Halloween Party at the Y

The YMCA is currently where I feel the most at home, loved, and the strongest sense of community in all of Los Angeles. Quinn and I spend a couple of hours there a few days a week and as soon as she walks through the doors she starts waving to me and screaming, "Buh-bye! Buh-bye! Buh-bye!" while running to the doors of Child Watch. Those workers love her and she adores them, clearly! And I cherish an hour or so to work out, talk to the other Y members and sometimes just sit and enjoy some silence. It sounds silly but I met the Director of our Westside Y the other day and started crying when I told her what the YMCA means to me, which is more than I even realized. This place is home.

Last Friday our Y held it's Halloween party and there was no way we were going to miss it. The kids were being extraordinarily loco and every instinct I had told me to put those kids to bed and kick up my feet but I pushed against it just so I could go see all of my people. The party was a total blast and I'm so glad we went! The YMCA, I love that place!  

The only picture I could get of my active one-year-old, that crazy chicken. But boy did she make the cutest little Quinny Mouse I ever did see (name given to her by her brothers, don't even think about calling her Minnie!)

And...the Kratt brothers from the Wild Kratts (morphing into bats). These two have had this costume idea since November 1st of last year (and I'm not even slightly kidding!) Luckily my Mom has amazing sewing skills and whipped these things together during their last LA visit. The boys have had these costumes on every day since, and are already planning on being the Kratt brothers morphing into zebras or cheetahs next year so my Mom's hard work will get good use for sure! I love those two together. Such great and special friends.

Party pics--obstacle course and shooting hoops!

This Mama loves her Quinny Mouse more than you can imagine. That baby was the star of the party, walking up to friends and strangers alike giving hugs and begging for treats! What a fun baby friend!

As soon as my boys saw the face-painting station they knew a spooky face was in their future. And boy did they get some:

A skeleton Kratt bat.

A vampire Kratt bat.

Because why not take an innocent costume like the Kratt brothers and make them scary Halloween monsters?! I loved how excited the face paint made them and I love them so much, I just wish they could have left the paint on a little big longer (oh the tears when we had to wash it off that night but soccer pictures were the next morning and while a Kratt skeleton is one thing, a spooky soccer star is another thing entirely!) We've got a few more Halloween parties this week and I'm so happy. Celebrating is so fun!