Halloween 2012

Trying to keep the kids busy and our minds off moving, we went in search of the perfect pumpkin at the Beck Row pumpkin patch.  They have pony rides and local crafters set up.  Ava wanted her face painted to be a pink Tiger, and the painter did a great job.

Sooo Scary!

 The pumpkins this year were really green...disapointing

It was a bit soggy and cold but we made the best of it.  Good thing we found our perfect pumpkins before the rain started.

A Tiger enjoying a few festive chocolate eyeballs

These are the Miller's 2012 Halloween Jackolanterns

Our costumes had to be planned out months in advance.  Needless to say Dave and I were lame.  Dave used a free wig that came in the Madagascar 2 DVD case and was a Clown (a little more Rodeo then Circus) and I was a witch (somehow I forgot to get a picture.) 

The last time we had to PCS during Halloween we were just as lame, Oct 2009

 Owen trying on Dave's wig.
He would have made a really cute clown!

Ava and Owen went as Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ and a skeleton. I made Ava's apron dress from an old bed sheet, which had to be done before the movers took my sewing machine.

Halloween is getting bigger and bigger in the UK but we still wanted to be sure our candy was GONE at the end of the night, so we opted to go on base.  There are so many kids trick or treating on base that they close the streets and they are flooded with little goblins running around.  Most people are out of candy in 20-30 minutes!  We met up with friends for some food and fun.

Dave posing with our Super Hero Bishop Boden

 We had so much candy, Ava was more then willing to share 

Owen on the other hand was a hoarder...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2012

Life at Shakespeare Lodge

Saying a "crazy" goodbye to our best neighbor friend Lucas

After all of our things were gone and we survived 2 weeks with military loaner furniture, we moved into a  furnished apartment called Shakespeare Lodge just outside base in Beck Row. We had 4 weeks there, and with very limited space we had to get creative with our spare time.

Owen would stare at the washing machine in fascination

Playing with stickers. The silver star on Owen's forehead left a red mark for a whole day.  Who knew they were so sticky?

SOLD the truck! Dave bought it before we were married and was very attached to it.  Unfortunately the price to ship it back to the US was way too high. Good-bye truck you were good to us and our only vehicle for 5 years!

Owen learned how to walk while we were in Shakespeare Lodge, suddenly everything became more interesting and fun.  Jumping Jacks play place was a hoot now that he could get himself around.

 We walked to the BX, took pictures of the beautiful Fall leaves, checked out the Christmas display and played with every toy, twice!

 There was no tub at the apartment so washing Owen was a challenge.

Just to get out of the apartment, after supper we would bundle up and walk a few blocks to the local store (there really is only one in Beck Row) to buy a treat.

Ava loved pushing around the tiny shopping carts and picking out a treat for each of us.  Then she would act professional and place them on the counter with a 10 pound bill.

Waiting to go to church.  Nothing beats iPad distraction.

After church I took Ava on a picture scavenger hunt.  I wrote things she had to find on a piece of paper, and put them in my pocket.  She would pick one and then have to find and take a picture of the specific item.  She loved holding the camera and taking all the pictures   We had to repeat this game every day following.

The letter A

A fence

  A leaf

An animal

Something yellow

Made a lot of funny faces and told a lot of jokes

Signed Ava up for Halloween Pumpkin carving at the Bob Hope Community Center.

Then we played on the indoor playground

Played with Helium balloons for days! Owen was completely amazed.  Dave would tie one to his wrist and he would bat it around forever.

Took one last trip on the tube.

Enjoyed delicious cupcakes at Westfield Mall

Ava is completely bummed that she just had her last ride on the train and that we are leaving England.  I'm not all that excited about leaving either!