Trick or Treatin'

Alternate Title: The night when the Hackney-Painter-Bohrer children plunder the neighborhood for sugar! Time for the annual run through the subdivision trying to score candy.

This year's group consisted of 4 Bohrers, 3 Painters, 2 Hackneys, 2 Archers, 1 Bordelon, 1 Patterson, and 1 Brinker and 1 Baby Bordelon who are not in this photo. 

Or better listed as:  a mime, Sherlock Homes, clown, kung fu master, pirate, ninja, race car driver, indian, princess, hillbilly, another princess, cheerleader, old woman, and a football.  What a group!

We let the big kids take off by themselves.  They were happy not to be saddled with the little kids slowing them down. 

Apparently indians don't smile

But princesses will run to get their fair share of candy

Afterwards there was the traditional sorting, trading, stuffing of faces, and parents talking their little kids out of chocolate....Reese's peanut butter cups to be specific! 

Halloween Prep

Time to gut a pumpkin!

I forgot to add that Rachel spent part of this afternoon sketching out "blueprints"  (her words) for the pumpkin.  We went with this selection!

I got a rock!

Tonight "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was on.  It's one of our family traditions to watch it.  In fact I know it's a LOT of family's tradition to watch it.  But our family has an added twist to the annual ritual.  We also dance during the "Linus and Lucy" theme music.  And we happen to make anyone that happens to be visiting with us at the time pull out their best Charlie Brown moves and dance as well.  (Just ask Bryson Painter!)  And yes, I make Dusty get up and dance too.  Happily for him I gave him camera duty so he's not in these pics.  But rest assured as soon as he quit snapping he busted a move!

Fall Photos - A sample

Determined not to let my family's photos fall by the wayside while I was shooting everyone else this fall we headed back out to IMA (my 4th trip in a week) after the Buddy Walk on Saturday.  With camera equipment and the official photographer to the Hackney 4, Mr. Paul Painter (and the entire Painter crew), in tow we spent a couple hours trekking around, dodging the other 3,681 photographers, posing, goofing off, and enjoying the beautiful scenery.  The past few years I coordinated us in fall colors.  We had done the reds, oranges, greens, & browns, so I went with the ultimate in fall gear for this year....Colts jerseys!  Here's a small sampling.

Walking with our pal Alli

Yesterday we walked in our 2nd Buddy Walk to benefit Indiana Downs Syndrome.  We're blessed to know the Schmidt family and so glad that we can walk with them in the Buddy Walk.  Our team, Alli's Pals, was 60 strong this year and was featured on the Saturday evening newscast in Indianapolis.  It's still not too late to give...if you want to give a little to a great cause go to www.firstgiving.com/heidihackney

With our #1 Pal - Allison

Our good friends the Schmidts - Allison, Ryan, JJ, & Heather

Rachel walking with her buddy JJ

Allison leading the way!

Ryan being interviewed for the evening news



Stuff & more stuff

Been a busy week.  I've done 5 photo shoots in 4 days and will have my work cut out for me next week when I go to edit all of them!  I snapped this one of Rachel out at IMA while I was taking Daniel and Becky's family photos.

On Wednesday I helped at Rachel's school during their fall party.  The kids had yesterday and today off for fall break.

And on a sad note, I just found out that Dallas Clark...#44...the Colts tight end....guy whose jersey I have....is out for the season. :(   Don't worry Dallas (because I'm sure he reads my blog) I'll keep wearing your number with pride this year. 

Monday

Decided to declare today a "TV Free" day.  The results so far are promising!  More time spent talking to each other about our day.  Sat down and did a round of "Sad, Mad, Glad" where each person talks about something that made them sad, mad, and glad today.  Had a nice dinner with no one rushing through their meal so they can go watch a show.  And all the chores are completed.  I may institute "TV Free Monday" as an ongoing event in this house. :)

Awana Superhero Night

Conference Adventures

Spent this weekend with 17 women from my church at the EWomen Conference in Ft. Wayne.  I wasn't really familiar with a lot of the speakers, but I thought they all were very good.  We were treated to Chonda Pierce on the first evening.  Man, did I laugh......a lot!  We heard Selah & Newsong in concert.  I first heard Newsong 20 years ago at a youth conference when it was just 4 guys singing with music tracks, and they looked like this

Only the 2 guys on the left are still in the band.,  They have a very talented lead singer and now they perform with a full band.  They are great to hear live.....even if they did perform "Christmas Shoes" which is my least favorite Christmas song EVER!!

 I got the task of driving the church van.  It's sort of dicey to manuever that thing through Indianapolis interstate traffic around rush hour, but we prayed hard for protection before we left so it's all good!  Got to have a good time with a lot of friends.

Got to get to know some new friends better!

And when I got home only one household item had been broken....BONUS!!

Odds and Ends

The youth praise band that Aaron plays in played on Sunday morning.  They did a great job!  Here's a video of their performance.

Today was Guest Lunch day for Rachel's class so I joined her at the cafeteria.  Rachel takes her lunch so I packed up a sandwich in what else.....a Hello Kitty lunch bag.  I wanted to blend in! :)

Our neighbors are rejoicing!! :)

Happy Birthday Aaron!



Happy 13th Birthday Aaron!

It's official - the Hackney 4 now includes a teenager!