Halloween Eve

Uncle John and Aunt Connie came to our home bearing gifts (ice cream and apple pastry stuff, plus a bear dressed up like candy corn for String Bean). String Bean put on her Darth Vader costume and showed off for everyone.

It is the start of a great weekend.

Happy Halloween!

Afternoon Delight

I know there is some connotation associated with the song of the same title as this blog post. I'm not implying anything other than a delightful afternoon.

I've mentioned before that String Bean has some foster grandparents. Neither my folks nor Mr. Bean's live nearby. At best, it is a 12 hour drive or a 7 hour flight for one or the other of our parents to make it. As you may imagine, we don't get a lot of visits from either set of String Bean's grandparents.

Well, Uncle John (foster grandpa) and "Aunt Connie (foster grandma) have a young adult son, who we refer to as Uncle Rob. Rob requested an afternoon with our String Bean and we settled on today as being the best day in our schedule to make it work.

Mr. Bean and I enjoyed a movie (Up) and dinner followed by ice cream. From the squeals we received when Uncle Rob dropped off String Bean, we knew she missed us. Aunt Connie and Uncle Rob took her to a local farm that had a pumpkins and a petting zoo. String Bean decorated Mr. Potato Head style a pirate pumpkin. She ate a lot of food and capped the evening with ice cream and the play land at McDonalds. What almost-two-year-old wouldn't LOVE that playdate?!

When all was said and done, we spent about $30 on our afternoon. If we'd had to pay for childcare (and if we had gone to the regular movie theater instead of the $1.75 a seat theater), we would have spent about $90 for the afternoon. Can't beat that deal.

Thanks, Rob and Connie!

Sleepover

String Bean had her first sleepover last night. Mr. Bean and I had to go to a wedding so we dropped her off with Uncle John, Aunt Connie and their adult children Uncle Rob and Aunt Leigh. She had a blast! Here are some photos to prove it!

John and Connie got new cabinets. One had a little shelf just right for String Bean's toys!

Photo by Connie.

Apparently this is where String Bean is stored when not in use. Please make note of the fashionable high-water pants! (Most of her pants are like that--thanks to a kid with no butt.)

Photo by Connie.

This lion costume was a big hit. Much growling ensued.

Photo by Connie.