I hope we're not done dressing up for Halloween for a LONG time.

My favorite Halloween costumes were NOT cats.

 But the cat dressed as a viking with braids was a contender.

 As was this feline donned in a Mexican sombrero and serape.

 THIS cat thought costumes inflicted instantaneous paralysis.

That was it.

He died.

Until we took the costume off.

My three little punkins

Carving pumpkins is a fun Halloween tradition. Fitting in time to carve them before the trick-or-treaters come knocking is usually our biggest challenge.  Miraculously we had an available evening the day before Halloween and jumped on the open time slot with knives in hand.

Adieu Soccer 2014

Without looking back, I don't recall posting anything about number 9 and her season on the High School Varsity Girls Soccer team. 

 Today is their last game.

This sophomore has played tough and HARD. 

Here are some highlights:

 she should walk away feeling good about the season...

 the sun's going down on soccer 2014

 and Rooney's light is shining bright.

MICCA Exhibition Performance by UMass at Lowell

This is the full field show the UMass Minuteman Marching Band performed in Lowell. They are top of their class.  ALL class.  They have two performances left in the season, and then Enrique's marching band career will be over. It has been fun, exhausting, fulfilling and AMAZING.

If you've never seen a performance, this is a good representation of their contemporary style and great talent and variety of song styles. If you only have a few minutes to look, skip to minute 22 and watch the way they end a show; their traditional "My Way."  I'm going to miss this when it's over for us.

GO*U*MASS!!

UMass football is the warm-up band for the Pride and Class of New England

Before we talk football, let's just make clear the REAL reason we attended the game at Gillette Stadium on Saturday afternoon:

We happen to be this trumpet player's biggest fans.

This is his Senior year!

We've been watching this guy in this group for four years.

 We skipped the homecoming football game at home to be at the last UMass game at Gillette this season.

 I can't say enough impressive things about the marching band at the University of Massachusetts. At 400 strong they truly are the pride and class of New England.

They put on an amazing show.

But hey!

The football team gave us something to cheer about, too!

 

Here's one of their half-time numbers:

This one was performed at the Penn State game last month.

They are mesmerizing.

 AND...

the football team WON their game against Eastern Michigan!

They're on a two-game winning streak.

Woo-hoo!

 The fans went crazy.

 And then we settled in for the fifth quarter.

We love a good college football game.

 And we love a good marching band even more.

Homecoming 2014

Another part of what makes October so great:
Homecoming weekend in our small town.

 (I don't know the kid in the truck who brought his tooth, but HELLO!)

This year's theme was Pixar movies.

Each class at the High School spent weeks designing a float for the Homecoming Parade.

The Eighth Graders were the Ambassadors.

It's a tradition that gets me revved up every year.

The Freshmen built a float with a Toy Story theme.
The sophomores created a Finding Nemo float.

 The Juniors had "Up."

 I especially loved all the balloons....
There's something just so happy about them.

 The Seniors had Monsters, Inc.

 And because our town is SMALL,
we run to the other side of the parade route and watch everyone as they march back into the school grounds.

 It's exciting stuff.