Farewell Fall and Pumpkins and Halloween

The week of Hallow's eve started with this.  Pumpkin carving.  A tradition we have been carrying on since the Things were wee ones.  Only now they clean and carve and create all on their own.  I get to watch from afar.  I love watching their creative juices flow and their personalities shine through.  

And then because I wanted to preserve this memory I forced them to sit on our porch with their finished pumpkins and Polo photo bombed our family pic.  Of course.  Thing 1 spray painted her pumpkin black then drilled holes in it for the light to shine through.  I feel a metaphor coming on here but I will resist.  Thing 2 carved the Batman symbol after spray painting her pumpkin black as well.  Thing 3 drilled holes of different sizes in a pattern all over her pumpkin and Thing 4 carved a traditional face in his jack o lantern and then carved out the word "Halloween".  His knife skills were impressive.  And all this before the weather turned on us. 

  

This was Wednesday and Halloween was on the Friday. Since the Things were off school this day we headed into the city for a tour of the Federal Reserve, one of only twelve in the United States.  The building is newer, built in 1987 when they moved from the original.  This one is high tech with security and concrete pylons outside all entrances that could stop a semi truck doing fifty mph.  We were in awe.  There was all manner of security measures to enter the building and once we did we were rather impressed.  A larger than life mural hangs on the foyer wall depicting the terrain and monuments of the 9th district that the MN Reserve serves.  The best part of the tour might have been seeing the underground, where money is counted and transported and also shredded.  Three million dollars a day to be exact.  Oh and the robots of course.  The Reserve boasts a people-less vault so there are three robots that are given charge of moving the money.   We toured and upon our departure we were gifted with a bag of shredded money.  A puzzle if you will.  Once we had our money in hand we ran outside to take in the North Loop and the remains of fall.  It was a crisp, beautiful day in the city.

Then it was home for friends and chili and trick or treating. Two different types of chili were made, white chicken chili and spicy red chili.  Snacks were at the ready and the Things were putting together costumes.  I must say I rather enjoyed their costume choices this year.  Thing 4 was resourceful and used the money bags we had received at the Reserve to add to his burglar costume.  Thing 3 was Rosie The Riveter, Thing 2 a sock monkey and Thing 1 a deer.  

My deer.

My sock monkey.

My Rosie.

The four Things, Thing 4 is holding his pillow case that has become his trick or treat bag.  And yes, it was filled to the very top this year!  

We hosted a few of Thing 4's buddies, as well as some sweet friends and neighbors.  Our doorbell rang and rang and we were treated to the sweetest trick or treaters this  year.  I just love seeing all the costumes.  The candy dish was emptied and the porch light was off by 8pm.  A record.  The Things enjoyed all manner of sweets and fun.  As evidenced by this picture of our table.  Full, just the way we like it to be.  

So now we say farewell to fall.  Winter has arrived with fury.  We had our first snow and temperatures continue to dip in the twenties.  This photo was our last attempt at taking autumn for all she brought us, colored leaves and all.  And now for what's next, a winterized Thanksgiving perhaps?