The Jones Girls

Today we attended the La Habra Moms Club Children’s Halloween and costume party at Vista Del Valle park.  I did most of the planning for the party.   My friend Angela did the decorations and my friend Corrie helped me plan the party as well as do some of the activities during the party.

The girls dressed in the bug costumes.  They were so cute, but Miranda kept tripping on her tutu and at the end of the party it was ripped, so I will have to fix that.  Poor Maryssa skirt was drooping so I will have to tighten the waist in her tutu.   Maryssa had a tough time during the whole party.  She cried during most of it.   She has been having a lot of meltdowns lately.

My friend Julie was hanging up the ghost pinata for us.    What a lifesaver Julie was!!

The first game we played was a age appropriate scavenger hunt.   WE had treat bags filled with goodies for the kids as their prizes.   The kids had to find certain things and then bring it back and trade it in for a treat bag.    We started with the 1-2 year olds.  They just had to find a little plastic pumpkin.  then we did the 3 year olds.  They had to find a little plastic pumpkin and a crayon.  then we did one for the 4-6 year olds.   They had to find a plastic pumpkin, a pencil,  and a crayon.  The older kids 7 and up had to find 2 plastic pumpkins, 2 pencils and 2 crayons.    All of the kids had a blast!!

We had lots of yummy snacks.  Angela made an incredible haunted cake!  I didn’t have time to eat it but my girls gobbled it down.   I made rice crispy treats with candy corn on top and I made homemade pumpkin pudding and brought whipping cream for the mommies to eat.  They loved that!

We did a pin the nose on the pumpkin.  The prize winner won a gift certificate at Red Robin for a free kids meal and a free sundae.  Corrie’s daughter Madeline won that.

Then the kids lined up and did a costumer parade around the park. All of us moms had candy and the kids accepted candy from all of us.   It was so cute.

They we all gathered around the pinata and the kids whacked away at the pinata.    It took all of the kids and then a couple of moms to finally break open the pinata.    We had about 40 kids there!!

What a fun Halloween party we had!!

Today I planned a really fun costume parade for the senior citizens at the La Habra Community Center.    

I baked over 70 peanut butter chocolate chip muffins yesterday.  I tell you, this is the easiest recipe and tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in a muffin..totally delicious.  I put each muffin in a bag and put a personalized sticker that said Happy Halloween, Hugs from the Jones Bugs.   

It was a difficult morning for me .  I had to get all of the girls in their bug costumes and at the Community Center by 9:30am.  I was 10 minutes late.    There were other moms and kids from the La Habra Moms Club  joining us . 

We were introduced and the kids got a standing ovation from the senior citizens…there were so many smiles, laughter and true cheer beaming from not only our children, but from the senior citizens themselves.     It was so fun!!  I think my girls stole the hearts of everyone…their costumes were truly darling.

Today I took all 4 girls shopping at Walmart.    I had Amanda sitting in the seat of the basket and Maryssa was sitting inside the basket.   Miranda and Savannah walked beside me while we shopped.

Savannah wanted to get in the basket with Maryssa.  Miranda loved her freedom and felt like a grown up walking beside her mommy!  

Then it all changed….we approached the dozen or so aquariums with many different kinds of fish.  All of the girls immediately demanded to get out of the basket.   I let them all out and they glued their faces to the glass aquariums.  They were mesmerized by the swaying of the swimming fish.   They all agreed that their favorite fish were the algae eaters…they loved their whiskers and said they looked like cats that were fish!!   So cute!!

Then I let them all hold hands and we shopped through the store.  It was their first time not sitting in the basket and walking with me while I shopped.    I was so proud of them.

They explored each isle and picked up a product, studied it and then they put it back on the shelf mindfully after  my request to do so.  They really were good little shoppers.    

Once we were in line at the check out that was when things got a little crazy.  You know how the stores put all of the candy and toys by the check out stand – they know parents will buy the stuff to keep their kids quiet and from going ballistic in the store .   Well, I was firm and polite all at the same time when I told the girls that they couldn’t have any candy, gum or toys.     They did really give a big fuss at all about it.  Whew!!

I can only imagine what shopping is going to be like when they are teenagers…