I love you so much.