The Ronn Family: Monkeying Around!

Cutest little monkey in the world!!!

Is exactly what we did this past Halloween weekend... and it proved to be SO much fun. Well, all but the trick-or-treating part. Trick-or-treating was definitely not Hayden's best event of the year. I'll tell you all about it a little later in the post, but for now... the costume hunt. I am always on a hunt for the perfect costume each year. I find myself looking for something that represents the type of year we have had, or something we have enjoyed that year, and I am always wanting it to be some sort of family costume that we can wear at our Halloween costume party. This year I got lucky... the search wasn't too hard. The very first day I saw this monkey costume in Old Navy I knew what we were going to be going as for Halloween this year. It was the perfect family costume... for us anyways! Hayden would be a monkey and we would all be his bananas! Hayden is a monkey in real life so I guess he didn't really need a costume, but he looked so stinkin' cute in it I couldn't resist. Oh, and bananas are one of his favorite foods, so I just thought "perfect"! Even better was the fact that Target had a baby bunting infant banana costume for Sawyer and adult banana costumes for us. Since Target and Old Navy are two of my favorites I just knew it was meant to be!!! I wasn't sure about the fact that both of the boys would have to wear the hat part on their heads for the costume to be complete, but neither of them seemed to mind. As a matter of fact, I think they kind of liked it. Hayden never once tried to take it off which was a huge surprise. Me on the other hand.... my hat couldn't stay on. I guess one size fits all didn't fit me!:) I did however try to take a few pics with it on, but it was near to impossible to see my face with the hat part up. Go figure! Despite the hat issue, I still had a blast dressing up and partying! We had our annual Halloween party, Get Your Costume On, on Saturday and it was so much fun. We have been having this party since before we even had Hayden, and it is just gradually getting to be more and more fun. And more and more guests! It is fun getting to see everyone dressed up, and making all the Halloween inspired food is just as fun! I say it every year, and I'll say it again here... I can't wait to do it again next year!:) This year, the morning of the party we carved our pumpkins. It seems like we usually do it a couple of days before, but for some reason we didn't get around to it until the day of this year. Oh well, they still turned out super cute! Sawyer was fast asleep during the carving process, but Hayden was able to help out a little. Mostly get in the way, but he thought he was helping out. I know in a few years he will be a HUGE helper, and hey... you gotta learn somehow!!! I always loved carving pumpkins as a kid, and I know it will be a tradition the boys will love as well. It is always so much fun deciding what to carve! Now, on to my trick-or-treating story. For weeks now I have been telling Hayden about trick-or-treating... we even practiced saying trick-or-treat(which he never really got down I must say!), and through all of our talking about it and even watching a few cartoons about it, I thought he would be ready to roll when Halloween actually got here. Wrong. It did not matter how much we had prepared, he did not want to trick-or-treat. He was into playing with his friends, but knocking on doors for candy.... not so much. Maybe that is my fault because I never give him candy so he had no incentive to knock, but whatever the reason he was not into it. He especially did not want to do it with his friends. Once we broke away from his friends, he got a little better(like no loud crying outbursts or tantrums!), but he was truly never really that excited about it. Now, he did get to experience his first tootsie pop(thanks to one of our great neighbors) and that he did love. Maybe next year he'll enjoy the actual trick-or-treating part half as much as he enjoyed that tootsie pop!:) Sawyer was a trick-or-treating champ... slept right through it! I can't wait until next year when he can actually do it with Hayden! Here comes picture overload...

Don't you just want to eat this banana up?!?

Hayden doing what monkeys do best.... "Ooooooo, Oooooooo, Oooooo!"

I told you he was a monkey even out of costume!!!

He is even a monkey in his pajamas. Yes, that is him plugging his
ears to let me know he can't hear me talking to him. If anyone
knows who taught him this I would love to know!!

He turns into much more of a monkey in costume!!!

But a sweet monkey... that's for sure!

With a sweet little banana for a brother!

It's pumpkin carving time!!!

And it appears Hayden knew exactly what he was doing!!!:)
Maybe he did remember something from last year!
How funny is it that he put his entire head
down in the pumpkin?!?

The results...

It's party time!!!

This was our crazy pic... not too crazy I know, but still fun!
There were so many cute costumes huh?!?

Our attempt at a family pic!

The boys entertained themselves with golf most of the party.
Boys will be boys I guess!!!

The girls...

The guys...

I know you are wondering well, what about the kids?!? We tried our best to get a picture of all of them together and I was very unsuccessful. I guess it was way too hard to get a bunch of toddlers to get together for a photo... maybe next year. Don't worry though, you will get to see them all dressed up and in a photo together. I did catch one of them before we went trick-or-treating!:)

We took these on Halloween day before we got into costume
for trick-or-treat time!:) Hayden and Daddy had tons
of fun jumping off the porch together!

They even took a small little break to smile for a picture for me!:)

Sawyer's First Halloween!

Our attempt to get all of the kiddos together for a pic before the trick-or-treating
night began! I did a little better this time. At least I did get a pic!
OK, so maybe they aren't smiling(they actually look like we
are torturing them huh?!?), but at least they are
all together and you can see what they are!:)

Funny enough... I had no trouble getting pictures of them running
up and down the driveway before we took off for the night.
They were having so much fun they didn't even realize
they were getting their picture taken!:)

Ready to hit up some houses for some candy!!!

Don't worry... the paparazzi were right behind them!!!!! We
were sure to get our babies Halloween documented!:)

Yes, Hayden lagged behind just a little. OK, a lot.
I had to actually walk up there with him for him to do his
trick-or-treating. And I'm pretty sure this first house was Hayden's
last house with the group. Like I said... he wanted nothing to do with it.
At least he started warming up to the idea when we were away from the group.
He did actually manage to trick-or-treat at a couple of houses... it just had to be Momma and Hayden!

I snapped this after he had warmed up to the "candy" idea!

And this was sweet little Sawyer... I'm sure he won't sleep through it next year!

Taking a break...

Pictures with my monkey and banana!

Aren't they cute?!?

Even sweet little Sydney was a banana!!!
If only that silly hat hadn't covered my face...

So sweet!

You know I love me some PJ pics! I think this one is so cute because
Hayden was actually crying right along with Sawyer when I was
trying to get them together to take this picture, but when he
realized Sawyer was crying he stopped to check
on his brother! So sweet!

Then they let me get this pic!

I couldn't manage to get all three of them at once, but yes...
Sydney did have her own set of skeleton PJ's!:)

Precious...

Cheese!!!

Hayden's very first tootsie pop... can you tell he was excited?!?

So excited he ate it right with the paper still on it!

He even leaned back and put his feet up.... I guess he got tired!:)

And he sure was cute eating it! Maybe I'll give him a few
more(with no wrappers!) before next Halloween
so he remembers how good they are and
enjoys trick-or-treating a little more!!