and Mel 
came down one Friday night to help work ont he costumes. Thomas and Madigan entered the Legoland Costume Contest the following day. Madigan won her category (Most Imaginative) which had about 60 children competing, but sadly Thomas did not win his category - Funniest. A werewolf doing a handstand won... of course I thought his Munchkin costume was better. Madigan did make a cute "Swiss Miss" cup of hot chocolate.
We took a trip out to Bates Nut Farm - to pick up our pumpkins. We went on a weekday afternoon because the kids had half days due to parent-teacher conferences. Bates was nearly empty and I vow never to go there on a weekend again. We took Madigan's best friend Nicole and of course, Chris and Hannah.
We carved our pumpkins on Thursday the 30th of October. Unfortunately, Madigan's pumpkin from Bates Nut Farm had already started to rot. I ran out (the night before Halloween) to pick up a replacement... Ha - FAT CHANCE. At my third stop, I found a small pumpkin that was in okay condition that I paid $5 to bring home. Madigan was a little disappointed, but she made the best of it deciding to carve Minnie Mouse on her mini pumpkin. Thomas carved his pumpkin almost all on his own this year.
We made a gingerbread haunted house... I think more candy was eaten than used for decorations.
Halloween morning, Patrick went into work a little late to go to the Torrey Hills elementary Halloween Parade. I had to take pictures for the yearbook, so he took care of Madigan getting ready and he took video for posterity. This is Thomas and Madigan before school.
This is Thomas and Chris during the parade... they created quite a round of applause. They won most creative for the 4th grade.
After school, we had 17 kids at the house for a pre Trick or Treating party.
There was apple bobbing... the yellow one was worth the most points, then the green and then the red apples.
There was the spider ring toss... it looked bigger in the Oriental Trader Catalog. 
The Jack-O-Lantern Jump (potato sack race) was a huge hit.
As was the "Mummy Wrap" - yes 5 minutes to turn your partner into a mummy with a roll of toilet paper.
The donut eating contest was messy as usual.
We had a scavenger hunt in other yards... no pictures but for the record the girls beat the boys.
We had popcorn balls
And Linda made a pumpkin shaped corn bread to go with the chili I made for the adults. The kids had Mummy Dogs... hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls.
Pat and I were exhausted by the end of the party... sadly he had duty up at Port Huneme (last drill up there) on November 1st... so he had a 4 hour drive to look forward to after Trick or Treating. He is a trooper...
This is in the front yard just before starting to Trick or Treat. The kids are standing with our "Scarecrows". The big one scared me every time I tried to back out of the driveway! 
And here is the haul.
Thomas' pile is always smaller than Madigan's due to the elimination of all peanut products. He did change costumes mid Trick or Treating because it was hard to see and move as a Midget. He makes a fine Mad Scientist.
One of the things I miss the most living in California is having a basement. I don't think I've ever been in a house with a basement in San Diego... it's an earthquake thing I think... or maybe it's a flood thing with the rock hard clay soil and the no drainage issues. whatever it is, I miss having a basement for the kids to play in. 
Kathy and I have known each other since the third grade when we met in the church choir at St. Nicholas Parish in 
I set a goal for myself, lobster everyday I was in Boston. I almost made it, having a lobster roll every chance I could order one. One of the best things about a lobster roll is the New England style rolls. They are split at the top and they don't have crust all over them... and they are grilled in butter. YUM. You can' t get these rolls in California, I've made Clare bring them to me when she visits and Kathleen has shipped them to me. I have a whole list of things that I need to have at home that I can't get in California.
The first day of vacation, the kids and I stayed at Kathy's enjoying the pool and visiting with Clare and her three sons. 
Good thing because it was the only sunny day of the entire trip. August in Boston and no sun, go figure. 
Thomas still wasn't feeling well... he had been sick the week before we went to Boston with what the doctor diagnosed as a virus. This is foreshadowing...
The next day we took Grandma Dill to lunch with my brother and sister. Grandma Dill lives at the Shaw Home in 
We went to the Log Cabin which apparently has always been names "The Cabin" and I've just always said it wrong... OR they've shorten the name.
I had lobster roll number one here - it was delicious. Because it was raining, my brother Tim came home early from work and was able to eat lunch. And my sister came with my neice Kathleen... it was a great time especially when Tim taught Thomas a lesson. 
The kid's meal comes with a "Hoodsie". When the waitress told Thomas what the dessert was he declined. Tim told the waitress to bring it anyway... Thomas balked and Tim said "Don't worry, it's for me." When it came and Thomas realized it was ice cream, he exclaimed that he didn't know it was ice cream. Tim told him too bad and ate it all. That's one of the best things about my brother. Most other people would have given it to a kid, but not Tim. Thomas learned something and will always remember missing out on ice cream because he was so quick to turn down something of which he was unsure. 
The next night we went to an indoor glow in the dark putt putt golf place. FUN.
That was the last fun we had for a few days. Thomas never got better and until he passed out a go-cart track and I finally took him to Kathy's peditrician. He had pneumonia. Viral pnesumonia... so a virus but the kind you need to take antibiotic to recover. This is Thomas after his first dose of antibiotics. The next few days we were grounded. Sadly, that was the weekend. SO I never saw any of my friends nor could I make plans... rain and pneumonia - happy vacation! So if you didn't see us while we were in Boston - that's why.
Fortunately we were staying at Kathy's with the built in babysitters, so Joe drove Kathy and I into Boston to met Patrick at meetings in NH and KO and Michael in Boston. KO and Michael took the trian in from NYC for the weekend. So although the days were boring, the nights were great.
Lots of Guinness on our short pub crawl.
This sign was in the Red Hat, I took this picture for Gordy and Linda.
Sunday morning we went to church at St. Iggie's (Saint Ignatius of Loyola) where Patrick and I were married 16 years previously. The kids were unimpressed.
KO and Michael met us at St. Iggie's and I gave them the nickel tour of the BC campus while Pat took the kids to my Dad's house. Alumni Stadium was open so we took pictures onthe 50 yard line. I spent a lot of time marching on that field back in the day.
Then we went to my Dad's for salmon, clams and lobsters with the whole Doyle family. I LOVE steamed clams and lobster - both of which are not available in CA. KO blogged about the meal... 
These are T&M's cousins... Kathleen, Andrea, second cousin Makenzie (her mom Amanda wasn't there) Elizabeth and Bo.
Lots of people have pictures of the bridge because it is so unique. This is the bridge up:
And the bridge down... 
Michael will love this...
We had a great time although we didn't catch any fish. Tim brought soda and snacks and Thomas was more interested in the soda than anything else I think.
