Halloween, One Month Late

We had our 2nd annual family Halloween party on Saturday the 30th.  We had so much fun last year, since Halloween was basically canceled due to Covid, we thought we'd try it again this year!  Unfortunately we all couldn't be there like last year because Erin's family was dealing with hand, foot and mouth.  We still had fun but it just wasn't the same.

 

Sunday we went trick or treating: 

Mason got invited to a friend's Halloween party.  

Kade decided this year he was too old to go with his parents 😢  

Erik figured he was FINALLY off the hook for going along and stayed home while I took Mason and worried about Kade.

Mason and Erik making ghost cookies with Nutter Butters and almond bark.

As you can see, clothing was optional--as always, with Mason!

Mason's costume

Multiple versions of Kade's costume.

Although Kade was supposed to wear a shirt that said, "Let's pretend I'm a deer".  

He never actually wore his full costume.

Halloween bonfire!

Mason' party

And trick or treating with his buddies

Kade's trick or treating crew.

I'm told he's actually the kid in the back row, 3rd from left.

He was originally supposed to wear the bear in the back row (his costume from last year--he couldn't see out of the deer mask).  However, he couldn't hold a candy bag in that costume, so instead he borrowed a Chucky doll costume

Kade's the creepy thing on the left

Mason and I ended the night at my parents while we waited for Kade.

Mase thought it was pretty cool to answer the door to trick-or-treaters.

 

MEA Part 2

More pictures of their trip over MEA!

Early morning sunrise on the lake.  

There was frost on the ground, it was freezing outside.

Look closely at the boat...what (or I should I say, WHO) do you see?

Yep!  That's Mason!

Shocking, right?

Looks like they ate pretty well in our little camper!

I can tell you that when they got home, I took one step inside, turned around and stepped right back out.

I let that sucker air out for 2 weeks before I went back in to clean and it STILL stunk!

Mason couldn't even be bothered to look at the camera.  

He's obviously quite proud of his fish filet.

Kade got his very first grouse!

This kid is obsessed with hunting!!!

These 2 little buddies made the trek home.

They stayed alive for 6 days before I found them both belly up one morning.

Mason was pretty bummed.

 

MEA

This year, for MEA, the boys went up north to Lake Winnibigoshish area with Erik and Grandpa C.  Grandpa has been going up to this area in the fall for 50+ years.  He started going when he was a kid, he took my brother and his friends up for quite a few years and now it was his grandsons turn.  The boys can't wait to go back next year, Erik loved it too!  My mom and I wanted to go as well, but with their camper in the shop getting worked on, it just wasn't feasible for us to join this year.

Kade and grandpa hunted grouse and pheasants, Erik and Mason fished for walleye, pike and perch.  I stayed home with the pups, knocked 1000 things off my list and got a little shopping in with my mom.  AND I had a clean house for FOUR DAYS IN A ROW!!!  It was heaven.

Erik did a good job taking pictures.  He was fishing with Mason most of the time so there aren't a lot of pictures of Kade.  Even though it was past peak fall colors, it still looked beautiful up there!

I had a very serious conversation with Mason before he left.  The weather is unpredictable that far north this time of year.  It could be warm.  It could be snowing.  Either way, he NEEDED to be aware he had limited amount of clothing so he was not allowed to fall in the lake or roll around in the mud--both things that Mason does on the regular--and he was NOT allowed to change his clothes multiple times a day.  Again, as usual per Mason.  

In the summer, it's usually ok since I just throw swim trunks on him and call it good (and let's be honest, sometimes I tell him to just go in his underwear and he's A-OK with it).  But in unpredictable cold weather, it's not so easy.

Imagine my surprise (I was not surprised) when Erik sent me this picture literally 10 minutes after they arrived.

Yep, Mason was drenched.  Yep, he was in his second outfit already.

Yep, he didn't care.

Fishing in winter coat and stocking hat, a first for Mase!

He caught a couple crawdads!

I'm pretty sure this is the one and only time Kade fished.

He doesn't do well on a boat, I think he feels trapped.  So it's usually pretty rare to see a smile on his face when he's on the boat.

Mason kicked back, relaxed, living his best life!

Erik assured me that was hot chocolate in Mason's drink.  

 

I'm getting caught up on pictures before a big photo dump next week of MEA Adventures!  Unfortunately that means no current pictures of Mason because we spent basically the entire fall watching football on Saturdays and baseball on Sundays, with sporadic fishing excursions for Mason tossed in.  I've already posted all of the fishing pictures.  That means this post contains some oldies but goodies of our Bubba!

Kade and a couple of his buddies wearing their jerseys to watch the homecoming parade

The entire flag football team on their last game.

It was a rough season but they definitely showed MAJOR improvements between the first and the last games!

Kade's fall baseball team.

They combined with a neighboring small town and showed those big city kids what's what!

These boys KICKED BUTT!

And some of my all time favorites of Mase