October Highlights

As we turned the calendar to October, our name was drawn for free tickets to see The Wiggles, one of the first groups Zoe enjoyed listening to.  You can enjoy one of Zoe's favourite Wiggles songs by clicking here.  Play it ten times in a row for the true Zoe experience.  (Then try to get the tune out of your head!)  It was Zoe's first big "stadium" concert experience and she enjoyed it, to say the least.  

At The Wiggles concert

Of course The Wiggles arrived in their Big Red Car!  (Forgive the poor photo quality.  Photos of moving objects taken from a distance in the dark with a cell phone offer little more than blurry proof that one was there.)



Also in October we had the pleasure of dining with another Kaz family, Americans who just moved to Toronto.  We have gotten to know each other through the blogging world over the past few years and even met in person at Kazapalooza.  But this was the first that Zoe and Alexander have interacted with each other.  They hit it off royally!  We look forward to spending more time with them!

Zoe and Alexander

October was harvest time for us.  Our garden consisted of a few pots of herbs, berries and vegetables, some of which actually survived.  And a few even produced food!  The carrots were Zoe's crop.  She planted the seeds way back in the spring and watched them grow all summer.  Her TLC paid off and she ended up with a whole bunch of carrots. 

Zoe and her pot of carrots, pre-harvest.

The bunch of carrots.

October is Thanksgiving time in Canada.  It is the same giving-thanks-for-the-harvest holiday as in the States - minus the pilgrims and the huge Christmas launch the day after.  We enjoyed a wonderful turkey and tofurky dinner with wonderful friends.

Zoe, Mary, and Rose at the Thanksgiving children's table.

We discovered a new, favourite pumpkin patch this year.  There are many "pick-your-own" farms outside of the city where one can go to pick apples (except this year when there were very few apples!), pumpkins, and other related crops.  Many also have fun areas where children can play on hay bales, run through corn mazes, enjoy wagon rides, etc.  Forsythe Family Farm had it all.  We discovered it early in the month and had every intention of returning again prior to Halloween, but several weekends in a row of cold rain kept us away.  However, we will be back for certain next year!

Zoe got to hold and pet a bunny at the farm.

Steer roping 101.

The farm offered a variety of wagon rides - and sizes.

Entrance to one of the more difficult corn mazes we've been in!  Zoe loved it!

There were lots of animals, including kids on both sides of the fence.

The farm's obstacle course was designed for smaller (and younger) guests.

The annual pumpkin patch photo.

On Halloween the Kindergarten classes dressed up and paraded through the school as the older kids (and Kindergarten parents) lined the hallways to watch and cheer. 

Zoe parading with her class at school.

Our little witch.

Zoe decided early on that she wanted to be a ghost this year.  I was thrilled not to have to create another walrus costume (last year) or something equally difficult.  Thus, the king size pillowcase was purchased early and cut and fitted for maximum comfort and effect.  As the big day approached, she decided that the ghost costume may not be appropriate for school since it covered her head (and she didn't want to have to take her costume off after the parade).  Fair enough.  But she remained excited about being a ghost for trick or treating that night.  All the way up until it was time to get dressed and go.  It was cold and raining out (the edge of hurricane Sandy passing through) but we were prepared with large, white, rain-repelling trash bags to fit over her coat - the perfect year for her to be a ghost, we thought.  But there was no convincing her to wear the long anticipated ghost costume!  I finally conceded and we bundled her witch costume under her coat and umbrella... and proceeded to get soaked.  It may come as no surprise that she woke with a fever the next morning and missed two days of school.  At least I got a photo of the ghost costume, which is now packed away for a future costume party.

Haunting the neighbourhood from the warmth of our front door.

Boo!