Right after Uncle Steve left, Halloween came along. Eban and Jack were both going to be Spiderman - - we bought two outfits. Well, Eban ended up being a fireman (from a hand me down yellow rain slicker from Quincy) and Jack ended up being the green dinosaur that Eban was last year. Jack has become quite fond of the dinosaur costume and tends to wear it a lot. We try to hide it in the laundry room and when he passes it, he wants it on “NOW!”
Anyway, Halloween was a success at the zoo! We ended up hopping in the van and heading down to “Boo at the Zoo” as the Denver Zoo calls it. 
Every ten feet, there was a station where companies would showcase their products and hand out a treat for the kids. My VERY favorite station was one that handed out a loaf of bread! I was laughing so hard, but it was SO useful to me as that was on the top of my grocery store list. The kids loved all the activities that the zoo had and I think this will become a family tradition. 
In the evening, Halloween was interesting as we got into our outfits to trick or treat in the neighborhood. Well, after we took photos on the driveway, a major meltdown occurred. 
We walked across the street to our neighbor’s house and they rang the bell. Out came Scott and his two girls with a bag of candy and Eban took a piece and so did Jack. They immediately started fussing as they wanted the candy NOW and I told them to put it in the bag. They eventually complied but then they wanted to go to the next house quickly without saying thank you. So I stayed with them at Scott’s house and asked them to say thank you. They both were grumpy and refused to say thank you and I told them that if this is how trick or treating would go, that we wouldn’t trick or treat this year as manners are more important. They continued to throw fits. Scott and his girls couldn’t believe it, but I picked up both of those boys like potato sacks and carried them back to the house kicking and screaming. Ryan was smiling as I got to the door with the screaming little toddlers in my arms. I told him what happened so we just played at our house for an hour. Finally Eban said he’d like to go trick or treating again after other kids were ringing our doorbell. I told him we had to go over to Scott’s house to say sorry for the outburst and also say thank you for the candy. He said he would. Jack told me he wouldn’t say sorry so I told him he could stay home with poppa and hand out candy. Well…Eban did what he said he’d do. He walked over to Scott and Sandy’s and apologized (SUCH a big boy) and then we continued to canvass the neighborhood with the rest of the ghosts and goblins and their respective families! He loved it and raked in a lot of candy. He had a few pieces and then the entire bag went with me to JWU so I could give it to the students and faculty/staff!
Another highlight of the beginning of November was our visit to the truck stop. The boys love trucks and anything like big machines. We headed over to Bass Pro Outlet to see the fish and see the big camping gear. The boys simulated that they could drive Quad Bikes (I think that’s what they are called) - - Jack as you can see is still a dinosaur. 
Then we headed to the truck stop near the store. The boys loved pointing out the window at the various trucks coming in – TANKER TRUCK! BLUE TRUCK, PICK-UP TRUCK, DUMP TRUCK! It went on and on…it was funny. Eban also wanted to know what the trucks were hauling. I told him that after we ate, we could ask one trucker at the counter what he was hauling. I kept my promise and Eban walked toward the counter that was filled with the truckers! He picked the biggest, burliest guy with tattoos all over his thick, strong arms while sporting a crazy mustache (yet bald), to ask what he was driving in his rig. The burly man looked down from his seat and smiled the nicest smile I could imagine and happily told Eban that he was carrying tea bags and doors. 
I laughed and continued to laugh as we walked out the doors as it’s a combo I never expected! Next time, we’ll sit at the counter so we can chat with the truckers rather than sit in a booth by ourselves!
Random video of the boys playing with a minor outburst by Eban
