Eli Monkey Says, "Happy Halloween!"

Halloween celebrations started this weekend with pumpkin carving at a friend's house and the now-annual toddler Halloween party. Eli enjoyed carving his pumpkin, playing with friends, eating treats, and getting to be a monkey for the weekend!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Daddy teaches the toddlers poker

A monkey, a pumpkin, a pirate, and a police officer

Eli digging out pumpkin guts

Eli and Daddy with the finished product

Happy pumpkin smiles

Halloween Party and Prep

There was a full afternoon of preparations to get everyone costume-ready for the evening Halloween party. Eli tried out his costume over his Badger shirt to make sure that the monkey was ready to go. While practicing his monkey moves, he also took some time to make a few repairs around the house with his trusty toolkit.

Monkey measuring

Eli monkey supports the Badgers

A monkey and his trusty toolkit

Eli Monkey working on a project

Party time

My favorite monkeys

 

A Visit to the Pumpkin Farm

While the Brasel Fall Fun weekend is sadly missed this year (Oregon is just a touch too far to travel to get apples and pumpkins!), pumpkins and family fun were found a bit closer to home this year. Eli met some of his buddies, as well as their mommies and daddies, at a local farm to trek through the slightly muddy fields in search of the perfect pumpkin(s). Eli found pumpkins for himself, Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Sister, too. It was so nice to see the sunshine after the past 3 days of gloomy rain!

 Ready to go find some pumpkins

Eli and Mommy heading out with the empty wagon

There's a pumpkin!

Does Mommy have a pumpkin under her shirt, too?

Eli and Daddy continue the search

Found a "tickler"

My sweet little pumpkin and the pumpkins he found

Being silly with Daddy

 Here's our pumpkin

Full wagon means time to head back

Daddy hauling our pumpkins (and Eli)

Boys and Sticks

Eli and his buddy Ben took a trip to the zoo just before closing. Many of the animals were already tucked in for the evening, but the boys were pretty excited to find a good selection of sticks throughout the zoo.

A Day on the Farm

Goats, kittens, geese, cows, and a huge sandbox were all on hand to greet Eli, Mimi, and Mommy on a recent trip to a nearby farm. While Mimi and Mommy were excited about holding kittens, Eli was most intrigued by the huge sandbox and the tractors.

Eli and Mimi on the lookout for animals

Morning chat with a sheep

The massive sandbox even had a hammer in it (what more does a boy need?!)

Practicing driving a tractor like Grampy B

Mommy gets to come along for a ride

There was even a fake cow to milk

Bonfire and S'mores

What is a fun (and delicious) way to spend a fall evening? A backyard bonfire with s'mores, of course! Eli enjoyed his first bonfire and s'mores experience, noting, "yay, bonfire!" and sharing two s'mores with Mommy.
 

Picnic dinner to start off the bonfire

Dinner with a view

Mommy joins the picnic

Cheers!

The first s'more

Relaxing in the big chairs

Mesmerized by the fire

Eli and Daddy enjoying the fire